How do you stop people from leaving?

Simple, give them a reason to stay. The more reasons they have to stay, the longer it takes them to leave.

When I was a boy, my father pastored a small country church in rural South Carolina. I would often go on hospital and home visits with him. He was wonderful at visiting the elderly, the sick and the lonely. The lonely would always make it very difficult for him to leave. Sometimes, they would follow us out to the car, hold on to the door or lean in the window. They would tell a new story, ask a question or, the one that was sure to keep us longer, bring out dessert! I remember one dear old widow, Mrs. Kirby, she brought out the big guns: an RC Cola and a Moon Pie! That was worth staying every time. See, they didn’t want my dad to leave. He was meeting their needs. They were giving him reasons to stay.

Leaders today have to come on strong with reasons that help talent stay in the organization. One thing won’t do. It takes a talent strategy. The days of showing up and expecting people to stay are history. Reality is they are going to leave.

So what can you do to slow the departure down?

People stay on teams, in organizations and with leaders because of many reasons. The more of these reasons your people see and grasp, the harder it is for them to leave. Let’s call these reasons by a different name: connections. Connection is a word that millennials and centennials really understand. Because, the world we live in an upside down world. The people that work with you and for you have fewer meaningful relationships, are less emotionally mature and have greater anxiety about the future. They are entering the work force with bigger dreams, more debt and greater uncertainty.

Leaders, organizations and employers who create the following connections have a much greater chance at keeping their developing talent longer…

1- Create an atmosphere of clarity. Clarity produces a level of certainty. When things are clear, it is easier for a team member to make a connection–to see where they belong. Clarity is never found through complexity, but always in simplicity. As a leader you need a shorter, simpler and more concise brand message. Too many leaders and organizations are trying to be someone or something that they are not. This plays very false to a generation that demands authenticity. Clarity combined with a life lived driven by a passionate calling is a powerful magnate.

2- Create a powerful sense of purpose. People no longer do things because they are supposed to. This is because somewhere in the past two decades people stopped teaching, stopped accepting and stopped passing on what was supposed to be done. Now, everything is questioned. This is reality. People don’t stay because they are supposed to. They stay because they want to. They stay because they feel respected, they feel wanted and they feel valued.

3- Offer ownership whenever possible. What is ownership? It is a sense of possession with a purpose. Once, people know their purpose, then empower them to possess parts of the business, the organization and the team. This is very difficult for the leader who wants to control everything. Empowerment never comes solely through instruction. It must be paired with investment and the ability to fail.

What?

Ownership is about winning and losing. No one wins all the time–that belief is fantasy. Leaders that win with talent operate in reality.  If you create an organizational path or track where there is no real possibility of failure, then you will never produce people who can win without you. And if they can’t win without you, they will absolutely leave you.

4- Make promises you can deliver on. Don’t say things to keep people you never intend on truly fulfilling. I observe many leaders who will say just about anything to try to keep people on the hook. This is no good. As soon as people get on a hook and they realize it, they want off. But, if people feel connected or plugged in, then they want to stay longer.  This is a generation that wants action, that wants results. When you make promises or say things haphazardly that you don’t follow through on, you create an instant disconnect–literally, you are pulling the plug. This is why simplicity of purpose, simplicity of structure and simplicity of advancement are critical. The simpler the promise, the easier it is to fulfill. If your organization can’t afford a perk, promotion or benefit, then don’t talk about it. Don’t say, “Well, one day we’d like to offer x, y, and z.” That’s no good. All you are doing is speaking into a false reality and you will pay later for it by your talent leaving you. In an age of uncertainty, people are looking for leaders and organizations to deliver on their promises. A promise is a commitment and the world is short on keeping it’s commitments these days. Organizations and leaders need to speak the truth and keep it. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Don’t talk about one day…talk about today! 

“Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. Don’t implement promises, but keep them.”

~C. S. Lewis

5- Be generous with your personal time. Be generous with your time. Leaders that give their time freely to their subordinates inadvertently kill bureaucracy. Don’t make people pay for your time. You are busy. You are a leader. Leaders are busy. Everyone knows that. Personal one-on-one or small group settings are hugely instrumental for the leaders of tomorrow. Giving your personal time is an investment into the lives of the next generation. They have access to an abundance of information, but little to no access to wisdom and experience. This is why spending time with you is so valuable to them. Even if you don’t think they are listening, they are. You are the model. The best models can be studied up close. The best models invite careful scrutiny and the freedom to explore. If you are an absent leader or a distracted leader, then you will never unlock the potential of those developing leaders in your organization.

“You have had many instructors but few fathers, therefore, imitate me…“

Paul, the Apostle

6- Invest resources when it makes sense. Often, organizations today just throw money at people as if it will solve the problem. Let me tell you the problem with this “solution”: money can’t create value, it demands to be valued. For example, you offer to pay a person more money to stay with you or start them at a higher rate. All you have done is wage into a bidding war that is easily outdone by the person or organization that comes along and offers more money at a later date. Money is a race with no winner. Because money and perks are unable to satisfy the deepest longings of a persons need for acceptance and value. I tell my team, “I want you to make more money. In fact, I want to pay you more. So, let’s get to work on making this organization more productive. A high tide rises all ships.” When you make it about the money, you enter a path that is impossible to return from. Instead of “paying people more” the solution is to “invest in people more.” It’s subtle, but it’s a mindset shift. It places the emphasis on the people instead of the resource.

7- Tell great stories that promote people. People love stories. People want stories told about them. Get good at telling stories. We have so many forms of media, so many channels by which to tell stories of our people that we have no reason not to. Find people in your organization and (with their permission) tell their story. Media is simply an avenue at telling stories. Humans can not resist a good story. The better you are at telling true stories, the more inspired your people will be to stay with you, especially when you start telling their story. I have a couple of former all-American athletes that work with me. Every time I introduce them, I say, “This is Mandy or Steph, she was an All-American at…” One day, with a huge smile on her face Mandy a college graduate and record-setting All-American soccer player said, “Why do you always tell people I was an All-American when I played in college?” I responded, “Do you like being introduced that way?” She said with a bigger smile, “Yes…” I simply replied, “That’s why!”

The key to winning people is connecting with them, especially at the deepest level the heart. If you only see your people as assets or liabilities for your benefit, your revolving door will move much quicker. See, everyone has a revolving door on talent these days. The solution is not to get mad at the door or live in denial that such a door exists, but to slow the door down. When people connect with you, your purpose/calling and they feel valued, the bottom line is they stay longer.

Talent is a revolving door. You don’t need a new door, when all you need is to slow the door down.

(c) Alex Vann, 2017