Boo! Are you scared now?
August 18, 2006
Sometimes I read these articles and wonder who benefits from all this fear-mongering. Clearly, someone is out to scare the heck out of us. In any event, Forbes presents “Where have all the leaders gone?,” a rather sanguine look at the looming talent shortage at the C level.
In the article, commentator Kevin Cashman (CEO of a leadership development firm) responds to reader questions. One reader asks “…what practical measures can senior leaders take to deal with potential crises?” Cashman responds:
It may sound simplistic, but the best thing a top leader can do is be a great coach, boss and mentor. After conducting 19,700 exit interviews of key employees leaving companies, the Saratoga Institute found that 85% of bosses thought their top people left for more money and opportunity. But the real reason behind the turnover: 80% said they left due to poor management and leadership or because of a dysfunctional company culture. If you’re a board member, a CEO or a leader on the front lines, paying more attention to the development of your people and teams is the crucial variable for retaining key people.
It’s a point well made. Talent shortages are far more acute for companies that don’t actually work to develop their employees. Keeping the top performers you already have is far easier and more efficient than going back to the well.
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2 Responses to “Boo! Are you scared now?”
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I would definitely agree with this Max. I often see people craving mentoring and leadership, especially from folks that have already achieved what others are aiming at. I know I do. It’s one reason I love the blogosphere. I can find hundreds of people who’ve done what I want to do, and shoot them questions that I might never be able to ask a senior manager. I am fortunate that my senior leaders can be asked many questions, though it’s useful to get multiple opinions on things.
There is a nice alignment bewtween this post and your CEO’s bio. It is an interesting paradox that a company that ostensibly makes money through measuring compensation and performance is in fact attempting a palace coup on the status quo through advocating for passion, leadership and commitment. Nicely done.