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2014 Challenges Present Your Best Retention Strategy
Maggie Grafton
 You just found out that one of your top performers is leaving. You had no idea that she was even looking for another job! How did this happen? Unfortunately, managers with even the most positive intentions get distracted with the technical aspects of business and miss the most critical part of their job - developing and retaining key staff. If you are a manager of people, stop now and take stock. When was the last time you took your top performer to lunch and heard what was going on from their perspective? Do you know her personal interests and career aspirations? Can you explain with confidence where this employee finds meaning and satisfaction in their work? If you can answer these questions with a resounding yes, then good for you! The rest of us will be reading on... Top performers find intrinsic satisfaction in what they do. Our job as leaders is to find the right challenge that creates new learning and achieves the results the organization needs. This combination drives high engagement of your staff and achieves the business agenda. You already know the challenges your organization will face in 2014. Who is the best talent to assign those roles or projects?  The known pattern is that top performers like to learn new skills through unique challenges. They are always looking to grow their experience base. And better yet, they can contribute even more to your organization in the future when they have these different perspectives to draw from.
Some examples of development opportunities include: - Mentoring new employees in an area they demonstrate high skill or competency
- Engagement in the hiring process of peers or next level managers
- Writing and delivering a presentation to next level management
- Visiting a key customer to solicit their needs from your department or company
- Leading a high visibility project across multiple functions
I suggest you meet with each of your key staff periodically. Put it on your calendar now as a reoccurring meeting every quarter. Keep it simple and always live up to the commitments you make. Everyone is busy and this may seem like a 'nice to do' versus a 'have to do.' But the stakes are high. Think about it - what better investment could you make than retaining a motivated top performer? | 
