The Soren Principle - How to attract and retain your top talent

Why does it seem to be so difficult for many companies to attract and retain top talent? What happens within an organization that causes some people to want to stay and others to leave?

The Soren Principle is defined as "Your top talent will stay in a company as long as they can beat back the bureaucracy and effect change. As soon as that becomes impossible it is time for them to move on."

What I have found to be the motivators for people to stay or change jobs is based on four questions that they ask themselves:

1. Culture - Do they like the people they work for, work with them, and report to them.
2. Impact - Do they feel like they are making a difference doing the job they do.
3. Career Growth - Do they feel that they are learning new things and have more to learn.
4. Money - Last but not least, this is what compensates for when they don't have 1-3 and it helps pay the bills!

If you can provide people with

4 out of 4: These people will go out of their way to do the right thing for the company. They will be eager to refer people to come work at your company.

3 out of 4: While realizing that nothing is perfect they will typically stick it out within a company.

2 out of 4: They are already on the fence and contemplating looking elsewhere.

1 out of 4: They are doing their job search on the job. They are not interested in their work, and it will be difficult to motivate them.

0 out of 4: These people are so disgruntled that they are only there because they can't find something else... yet!

You need to listen to what they really want to do

The first question I ask people during an interview is "What is your dream job?" This often takes the candidate by shock and sometimes confusion because they feel that they have to answer the question in the context of how it relates to the position that they are currently interviewing for.

But I tell them no, I am interested as an employer to know what is your ideal job. That way I can align opportunities that match your interests. I have always found that employees that are staffed on jobs based by their aspiration and not current job title tend to be more effective and innovative than those doing it for the paycheck. You would be surprised by what you learn about people by just asking that simple question.

Make sure you lead people and not just manage them

As an employer you are constantly being silently evaluated by those that work for you. They are making assessments as to whether it is in their best interest to stay on board. Many managers tend to treat people (some not intentionally) like pawns on a chess board. They are tools to achieve the bigger corporate agenda. Often these managers fail to have any ability to inspire their people, or rally them to cause other than "We need to do it, because the guys at the top said so."

Remember:

"People follow bosses because they have to, people follow leaders because they choose to."

What would you rather be viewed as?

Have integrity in everything you do

Nothing amputates an employee's spirit faster than when they see their bosses doing things they know is wrong. The "Do as I say, and not as I do." management approach has been responsible for destroying many a company's workforce.

Once you break trust it is very difficult to reestablish it.

Compensation is not all about money

Every person has a different need that makes them happy. You have to understand what is that motivator in your employees. It requires work, time, and energy to truly listen, solicit, and encourage your employees to share with you what they want, but the rewards are unlimited.

If your employees see that you are willing to go that extra step for them, most return the favor by going an extra mile for you.

But it takes time to establish trust and for people to view you as being different than all those other managers they had in the past.

Communication and Feedback is critical

I once worked for a boss that said he truly encouraged disagreement because he felt that it allowed people to communicate and that he had an open door policy to anyone who wanted to give him feedback.

What it turned out that he meant was that he encouraged disagreement as long as it did not run counter to anything he said. And by asking him questions directly he did not like to be challenged, so his open door policy meant that anyone that did not agree with him could leave.

Don't make that mistake; if you encourage feedback take the good with the bad. You are going to have some that just come in and complain about everything, but it will also enable those to give you critical feedback that will allow you to make adjustments to your organization.

Make your work place fun

Fun does not have to cost a lot of money. I have always had a philosophy of "Work hard, play hard". As a manager you try to find ways to recognize and reward your employees in ways that encourage others to contribute.

I can remember many days where teams that I managed after achieving a major milestone, would take off early on a Friday to do a team outing. It allowed people to detox and unwind. It provided an informal atmosphere where people could feel comfortable venting their concerns without feeling like it was a formal meeting.

We are looking for a few good people!

Hawaii Business Consulting is growing, and we are looking for good people in sales, business, and technology. If you like an entrepreneurial environment, having multiple responsibilities, and having fun while delivering value with integrity you may be interested in working for Hawaii Business Consulting.

Please forward your resume and cover letter to hr@hawaiibcllc.com