Embracing Boomerangs

Turning Departures into Opportunities

When someone leaves your company, it’s always a challenge. You start questioning your leadership. Was it something you did? How could they not be content? Was it about the money, or perhaps the culture wasn’t the right fit? Did they not get along with their supervisor? Most often, a poor relationship with a supervisor is the main reason people leave.

Or maybe it was just timing? They needed more experience elsewhere. Whatever the reason, I used to beat myself up over it. Seeing someone unhappy with the company we built for them to thrive in was tough. Even when money was mentioned, I doubted it was the sole reason. There was always more to it.

Over time, I learned to embrace their departure, no matter how hard it was. I wanted to keep the door open for them to return. Many who left were early in their careers and needed to explore other agencies or cities. That became fine by me, and I grew confident that if our culture was strong, they might realize it was the right place for them.

We also got strategic, opening new offices in cities that matched our agency’s culture, starting with Chicago and Atlanta, not LA or NYC. This gave our people options close to Cincinnati, allowing them to try a new city without completely leaving us, and many chose to transfer instead of moving to a new company.

In many ways, it was like sending an employee off to earn an MBA. With our headquarters in Cincinnati, a wonderful, affordable place to raise a family, we were always ready to welcome them back when they were ready.

So, if someone leaves, don’t cut ties. Keep the relationship strong, because what goes around, often comes back around

Jim