Why Top Talent Leaves
In this career era, employees are not loyal to organizations because organizations are not loyal to employees. But many companies struggle 
with retaining top talent long enough to see their return on investment for new hires.
Mike Myatt wrote a great piece in Forbes illustrating just why top talent tends to move on. You’ve heard the adage that people don’t leave bad organizations, they leave bad bosses. Myatt breaks it down even more. Research reveals that over 60% don’t feel their career goals are aligned with the plans their employer has for them. Employee engagement is a big factor, since more than 70% don’t feel appreciated or valued by their employer. And more than 40% don’t respect their boss.
While is seems simple to challenge, engage, value, and reward your employees to keep them in their roles – it’s hard to hit all of these points emotionally, intellectually, and financially. Here are a few of Myatt’s top reasons why talented people move on.
You Failed to Unleash Their Passions. Wise companies align employee passions with organizational pursuits. It’s difficult to walk away from passion so if you don’t engage your employee’s passion they will look for it elsewhere.
You Failed to Develop Their Skills. Leadership is a continuum so no matter how talented and individual, there is always room for growth. If you restrict a professional’s room for growth they will move to a place where they can continue to grow their strengths.
You Failed to Give Them a Voice. Great talent has thoughts, ideas, energy, and observations that are of value. If you don’t listen to them – someone else will.
You Failed to Care. You must connect with your people on a human level. The paycheck is only one factor. If you don’t engage on an emotional level they will leave no matter how much you pay them.
You Failed to Lead. Businesses don’t fail – leaders fail. If you fail to lead, your talent will seek leadership elsewhere.
You Failed to Recognize Their Contributions. According to Myatt, the best leaders don’t take credit – they give it. Failing to recognize your team’s contributions or taking credit for what they’ve done will send them packing towards the elevator.
Myatt astutely summarized, “If leaders would spend less time trying to retain people, and more time trying to understand them, invest in them, and lead them well, the retention thing would take care of itself.” Take note leaders!
January 6, 2013 @ 10:36 am
This article is extremely helpful for me to read. The ‘syndrome’ you describe has never happened to me in my work life. However, it happened to me in my graduate program. I was punished and harrassed because I didn’t comply with tedious elements in my student teaching ‘practicum’ which was a credit/no credit course. I passed all of my coursework, and all of my exams. When I began to realize that the department was not in my corner and had given me ‘impossible’ teaching assignments I went outside of my university for advice. But, my cry for help came too late. The damage was done. I had to ‘bolt on’ to the Masters portion. I enlisted the cooperation of friends/colleagues/pedagogy at Harvard Graduate School of Education. When my university began ‘stalling’ and blocking the registration process, a member of the faculty at Harvard stepped in to inquire on the ‘issue.’ I managed to complete my Masters portion — but without the student teaching portion — I am unable to receive a credential. I still owe a substantial student debt — and since they are blocking me from the credential portion — I have opted to take a different path. Thank goodness I have other talents than just teaching. At my age — having student debt of this proportion would have buried anyone without resources and resilience.
January 6, 2013 @ 6:20 pm
Incredible and extremely relevant article, Caroline!
It should be read by everyone.
Thank you!
January 8, 2013 @ 10:18 am
Caroline,
Great article and great view points! Having retired from the military after 23 years of service, I have witnessed leadership and effective leadership. I would rate this article with effective leadership.
The key in retention is knowing your subordinates and if you don’t, then they will not stay. I can relate to your article because I followed this same philosophy.
If more leaders would read this article and commit to knowing their subordinates, their subordinates would commit to them and their company. All your view points, if followed, can build automatic team building, higher retention rates, and lasting loyal relations in any company.