New leadership book targets the habits behind employee turnover

By AI, Created 11:11 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Adrienne Clay’s new book, Before They Resign, argues that managers often drive top performers away through daily behaviors, not just pay or market pressures. The book, out now in print and digital formats, lays out emotionally intelligent practices meant to improve retention, engagement, and workplace performance.

Why it matters: - High turnover drains institutional knowledge, hurts morale, and leaves remaining employees overworked and discouraged. - The book frames retention as a leadership problem, not only a hiring problem. - Stronger emotionally intelligent management can help stabilize teams, improve productivity, and support a healthier culture.

What happened: - Adrienne Clay released Before They Resign: What Emotionally Intelligent Managers Do to Keep Their Best People. - The book draws on three decades of workplace observation. - The release says the book is aimed at managers who lose top performers and want practical ways to keep them engaged. - The book is available now in paperback, hardcover, and E-book formats. - An audiobook edition is coming soon. - More information, bulk orders, and interview requests are available through the company’s announcement.

The details: - The book argues that employees often leave because they do not feel respected, heard, or supported at work. - Many managers, the release says, respond to turnover with recruiting campaigns, bonuses, and perks while missing the leadership behaviors that push people out. - Emotional intelligence in management is presented as a practical leadership skill, not a soft add-on. - The book says emotionally intelligent managers listen before solving problems. - The book says they acknowledge emotional reality instead of dismissing it. - The book says they set clear boundaries while staying approachable. - The book says they make decisions transparently and involve people in meaningful solutions. - The release says retaining talent depends on consistent care and respect, not one-time initiatives.

Between the lines: - Clay is positioning retention as a management discipline that affects more than headcount. - The argument suggests that day-to-day leadership habits can shape quality of work, innovation, and whether people stay. - The release challenges a common view that emotional intelligence weakens authority, and instead presents it as a source of stronger leadership. - Adrienne Clay is described as a leadership and workplace strategist with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations improve retention, engagement, and performance.

What’s next: - Organizations that want to use the book’s framework can buy it now or seek bulk orders. - Leaders looking for direct guidance can use the book’s frameworks and real-world examples to change how they give feedback, handle conflict, communicate change, and support employees under stress. - The upcoming audiobook could widen the book’s reach once released.

The bottom line: - Clay’s message is blunt: keeping top talent starts with how managers lead every day, not with perks after employees have already checked out.