Protect Your Builders (Before They Leave)

Every organization has three kinds of people: builders, maintainers, and departers.

• Builders are your go-to people. They take ownership, go above and beyond, and push your mission forward.
• Maintainers show up, do solid work, and keep the day-to-day running. You need them.
• Departers drain energy, create friction, and hold others back.

Here’s the problem: most leaders spend more time managing departers than developing builders.

If you want to keep your top performers engaged and committed, it’s time to flip that equation — protect your builders before they walk out the door. 

Here are three simple ways to refocus your time and attention on the people driving your success.

Name them.

Who are your top five builders?

If you can’t name them, they don't feel seen. Write their names down. Then ask yourself: When’s the last time I showed them their work truly matters?

Builders thrive on purpose and partnership. They want to know their impact counts.

Reallocate your attention.

Flip your calendar this week. Spend more 1:1 time with your builders than your departers.

You’ll see an immediate lift in energy and problem-solving.

The people creating momentum deserve leadership that matches their effort. 

Appreciate with specificity.

Generic praise fades fast.

Be precise:
What they did → Why it mattered → The impact it created.

Example: “When you stepped in to guide the new hire last week, it built trust and accelerated their confidence — exactly the kind of culture we want here.”

Your job as a leader is to create an environment where your best people can do their best work.

That means removing friction, showing appreciation, and making it clear that excellence has a home on your team. 

So, protect your builders. Fuel them, challenge them, and remind them that their effort matters.

Do that consistently, and your organization won’t just retain top performers — it will attract more of them.

For more on this, watch my new video, Why High Performers Get Frustrated & What You Can Do About It.