Drain it or retain it, your choice

Back in my old job-blogging days, this post on retaining top talent would have been reposted in its entirety on this site and commented on line-by-line.

These days, we just share the link and reminisce not-so-fondly about days at Club Medicated. No. 7 just SCREAMS of Caterwauling v.1.0:

7. Top Talent likes other Top Talent. What are the rest of the people around your top talent like? Many organizations keep some people on the payroll that rationally shouldn’t be there. You’ll get a litany of rationales explaining why when you ask. “It’s too hard to find a replacement for him/her….” “Now’s not the time….” However, doing exit interviews with the best people leaving big companies you often hear how they were turned off by some of their former “team mates.” If you want to keep your best people, make sure they’re surrounded by other great people.

Funny how I exchanged that sinking ship of non-achievers for a speedboat of overachievers this time around. It’s a weird transition to not be the shining star anymore, but at least it motivates you to not sail the seas of mediocrity simply because you can.

I can really go nuts over several others, especially No. 10, when everybody’s leaving but the boss. Well, you know, I’m sure it’s hard to dispose of Satan’s Handmaiden (two jobs ago) when she’s the CEO, so you just have to hire dumber people who are less sensitive to having their hearts ripped out with a chainsaw several times daily. But I’ve digressed. Either that or conjured up some memories that will prevent me from getting to sleep tonight!

Link via Magic Pot of Jobs

2 Responses to Drain it or retain it, your choice

  1. Amy :

    >Well, you know, I’m sure it’s hard to dispose of Satan’s Handmaiden (two jobs ago) when she’s the CEO, so you just have to hire dumber people who are less sensitive to having their hearts ripped out with a chainsaw several times daily.

    Thank you for making me spray my Dr. Pepper all over my monitor. Hee!

    I had that boss two jobs ago too!

  2. Eric Jackson :

    Hi: Thanks for the shout-out.

    Best,

    Eric