“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” -Sir Richard Branson
As it turns out, creating workplace culture is not just a buzz term. It’s so critically important for leaders and those who they serve, especially right now in this time of disconnect. As I sit in the throes of building my own company, I never thought I’d have to consider all the things that go into creating policies that govern things like attendance, dress code, code of conduct, or organizational philosophies like hiring, compensation, performance-based pay, inclusive policies and practices, or internal transfer and promotion. Clarity around a mission and a vision – and then writing all that shit down and even more importantly walking the talk – is so much more complex than I could have ever imagined.
I’m constantly questioning myself and wondering whether we’re “doing it” right. And although I’ve heard this from many amazing leaders, no words have ever been truer: it’s how you manage the people that is far more important (and far more work) than any product or service you provide. I read these words by Sir Richard Branson early in this journey and they continue to resonate so deeply: “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
We all want to work for someone who believes that, and we all want to lead like someone who embodies it. Because in the end, all we want is to know that we matter. We’re wired for connection in our work relationships, just the same as we are in our personal ones.
