122 According to Aberdeen Group, employees who are engaged are 233% more loyal than those who are not. Because these employees are engaged, that loyalty adds to a 26% increase in revenue. Those numbers are astounding and should send a message loud and clear to man- agers. Engagement is key. Engagement is different for everyone, so it is imperative to uncover what others need from their manager. There are a few ways you can connect with your team, but how do you uncover what each individual wants? You ask them. Find time this week to begin working toward your engagement and retainment goals. Make a list of everyone on your team and schedule an appointment with them. This high priority appointment should have one goal in mind– uncover their needs. Use your time to ask what their goals are, what they expect of you this year, what motivates them. Utilize tools already built to help you in this process, like the Individualized Man- agement Questionnaire (IMQ). This fantastic tool allows you to uncover their interests, dig deeper into expectations and goals and gives you a peek inside the relationship they would like to develop with you. With a clear structure to follow, the IMQ guides you to ask all the right questions to better un- derstand how to maximize the strengths and manage the limitations of the individuals you are coaching. Internal relationships are vital in nurturing your team and in turn, lead to bottom line growth and success. Spending time with those you worked so hard to hire and train is extremely important in cultivating your re- lationship with them. Uncover the needs of your team regularly and make the IMQ part of your engagement and retainment plans. You’ll be glad you did. Deborah Fulghum Senior Talent Analyst The Center for Sales Strategy