Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to.

The line distills a modern management ethic: invest seriously in employees’ development while also creating conditions—respect, autonomy, fair pay, purpose, and humane culture—that make them choose to stay. The first clause rejects “golden handcuffs” and dependency; it frames training as an obligation even if it increases workers’ market value. The second clause argues retention should be earned rather than enforced, shifting the employer’s focus from control to trust and reciprocity. As a leadership maxim, it also implies that the best organizations treat talent as partners, not assets to be trapped, and that long-term loyalty is a byproduct of dignity and opportunity rather than fear of leaving.