Happy Hump Day! The number one reason for staff turnover is NOT money, its bad bosses or moreover, the things that bad bosses do. I have had staff follow me from engagement to engagement (job to job) and still, have staff that would meet and work with me, anywhere (well, almost) anytime. Why? It isn’t because they were overpaid working with or for me.
I ask a lot of my team. I set high standards and expectations. I like A players and people around me who challenge me and each other. Success breeds success.
What I learned a long time ago is that the number one thing a boss can do that builds team and inspires performance is to give feedback, particularly supportive. Not everything works and it is OK and required that a boss be willing to encourage failure, to support his/her team when stuff doesn’t work. Why else would they stretch? Why else would they choose to grow, to risk? If every opportunity lost came with blame or ridicule, no team member would every seek excellence.
A great quote I like is from Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin.
Train people well enough so that they can leave; treat them well enough so that don’t want to.
Another goodie comes from Professor Adam Grant. He is an organizational psychologist.
The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.
I have spent a lot of time working with boards and management, executives in particular. I’ve coached a bunch and had successes and more than enough failures. When people in management/leadership fail, universally they forgot to recognize the need of their staff to win, to succeed. They used an inward definition built around their success not the success of others. Their own need for control and power made them, miserable bosses. Staff turnover illustrated how bad these people are at their job.
I don’t know which readers of this post and followers of this site are bosses. I know there are a few. Hopefully, those that read today’s post will pass it along to others that are in leadership roles.
So, on this Hump Day, in addition to the quotes above, I have attached a link to a short, but profound, video. I’ve watched it a bunch of times and each time, it resonated with me. I hope you’ll take a couple of moments to watch it. Happy Hump Day!