I Need to Know What to Do.

The number 1 reason people leave a job/company is lack of leadership. 

People make decisions to join a company based on four straightforward criteria.  The need that is their most pressing issue carries the most weight so as the list proceeds if the first requirement is met – the others carry less weight.  Conversely, if the first requirement is not met, each following requirement becomes more important in sequential order. Prior to the recent economic downturn the order for decision making went something like this –

1. Who I work for?  – if the leadership requirements are met the rest are less important.
2. What will I do?  Will I love, like, tolerate, or stomach it?  If no. 1 is met, I’ll move further down that list.  If no. 1 is not met I will need to really like/love what I do to “stomach” the boss.
3. Where will I live? – Do I have geographic constraints that I want/require?  I may forgive 1 and 2, if I can live/be where I need to.
4. How much will I make? – If the others are met, money may not be an issue.  Other rewards take over.  However, if 1, 2, and 3 are not met – it needs to be the “offer of a lifetime”.

I have seen that the economic climate has created new level of financial stress on the un/under employed.  Many decisions are being made with no. 4 in the first position, with a much lower threshold for acceptance.  Taking a job “just for to have one – or a paycheck” is a major cause for poor performance, stress related health issues, and resentment in the workplace.

My prediction is that when unemployment rate begins to drop, many people will have a burning desire to address the emptiness of job dissatisfaction and be interested in reordering the criteria back to leadership. 

Are the people joining or leaving your team, doing so because of  you or your signature on their paycheck .  . . or both?