One Sided Investment

 

When an investment is made one expects to make a return. That's kind of how it works. Sure there's an expectation that it might not pan out, but if we didn't think it would work we wouldn't freely hand out the sheckles in the first place. So why do organizations invest in their talent without investing in their leadership? Why invest in salespeople without sales coaches? Why invest in sales coaches without investing in sales talent development programs? It's like a young Sales Stoker finally saving enough summertime cheddar to afford that new pair of Vans for school, but the only size available at Foot Locker is a 9 and you wear a 7.5 and your Mom says invest in them and you'll fit them becaue you're in a growth spirt...that's B.S. mom! I worked all summer to rock these on day 1 baby and I can't be tripping all over myself in a size way too big and not be the fastest kid on the blacktop and......I digress. 

Investing in your people is obviously paramount to success, but not investing in it fully can be detrimental. To say it harshly, the half-assed investment can destroy morale and wreck an organization from within. Consider the example of a company that went all in with their investment into sales talent recruitment. They partnered with the best programs out there to hire the best hot, young, hungry talent and they hired a bunch. What this organization failed to do was hire the sales management, coaches or leadership to show these new recruits the ropes. Instead they let current operators who were already strapped be their guides. It was a disaster. The sales people quickly left. The operators did so too becaue they got quickly fed up of being overworked and overshadowed by the new talent. The company crashed and burned. 

Do you have a company and want to spend a little cheddar to make a lot more? Just make sure the money spent is thoroughly thought out. The intentions are pure. They always are. The ramifications of not investing thoroughly are too extreme.   STOKED!