Ask HN: How do you keep the best talent? I've seen a number of posts here and elsewhere on recruiting top developers, but it seems one of the great challenges of building a strong dev team is keeping talent. For anyone who is running a team (or has), what have you done to keep talent? For everyone else, what entices you to leave and what can be done to keep you on board? |
1) Tell me what you want (You'd be surprised how many managers do not know the answer to this)
2) Leave me to my work (Almost impossible to find)
3) Periodically ask me if I need anything and provide what I ask for (I've had requests for lint and Boundschecker turned down. Both can rescue a bad product)
4) Periodically tell me what others are doing in case I need to adjust my strategy (You're a manager. Manage!)
5) Tell me immediately when conditions change (See #4)
6) Pay me reasonably well (No brainer)
7) Be at least as flexible as you expect me to be (You can ask me to stay late at the last minute. Things come up in life at the last minute too.)
8) Don't drown me in petty bullshit! (Expense reports, time reports, tracking others work that relates to mine, meetings about use of the bathroom)
9) Stop worrying me about how much time something takes unless it's obvious I'm slacking. You hired me, trust me enough to do the work without having a nanny.
10) Don't give me shit insurance and then complain when it takes 3 Dr. visits to accomplish in an HMO that would take one visit in any other plan.
Transparency, Empowerment, Challenges and provide Leadership
Transparency: This doesn't mean provide lip service to being transparent or saying you have an open door. It means truly being transparent and sharing the good and bad, helping the team see why both are normal. Shared pains and shared wins make the team feel involved and appreciated, and will endear them to the leadership and the goals of the team.
Empowerment: Empower the team and each individual to solve problems and don't force decisions down their throat. To many people say empowerment but than dictate to the team what they want or interfere by trying to directly micromanage the project. Requirements are great, if there are specific non-negotables share them, but get out of the way of your team. If you hired the right people this will pay off in spades, if you didn't, it won't take long to figure it out.
Leadership: Notice I said leadership and not management. The difference is drastic and a leader has a team that is focused and performing at their best, meaning they will almost always stick around. Managers, not so much. I could write a whole post on just the insanity I have seen around this one point alone. Here is something I always tell my team: my job is to support you and remove roadblocks for you, your job is to get stuff done and tell me when you have a need.
Challenge is a no brainer, smart people want to use their talents, your job is to help them do that.
One last point on my own teams, I refuse to ever ask them to do something I won't do. Of course, I am not always qualified, but I use it as a compass, if I am asking them to do something I won't or wouldn't do than something is wrong and they will know it and I will lose their respect.
For why I have left a team:
First, I always like to give it time to see how teams gel, cause nothing happens overnight. This could mean a 6 months on the low side to a couple of years on the high side. It is tough call to pull the trigger and bail for me when I have great teammates but poor leadership (read managers) above me. BTW: I have found getting the team together outside of work, usually for a few beers, helps speed the gel process regardless of what my role on the team is.
Poor leadership: or more directly, a manager. I am a smart guy, I don't need you micromanaging my work, if you want to micromanage me, then do the damn stuff yourself. You hired me to do a job, support me and get out of the way.
At the same time, I want feedback and preferrably often and regular. If I am going off track, show me where and teach me why you made that call, don't bitch, don't just say "cause", teach and inform.
Ok, I have rambled too much. Can you tell I care deeply about this? lol
- Pay well and pay good. If you want the best, you have to pay the best.
-Identify the strengths and weakness of everyone in your team. Then work with them accordingly.
- Always encourage a culture of open and honest communication from both sides. Do regular team meeetings and also periodical one on ones with individual members. Encourage them to talk about anything.
- Trust in your team. You hired the best, now let them do their job. Don't micro manage.
- Give positive feedback whenever you can openly. Saying "You did a great job" adds a lot of value and don't underestimate these words. Equally, provide constructive criticism if necessary and always do it in private.
- Be flexible with the team's work styles and hours. If someone takes a 2 hour lunch break but stays late and gets shit done, thats fine. As long as important deadlines and deliverables don't slip, do not be a time police.
- Last but not the least, understand that a good manager/boss is one of the most critical factors in deciding whether to stay or leave a team/company. People seldom quit a company, they quit their boss.
No one leaves for a worse job unless it's a short term strategic transition towards a larger goal.