Unity Solutions Inc. | May 30, 2025
The Gifted Change-Agent Who Walked Away
A mid-sized manufacturer recently celebrated hiring a young, sharp operations manager—let’s call him Jordan. Jordan’s résumé boasted hard results: double-digit OEE gains, shrink cut in half, and an infectious passion for coaching frontline teams. Senior executives quickly noticed his drive and rewarded him with bigger projects and visible praise. He was, by every KPI, a high-potential talent.
Just six months later, Jordan resigned.
What happened?
Instead of pairing Jordan with an experienced mentor, the company placed him under Howard, a long-tenured plant leader whose technical skills were solid but whose leadership track record was littered with red flags: low emotional intelligence, inconsistent feedback, and a habit of dismissing younger voices as “inexperienced.” Ageism crept into daily interactions, eroding trust. When concerns surfaced, decision-makers waved them off—Howard had 25 years in the industry, after all.
The result? Jordan—motivated, dedicated, and delivering outsized value—chose to exit rather than endure being mismanaged.
The Hidden P&L Line Item: Talent Flight
Losing Jordan didn’t just create a vacancy; it triggered a cascade of hidden costs:
- Lost Productivity Curve: Jordan was already past the learning curve and delivering measurable improvements. Replacing him resets that clock.
- Recruiting & Onboarding Expense: Industry estimates place replacement costs at 1.5–2× annual salary for technical leadership roles.
- Morale Ripple Effect: High performers seeing peers walk out often disengage or update résumés.
- Delayed Improvement Roadmap: Projects Jordan owned are now stalled or reassigned, pushing ROI further out.
Conservatively, the departure cost the plant US $200–300 k in direct and opportunity costs—far outstripping Howard’s salary premium.
Five Red Flags to Spot and Stop
- EQ Deficit: Dismissive body language, interrupting others, or lack of active listening.
- Inconsistent Standards: Shifting priorities without explanation; praising and punishing the same behavior on different days.
- • Age or Tenure Bias: Equating gray hair with competence and youth with naivety—or, conversely, equating advanced age with being outdated and youth with savviness.
- Information Hoarding: Treating knowledge as power rather than a team asset.
- Blame Reflex: Defaulting to finger-pointing instead of root-cause analysis.
Building an Pro-Excellence Culture
- Train Leaders for EQ, Not Just Years: Incorporate behavioral interviews and 360° feedback into promotion decisions.
- Codify Acceptable Behaviors: Publish leadership standards alongside operational KPIs; make them non-negotiable.
- Empower Upward Feedback: Anonymous pulse surveys and skip-level meetings surface issues before talent walks.
- Reward Inclusive Leaders: Tie bonus multipliers to team engagement scores, not just output metrics.
- Intervene Decisively: When red flags persist, swift role changes—or exits—signal zero tolerance.
- Host Regular Leadership Workshops: A good workshop improves team dynamics and turnover.
The Takeaway
Talented people leave managers, not companies. Ignore leadership red flags, and the cost isn’t merely cultural, it hits the bottom line through lost expertise, stalled projects, and brand damage. The smartest investment you can make today? Audit your leadership bench for ineffective leadership traits and build safeguards that keep your Jordans—before your competitors hire them.
Need help developing your leaders? Unity Solutions offers 2-day Leadership Workshops tailored to your entire team or facility. Hosted on-site or at a rented venue, each workshop is customized through several days of in-person engagement with your workforce beforehand—ensuring it speaks directly to your company’s culture and needs.