Resistance—I get a lot as an industry consultant but when it comes to convincing a contractor client of the importance of training, resistance is something I can bank on.
I listen politely as they recount a bad experience or two they have had because they invested in someone who then left the company and went work for someone else—usually a competitor.
After a few minutes of this, I interrupt them and address the elephant in the room: “So, what you’re asking yourself is, ‘What if I train them and they leave?’”
“Yes.”
My reply, the only one that makes any sense, is, “What if you don’t train them and they stay?”
The next thing I typically hear from the owner is, “Darn it. I know you’re right and I hate it.”