0502 - Why People Leave Leaders, Not the Job
Fri Feb 06 2026
In this episode of Not Your Average CEO Lifeline Podcast, host Danielle Cuomo, MBA, sits down with William Davis, leadership author, speaker, and former corporate executive, to explore what truly drives performance, trust, and retention inside organizations.
After retiring in May 2025 following 38 years in corporate America, William launched his own leadership organization focused on addressing one of the most overlooked challenges in modern workplaces: leaders treating people like metrics instead of humans. Drawing from decades of real-world experience, William shares why money alone doesn’t motivate performance, how authentic relationships outperform authority, and why genuine connection is the missing link in retention.
William breaks down the difference between bosses, managers, and leaders, explains why employees disengage even when pay and benefits are competitive, and shares a powerful real-life story that illustrates what human-centered leadership looks like in action.
💡 What We Cover:
Why performance isn’t driven by money alone.
The real reason organizations struggle with retention.
How employees’ personal lives directly impact their work.
The role of empathy, trust, and authenticity in leadership.
How leaders can rebuild trust when relationships are strained.
The daily habits great leaders practice that others overlook.
What it truly means to be Not Your Average CEO.
🎯 Top Takeaways for Leaders & CEOs:
✔️ Retention improves when leaders build genuine relationships.
✔️ Authority doesn’t create influence — relationships do.
✔️ People perform better when they understand the why behind the work.
✔️ Human-centered leadership builds trust faster than any formal system.
✔️ Great leaders help their people flourish — and that’s the real legacy.
🔍 Why This Matters:
William reminds us that leadership isn’t about control, titles, or power. It’s about understanding your people as whole humans, meeting them where they are, and creating environments where they feel valued, supported, and connected. When leaders lead this way, performance, loyalty, and innovation naturally follow.
🎙 Closing Thoughts:
Stop leading with metrics alone. Start leading with connection — and watch your people, and your organization, thrive.
✨ This episode is brought to you by Virtual Assist USA
Helping CEOs and business owners streamline operations, get more done, and grow faster with the right support in the right roles.
🔗 Connect With Us on LinkedIn:
👤 Nicole Gallicchio – linkedin.com/in/nicolegallicchio
👤 Danielle Cuomo – linkedin.com/in/djc287
🔗 Connect with William Davis:
🌐 Website: williamcdavis.net
#NYACLPodcast #NotYourAverageCEO #Leadership #Retention #HumanCenteredLeadership #CEOInsights #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #WilliamDavis #PeopleFirstLeadership
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In this episode of Not Your Average CEO Lifeline Podcast, host Danielle Cuomo, MBA, sits down with William Davis, leadership author, speaker, and former corporate executive, to explore what truly drives performance, trust, and retention inside organizations. After retiring in May 2025 following 38 years in corporate America, William launched his own leadership organization focused on addressing one of the most overlooked challenges in modern workplaces: leaders treating people like metrics instead of humans. Drawing from decades of real-world experience, William shares why money alone doesn’t motivate performance, how authentic relationships outperform authority, and why genuine connection is the missing link in retention. William breaks down the difference between bosses, managers, and leaders, explains why employees disengage even when pay and benefits are competitive, and shares a powerful real-life story that illustrates what human-centered leadership looks like in action. 💡 What We Cover: Why performance isn’t driven by money alone. The real reason organizations struggle with retention. How employees’ personal lives directly impact their work. The role of empathy, trust, and authenticity in leadership. How leaders can rebuild trust when relationships are strained. The daily habits great leaders practice that others overlook. What it truly means to be Not Your Average CEO. 🎯 Top Takeaways for Leaders & CEOs: ✔️ Retention improves when leaders build genuine relationships. ✔️ Authority doesn’t create influence — relationships do. ✔️ People perform better when they understand the why behind the work. ✔️ Human-centered leadership builds trust faster than any formal system. ✔️ Great leaders help their people flourish — and that’s the real legacy. 🔍 Why This Matters: William reminds us that leadership isn’t about control, titles, or power. It’s about understanding your people as whole humans, meeting them where they are, and creating environments where they feel valued, supported, and connected. When leaders lead this way, performance, loyalty, and innovation naturally follow. 🎙 Closing Thoughts: Stop leading with metrics alone. Start leading with connection — and watch your people, and your organization, thrive. ✨ This episode is brought to you by Virtual Assist USA Helping CEOs and business owners streamline operations, get more done, and grow faster with the right support in the right roles. 🔗 Connect With Us on LinkedIn: 👤 Nicole Gallicchio – linkedin.com/in/nicolegallicchio 👤 Danielle Cuomo – linkedin.com/in/djc287 🔗 Connect with William Davis: 🌐 Website: williamcdavis.net #NYACLPodcast #NotYourAverageCEO #Leadership #Retention #HumanCenteredLeadership #CEOInsights #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #WilliamDavis #PeopleFirstLeadership