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Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee…

“Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience?” quote by Thomas J. Watson
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“Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience?”

Thomas J. Watson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A manager invests heavily in training rather than firing, valuing experience over immediate cost.

In simple terms: Invest in people, not just profit.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize employee development.

Themes

leadership training cost management

Mood

reflective pragmatic

Type

advice leadership

When to use this quote

  • HR decisions
  • budget planning
  • team building

Key Concepts

human capital learning investment

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you balance training costs with risk?
  • What metrics show training ROI?
A Different Perspective

Training may not guarantee future performance.

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