Because developing talent matters even when it walks out the door.
Introduction
Every leader claims people are their greatest asset; fewer act as though that asset will one day choose its own trajectory.
Yet that very word—asset—quietly dehumanises the people we rely on. Assets are owned and depreciated; humans breathe, think, feel, and sometimes outgrow the roles we designed for them. When we pause to remember that, we lead with more empathy, make better decisions, and ultimately build teams that thrive beyond any single org chart.
Promotion paths, project rotations, and learning budgets signal commitment, yet growth also creates tension: what happens when a high‑performer’s next step lies outside the organisation’s walls?
This post reframes that moment—from a loss to a test of true leadership. Stewarding talent means building capability for the market, not just for one firm.
Looking after people is actually good governance—and that’s worth repeating. When we invest in growth at every level we save recruitment fees, protect goodwill, stem the loss of institutional knowledge, and accelerate delivery. In short, humanity and commercial sense walk hand in hand.
Growth Is an Outcome, Not a Location
Career progression has three natural directions:
- Deepen — Mastery in role or domain.
- Broaden — Adjacent skills or cross‑functional exposure.
- Leap — New scope unavailable internally.
Leaders can provide the first two directly. The third can trigger exit—unless leaders deliberately create space for people to leap inside the business, be that a cross‑discipline transfer or the opportunity to seed an entirely new domain. Recognising which path an employee is on prevents wasteful retention tactics and focuses effort where you can add real value.
Serving the Full Performance Curve
High output at the top end grabs the spotlight, but a team’s true resilience lies in the entire distribution. People move through peaks and valleys as clarity, capability, capacity, and life circumstances change. Our job is to lift the middle, support the lows, and continually challenge the highs—so the whole curve shifts upward over time.
Investing in every segment pays tangible dividends:
- Lower recruitment and onboarding costs — up‑skilling existing staff is cheaper and faster than replacing them.
- Stronger goodwill — employees who feel seen stay engaged and become talent magnets.
- Reduced skill leakage — hard‑won knowledge remains inside the walls.
- Accelerated delivery — a wider bench of capable contributors speeds projects.
Our ask in return is simple: expect growth. No one must sit at the summit every quarter, but everyone is expected to climb.
Visualise the Curve
Create a quarterly heat‑map of contribution vs. experience (anonymised if needed). The goal isn’t to score individuals in public but to spot patterns: where the middle is rising, where plateaus persist, and whether support efforts are shifting the curve.
Lift the Middle
| Intervention | What It Does | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Skill sprints | Two‑week micro‑courses on emerging tools (e.g., AI prompts, new framework). | Quarterly |
| Peer teaching slots | Mid‑level staff run 30‑minute sessions on a solved problem. | Fortnightly stand‑ups |
| Job‑enrichment tweaks | Add client exposure or mini‑ownership without full role change. | As part of quarterly reviews |
These small, low‑cost moves raise effectiveness for the largest population slice.
Support the Lows—Before They Drop Off
- Diagnose the container: clarity, capability, capacity, context.
- Co‑write a 30‑, 60‑, 90‑day uplift plan with concrete metrics and coaching support.
- Pair with a steady peer, not a super‑star. Empathy beats intimidation.
Most dips respond to targeted clarity and enablement rather than drastic consequences.
Keep Challenging the Highs
High performers need friction to stay engaged:
- Rotating “hard problems” list—assign toughest issues on a rolling basis.
- Teach‑to‑learn—task them with mentoring cohorts in areas they just mastered.
- Time‑boxed innovation sprint—72‑hour window to prototype an idea they own end‑to‑end.
Challenge without new stretch = stagnation; stagnation breeds flight risk.
Early Signals
High performers rarely resign out of the blue, but the quiet cohort can leave silently. Combine leading indicators (drop in curiosity, uptick in networking, future‑tense drift) with deliberate listening tactics:
- Closed‑door one‑to‑ones focused on feeling rather than status.
- Prompted reflections to level the playing field for less vocal personalities.
- Peer‑nominated kudos and anonymous pulse checks.
When they feel safe to speak—and know their input shapes decisions—you reduce regrettable surprises and strengthen the entire curve.
Not everyone will sit at the top all the time. Before labelling someone a non‑performer, revisit the four C’s (clarity, capability, capacity, context). Addressing those often unlocks a fresh upward arc.
The Quiet Cohort: Listening for the Unspoken
High performers often raise their hands; low performers usually flag themselves in metrics. The group most at risk of going unnoticed is the quiet cohort—diligent contributors who deliver reliably, speak sparingly, and rarely spotlight their own progress or frustration. They are the bedrock of many teams, yet their discontent can remain invisible until resignation day.
Practical ways to surface their perspective:
- Closed‑door one‑to‑ones – Schedule periodic sessions with an explicit agenda of “how are you finding things?” rather than status updates. Privacy encourages candour.
- Prompted reflections – Offer simple prompts: “What’s something you’re proud of this quarter?” or “What obstacle is slowing you down?” Written in advance, they level the playing field for less vocal personalities.
- Peer‑nominated kudos rounds – Invite teammates to highlight each other’s unseen wins; it draws out achievements the quiet cohort won’t self‑promote.
- Anonymous pulse checks – Short, two‑question surveys (“Energy today? Confidence in growth?”) catch sentiment trends without forcing public disclosure.
Treat insights from the quiet cohort as leading indicators. When they feel safe to speak—and know their input shapes decisions—you reduce regrettable surprises and strengthen the entire performance curve.
Not everyone will sit at the top of the performance curve all the time—if they did, it wouldn’t be a curve. Skill gaps, unclear expectations, personal circumstances or a simple mismatch of role can all mute performance. Before labelling someone a non‑performer, diagnose the container: clarity, capability, capacity, context. Addressing those four often unlocks a fresh upward arc.
Create Stretch Without Stagnation
Before assuming departure is inevitable, explore internal levers:
| Lever | Example | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Acting role | Temporary lead on a critical initiative | 3–6 months |
| Secondment | Rotate into a partner team or regional office | 6–12 months |
| Expert track | Formal recognition and pay parity for non‑manager path | Ongoing |
| Internal venture incubator | Green‑light a small team to build a new product or service from scratch | 6–18 months |
| Step‑aside sponsorship | Leader temporarily vacates scope so protégé can own it end‑to‑end | 1–3 months |
Stretch must come with clear success measures and sponsorship; otherwise it becomes extra work without progression.
Run Open “Next‑Step” Conversations
Promotions, role changes, or thoughtful exits shouldn’t erupt from surprise emails. They should emerge from regular, transparent dialogue where leader and team member explore three horizons: now, next, and later.
Cadence & Environment
| Element | Guidance |
| Frequency | Formal “next‑step” discussion every six months, light touch check‑ins quarterly. |
| Setting | Private, unrushed, camera‑on if remote. Phones face‑down, laptops closed unless note‑taking. |
| Tone | 70 % listening, 30 % probing. Curiosity over judgement. |
| Documentation | Shared one‑pager capturing insights, actions, and review date. Visible to both parties. |
Five‑Step Conversation Flow
- Reflect – “Looking back, what projects or moments energised you most and least?”
- Project – “Picture 18–24 months out—what skills or experiences feel exciting or necessary?”
- Map – Co‑create two or three internal paths and (if needed) one external scenario that would meet those goals. Transparency beats secrecy.
- Commit – Agree first concrete step (course, shadow‑lead, stretch role) and support required from you as leader.
- Review – Schedule the follow‑up before leaving the room so progress doesn’t drift.
Conversation Starters Beyond the Script
- “If budget and structure were no barrier, how would you design your next role here?”
- “Which of your hidden skills haven’t we tapped yet?”
- “What professional risk do you wish you’d taken last year?”
- “Whose job inside the company looks interesting to you—and why?”
Handling Unearthed Gaps
If the conversation reveals capability gaps:
- Pair them with a mentor or peer coach.
- Offer micro‑learning (MOOCs, internal lunch‑and‑learn).
- Assign a scoped project that practises the new skill in a safe sandbox.
If capacity is the issue (personal constraints, burnout signals):
- Rebalance workload or shift timelines where possible.
- Activate the push–consolidate rhythm from Post 2 to protect energy.
If context misalignment emerges (role no longer fits their values or lifestyle):
- Explore internal transfers first.
- If nothing fits, design a dignified, well‑supported exit plan (see Section 6).
Why This Matters for Governance
Open next‑step conversations deliver on the promise that “looking after people is good governance.” They:
Strengthen goodwill and internal referrals—employees tell future candidates, “Here, they actually ask where you want to go.”
Reduce regretted surprises by surfacing ambitions early.
Feed succession mapping, lowering single‑person risk.
Retire the Idea of “Regretted Leavers”
The phrase has become a staple of HR metrics—“regretted” or “non‑regretted” as though people were columns in an asset register. What it really says is “some departures hurt more than others.” But framing exits that way implies the business expects to keep talent static, and quietly tolerates a portion of the team it wouldn’t miss.
Better questions are:
- Are we building conditions that let anyone perform at their best?
- Do we keep a healthy pipeline of opportunities so growth can stay internal?
- When performance is consistently below expectation, have we diagnosed clarity, capability, capacity, and context before calling it a people problem?
What we should regret, if anything, is failing to generate new challenges fast enough to keep curiosity alive. Our primary metric isn’t “regretted” versus “non‑regretted” leavers; it’s the health of the team that remains—engaged, skilled, and forward‑leaning.
Design the Exit as a Success Story
When external move is the right move:
- Announce jointly — Celebrate achievements publicly; frame departure as graduation.
- Handover playbook — Departing talent documents processes, stakeholders, pitfalls.
- Alumni bridge — Invite former employees to share learnings six months later.
Handled this way, exits become brand endorsements and recruiting magnets.
Build a Legacy‑First Culture
Legacy isn’t a line on a résumé; it’s the culture that carries on after you leave the room. Each of the ideas across this series—owning your worth, practising the middle way, stewarding talent—rolls up into one leadership intent: leave people, process, and possibility better than you found them.
Four Pillars of a Legacy‑First Mindset
| Pillar | What It Looks Like | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Humanity as Governance | Policy and behaviour recognise people as humans first—flexible hours, psychological‑safety norms, fair pay dialogues. | Looking after people is good governance: it prevents churn, protects goodwill, and lowers risk. |
| Shared Light | Remember the moon metaphor: leaders shine because they reflect the team’s brilliance. Publicly credit wins, maintain kudos rituals, amplify the quiet cohort. | Recognition fuels engagement and models a culture where success is collective. |
| Continual Skill Flow | Skills circulate via stretch roles, job swaps, shadow‑lead cycles, internal venture incubators. Leaders actively hand their skills away. | The business can only grow as fast as its capability matures; flowing expertise prevents bottlenecks and hero risk. |
| Resilient Structures | Push–consolidate rhythms, reset weeks, and clear succession plans are built into governance—not left to chance. | Processes that survive any one person keep delivery steady and protect against burnout or single‑point failure. |
Practical Legacy Checks
- Can two people cover every critical responsibility?– If not, start pairing and documentation now.
- Does every team member have a next‑step plan?– Lack of growth pathways is the root of “regretted leavers.”
- Is recognition routine, not random?– Peer kudos channels and demo days make appreciation systemic.
- Do you disappear well?– Take a full week off without firefighting—gaps will surface the work still reliant on you.
A Leader’s Scorecard
| Question | Legacy‑First Answer |
|---|---|
| Who could step into my role tomorrow? | At least two names, each with recent exposure to key decisions. |
| What capability did the team gain this quarter? | Specific skills, not just delivered projects. |
| How often do I give credit publicly vs. privately? | Public first, then private depth. |
| When did I last step aside to let someone else lead? | Date, project, outcome. |
Leaving a legacy isn’t grand theory; it’s countless small choices that compound. Reflect the team’s light, move skills freely, and embed rhythms that protect people. Do that consistently and the culture will keep shining long after you’ve moved on.
Toolkit for Leaders Committed to Stewardship
| Practice | Frequency | Action Step |
|---|---|---|
| Future‑focus check‑ins | Quarterly | Ask “18‑month destination” question; record responses |
| Talent radar review | Biannually | Identify potential plateau signs; plan stretch or succession |
| Exit playbook template | Maintain | Standardise knowledge‑transfer docs for smooth handovers |
| Alumni engagement | Biannually | Host virtual catch‑ups or invite alumni guest talks |
| Shadow‑lead cycles | Ongoing | Pair rising talent with senior roles for 4‑week periods |
Closing Thoughts
Retention is a metric; stewardship is a mindset. When leaders invest in people knowing some will outgrow the organisation, they trade short‑term control for long‑term influence. Alumni become advocates, successors inherit resilient systems, and the firm’s reputation for genuine development attracts the next wave of high performers.
Helping someone leave well is one of the most credible ways to show you value them as a person, not just an asset. And in a networked economy, that credibility compounds—often returning in ways no retention bonus can match.
Leave a Reply