In physics, Vmax is shorthand for "maximum velocity", and the calculation used to calculate maximum velocity is:

Vmax = Vo + a ∆t²

In order to determine the maximum velocity for any object, this calculation determines the initial velocity (Vo) and adds the value of acceleration (a) over time (delta t). Logically, in the absence of any acceleration, Vmax (maximum velocity) for the object is simply equal to the object's initial velocity.

Applied to your business organization, we could say that employees who are not learning, growing, and developing - accelerating their skill sets and core competencies - are simply standing still, and the organization is failing to reach its maximum velocity.

Organizations invest heavily in tangible resources - facilities, raw materials, marketing and advertising, etc. - in order to grow and capture market share, but a single underperforming employee can dramatically limit productivity and the ROI on those assets. The primary benefits of focused employee training include increased productivity, improved quality and safety, and higher employee retention. For example, in a four-year study by the American Society for Training and Development, firms that invested $1500 annually per employee in training - compared to those that spent only $125 annually - had 24% higher gross margins and 218% higher income per employee.

Ask yourself - are your employees accelerating? Is your organization reaching it's maximum velocity?