Why Your Best People Are Leaving (And It's Not About Money)
"People wither under complaints and criticism whereas people thrive and grow through praise and encouragement."
I got a call last week from a frustrated MD. His best project manager had just handed in her notice - the third key person to leave in six months.
"I don't get it," he said. "We pay well, the work's interesting, and we've got great benefits. Why do they keep leaving?"
I asked him about the last conversation he'd had with each of them. The pattern was clear: every interaction was about what was wrong, what needed fixing, what wasn't good enough.
No wonder they were walking away.
The Feedback Trap
"Our anger rarely produces the behaviour change in others we desire."
Here's what I've learned about managing people: the way you give feedback determines whether they grow or go. Most managers think feedback means pointing out problems. They're wrong.
Real feedback is about helping people see their strengths, understand their impact, and find ways to be even better. It's about building them up, not breaking them down.
I worked with a team where the manager's favourite phrase was "That's not good enough." He wasn't wrong - their standards needed to improve. But his approach was killing morale and driving away talent.
The Encouragement Advantage
"Use your words to strengthen, comfort and inspire others."
We changed his approach completely. Instead of starting with what was wrong, we helped him spot what was right. Instead of criticism, we focused on coaching. Instead of problems, we talked about possibilities.
The transformation was remarkable. Within three months, productivity was up, engagement scores had doubled, and they hadn't lost a single person.
Same team, same challenges, completely different approach to feedback.
The Assessment Insight
This is where tools like our team-building assessments become invaluable. They help you understand what motivates each person, how they prefer to receive feedback, and what makes them feel valued.
Our CliftonStrengths assessments show you exactly what each person does best. Suddenly, instead of focusing on weaknesses, you can build on strengths. Instead of generic feedback, you can give personalised development.
"Character triumphs over talent just as culture triumphs over strategy."
The Motivational Maps take it even further, showing you what drives each person at work. When you understand someone's core motivators, you can frame feedback in a way that energises rather than deflates them.
The Culture Question
"Lasting relationships can only be built when we stop hiding and become transparent with others."
Here's the thing about retention: people don't leave jobs, they leave cultures. And culture isn't about ping-pong tables and free coffee - it's about how people feel when they come to work each day.
Do they feel valued? Do they feel heard? Do they feel like they're growing? Or do they feel criticised, micromanaged, and underappreciated?
I've seen brilliant people stay in average companies because they felt valued, and average people leave brilliant companies because they felt unsupported.
The Team Building Solution
Our team-building tools help you create the kind of culture people want to stay in. The Team Adventure Series gets people working together and seeing each other's strengths. Our team assessments help you understand the dynamics that make or break team performance.
"Leaders create an environment which enables others to motivate and develop themselves."
When you use these tools properly, something magical happens. People start to see each other as allies rather than obstacles. They begin to appreciate different working styles instead of being frustrated by them.
Making It Work
So how do you create a culture that keeps your best people?
Focus on strengths, not weaknesses. Use assessments to identify what each person does brilliantly and give them more opportunities to use those talents.
Personalise your approach. Understanding different personality types means you can adapt your management style to what works for each person.
Create psychological safety. Use team-building activities that help people feel comfortable being themselves at work.
Give growth opportunities. Our development assessments help you identify where each person wants to grow and how to support them.
The Bottom Line
"The very thing that makes leading others so appealing to our ego makes us vulnerable to their pressures and praise."
Here's what the best managers understand: your job isn't to be right all the time - it's to help other people be successful. When you focus on building people up instead of pointing out what's wrong, everything changes.
The companies that thrive in the next decade won't be the ones with the best recruitment strategies - they'll be the ones with the best retention strategies. And retention isn't about money - it's about making people feel valued, understood, and supported.
Ready to build a team that stays? Our range of team-building assessments and development tools can help you create the kind of culture people never want to leave.