Exit interviews are a leadership failure.
By the time you’re asking questions, the decision is already made.
The real work happens months earlier.
Leaders I work with use these 5 questions consistently — not when it’s too late:
1. “What’s frustrating you most about your work right now?”
2. “Where do you feel underused in your role?”
3. “What would make your week more sustainable?”
4. “What support are you missing from me?”
5. “If you ran this team, what would you change first?”
Notice something:
None of these are about performance.
They are about energy, autonomy, and friction.
When asked regularly, they surface disengagement before it turns into resignation.
Across multiple international teams, leaders using this framework report measurable reductions in voluntary turnover within months.
This is part of my High-Performance Leadership Program — a structured retention system, not a one-off conversation.
If you had to start with one question today, which would it be?
Comment the number below.
Or DM me “LEADERSHIP” for the full retention playbook.
Originally published 24 February 2026 on LinkedIn. Follow Eric Stijnman on LinkedIn for more sales coaching and leadership insights