066: "Is Loyalty Enough to Keep Someone From Leaving?" (lessons from Alan Bell)

🧠 Erik’s Take

In this personal reflection on the interview with Alan Bell, Erik unpacks the hidden dynamics behind one of the boldest career moves he’s heard: a 14-person walkout, where nearly 80% of a team left a company at once. But this isn’t just about a big exit—it’s about the leadership patterns that cause them, the people-centered values that prevent them, and the internal compass each of us needs to follow to get where we’re meant to go. This episode is a cautionary tale for leaders and an empowering reminder for anyone feeling stuck at work.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

• Mass exits rarely come out of nowhere—they're the result of mismanaged signals and ignored pain points.
• If you're not listening to your people, you're creating a recruiting opportunity for someone else.
• The best and brightest often leave first—and when they do, others will follow.
• Alan didn’t leave for a better company. He left for better people.
• Energy matters—being around people who sharpen you isn't optional, it's survival.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik opens up about how often leaders dismiss early warning signs, overestimating the goodwill they’ve stored up. He reflects on the responsibility leaders carry to not just build systems and scale—but to stay close to the humans who power them. This episode pushes leaders to ask: Who’s getting overlooked? Whose energy are you building with—or draining?

🧰 From Insight to Action

• Leaders: Audit your team’s energy. Who’s tired? Who’s invisible? Who’s carrying more than they signed up for?
• Employees: Ask yourself not just what you want, but who you want to be around. That clarity matters.
• Everyone: Don’t settle for proximity. Surround yourself with people who grow you.
• Teams: Don’t wait for the walkout moment. Bring up the hard stuff before the dam breaks.
• Culture builders: Your people are your brand. Lose them, and the brand goes with them.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“Ignore your people at your own peril.”

“Alan didn’t follow opportunity. He followed someone he’d already seen in the storm.”

“Sometimes companies ask their people to put lipstick on a pig—and then act surprised when they leave.”

“You don’t need to know the whole map. But you better know who you trust to walk the road with.”

“The recruiters can smell blood in the water. If your top performers are looking, the sharks are coming.”