Kincannon & Reed is an executive search firm specializing in finding employees for the food and agriculture industry, making Managing Partner Jon Leafstedt a great choice for the ASTA CSS “Glancing Back and Moving Forward in a Rapidly Changing Industry” panel. If you missed the first two posts in this mini series, make sure and listen to Sonny Beck, Beck’s Hybrids, and Paul Schickler from DuPont Pioneer as well!
People don’t leave companies, says Leafstedt, they leave bosses. So what can a company do to ensure talented employees? Make sure talent is a priority.
“If you measure it and reward it, it will happen,” Leafstedt told the audience. Unfortunately, studies show nearly two thirds of COE view their employees as a cost, not a value generator like products or technology. That stems largely from the ease of measuring profitability with things, but a top performer is able to deliver value these company leaders aren’t taking into account. Tolerating poor performers, inversely, makes it difficult to keep good talent.
Leaders are in a position to set the tone for their business, but if it’s not the CEO, management at any level can work within their area to affect attitude. Maybe it starts with you.
Listen to Leafstedt’s opening remarks and join us again tomorrow for more. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/astacss-16-leafstedt-opening.mp3″ text=”Jon Leafstedt, Kincannon & Reed”]
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