Episode 518 How Stay Interviews Unlock Employee Retention with Sue MacArthur

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Sep 7, 2025

Sue MacArthur, co-owner of Strategic Talent Management, shares her wealth of experience in solving agency challenges. The conversation focuses on the revolutionary concept of stay interviews, which enhance employee retention and culture. Sue emphasizes the importance of open, two-way dialogues about career aspirations, fostering trust and candid feedback within teams. Practical tips for implementing stay interviews are discussed, highlighting the need for thoughtful questions and an environment where employees feel safe to express their concerns. A must-listen for agency leaders!

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ANECDOTE

Hidden Talent Discovered Internally

A client discovered their admin assistant had a journalism degree and loved writing during a stay interview.
The assistant became the agency's copywriter after sharing a writing sample.

ADVICE

Make It A Two-Way Conversation

Encourage employees to ask leaders questions from the same stay interview list and offer to answer honestly.
Model candid responses and follow up when you say you'll get back with an answer.

ADVICE

Follow Up Verbal Prompts With Writing

Give the exact question in writing (email/Slack) before the one-on so employees can reference it.
Avoid surprising people with verbally delivered questions they might forget.

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Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan turns the focus inward—with a practical conversation that every agency leader needs to hear. Joined by long-time AMI partner and Strategic Talent Management co-owner Sue MacArthur, Drew unpacks one of the most nuanced and important topics in the business: how to elevate your team, enhance retention, and lead with intention by mastering the art of the "stay interview."

Sue shares her extensive experience helping agencies solve their most pressing people challenges, from leadership development to hiring, performance management, and succession planning. Together, Drew and Sue dig into the realities of leading in a post-Covid landscape, emphasizing that being a good manager or leader doesn't happen by accident—it requires thoughtful systems, ongoing engagement, and real, authentic conversations with your team.

The heart of this episode centers on the stay interview: what it is, why it matters, and how it can radically transform your agency's culture and retention. Sue offers actionable advice on how to incorporate stay interview questions into regular one-on-ones, how to create safe space for candid feedback, and how to foster a two-way dialogue where employees feel empowered to ask leadership tough questions as well. Drew and Sue also explore best practices for rolling out this process in your agency, including tips for building trust, handling difficult feedback, and turning employee insights into real, meaningful change.

Don't miss this episode if you're ready to build deeper trust with your team, prevent regrettable departures, and unlock the potential sitting right within your agency walls. Drew even leaves you with a clear action plan and resources, so you can start integrating these conversations right away and position your agency—and your people—for long-term success.

A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

- The value of stay interviews for employee retention and engagement
- Why performance management should be a continuous, intentional process
- How to create safe spaces for candid employee feedback
- Strategies for helping employees shape their career paths within small agencies
- The importance of modeling open communication and vulnerability as a leader
- Turning employee feedback into actionable change and team-wide improvement
- Balancing listening with encouraging solution-oriented problem solving