Feathers, bricks & trucks: The early warning system leaders ignore

By the time someone resigns, it's too late. 

Attrition doesn't start with the exit, it starts months earlier – when something felt “off” and no one acted on it.

I love the feathers, bricks, and truck analogy.

My team member Sarah occasionally called in sick, always on a Monday. Within months it was more frequent. Then it became predictable.

At the same time, other signals were showing up:

• missed deadlines

• low engagement

• a shift towards busy but low-value work.

I saw it.

And I ignored it. 

I had dismissed the feathers - the subtle early signals - as unimportant and easy to justify.

I was shocked when she resigned, and I shouldn't have been. 

I see this pattern often. 

Most attrition isn’t sudden. It’s signalled. Early and often.

Too many leaders delay acting because the signals feel small, or the conversation feels uncomfortable.

The cost?

By the time you act, you're no longer managing performance. You're managing an exit. 

The leaders who protect retention don’t wait for the truck.

They act on the feathers.

The decision to leave is made long before the action is taken.

The real question is: What are you currently tolerating that your team is already reacting to?

I’d love to know. 

Mel xx

P.S. If this is happening in your team, we should talk. The earlier you act, the more you can actually change the outcome.