The Human Side of Retention: Leading with Intention, Energy, and Empathy

Talent retention is one of the most persistent challenges leaders face today. While many search for external solutions—benefits, perks, or performance incentives—the truth is, sustainable retention is personal. It starts with how we lead, communicate, and connect.

When leaders show up with clarity, empathy, and energy, people notice—and they stay.

Retention Starts Within: Leveraging Overlooked Leadership Functions

Many leaders unknowingly miss the internal drivers that help people feel seen and supported. Our internal functions—Intuition, Sensing, Thinking, and Feeling—play a critical role in how we plan, relate, and engage our teams.

• Intuition sparks innovation and inspires future-focused thinking.

• Sensing brings groundedness to the day-to-day operations.

• Thinking creates clarity in expectations and systems.

• Feeling builds emotional safety and trust.

When these functions are balanced and consistently applied, leaders create cultures where employees thrive—not just survive.

“People don’t leave companies—they leave cultures, leaders, and environments where they feel unseen or undervalued.” — Deb Olejownik

Try This: Before making your next decision, ask:

• What’s the big idea?

• What are the known facts?

• What’s the best logical structure?

• Who’s impacted and what do they believe?

Be the Leader They Don’t Want to Quit On by Leading with Intention

Retention doesn’t hinge on policies—it hinges on people. You, the leader, are the common denominator. The way you lead during hard times speaks volumes. When trust is high and people feel valued, engagement naturally follows.

Critical Components of Retention:

• Leadership: How you show up when it counts.

• Motivation: Tying work to a greater purpose.

• Engagement: Inviting contribution and feedback.

• Trust: Consistency between your words and actions.

• Connection: Going beyond surface-level interactions.

• Listening: Not just hearing—understanding.

Try This in Your Next 1:1:
Ask: “What’s helping you do your best work right now—and what’s getting in the way?”
Then: Listen. No fixing. No defending. Just thank them—and take action where you can.

Don’t Avoid the Hard Conversations

Difficult conversations are rarely fun—but they are always necessary. Avoiding them might feel easier in the short term, but it erodes trust and damages culture over time.

Providing candid feedback with compassion helps employees course-correct and grow. It also gives them the dignity of clarity.

Questions to Reflect On:

• What are the consequences of avoiding this conversation?

• How will avoiding this affect the team?

• Am I being clear about expectations and consequences?

Even high-performing employees can become toxic if left unaddressed. Don’t mistake avoidance for kindness. Holding people accountable is an act of leadership.

And sometimes, the kindest thing you can do is help someone recognize when their path may be elsewhere.

A little more effort and intention at the start leads to a smoother journey ahead.

Protect Your Energy to Sustain Your Excellence

Burnout doesn’t build loyalty. Leaders who constantly operate in reactive mode, chasing the next urgent task, struggle to maintain the presence and connection required to lead well.

Energy—not just time—is your most precious resource. Protecting it allows you to show up as your best self.

What Helps:

• Prioritize: Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important.

• Pace Yourself: Techniques like the Pomodoro Method allow for focused work and recovery.

• Surround Wisely: Energy is contagious—connect with those who fuel you.

• Create Boundaries: Even passion needs rest to remain sustainable.

Try This:
Today, pick six tasks and map them on the Eisenhower Matrix. Choose one to delete, one to delay, and one to delegate. Focus 25 minutes on what matters most.

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott

Lean into Connection—Even When It’s Hard

Retention thrives on authentic connection—and that only happens when both sides feel heard. Even when opinions differ, people stay when they feel respected.

What to Remember:

• Seek curiosity over control.

• Listen to understand—not to win.

• Reflect back what you hear before responding.

Practice This Mindset:
Before your next conversation, set the tone with this intention:
“My goal is to understand, not defend.”

Ask a clarifying question. Reflect what you hear. That simple shift creates psychological safety and earns loyalty over time.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” — Stephen R. Covey

Final Thought for Leading with Intention

The best retention strategy isn’t a bonus, a ping-pong table, or a performance plan—it’s you. The leader who listens. The leader who communicates with clarity. The leader who protects their energy, holds space for hard conversations, and treats people like they matter.

Leading with intention. Leading with empathy. And watch your team choose to stay—not because they have to, but because they want to.