We have 13 days left in the year. Unless you have the rest of the year off, you will still have some work days. Here’s my suggestion: Think about the coming year and your strategy to obtain and keep good people. Turnover is far more costly than we probably think.
In my coaching of owners and managers, I have found that weekly communication with a boss and his or her direct reports makes a huge difference. It seems that the team members who are most valued know where they stand with the boss, and vice versa. Conversely, I have noticed that employees that hit their boss broadside with a 2-week notice are usually not in regular productive communication with their immediate supervisor. There are two specific situations I am thinking of where the individuals tended to do things their own way, and when the boss finally discovered it the gap was too large to bridge. It these folks had been communicating weekly with their supervisor along the way, there is a good chance the boss could have effectively “re-directed” the employees and get back in alignment with them.
So if you want to increase the probability of keeping good people, follow these steps;
Select the right person for the job.
Set clear, measureable goals under key categories of their position.
Have weekly meetings or conference calls with the person focusing on the following questions:
What did you commit to?
What specific action did you take?
What happened?
What did you learn?
What is your next step?
I encourage you to stay in their with your people. Think of good team members like they were your teeth. Remember what they said in the old toothpaste commercial: Teeth: Ignore them and they will go away!
