In the last posts I've been writing about people management in a knowledge based economy and how companies need to innovate in their people management policies in order to succeed. So let me tell you, in a more humorous manner, 10 things you can do if what you want is loosing your best employees and collaborators and retaining the worst.

1. Hire them promising an appealing job that has nothing to do with what they will do in the reality

That's the beginning of this strategy. Hire talented people for jobs where they have to switch their brains to an stand-by position.

2. Think that they will be motivated just by their salary

Everybody knows that smart and creative people just care about money. They don't care about challenging jobs, appealing projects or start-ups, having flexibility to develop their jobs or being part of an outstanding team.

3. Never explain them the companies overall strategy.

They need just to know what they have to do. After all, who needs to know the global strategy, besides the CEO and a few other?.

4. Don't be transparent.

Never show them the companies performance, the retribution policies and how much their colleagues are earning for the same job.

Avoid being you who explains company's changes or bad news. It is always better they know through rumors.

5. Never pay attention to their suggestions or ideas

Just tell them it is a great suggestion and you will think about it, and of course do nothing. Or better, tell them that it's not their job to think about how things have to be done, but doing what the have been told to do.

6. Enhance competitiveness among team members

It is the right path to get people engagement with the company and a great working environment that will retain the best employees.

7. Avoid they have any control or responsibility over the work they are doing

If she is a software engineer, just let her know about the code she is writing, not the overall project. If she's a content reviewer just let her know about the articles she has to review.
Don't set up medium term goals over which employees can plan their work and achieve their goals.

8. Never tell them how good they are

That's a terrible mistake. They could believe it and maybe ask for a better job, a salary increase, or worse, going to the competition (anyway that's what you are trying to do with this advise isn't it?)

9. Control them

Everybody knows that you cannot trust people and strict control is necessary. Set innovative rules as being at work at a certain hour, or not having the possibility to solve personnel issues while being at work, so they will increase their stress and obviously work better, etc.

10. Support yes-man and isolate people with a critical sense

That's the definitive one. Because as you are the smarter guy in the company you only need people to tell you how good you and your company are. Don't let those newcomers tell where and when your are going to crash.

There are a lot of other things you can do too, but for now just do these 10 and be sure you'll retain only those guys than can't find a better place to go. That is what you are trying to do, isn't it?.