I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Sean Barnard shares his personal experiences and teachable moments to show how managers and leaders should treat and interact with their employees in a time where turnover is a constant in the world of employment in the book “Intentional Retention: The Essential Guide to Human Resources for Leaders”.
The Synopsis
National Bestseller!! The best employees don’t stick around just because they like your product, you, or their coworkers. Turnover is the pandemic of today in the world of employment and there don’t appear to be too many cures. Leadership is rarely taught and the pressure on untrained managers and owners leads to the pitfalls that come with a revolving door of new faces who don’t stick around long enough to earn an annual bonus. Or they do stay, and you sometimes wish they wouldn’t? Sean Barnard instinctively knows how to help leaders at any level get the most out of their team members and can show you innovative ways to increase retention from the first chapter. From a middle-class background in southern England to the C – Suite in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sean tells his story in a way that leaders at all levels can easily relate. His first book is a firsthand look inside every aspect of how to manage people. He understands what it’s like to be unmotivated as an hourly employee and what it takes to turn that into a loyal and happy team player who roots for the success of everyone around him, including the company he works for. Sharing a career that spans living in three countries, leading teams from Europe to the Caribbean and the United States, the reader will hear his story, with blunders, pitfalls to avoid and the huge wins that came along the way. With a genuine commitment to telling his story, readers will walk away knowing how they will be the leader they want to be and the leader their employees deserve.”
The Review
This was a fantastic blend of memoir-style storytelling and guided education on management and leadership skills in the modern world. The importance of taking the time to learn how to speak with your employees or your team members in our modern world not because it is required, but because it is the right thing to do becomes a cornerstone early on in the author’s book was truly moving to read about, as it sets the tone for the author’s experiences and lessons immediately.
To me, the author really was able to cover a wide range of topics under the banner of leadership. From establishing excellent communication early on to determining one’s core values and even the recruitment process, the book does a great job of detailing and showcasing each step easily. The balance of personal storytelling and education that each chapter boasts was a helpful tool in relating to the reader and showcasing how leaders can always grow and learn themselves as time goes on.
The Verdict
Memorable, engaging, and thoughtfully written, author Sean Barnard’s “Intentional Retention” is a must-read nonfiction book on business and leadership that you won’t be able to put down. The inspiring and enlightening nature of the author’s work and the captivating steps that readers can take to improve their leadership skills and how the author was able to relate it to our modern workforce made this a captivating read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Sean Barnard serves as Chief Operating Officer for privately held North Carolina based Smiles Ahead LLC. His role oversees 5 brands of dentistry that include Burrow Welchel & Culp, Orthodontics, White & Johnson Pediatrics, Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry, Signature Smiles Orthodontics and Dogwood Family Dentistry. His international career spans from Europe and the Caribbean to the U.S. and includes C-Level suite positions in gaming, hospitality, manufacturing, and healthcare.
Starting his career as a casino dealer in England in 1979, he moved into junior management before emigrating to the Bahamas in 1984. In 1991 Sean was recruited to join a management team opening one of the first casinos in North America to be built outside Las Vegas or Atlantic City.
Sean enjoyed several leadership positions within the gaming and hospitality industry and worked throughout the United States. As Senior Vice President of one of the largest casinos in the U.S., he was responsible for over a 1m sf resort with 1500 employees, close to $250,000,000 in annual revenues and over $85m in EBTIDA. Sean served as President of the Missouri Gaming Association and on several non-profit boards before ‘retiring’ in 2014.
In 2016, the introduction to Dr. Dustin Burleson led to Fifty-Eight LLC, a consultancy that grew in reputation and size with a range of clients across the US. Sean has been a keynote speaker with a presentation that challenges how we all think of HR and leadership.
• Sean is a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional and Certified Kolbe Consultant.
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