So, what is re-recruiting? It’s a deliberate effort to retain your team members.

It may be a negative motivator, but I always assume two things: (1) I need the team members more than they need me; (2) They have lots of other options to choose from.

I have experienced and observed that often, the most important team members are taken for granted. It’s true that, more often than not, leaders spend time with those people who have issues. I recommend taking a continuous, thoughtful approach that might include the following:

1. Having dinner with the team member and their spouse.
2. Sending hand-written notes to the team member’s spouse about a job well done or after a long, difficult assignment.
3. Sending hand-written notes of praise or encouragement to the team member.
4. Singling out the team member in front of others and mentioning a special job that was done well.
5. Asking if you can relieve some of their work.
6. Visiting their personal office.
7. Visiting them on a job site.
8. Using travel time with them to praise them for a recent job well done.
9. Sharing positive feedback from a customer/client or from another senior executive.

If you notice, nothing on this list costs much money — just a little time.

Are you regularly re-recruiting your best team members? What would they say?