Let me say, right at the outset, that I am a teacher and I work (obviously) for a company that sells training-related products and services. So my opinion here is going to be a bit suspect, and I understand that. But I'm not a teacher just because it puts food on the table and keeps my kids properly clothed. I'm a teacher because the classroom is where I find my jazz. I delight in finding new ways to convey information, and get my greatest thrill when I see the lights go on in a student's eyes. And I believe people who are properly trained are a greater asset to themselves and to the companies for which they work. I couldn't do a job I didn't believe in.

I was reflecting on our economy last night, and regretting the fact that the downturn in the economy means we're probably about to see another downturn in training demands. That's what most companies do when the economic storms get a bit rough: strip down to the gunwales and toss anything deemed extraneous overboard. And training people is seen, by most companies, as extraneous. It's a luxury. They can limp along without training, but they can't limp along without their supply chain. It's an unfortunate mindset because it's flat out wrong.

As I was reflecting on this, I faintly recalled a very short article I read a few years ago. It took me a while to ferret it out, but I was pretty sure it was in a copy of Harvard Business Review (HBR). Sure enough, I found it. From a 2004 edition. Fortunately, I also found a PDF copy online. The article, which dates from March 2004, reports on three investment portfolios they built in the early 2000s. They focused the portfolios on companies that consistently spent roughly twice the industry norm on employee development. They built three such portfolios and actually invested their own money in them. The result? All three portfolios outperformed the S&P 500 index.

So what's the philosophy in your company?