Far too often, when confronted with a challenge, we talk. We talk to deflect. We talk because we don’t know what else to do. We talk to release nervous energy. To make matters worse, when we start talking, we usually start relaying a story of a similar challenge that’s happened to us. The individual who’s going through the challenge doesn’t want to hear about our suffering or similar situation, they want to be heard.

If your people truly are your most valuable asset, it becomes a business imperative to ensure that the skill portfolios of your team members are maintained and nurtured in good times and in bad—especially when the seas get rough.