Seven Keys to Retaining Mission-Critical Talent, Experience, and Tribal Wisdom (And No, That’s Not Just Employees)

David Mattson
Every business challenge we face as leaders connects to a fundamental human resource challenge: How to retain mission-critical talent.

Contrary to popular belief, mission-critical talent isn’t just our employees, although retaining productive hires is obviously a major strategic imperative. An imperative that’s equally important, though, and one that’s far more likely to be overlooked, is that of retaining the most creative, productive, and efficient channel partners. Channel partners are (for instance) value-added resellers, independent sales agents, franchisees, distributors, and system integrators. Partners such as these have a huge impact on our ability to fulfill our organizational mission (in the long term) and deliver value sufficient to achieve or exceed financial targets (in both the short and the long term).

Consistently high turnover of our best and brightest means attaining mission-critical goals becomes difficult or impossible.

Technology has not and will not solve this cultural problem. It persists in every major industry. In fact, what we see in the marketplace now is that the challenge of retaining the right people for extended periods is now more pressing than ever.
Here are seven organizational keys we’ve developed, tested, and shared to help ourselves and our clients do a better job of retaining key players over time. Each key can be expressed in the form of a question for leadership.

1. Do We Let Only Excellence in the Door?
Every employee, and every channel partner, is a brand ambassador for our company. No exceptions.
Even an employee or channel partner who has no direct contact with end users impacts the quality of an end user’s experience. The interactions our people initiate and take part in, whether on their best or worst days, will shape our brand in the marketplace. Therefore, it’s crucial that we have the very best people representing our company at every level.
Accepting this principle means making careful evaluation of every hiring decision a core cultural value. It means thinking differently about hiring and onboarding. And it means posing, as often as necessary, one simple question: Is this person an excellent representative of our internal values AND the value we deliver externally?

2. Do We Engage?
Our leadership is only as strong as our most recent personal interaction with employees and channel partners. Specifically, our teams are only as strong as our most recent personal interaction with that team’s leader. Many senior leaders do make continuous engagement with direct reports and other employees part of the leadership culture … yet forget to apply the same principle to channel-partner relationships.
A common misconception is that establishing a channel is a one-time effort. However, just like a parent’s job when raising children, this relationship requires ongoing attention and adaptation. Each stage of the channel or employee lifecycle demands a different approach. Regular engagement and support are essential to maintain productivity and alignment with your company’s goals.
The better we as leaders are at engagement, the better we will become at managing by relationships, not just policy.

3. Is Our Communication Multi-Modal?
Consistent and varied communication is vital to retaining key players.
At Sandler, we employ multiple modalities—audio messages, videos, texts, face-to-face meetings, regional gatherings, and town halls. This multi-faceted approach ensures that everyone finds it easy to stay informed and engaged, regardless of their preferred communication style or platform preferences.

4. Are There Clear Economic Growth Paths?
Transparency in defining what success looks like and how best to achieve it is crucial to retaining both established and emerging talent.
Annual performance/salary reviews are just the beginning. Whether we’re talking about new employees, seasoned employees, or channel partners, we have a responsibility to outline the path to success, clarify the steps, and make access to the right resources easy. This will foster motivation and commitment. Career paths are never just about memorizing product features; they are about getting better over time at solving problems and adding value.

5. How Is Our Conflict Resolution?
Conflicts are inevitable. How we handle them can make or break a relationship. It is up to us to build and model a transparent conflict resolution process that deepens trust,
Addressing issues head-on with a clear, open communication process is absolutely critical … and the cultural value of ensuring that our people feel heard and understood always starts with the person in the mirror.

6. Are We Metrics-Focused?
We set clear, measurable goals for success. We track and discuss progress toward those goals. We know our metrics must be transparent and understood by all. We review and adjust goals as needed.
Clear metrics provide a roadmap for success, create deeper engagement and buy-in among our key players, and allow for timely course corrections.

7. Are We Committed to Ongoing Learning and Self-Actualization?
People want to grow and be challenged, so we provide opportunities for continuous learning and professional development, recognize their achievements, and encourage them to push their boundaries. This helps prevent stagnation and keeps people motivated. Motivated people tend to stick around!

Long-term retention is closely tied to personal growth and fulfillment. That means allowing our people to take on new challenges that matter to them as individuals. This will vary by person: It could mean empowering someone to write a book, or create new programs, products, or services, or pursue personal goals that don’t necessarily connect directly to work. A commitment to self-actualization not only keeps people engaged but also aligns their personal aspirations with the company’s objectives. And yes, it’s just as important for channel partners as it is for employees.

The Bottom Line
These seven keys help foster long-term productivity and loyalty. Ideally, we want a situation where all the top contributors keep on contributing until retirement. Is that achievable? Who knows. Is it the direction we want our organizations to move toward? Yes. Can we get closer to that outcome by posing these questions consistently, as leaders, for ourselves and others? Absolutely.

Discover the Sandler Franchising Difference
The seven keys to retaining mission-critical talent outlined here are not just theoretical concepts; they are the cornerstone of our approach at Sandler Franchising. Our franchisees are empowered with these proven strategies, ensuring their success and the success of their teams.
If you’re looking to join a network that prioritizes excellence, engagement, clear communication, growth, conflict resolution, metrics, and ongoing learning, then Sandler Franchising might be the right place for you.

Ready to take the next step?
Explore the opportunities with Sandler Franchising and see how you can be part of a community that values and nurtures top talent. https://www.sandler.com/franchising/