Welcome to the "This Is Why They Leave" series—an unvarnished, direct, and powerful look at the 30 hard truths leaders often avoid.
For too long, the narrative around employee turnover has been filled with excuses and corporate platitudes. We’re told people leave for more money, but that’s rarely the whole story.
In this series, we pull back the curtain on the real, unfiltered truths. Each video is a short, hard-hitting exploration of the specific, often painful, reasons that cause your best people to walk out the door, from cowardly managers and toxic cultures to passive-aggressive leadership and broken promises.
This isn't just about identifying the problems; it's about providing the insights you need to stop the cycle. These truths are a direct call to action, offering leaders the profound self-awareness and understanding required to build a culture where people don’t just stay—they thrive.
Everyone says people leave for more money. As an expert in employee experience, I can tell you it's almost never the root cause. This reel uncovers the real reasons people walk out the door, and why they have nothing to do with their salary.
This isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a stark reality. Your managers are the linchpin of your employee experience. Neglect their development, and you'll pay the price in turnover. Is it time to invest in your leadership layer?
It's soul-crushing to put your energy and creativity into a suggestion, only for it to be met with silence. When people feel unheard, they eventually stop speaking up, and that's a huge loss for the business.
It's soul-crushing to put your energy and creativity into a suggestion, only for it to be met with silence. When people feel unheard, they eventually stop speaking up, and that's a huge loss for the business.
Burnout is a silent epidemic, and it's not just about feeling tired. It's about a culture that normalises pushing past our limits until we break. This is the real cost of a relentless pace on your people and your business.
This meme perfectly captures a frustrating reality: the 'reward' for being a high performer is often just... more work. If you want to keep your top talent, celebrate their wins with growth and reward, not just an expanded to-do list.
The discomfort of confronting an issue pales in comparison to the damage caused by ignoring it. When leaders shy away from candour, it fosters resentment, lowers morale, and lets small problems explode.
"Just grin and bear it" and "stress is part of the job" are the biggest lies we tell ourselves at work. When companies don't genuinely prioritise well-being, they're telling their employees, "We care more about your output than your health."
Ping-pong tables and free snacks won't fix a toxic manager or an impossible workload. People aren't stupid. They see right through the veneer and would rather have psychological safety over free pizza.
True leadership isn't about dictating; it's about empowering. Being a boss is about control, but being a guide is about influence, development, and building a team that's confident and capable.
"We're a family here!"—a phrase often used, and rarely backed up. When that façade crumbles at the first sign of inconvenience—like needing sick leave or asking for fair pay—it creates deep resentment and destroys trust. Be a professional, respectful company, not a fake family.
You want long-term commitment for a 2% pay bump and a "World's Best Employee" mug? Good luck. Loyalty is earned through genuine investment in people's development, compensation, and well-being.
One great manager can launch your career. One bad one can ruin it.
Managers are the daily reality of the employee experience, and investing in their development isn't optional; it's essential for retention and success.
Those posters on the wall? The ones about 'integrity' and 'respect'? Your people are watching to see if your actions actually back them up. When they don't, trust is completely eroded and your employees feel like they are living a lie.
A tough truth for leaders: you hired brilliant people, then managed the brilliance out of them. The very things you hired them for—their autonomy and creativity—you’ve now smothered with bureaucracy and micromanagement.
When the job description is a lie, you create a complete breach of trust from day one. Employees were hired based on a promise, and when that promise isn't honoured, it's the fastest way to drive them to a competitor.
Inconsistency in policies and treatment is a killer of morale. It breeds resentment and creates a culture where people feel like their hard work and dedication don't matter as much as someone else's.
How many hours a week are you spending in pointless meetings? It's not just a waste of time, it's a soul-crushing experience that shows a fundamental lack of respect for your team's time and sanity.
"Working hard, but not knowing what you're working towards." It's the fastest way to burnout. Your job as a leader isn't to just provide tasks; it's to provide purpose and a clear finish line.
The problem with 'Beer Fridays' isn't the beer itself, it's when it's used as a superficial perk to mask a broken culture. High-performing teams want boundaries, respect, and psychological safety. This is how you build a loyal team, not with performative, exclusionary events.
"Here's your computer... good luck!"
How often have you seen a brilliant new hire get thrown in at the deep end because of a chaotic onboarding process? A poor start can derail a new employee's potential and make them question their decision to join your company.
This isn't just about first impressions. A bad onboarding experience sets the tone for the entire employee journey and sends a clear message: we aren't prepared for you.
How are you making sure your new starters feel supported, not lost, from day one?
That annual review where you give a platitude and they give a platitude? That’s not a feedback loop.
Your best people want to grow and get better. When you don't give them real, actionable feedback, you're not helping them. You're just setting them up to leave.
What does meaningful feedback look like in your workplace?
You cannot expect world-class performance when you are paying a minimum wage investment.
The way a company compensates its people is a direct reflection of its values—not what's written on a poster. A low wage with high expectations is a fast track to disengagement and resentment. It’s a complete strategic failure.
What's the biggest disconnect you've seen between pay and expectations?
Bullying at work isn't a "personal conflict"—it's a leadership failure.
When leaders allow bullying to go unchecked, it sends a clear message that psychological safety is not a priority. This creates a toxic environment that drives away top talent and erodes trust. You cannot have a high-performing team in an unsafe environment.
Have you ever witnessed or experienced bullying at work?
Leaders, your internal ego clashes are not just "disagreements." They are a strategic failure that is costing you your best people.
When you allow professional disagreements to devolve into chaos, you create an environment of anxiety and mixed messages. Your team is forced to guess, and their productivity and morale will plummet. This is a direct failure of leadership to manage its own emotional intelligence.
What's the cost of ego in your workplace?
I love Gordon Ramsay's shows as much as the next person, but his television persona is not a sustainable leadership model. The most impactful leaders are not always the loudest. They are the ones who listen, observe, and protect their team.
Leadership isn’t just about making your team feel heard; it’s about removing obstacles, shielding them from the politics, and mentoring them to succeed.
What's one of your superpowers as a quiet leader?
I’m going to be direct. When a manager fails to communicate crucial information—especially during a takeover—it isn't just a failure of communication; it’s a failure of courage.
Your team relies on you to be their shield. When you stand by as they are blindsided by new policies and disciplinary action, you are betraying their trust. The mark of a true leader isn’t in their title; it’s in their willingness to fall on their sword to protect their team.
What's the worst betrayal you've seen from a manager?
"We believe in open communication." "Radical transparency." These phrases are on every company deck, but how many of them are actually true?
A lack of transparency breeds speculation and erodes trust, leading to higher turnover and a disengaged workforce. A leader's actions—or lack of them—speak far louder than any mission statement.
How transparent is your company, really?
You cannot build a high-performing team by promoting for tenure, not for talent. Promotions go to those who outperform, not those who outlast. This isn't Survivor.
This single policy is a massive mistake. It frustrates rising stars who see no path for growth and creates a cascade of incompetent leaders who were never ready for the job.
Have you ever seen a promotion that just didn't make sense?
For the past 30 days, we've explored the uncomfortable truths of why people leave their jobs. Today, for the final installment, it all culminates in one undeniable reality: They don't leave companies; they leave YOU.
Every instance of burnout, every ignored idea, every cowardly management decision, every ego clash, every lie—it all traces back to leadership. This isn't about blame; it's about accountability. Your best people are not leaving your brand or your product; they are leaving your leadership.
Are you ready to truly face that truth and build a culture where people want to stay and thrive? If so, let's talk.
When it comes to engaging and converting audiences, quiz funnels have emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of marketing. They offer a unique and interactive way to capture attention, gather valuable data, and guide potential customers through a personalised journey. In this week's blog, we will delve into the world of quiz funnels, exploring their benefits, the step-by-step process of creating one, and how they can boost your business's success.
At its core, a quiz funnel is an innovative method for capturing leads and converting them into customers. Unlike traditional lead generation techniques, quiz funnels leverage the power of quizzes to create an interactive experience that not only engages but also educates and entertains the audience. By posing thought-provoking questions and offering tailored results, quiz funnels establish a connection with potential customers, paving the way for further engagement.
To build an effective quiz funnel, you need to understand its essential components. Firstly, well-crafted questions are the backbone of a quiz funnel. These questions should be engaging, thought-provoking, and relevant to your target audience. Secondly, compelling and personalised results based on the participants' answers provide valuable insights and create a sense of personalisation. Finally, strategically placed call-to-actions (CTAs) guide participants towards the desired action, whether it's making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or sharing the quiz with others.
The success of a quiz funnel rests on the quality of its questions. It is important to create questions that captivate and stimulate the participant's curiosity. Use a mix of intriguing, fun, and thought-provoking questions that encourage participants to provide honest and valuable responses. By striking a balance between entertainment and information, you can ensure an engaging experience that keeps participants hooked throughout the quiz. You can use the results of these quizzes to better understand your audience and direct them to the best content for their needs.
The results of a quiz funnel should deliver more than just a generic outcome. Personalisation is key to making participants feel connected and understood. Tailor the results based on their answers, offering insights and recommendations that are genuinely useful and relevant. By providing value through personalised feedback, you enhance the overall experience and establish credibility and trust with your audience.
To maximise the reach of your quiz funnel, leverage the power of social media. Craft captivating posts and visually appealing graphics that entice users to participate in the quiz. Utilise targeted advertising campaigns to reach specific demographics and engage with relevant online communities or groups. Encourage participants to share their results on social media, which can amplify the reach of your quiz and attract new potential customers.
If you have an existing subscriber base, email marketing is a powerful tool to drive traffic to your quiz funnel. Craft compelling and personalised email campaigns that entice subscribers to take the quiz. Highlight the benefits and value they will gain by participating. Consider offering incentives, such as exclusive discounts or free resources, to further encourage engagement.
To convert quiz participants into customers, it's crucial to strategically place a call-to-action throughout the quiz funnel. Introduce relevant offers or promotions that align with the participants' interests and results. These CTAs should be clear, compelling, and visually appealing, guiding participants towards the desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a trial, or subscribing to a service.
After participants have completed the quiz, it's essential to nurture leads through personalised follow-up. Develop a targeted email marketing campaign that provides additional value based on each of the different possible quiz results. Share relevant content, offer further insights, and address any questions or concerns they may have. By nurturing these leads with valuable information, you build trust and increase the likelihood of conversion. I have seen a well known money coach very successfully launch training for each specific quiz result type.
Quiz funnels offer opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. Based on the participants' quiz responses and results, identify products or services that complement their needs and preferences. Craft tailored recommendations or exclusive offers that encourage participants to explore additional offerings. By leveraging the personalized insights gained through the quiz, you can maximize revenue and enhance the customer experience.
One common mistake in quiz funnel creation is overcomplicating quiz questions. Remember to keep the questions simple, fun, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid confusing language or complex scenarios that may discourage participation. By making the quiz user-friendly and accessible, you increase the chances of attracting a wider audience.
With the increasing use of mobile devices, it's crucial to optimise your quiz funnel for mobile or tablet users. Neglecting mobile optimisation can result in a poor user experience, which may lead to higher drop-off rates. Ensure that your quiz funnel is fully responsive, loads quickly, looks great and offers a seamless experience across all devices. By catering to mobile users, you maximise your reach and engagement potential.
A critical mistake in quiz funnel implementation is failing to follow up with quiz-generated leads. These leads have shown interest and engagement, making them valuable prospects, even warm leads, for conversion. Implement a comprehensive follow-up strategy, including personalised emails, relevant content, and targeted offers. By nurturing these leads, you can maximise the potential and increase your chances of converting them into customers.
Quiz funnels have proven to be a powerful tool for engaging, converting, and delighting audiences. By creating an interactive and personalised experience, businesses can capture valuable leads, guide them through a tailored journey, and ultimately increase conversions and revenue. Implementing a quiz funnel requires understanding your target audience, crafting engaging questions and results, driving traffic through various channels, converting participants into customers, analysing performance metrics, and continuously optimising for better results. Embrace the potential of quiz funnels and take your marketing efforts to the next level, unlocking sustainable growth and success for your business.
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