YOUR TRAINING IS ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR HIRING

Would you try the world's best recipe if it was made from the world's worst ingredients?

Probably not, right?

E.g., Rotten vegetables are still gross, no matter how the chef assembles them.

This is an analogy for Principle 52:
 
"Your training is only as good as your hiring."

As much as you might wish otherwise, you can't train anyone to be anything...

Why?

1) YOU CAN'T TRAIN SOMEONE AGAINST THEIR WILL.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

If the person doesn't have the desire or willingness to learn, they won't. No matter how great your training program is.

This is why people say 'hire for attitude, not skill.'

But even this is only partially true...

2) SOME SKILLS CAN'T BE TRAINED, AT LEAST NOT IN THE TIME REQUIRED.

Imagine if you hired a fish to climb a tree.
Train all you want - it's not going to happen.

[Not unless you have a million years to spare in the hopes that evolution gets you there.]

Every person has innate traits that make them more suited for certain jobs / environments than others.

Whether you're involved in hiring or training, you ignore this fact at your own peril.

Ingredients matter when you're trying to cook something great.
They matter for your employee training programs too.

Each hire brings with them the ingredients you get to work with. Hire right.