You’re doing your best to keep your people.
You’ve probably added a perk or two, maybe shifted schedules, maybe even offered a bonus to sweeten the pot.
But deep down, you know, it’s not the perks that keep them. It’s whether they feel like they matter. Whether they feel seen. Whether they feel like staying.
And let’s be honest. That’s not just their question. That’s yours too.
If you’re leading a team, you’ve likely whispered these questions to yourself more than once:
- Am I still growing here?
- What’s next for me, and does anyone notice what I want?
- Is this pace, even this version of success, sustainable?
And if you’re asking those questions, chances are your people are too.
Retention isn’t about loyalty, it’s about readiness. And readiness doesn’t mean having it all figured out. Readiness is being ready, no matter where you are; not getting ready. It means feeling seen, supported, and set up to grow.
Are they ready to stay? Are you ready to lead them forward?
The leaders who keep people aren’t the ones with the fanciest budgets or the best swag. They’re the ones who know how to create a moment that matters.
They ask better questions.
They listen past the bullet points.
They see the person behind the performance.
They’re not perfect. But they don’t leave their people wondering alone.
That’s where the shift begins: when you stop trying to have all the answers and start being the one who’s willing to ask.
People don’t always leave because things are broken. They leave because, in their mind, nothing’s changing. The map of their reality they’re holding no longer points to a future they want to reach.
Your opportunity? Help them redraw it, with you.
This week, skip the checklist. Start a conversation.
Ask someone you lead: “What would help you feel more confident about your future here?”
Then just… pause. Let it be quiet. Let it be real. Let it be the first of many.
You don’t need a script. You just need to be curious.
Here are a few more moves worth making:
- Be curious before you assume. Not everyone wants a title bump. Some just want to feel like their work means something again.
- Upgrade your 1:1s. Ask: “What’s something you’re excited—or even just curious—about right now?” It’s not fluff. It’s a window.
When someone starts pulling back, it’s not always rebellion. It’s usually self-protection.
The question isn’t “Why are they disengaging?” It’s: “What are they protecting that we haven’t seen?”
Check in with yourself, too. If you’re feeling off-track or stretched too thin, take ten minutes and ask:
Why am I here?
What matters to me right now?
Who do I want to impact?
How do I need to show up?
What’s one move I can make today?
Because readiness always starts with the person in the mirror.
And if you’re ready to stop reacting to turnover and start reconnecting with your people in a way that actually sticks, let’s talk.
Whether you’re navigating your own next step or guiding someone else toward theirs, it starts with a single moment of clarity.
Because when people feel ready, they stay.
And when you gain clarity, your whole organization does too.
