What happens if you invest in developing your people––and they leave?
Jim Bouchard
Interactive Keynote Speaker • Leadership Activist • Corporate Consultant • Executive Coach • Author • 207-751-4317
I found this on my LinkedIn home feed- thanks James Sale…
CFO asks CEO, “What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave us?”
CEO: “What happens if we don’t, and they stay?” ~Peter Baeklund
BAM!
If and when some people leave your organization- does that mean you wasted your training and development dollar?
No…
First of all, good people will stay longer, work harder and be much more engaged in your vision when you give them the opportunity to grow.
Even if they do leave, which is always a possibility, for the rest of the time they’re with you you’re going to have better, more productive and engaged employees.
If and when they leave, they’re more likely to leave as peers, potential strategic partners and collaborators- rather than enemies.
In an age when 70% of the workforce is disengaged, you can’t afford not to invest in the personal and professional development of everyone in your organization.
Opportunity for growth and development are still two of the most powerful motivators identified by current research.
John P. Kotter reported that organizations that invest in a culture of personal and professional development, among other factors, can outperform the competition by 500% or more. That’s a fairly comfortable ROI, no?
One of the most powerful ideas behind this quotation is the implication that some people will stay whether you invest in their development or not…
A critical mass will tend to choose comfort and security over disruption, even when they’re not fulfilled, engaged or satisfied. Many will stay even if they’re not growing, developing and accessing their full potential as employees- and as people.
Bad for them…bad for you.
I was going to start this article by doing a comparison of the upside and downside risk of investing in training and development.
I couldn’t come up with anything for the downside list!
Your business is nothing more than the collective energy and efforts of the people working with and for you.
If you want to make your business better, invest in your people. They’ll get the job done.
Operation Manager /Administrative Director
6ygreat thoughts...👍👌👌👌👍
Compliance Consultant - AML# Internal Audit & Risk,Governance # Trade Finance#Training
6yTruly agree
Coach, mentor, and podcast host.
8yLove the CEO response because that was my first thought reading the article. I remember being taught that the sign of a true leader was not being comfortable making people as good as you arr but being comfortable when you make people better than you are. There are many reasons people leave but what brings them back, even if it is as a partner or just a friend, is how you treated them while they were there. Finally, never deal in what if, only what is. What if is a position of fear. What is, is a position of understanding and control of the situation. What if a person leaves? Don't be afraid, it will happen and you will move on. What is important is having the best team while they are there.
Founder, The Catalyst Business Consulting Group | Creator of Freedom in a Frame Business Optimization Method
8yIf your business strategy is well thought out and your business is growing there should be a place for them. If there is no place, you should be proud of the fact that your time together produced growth in them. My hope would be that, while they were with you they produced tremendous results because of the investment you made.
World Best Innovations Group LLC. Certified Human Rights Education Consultant. Social Media Ethnography.General Education & Special Education EC - 12. Author. Homeschool Tutor and Advisor
8yThe article and the two videos are awesome. Mindset training and a boost in employees self-esteem is key. When that is kept in place; no law suits and court hearings between employer and employee erupt unnecessarily. Thanks for the Black Belt mentality education. Framework is that of "winning."