Keep your best people by continually investing… it sounds simple, right? But this is the one piece of leadership advice I’ve seen pay off more than any fancy strategy. It’s not about perks; it’s about showing your top performers you’re committed to their future, which makes them committed to yours.
Share Image Quote:At its heart, this quote means that the most powerful retention tool you have isn’t a salary bump—it’s a growth path. You keep people by proving you’re as invested in their career as they are in their job.
Let me break this down from experience. High-performers, your A-players, they aren’t motivated by just a paycheck. They’re driven by challenge, by learning, by the feeling that they’re moving forward. When that stalls, they leave. It’s that simple.
So “continually investing” isn’t just sending them to a yearly conference. It’s the constant, intentional act of mentoring, of providing stretch assignments, of giving them access to new skills and responsibilities. It’s showing them the next mountain to climb, with you as their guide. This builds a powerful, almost unbreakable bond of loyalty. You’re not just their boss; you’re their champion.
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3669) |
| Category | Relationship (329) |
| Topics | growth (413), investment (18), retention (7) |
| Literary Style | professional (35) |
| Emotion / Mood | encouraging (304) |
| Overall Quote Score | 80 (256) |
This wisdom comes straight from Brian Tracy’s 2001 book, Hire and Keep the Best People. It’s a cornerstone of his philosophy on building a winning team. You sometimes see similar sentiments floating around, but this specific, powerful phrasing is all Tracy.
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Brian Tracy (375) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Hire and Keep the Best People (56) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3669) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Brian Tracy, a prolific author gained global reputation because of his best seller book list such as Eat That Frog!, Goals!, and The Psychology of Selling, and created influential audio programs like The Psychology of Achievement. He is sought after guru for personal development and business performance. Brian Tracy International, coaches millions of professionals and corporates on sales, goal setting, leadership, and productivity.
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| Quotation | Keep your best people by continually investing in their growth |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2001; ISBN: 978-1576751275; Last edition: 2001, Berrett-Koehler Publishers; Number of pages: 112. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: Continuous Development; Approximate page from 2001 edition |
In the book, Tracy is laser-focused on the immense cost of employee turnover—not just the financial cost, but the drain on morale and momentum. He positions this idea as the antidote to attrition. It’s framed as a strategic business imperative, not just a “nice-to-have” HR policy.
So how do you actually *do* this? It’s in the daily actions.
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Theme | Advice (652) |
| Audiences | executives (119), HR professionals (43), leaders (2620), managers (441) |
| Usage Context/Scenario | career development programs (25), corporate workshops (10), HR management (1), leadership coaching (130) |
Question: What if I invest in them and they leave anyway?
Answer: I get this fear, I really do. But the better question is: what if you *don’t* invest in them and they stay? You’re left with an disengaged, stagnant employee. Investing is a risk, but not investing is a guarantee of mediocrity or loss.
Question: My company has a tiny training budget. How can I possibly invest?
Answer: Investment isn’t always monetary. It’s time. It’s autonomy. Let them run a meeting. Give them a book from your shelf. Connect them with a mentor in another department. The most powerful investments are often free—they just require intentionality.
Question: How do I know what “growth” my people even want?
Answer: You have to ask. Seriously. It sounds too simple, but most managers never have a genuine, open conversation about an employee’s 1-year and 3-year career goals. That conversation is the starting point for everything.
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