A Company is Known by the People it Keeps
November 1, 2007
I have been an alumnus of a number of small companies that are more known for the successes of the people who have left than those of the people that have stayed. Each of these companies have reputations for their high turn-over rate, and many rationalizations internally for why people leave… the bottom line is that they have no problem finding and choosing very capable and talented people. Their chief problem is in keeping those people.
To those companies, and you know who you are, I say “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results!”
Throwing new talent at a problem without examining the processes and circumstances that caused the old talent to leave, be fired, or check out in performance is a formula for repeating the same failures over and over again. If you are sincere in wanting to KEEP the people you have spent so much money to find, hire, and train – then you must be prepared to change something that has not yet changed.
It is an ego-issue 99% of the time and you know it in your heart of hearts. Someone who works for you may have even been brave enough to raise the issue with you… of course, that someone is now in the dog house or gone.
If you truly desire to break through to the “next” level of productivity and keep the wonderful talent you have toiled so hard to find – you must be able to change your most basic assumptions about yourself and your business. And be willing to trust the people you have working on your team!
Start by learning about yourself, your style, your vision… and then find out about your team, their individual and group styles, and their vision. Where there are disconnects, you have opportunities to create improvements! Where there are commonalities, you have opportunities for increased trust and performance.
Of course if you enjoy the cycle, continue on as you are – making superficial changes and getting the same results over and over. You can be the “Company that is known by the people it loses.”
