“But the game goes deeper.” Travis and I continued to discuss the colored t-shirt program on the loading dock.

“For this program to really be effective, we have to think upline. We have to get the supervisor involved as well. Think about the colored shirts. For a supervisor, what’s the goal?”

It didn’t take Travis long. “To get all of his guys into blue shirts. That’s five levels of certifications for the guys on the dock.”

“And what is life like for the supervisor who has an entire crew in blue shirts?” I asked.

“Life must be great. They are all experienced, cross trained, able to handle complicated truck loads and tie downs, without a lot of supervision.”

“Take it one step further,” I prompted.

“Now, the supervisor has to figure out a way to keep the crew together.”

“And, we call that retention.” -TF