Do you see this happen as much as I do? 

Unfortunately, in my experience, organizations rarely look inward to identify the cause. Almost always, they assume that the problem lies with the one who has “leaked” (left).

Regardless of what an organization wants to acknowledge, if top talent is consistently leaving, it is almost always due to a culture problem in the organization. Whether it is the practice of catering to the lower performers at the expense of the best staff (probably the most common) or just an overall mistreatment of employees, when top talent is leaving, the organization is in trouble.

This is not to say that there is never a good reason for top talent to part ways. In fact there are myriad reasons why one may choose to depart that are both legitimate and should be praised. Among these are: opportunities to make a larger impact elsewhere (growth/advancement), physical relocation, and sometimes even a high performer that is simply not able to catch the vision of the organization or brings a perpetually poor attitude. But when there is a pattern of top-talent departures, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

The problem may be any number of things. I will not try to identify what it may be in any specific organization without spending time with the people. But, I can tell you that there are 3 HUGE reasons that top talent quits.

1. Their talent is not utilized. (No one likes to be a drone. If talented people are not encouraged to use their skills, they will quickly find a place where they can. (And if their talent is not recognized, they will also often find a place who sees them.)

2. They are punished for the mistakes of others. This is often justified by leaders as “I give more to those who are capable of more.” No, you give work to your best people thereby rewarding the people who SHOULD be (but aren’t) doing that work, and punishing those who have to take up the slack!

3. Their leaders are not showing integrity. People who are at the top of their game are both able to sniff out a fake AND are unwilling to work in an environment that they can see is a house of cards.

So, are you losing top talent? If so, what might the unhealthy habits be in your organization? Do any of the above 3 resonate? Let me know in the comments! And, if there is anything I can do for you or the leadership of your organization, connect with me here or at https://lnkd.in/g9HrmfcQ

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