Laura Martina

A Lesson in Why People Stay

At the AZA midyear meeting, I moderated a conversation about career pathways, retention, and what helps people stay and grow in our organizations.

We used live audience input during the session. It was not scientific. It was real, and that made it powerful.

Out of 205 responses, 181 people said they supervise, lead, or manage staff. Then, when asked if they see a pathway for career growth in their current organization, the room was nearly split.

104 said yes. 85 said no.

That should make all of us pause

These are not disengaged people sitting quietly in the back. These are the people doing the work. Leading teams. Carrying responsibility. Helping our organizations function every day.

When people were asked what would encourage them to stay, the themes came through loud and clear:

  • Better pay and flexibility
  • Professional development and clearer growth opportunities
  • Trust and honest communication
  • Feeling valued and being listened to
  • Being included in decisions
  • Psychological safety and respect

None of that is fluff.

That is the work we have in front of us

And here is what stood out even more to me. When people were asked what their leaders had done that supported their development, the answers were familiar.

  • Leaders had trusted them
  • Given them stretch opportunities
  • Sent them to conferences
  • Offered honest feedback
  • Made time for coaching
  • Opened doors
  • Invited them into bigger conversations
  • Encouraged them before they felt fully ready

People remember that.

They remember who believed in them. They remember who gave them room to grow. They remember who took the time.

That tells me something important

AZA and many of our organizations are placing real value on the people doing the work. Not in every way yet. Not consistently enough.

But there is movement. There is effort. There is evidence that leaders across our field are trying to invest in people, not just positions.

That matters because retention is not just about keeping a group. It is about leading individuals inside the group.

Your team is not made up of one shared preference, one shared motivator, or one shared career goal.

One person may want more development. Another may want more flexibility. Another may want trust, clearer feedback, or a more honest picture of what growth really looks like.

That is what makes leading people hard

You are trying to move a group made up of individual needs, preferences, interests, and hopes.

  • That takes time
  • That takes patience
  • That takes actual conversation

You do not learn what matters to your people by guessing.

You learn it by asking. By listening. By paying attention over time.

This is why the best retention strategy is not one big program.

It is a pattern of leadership behavior

  • Clear communication
  • Honest feedback
  • Investment in growth
  • Inclusion in decisions
  • Respect for the person doing the work

Start there.

Your challenge is simple

Start a conversation with your team. Ask:

  1. What helps you feel supported here?
  2. What helps you want to stay?
  3. What kind of growth are you hoping for?
  4. What gets in the way?

Do not rush to fix it all in one meeting.

Just start listening.

Understanding your team takes time. Leading them well takes patience. But when people know you care enough to ask, you are already building something better.