🛑 Disclaimer: The following is only for the courageous.
As a leader of a high-performing team of professionals, you should be asking the following question quarterly:
👉 “Have you been approached by another company or recruiter within the last 90 days?”
How you set the tone for this question and frame it is important given the underlying condemnation that might be communicated to that employee.
These conversations are happening. Knowing is half the battle, and having this data helps you address dormant, persistent issues. Employees are often afraid to talk to their employers about these problems, but they will gladly share them with a potential suitor.
Whether that employee is honest with you hinges on how real your “open door policy” is.
📢 The goal is transparency & proactive remediation.
Let’s care enough to go the extra mile. After all, everyone matters and how you make people feel will determine your success in retaining your best people.
The late Bob Chapman, Chairman of Barry-Wehmiller & co-author of Everybody Matters, advocated that leaders resist the pull to act transactionally and start treating their employees like family members.
One of the most effective ways to promote what Bob talks about in his book is by having conversations that truly move the needle and challenge the status quo.
For those who need guidance, here’s one way to effectively pose this question:
✅ “Listen Derek, I understand and appreciate the existing market pressures. I’m also not oblivious to the strong demand for skillsets similar to yours in the marketplace. It’s believable that you are generating attention, though not through your own proactive efforts. But with LinkedIn, for instance, making everyone approachable these days, I’m curious to know how these opportunities are being presented, how they compare against the role you currently hold with us, and how we can continually re-position you to get to where you need to be.”
Trust begets transparency, and transparency is the only way to govern an organization.
If the retention of your best people is the priority, then asking difficult questions that foster open dialogue & continuous improvement will become the standard.