151 | Building Employee Loyalty That Lasts | Scott McInnes & Stephen Baer

In this week's episode, host Scott McInnes has an insightful conversation with Stephen Baer, founder of Engagency, as they explore the core principles behind building resilient organisational cultures that thrive on trust, purpose, and people-centered leadership.    In this episode, you'll learn:  The true drivers of employee engagement and retention  The role of middle management in fostering a culture of trust  Strategies to communicate purpose and strategy effectively  Leadership behaviours that inspire and empower teams  The impact of organisational culture on financial performance  Practical tips for small organisations to deepen connection    Key Takeaways:  Why the "Velcro vs. glue" analogy is essential for understanding employee retention  Insights into why 79% of employees are disengaged and how to change that  The importance of investing in middle management training and emotional intelligence  How trust and vulnerability in leadership can transform company culture  Real-world examples from Microsoft and Home Depot illustrating leadership's impact on performance  Practical steps for leaders to connect with even the most privacy-focused employees  The secret to storytelling and recognition that boosts engagement internally    Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction and episode overview   01:23 - Why do people stay or leave organisations? The trillion-dollar engagement question   02:41 - Building organisational loyalty with glue vs. Velcro analogy  03:56 - Why engagement metrics haven't improved over years  04:26 - The three critical components of business success: purpose, strategy, people  05:57 - The importance of investing in middle management and leadership training  06:46 - Cultivating a feedback-rich environment for younger generations  08:43 - How leadership tone from the top influences culture  09:36 - Examples of leadership transformation at Microsoft and Home Depot  11:46 - The power of trust: From conflict to high performance  13:17 - The role of failure as a learning tool in companies like WD-40  14:43 - Leadership styles and cultural impact: Nadella vs. Balmer, Blake vs. Nardelli  16:59 - The importance of authentic leadership and empowering employees  18:08 - Creating psychological safety and facilitating open conversations  21:17 - The role of purpose in engaging both employees and customers  22:19 - How purpose and values cycle through the organization to drive loyalty  24:42 - How organisations can craft authentic purpose  26:27 - Connection versus engagement: which drives better loyalty?  27:36 - The three pillars of emotional engagement: greeting, knowing, growing  30:07 - Connecting with non-involved employees and maintaining empathy 31:58 - Using storytelling to reinforce culture and recognition  34:15 - Practical tips for small organisations to enhance connection and culture  35:32 - How to reach Stephen Baer and further resources    Resources:  Stephen's Book: https://stephenbaer.com/#book-section  Patrick Lencioni - Overcoming The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide: https://www.tablegroup.com/product/overcoming-the-five-dysfunctions-a-field-guide/  Connect with us:  LinkedIn  |  YouTube  |  Instagram     Connect with Stephen Baer:  LinkedIn |  Website | Podcast