Jennifer, the strongest performer on Sarah's team, doesn't quit over one bad day. Her priorities are vague. A coworker falls behind, but Sarah doesn't address it. Expectations shift from week to week, gossip fills the gaps when Sarah goes quiet, and every decision needs Sarah's sign-off. By day 10, Jennifer has handed in her resignation. 

Jamie Williams, MSHS, regional director of clinical operations at DM Clinical Research, built her 2026 MGMA Annual Conference session, "How to Lose a Team in 10 Days," around that case. She asked the room to pinpoint the moment Sarah lost Jennifer. Two other sessions explored why good employees stay or leave: A panel of academic medicine operations leaders described culture as the product of what an organization funds, measures and rewards, and Terra Bruns, DBA, argued that burnout is a structural problem wellness perks can't fix. 

In a May 2026 MGMA Stat poll, 28% of medical groups reported higher staff turnover than in 2025. Respondents whose turnover held steady or improved described manager support, stay interviews, predictable schedules and better onboarding.¹ In a Mayo Clinic survey of nearly 4,000 physicians and scientists, each one-point increase in how they rated their immediate supervisor's leadership, on a 60-point scale, was associated with a 3.3% lower likelihood of burnout and a 9% higher likelihood of satisfaction.² 

10 habits that cost a manager good people 

Williams identified 10 habits that can drive employees away, along with what to do instead: