“Why do you stay?”

I used to get this question a lot.  In this day and age, it’s not “normal” to stay at the same company for 20 years. 

This question usually came up during interviews. The candidate would see my love for the people and the brand and my obsession with sharing it with others, then find out how long I’d been at the company.

They would look at me with pure dismay. I knew what they were thinking… “How could ANYONE stay in one place for so long?!” At the time, the answer was easy. I stayed because of the people.

When I left to start my own business, I revisited this question, thinking it might help CEOs and other leaders gain insight and a little inspiration to create cultures that inspire people to stick around.

So, here is my list:

1. I stayed… because I admired the way the company was led. Humility, hard work, and kindness were appreciated, and these characteristics were the backbone of a wildly successful brand.
2. I stayed… because I was part of a team – a team that was wicked smart, refreshingly humble, fun to work with, and knew the brand inside and out. 
3. I stayed…because I liked representing a company whose values weren’t just printed on a poster but came to life through its hard-working people and thoughtful processes.
4. I stayed… because my role allowed me to communicate those values with employees and customers in all kinds of cool ways!
5. I stayed… because of the connection and the communication that kept me and my team informed, involved, and excited to come to work.
6. I stayed… because my job was fun, and my team was AWESOME! 
7. I stayed… because I was encouraged to respectfully challenge the status quo, bring up potential pitfalls, offer alternative solutions, and not be silenced for speed or money.  
8. I stayed…because my team’s work was recognized, appreciated, and rewarded.
9. I stayed…because people cared about me and my family. They showed up when it mattered most— through sadness and celebration, they were there.
10. I stayed… because of the company culture and the people who kept it on course.

I didn’t stay because of the money, the benefit package, or the parties. The reasons for staying were about much more. I felt connected.

It’s easy to believe that if we pay people enough, give them more perks, and offer more parties, they’ll want to stick around, but the truth is, they can get perks and parties anywhere.

Be a company that stands for something bigger, something people can get behind – good character, a winning team, an unbeatable brand, and a culture that makes everyone proud.  

In my keynotes and workshops, I teach leaders how to build a communication system that connects and aligns the people inside and outside of their organization. If you’d like to learn more, you can book a free call. Let’s chat.