8 ways to make sure good people stay.

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists…when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will all say: We did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu.

It’s difficult keeping great people satisfied. Talented employees have plenty of options, and they lack patience for leaders who fail to provide the appropriate motivation to keep them stimulated.

Keeping top performers engaged is critical to ensuring they find work gratifying. This should be obvious, but it isn’t. A survey by CEB found that one-third of top performers feel underutilized and admit they were looking for other opportunities.

Top employees don’t “suddenly” burnout, it’s a process. Like fading stars, star employees slowly flicker until their fire is dead.

This process is very insidious. At the surface people seem ok. They pull their weight, grind away and work long hours with few complaints. However, the pressure of unsatisfying work slowly consumes their creative soul until they reach "the boiling point".

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” Jim Rohn.

To avoid exacerbating the effects of unsatisfying work, leaders must recognize how they contribute to expending incredible talent. The following practices must be avoided to retain top performers.

Get rid of ridiculous rules. Structure is critical. But most companies go overboard establishing rules that aren’t necessary for highly motivated people. Top performers don’t require constant oversight. They need room to operate and significant control over daily decisions that ensure success.

Get rid of preferential treatment. I’ve witnessed this so often it’s nauseating. My son had his first encounter with special treatment in High School. Star athletes were treated differently. Treating everyone the same shows top performers that nobody is special. It promotes the idea that everyone must work together to compensate for the weakest link. It forces top performers to become better leaders.

Get rid of poor performers. At the same time, many leaders simply tolerate poor performance which adversely effects moral, especially with top employees. Great bands must collaborate to create "that magical sound". If somebody isn’t practicing. Showing up for rehearsal on time, live performances suffer. If somebody isn’t pulling their weight, it’s time for a change.

 “Management is doing the right thing; leadership is doing the right things.” Peter F. Drucker.

Get rid of ignoring accomplishments. Top performers give you plenty of opportunity to acknowledge their contributions. Most leaders neglect to remind great people of how much they are appreciated. Recognition goes a long way to keeping people satisfied. Its easy but often overlooked.

Get rid of being insensitive. Most people leave a job because of bad bosses. Learn to balance being professional with being human. Everyone understands success requires making ambitious projects profitable. But when you fail to interject compassion into your leadership style, people loose respect and walk. Failing to recognize opportunities to exhibit compassion creates a sterile work environment which extricates being human in the work place.

Get rid of controlling behavior. Not including top performers in conversations about large scale objectives can be detrimental. Top performers require purpose at work and genuinely care about achieving big goals. When they don’t understand “the big picture”, they feel alienated. Without a purpose, they find one elsewhere.

Get rid of micromanagement. Some companies are allocating 20% of their employee’s time for the purpose of new product development.  The evidence is conclusive, it works. Talented employees are passionate. Providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves productivity and job satisfaction. Management is obsolescent. Effective leadership requires liberating people to explore their passions. Fear of lost productivity and control is what drives “micromanagement”. However, studies have shown people who are able to explore their curiosities experience more “flow” at work. Flow is a euphoric state of mind I discuss in my book the Anatomy of Success that is five times more productive than simply following protocol.

Get rid of being boring. Nobody wants to show up and sit in a cubicle for 8 hours a day. Creative companies establish opportunities for people to have fun at work. When people have fun, they experience burnout less frequently. The best companies understand the importance of letting loose. Picnics, dinners out, bowling alleys, and fitness classes, allow people to take mental breaks. The idea is simple: If work is fun, you’ll not only perform better, but you’ll stick around longer.

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” Vince Lombardi.

To sum it up

“Managers” blame turnover on employee dysfunction. They recite every problem in the solar system. However, they are neglecting the main issue: People don’t leave jobs; people leave managers!

How do you make work more satisfying for those around you? Please like and share this article. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and tag some people that have been great to work with. I love learning from you.

Steve Wohlenhaus CEO Weatherology Author & podcast host Anatomy of Success.