Answer extracted from the Executive Wins Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
Should you hold back talented employees or set them free?
Don't hold talented employees back when your organization cannot provide the opportunities they seek—instead, equip them for success and allow them to move on. Those who leave well-prepared often return years later as substantially more capable professionals, ready to tackle challenges your organization faces at that time.
The instinct to retain top talent is natural, but Eric Dillon, President of General Bank of Canada, flips that priority. Rather than creating barriers to departure, leaders should focus on preparing people for the next chapter of their careers, whether that chapter unfolds internally or elsewhere.
This approach rests on a fundamental belief: good things happen to good people. When an employee leaves your organization fully equipped—with skills, confidence, and networks developed under your mentorship—they carry your culture and values with them. Three years later, if your organization faces a challenge that calls for someone with exactly their evolved skill set, they may very well return as a far more capable version of themselves.
In the Executive Wins Podcast episode, Dillon shares how this philosophy extends the reach of your leadership impact far beyond your payroll. It transforms departing employees into ambassadors of your culture and potential future collaborators—one of the most underappreciated returns on investment in talent development.
"The primary job of leaders is to build more leaders. Like before the business success, before celebrate the results for the year or whatever the case may be, the primary job of leaders is to actually build more leaders."
Eric Dillon — President of General Bank of Canada, a banker with 30 years of experience in the finance industry, primarily in Alberta. He has held leadership roles managing teams as large as 2,000 people and is deeply passionate about advancing gender diversity in banking and finance while building the next generation of leaders through structured mentoring relationships.
If you're curious about how Dillon structures his mentoring process to ensure mentees are fully prepared when opportunity calls elsewhere, the full episode dives into his rigorous mentorship scorecard and confidentiality framework that has guided over 120 mentoring relationships.
Key takeaways
- The primary job of leaders is to build more leaders—not just to drive short-term business results.
- When talented employees seek opportunities outside your organization, equip them well rather than resist their departure.
- Employees who leave well-prepared often return as substantially more capable professionals, ready to handle challenges your organization faces later.
- This approach extends your leadership impact far beyond your organization and builds a network of capable former employees who carry your culture forward.
See also
What role might artificial intelligence play in the future of leadership and human capability?
While some argue AI will diminish the importance of people, Dillon believes it will accelerate the need for human judgment and leadership. As AI and tools continue to evolve, the strategic role of human decision-making becomes even more critical.
How has the nature of business capital changed in financial services, and what does this mean for leadership?
Historically, capital in banking meant money locked in vaults to build plants and create economic goodwill. Today, organizational capital is fundamentally about talent, knowledge, and the strength of relationships within the business ecosystem.
How should leaders approach candid feedback and transparency in mentoring relationships?
Dillon was more hesitant about directness in his early mentoring years but became increasingly courageous and unapologetic about it. He now delivers honest feedback matter-of-factly, recognizing that clarity and candor serve the mentee's long-term development.