It's the worst sort of surprise: A valued and seemingly happy employee gives his notice. Can you do anything at this point Probably not. Could you have anticipated the departure and tried to prevent it? Absolutely. That's where this book comes in.

This practical guide introduces managers to a powerful new engagement and retention tool: the stay interview. Smart companies have begun conducting these periodic reviews in order to discover why their important talent might leave and to solve any problems before they actually quit.

Written by the retention expert who pioneered the process, The Stay Interview shows managers how to:

Prepare for the meeting Anticipate an employee's top issues • Set realistic expectations from the start • Respond to difficult questions • Listen effectively and dig deeper • Craft a detailed and effective stay plan complete with timeline • Assess each employee's level of engagement, predict potential exits, and communicate results to upper management

Complete with the five best questions to ask and sample scripts for different situations, The Stay Interview is the key to a more engaged . . . and much more productive team.