"If you are creating a culture of trust, it means you listen more than you speak." April Whitson has developed cutting-edge programs to create a culture employees won't want to quit. During our conversation she does a great job of explaining the value of diverse experiences in your career to prepare for future leadership roles. She is a leader that firmly believes that HR professionals should act as business partners, understanding the financial impacts and the entire operation of the company.   April is a high-energy speaker who has coached hundreds of leaders throughout her 25+ years as an HR professional. During our conversation she shares how she navigated a career path that wasn't always linear. Her lessons have shaped who she has become now and why she encourages her team to have the courage to speak up. It is important that we all have difficult conversations when needed. It is even better when there are leaders like April that let their employees know that they will always have their back. Through my own experience I know this is necessary to establish an amazing culture that employees don't want to leave. One way of challenging yourself to look beyond the traditional way of climbing the corporate ladder is through the concept of switching ladders. April uses this approach to career development by getting people to consider changing ladders, not just climbing up the same one. It's a great way to gain different experiences and skills. During our conversation, you will also hear: the indispensable contribution of HR as strong business allies in promoting diversity within the workplace the keys to establishing a positive corporate culture for robust employee engagement and loyalty how to sharpen your communication skills to strengthen bonds between leaders and team members the art of combining assertiveness with humility to maximize your leadership potential ways to implement a long-term strategy to sustain employee retention while nurturing their overall well-being April has a clear drive to touch more lives and provide leaders the tools to create a better work environment. She is now excitedly working on her book to share her insights and experiences. Make sure connect with April on LinkedIn and grab her free resource below. You should also check out ABB, the technology company April works for, to learn more about their products and services. One way to retain people is to make sure they take time for themselves. Next time you or someone you know is wanting to plan their vacation make sure to connect with Magical Vacation Planner at 407- Connect with April: Website - April Whitson Free Retention Checklist -The Stay Challenge LinkedIn - April Whitson Connect with Dan: www.dancockerell.com About Dan - https://dancockerell.com/about/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dancockerell/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancockerell/ Facebook - www.facebook.com/dancockerellspeaker Episode Highlights 00:01:20 - April's Story 00:06:29 - The Role of HR 00:10:37 - Getting Diverse Experiences 00:12:15 - Diverse Experience and Open-mindedness 00:13:48 - Recruiting Challenges 00:18:42 - Open and Constructive Communication 00:22:38 - Overcoming Resistance 00:25:08 - Decision Making as a Leader 00:27:29 - Different Approaches to Decision Making 00:28:30 - Understanding Why Employees Stay 00:30:15 - Taking Control of Employee Retention