Managers account for at least 75% of the reasons people give for voluntarily leaving their job (source). That’s great evidence for the old adage: People don’t leave companies; they leave managers.
You can be a different kind of manager – one who makes people want to stay. Cultivating strong, positive relationships with the people you manage may be one of the most powerful things you can do to make a difference in their retention, performance and growth.

What’s the quickest, easiest way to get to know your employees and start cultivating those strong relationships?

Here’s a hint. You have to get beyond the boring basics.

In our podcast on this topic, we provide a nice contrast between what you can learn about people from the boring basics (like a bio) versus what you can learn from a more interactive experience like our Focus On You activity.

Listen to the podcast and hear the difference for yourself.

Click here to find a printable copy of the Focus On You worksheet, along with instructions for how you can start using it right away to get to know your employees better.

This is part of a series highlighting excerpts from our new book, Managing to Make a Difference. Next up: Go Ahead, Get Close to Your People. Connect with Kim Turnage and Larry Sternberg on LinkedIn to see the latest blog updates.