HOW TO READ THIS BOOK
How do you like to read a book? Start at the beginning and read to the end? Start at the end, and then circle back to the beginning? Skim, scan, and then dive in when a topic really grabs your interest? Any of these approaches will work fine with Love ’Em or Lose ’Em.
In any case, we’d recommend you read Ask and Buck early, as these two chapters support all the others. They introduce you to the love ’em approach, teach you how to hold stay interviews, and get you thinking about the crucial role you play in the engagement/retention challenge.
We also suggest you take just a few moments to check out your beliefs about managing, engaging, and retaining others by completing a manager self-test called The Retention/Engagement Index (REI). The results will direct you to chapters you might want to read soon.
What’s Your REI?
Research shows that your perspectives and beliefs about managing others and the resulting actions you take can predict the likelihood that talented people will not only continue to work for you but will bring their discretionary effort to work each and every day. They’ll help you and your organization do what you’re trying to do!
This survey allows you to evaluate your beliefs and mindsets about engaging and retaining the people you can least afford to lose.
Use this scale to rate yourself (1–4) on the extent to which you believe or act in the ways listed here.
2 = Often/Frequently
3 = Sometimes/Occasionally
4 = Never/Definitely No
So, how did you do? Here is how to make sense of the test, gauge your overall strength as a love ’em manager, and decide which chapters to read first.
1. Highlight beliefs or behaviors for which you scored a 1 or 2.
2. Turn to the corresponding A–Z chapter.
3. Pick up some hints and tips about how to increase your effectiveness in those areas.
Now, note how you’re doing overall by adding up your total score and using these interpretation guidelines:
High 80–104: Good job. You have the love ’em mindset and are probably taking many of the actions needed to engage and retain your talent.
Medium 53–79: Beware. You’re at risk for losing your best people. Some may have already left you. Take stock and take action before you lose more talent.
Low 26–52: Look out! You’re at high risk for losing talent—you might even have a “swinging door.” Your beliefs and corresponding actions (or inactions) may be standing in the way of having engaged people who want to stick around and work for you over time. You need to take immediate, focused action.
This book exists to help you increase your score—the one you just gave yourself in this self-test—and the one your employees give you every day.
When your REI goes up, so do your talented employees’ job satisfaction levels, motivation, and loyalty.
Time to dive in!