Chapter 3

The Paver Pyramid

Five layers every retention system stands or collapses on.

Overview

Every retention system stands on five layers — and when people leave, it’s almost never the layer you think. Most leaders pour energy into the top of the pyramid (the visible outcomes) while the foundation quietly cracks beneath them. The Paver Pyramid shows you which layer is actually failing, and in what order to rebuild — because you cannot fix the roof when the foundation is the problem. Build it from the bottom, and retention stops being a mystery you manage and becomes a structure that holds.