Article: Philippines: Top career expert Jonathan Yabut on the paradox of amazing talent

Culture

Philippines: Top career expert Jonathan Yabut on the paradox of amazing talent

If your best employees are the first to leave, what does that say about your workplace culture?
Philippines: Top career expert Jonathan Yabut on the paradox of amazing talent
 

Studies prove toxic leadership causes high performers to quit, while disengaged employees often stay.

 

In a viral video spliced from an interview back in 1985, Steve Jobs shook the world of management with his warning against workplace “bozos”.

Jobs pointed to the middle managers “who didn’t know how to do anything” and, worse, made life more difficult for those who were actually getting the job done. The ending? The Apple founder fired the bozos.

That snapshot of the company’s culture revealed the ill effects of bad managers on productivity and morale. In the years since, more studies have proven Jobs’ point.

Managers, after all, influence 70% of the variance in team interactions and employee engagement, according to Gallup.

The saying that workers don’t quit their jobs – they quit their managers – rings true. A 2024 LinkedIn study showed 7 in 10 workers would leave their job over a bad manager.

Why top performers leave your team

The sad reality is that good employees – those who are both a team player and high performer – are often the ones who won’t stay because they don’t tolerate toxicity, the lack of support for their projects, or the lack of recognition for their effort.

This is the “paradox of amazing talent,” according to Jonathan Yabut, a highly sought-after career and workplace culture expert in the Philippines.

“Your best-performing employees can also be the fastest to leave when you have slow processes, poorly budgeted resources, and untrained managers,” he said.

While the best talent will certainly value financial rewards, organisations must recognise that retaining top talent involves more than just competitive salaries. It requires fostering an environment that values continuous learning, adaptability, and collaboration.

Also Read: Rocky Esguerra on how to prevent sudden resignations in your team

“These folks are not just for the money. What they’re looking for is autonomy, ease of use [of tools and other resources], and pride in what they do,” the expert said.

Talented employees typically seek environments that challenge them and offer opportunities for advancement. When organisations fail to meet these expectations, even top performers may choose to leave for better prospects.

“Many times, the worst employees are the ones who stay because they don’t care,” Jonathan said.

Take the whole scenario of ‘quiet quitting’ or the ‘big stay,’ for example, in which disengaged employees who have grown apathetic to workplace toxicity, are choosing to stay on for one reason or another.

When work becomes an everyday hell

The MVPs of your team see the situation differently.

“Many employees can forgive a so-so salary if tasks and processes can be deliciously performed. But it’s not the same with an employee who may be paid well, but every day is a painful hell of going through bureaucracy, toxic office politics, and a manager who can rival Miranda Priestly,” Jonathan said.

Some red flags of poor leadership that most organisations miss is in the kind of employees who do remain despite the toxicity – and why.

“Be mindful of those who stay when you know that your company is sh*tty,” Jonathan said.

“They’re likely staying because they don’t have a choice (e.g. no recruiter wants them even if they have applied somewhere else), or because they’re the ‘barely there’ employees who’re in it for the monthly salary. This is the paradox of amazing talents.”

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Topics: Culture, Life @ Work, #Career

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