Edward D. Miller is a newsroom leadership coach and management consultant to newspapers around the world. He is a former director of ASNE and a founder of the Society for News Design. Reach him at miller@newsroomleadership.com.

IN AN ERA OF BUYOUTS, layoffs and shrinking resources, how do you retain your best people? At too many newspapers the best and brightest are abandoning the ship. What would keep them on board?

When psychologists ask workers what they expect from leaders, the answers are always the same:

• Showing appreciation for their work.
• Involving employees in decisions that affect their work and lives.
• Providing opportunities for growth and development.

Successful retention is likely to flow from these answers.

Recognize good work. Editors need a versatile toolbox of recognition for individuals and teams. “Drive-by praise” is insufficient; so is a reliance on contests and prizes. Substantive recognition should demonstrate what you value and expect from others. Showing appreciation is not difficult, but sadly, it's often overlooked. Here's the most common observation at exit interviews: “They never showed any appreciation for my contributions.”

Involve people in deliberations. Newspapers remain top-down, command-and-control hierarchies. Not one of the four generations in the workplace today prefers that style. Loosen the structure and involve people in the conversations about strategies and tactics. Give more than lip service to the idea that people are the most important asset. Involve everyone as you invent the future.

Create opportunities. Here's a reliable trade-off for those you want to retain: “I'll work hard for your organization if you help me develop new skills.” To make the bargain successful, staff members need individual development plans, blueprints for how they intend to develop new skills, leadership competence and versatility within the organization.

To get started on all this, make a list identifying your “best” people, the A Players you simply do not want to be without. Find out what they want. Not everyone is driven by money alone; some people put higher value on time off, interesting assignments, involvement in brainstorming and planning, flexible schedules, collegiality. Don't assume you know the answers; in fact, assume you don't; and then do your homework.

Next, be an advocate for these people. Take every opportunity to recognize their contributions. Praise them in front of senior editors. Cite their work publicly. Be fearless about standing up for quality and those who produce it.

Finally, here's a counter-intuitive strategy: Help them prepare to leave your company. Here's what makes that idea work: People are more likely to stay in companies that will openly and actively prepare them for the next job, even if that job is somewhere else. In a previous life running a newspaper, I made it clear to my best people that although I'd hate to see them leave, if they were really looking for a bigger opportunity somewhere else I would help them find it and prepare for it. All of those on my “A List” took up the offer to prepare for more responsibilities, and happily, none had to leave to find those challenges. Once people learn that their career development is one of your priorities, they are more likely to stay and develop that career on your staff.

These are tough times. If you want to keep your best people on board, ask yourself, “Why would anyone want to stay here? What's in it for them?” Then work on putting some really good answers in place. *