Answer: Communication facilitates warmth, mutual respect, awareness of the needs of others, bonding and a way for leaders to even coddle the team. David and Miles are so good at this that in six years no employee has left their company of his own volition.

Topic for Discussion: Do employees really need to be coddled?

Answer: Even in this all male organization, the founders were surprised to discover that the answer to this question is, "yes." We believe everybody wants to be coddled. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says that to coddle an egg, one cooks it, "in liquid slowly and gently just below the boiling point." The dictionary also says that to coddle means to, "treat with extreme care." A synonym for coddle is pamper and the definition of pamper is, "to treat with extreme or excessive care and attention." Other substitutes for the word coddle include: spoil, baby, humor and indulge.

Most of the Transition Association employees work from their homes and only come into Westerham to the office every 90 days. At these quarterly gatherings there is plenty of laughter and prizes are awarded. In between, the entire company is on chat all day everyday. Even these men enjoy reading about how another person's evening went or how the other guy's sports team is doing. Even the most independent of spirits wants to check in with other people and feel a connection to a purpose greater than themselves.

In other companies we have studied here we have heard owners say that their number one goal every day it to make sure everyone is happy. You can bet those owners are running around doing what might be described as coddling and pampering. All of this effort pays off because people are more productive when they feel loved, appreciated, recognized and respected.

You think about it: What can you do to pamper, coddle, spoil, baby and humor the people you want to keep on your payroll?