Good people matter. And you need them to stay.
We know this, yet there is still a tendency to take our best colleagues for granted. The key message here is simple: tell your good people they matter, before they leave.
Why is this hard?
It’s hard, because the problem people, the negative events, and the underperformers take our attention and our energy. It’s the colleagues who fail to turn up, aren’t pulling their weight and who create issues that dominate our thinking and cause us to lose sleep.
Meanwhile, the doctors who consistently do good work risk going unnoticed. When they feel unseen, they can and do leave.
From the doctors we work with in Leadership Coaching Programs, we hear both sides of this story.
High-performing doctors often say:
- I feel taken for granted
- It is like I am part of the furniture
- I keep seeing others promoted or given desirable work ahead of me
Leaders, on the other hand, often admit:
- I did not pass on that feedback, but I should have
- I need to make time to speak with them, they are doing great work
Most people are doing their jobs well, often going above and beyond. Yet we forget to notice, to say thank you, to give feedback, and to reward effort in visible ways. This creates flight risk.
Correcting the bias
We tend to ‘skip over’ the reliable high performers because we trust them to deliver. Instead, our energy goes to the people we cannot trust to complete tasks or meet expectations. To correct this bias, we need to strengthen our muscle for positive feedback, recognition and acknowledgement.
Make a plan for your team
Ask yourself:
- Who is at risk of being taken for granted?
- When will I see them next?
- What is the right and practical way to acknowledge them?
This might be:
- Speaking with them in person
- Sending an email or text
- Acknowledging their work in a meeting
- Highlighting their contribution in a newsletter
- Scheduling a PDR conversation and sharing feedback
Work is busy and it is not always easy to find time for this communication. But it is not hard either. And it is worth it. When people feel seen and appreciated, they stay. Your team stays strong, and culture and engagement grow around you.
Dr Anna Clark (PhD) delivers AMA Victoria’s Leadership education and Leadership coaching programs (6month) and (12 month) - click here for more information. If you would like to find out more about our leadership development offerings, schedule a discovery call or email [email protected]