Know, Care, Challenge: The Keys to Talent Retention

Dec 20, 2022

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Over the past year, talent retention has become big news. “The Great Resignation” has seen millions of workers leave their jobs–and it’s not just entry-level workers either. Resignations are highest among mid-career employees. Their departure can be devastating to a business, wiping out continuity, upsetting team chemistry and necessitating an expensive hiring process, all while leaving your team shorthanded. One thing is clear: companies must do more than ever to retain their talent. But what exactly does that mean? More of what?

Craig Flowers, founder of Sideline Leadership, has an answer to that; actually he has three. Through Craig’s twenty-five years in the Army–including ten in direct support of special operations and seven as director of cadet activities at West Point–he’s seen the differences between elite teams and average ones. Craig noticed that elite teams don’t have any problem with talent retention–in fact, workers passed on promotions to remain part of the group. Since leaving the Army, he’s established a framework for cultivating that type of culture–one that’s more appealing to employees than greener pastures.

So on this episode, we break down Craig’s “Know, Care, Challenge” formula for talent retention and how leaders can implement it in their own organizations. Plus, why retaining an employee starts before you even hire them, and how to adjust your acquisition process to keep talent long-term. It’s everything you need to know, care and challenge your assumptions about talent retention.

Highlights:

What sparked Craig’s interest in elite teams (2:30)
The importance of talent retention (5:36)
Talent retention starts with talent acquisition (6:22)
The onboarding process (10:13)
The role of culture in retention (12:33)
Why people leave: The ripple effect of bad behavior (16:48)
Instructive vs. constructive cultures (18:10)
Know, Care, Challenge (19:16)
Mistakes companies make when developing a culture (21:33)
How to care for employees without coddling them (23:32)

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If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producers, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.