The Intentionally Slow Salary
RISING INDEX · MM‑INDEX‑2025‑SIG‑006 Signal Admission · Season 01 (2025)
THE INTENTIONALLY SLOW SALARY — DESIGNED PACE
What we’re seeing
Plateaus, pivots, and sabbaticals are planned and named—two-year arcs read build → consolidate → build.
Why it matters
Longevity, not velocity, produces judgment. Health and leverage survive; teams keep knowledge that churn deletes.
Lineage / Parallel
Tenure models and atelier apprenticeships adapted to modern roles.
Lived markers
Two micro-rests/year; one learning quarter; “pause” written plainly on CVs.
Start today (10-minute setup)
- Map 24 months (build/consolidate/build).
- Book two micro-rests now.
- Mark one learning quarter.
Time & tools
Year grid · calendar holds · manager note.
Field tests
- Output: Restarts ↓; closeouts ↑.
- Health: Fewer stress sick-days.
- Tenure: Months in role ↑ ≥10% YoY.
Keep the standard
Pauses are scheduled—not improvised • Depth over speed • Health and learning blocked on the calendar
Accessibility / life layers
Align rests with school terms or appointment cycles; put them in the shared calendar.
Proof ideas
Tenure Δ (months) • re-work rate ↓ • voluntary exits ↓.
Common pushbacks & replies
- “It looks slow.” → “It looks sustainable—and it ships.”
- “Peers will pass you.” → “I’ll outlast churn and keep quality.”
Adoption criteria (flip to Admitted)
≥3 teams run slow-arc plans for 2 cycles and tenure rises ≥10% YoY.
House note
Staying is also a strategy.
Related: The Measured Pause · House Ledger
Date: 2025-11-— · Observer/Editor: AB · Geography: [Org] · Status: Observing · Next review: +6–8 weeks
