Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: A.J.'s Exit -- Ask What Keeps You?: Do you know what they want? -- Buck It Stops Here: Who's in charge of keeping them? -- Careers Support Growth: Are you building their future or are you in the way? -- Dignity Show Respect: Do they know that you respect them? -- Enrich Energize the Job: Do your people have to leave to find growth and challenge? -- Family Get Friendly: Avoid making your employees choose between work and family life -- Goals Expand Options: There are five career paths other than up -- Hire Fit Is It: Make a match or start from scratch -- Information Share It: Do you have it? Do you hoard it? -- Jerk Don't Be One: Are you one? -- Kicks Get Some: Are we having fun yet? -- Link Create Connections: If you build them, they will stay -- Mentor Be One: Are they learning from you? -- Numbers Run Them: Calculate the cost of loss -- Opportunities Mine Them: Will they find them inside or outside? -- Passion Encourage It: Help them find the work they love-without leaving -- Question Reconsider the Rules: Which will you keep: the rules or the people? -- Reward Provide Recognition: Which matters more: praise or pay? -- Space Give It: Are your people on a short leash? -- Truth Tell It: The truth hurts-or does it? -- Understand Listen Deeper: When you tune out, you lose out-and they move out -- Values Define and Align: What matters most? -- Wellness Sustain It: Are they sick or tired? -- Xers and other Generations Handle with Care: They are different. Can you keep them? -- Yield Power Down: Give it up to keep them -- Zenith Go for It: Test your Retention Engagement Index.

Think about the most talented people on your team -- the ones that show up day after day, do their jobs well and contribute to your success. Whether they are your high-potentials or your solid citizens, they are your stars.* Can you afford to lose them? Regardless of economic swings or unemployment statistics, you need these people to stay. And you need them not just to stay, but to be engaged, motivated and producing at their peak. So -- how will you keep them -- psychologically as well as physically? Love 'em or Lose 'em will tell you how.