Identifying Skills Gaps in Client Organizations

#smartworkforce Breaking Skill Gaps with Data (And the $47K Discovery) 🌟 Here is a recent case study “SK, we continue to hire high-priced talent, yet they remain unproductive for months. In the meantime, our current team is exhausted from handling tasks they are overqualified for. What are we overlooking?” After 30 minutes analyzing their project data, I found the answer: They weren't missing skills-they were missing skill visibility. This client had a classic skill gap blindness problem. They were spending $47,000 annually on external contractors for "specialized work" that three of their existing employees could already do. They just didn't know it. Here's the truth I've discovered after helping 10+ organizations optimize their workforce: Most skill gaps aren't actually gaps-they're mapping failures. Skill gaps aren't just a business problem-they're a human potential problem. When we can't see what people can really do, we waste money on external solutions while our own teams feel underutilized and undervalued. The real cost of skill gap blindness: The Hiring Trap: A retail chain client was hiring seasonal "specialists" at $25/hour when their existing part-time staff could handle 70% of those tasks with 2 hours of targeted training The Contractor Cycle: A nonprofit was paying consultants $150/hour for grant writing when their program coordinator had done it at her previous job-she just never mentioned it because no one asked The Burnout Spiral: A tech startup was burning out their senior developers on basic tasks while junior team members sat idle, capable of more but never given the chance Instead of guessing what skills exist in your organization, you can know. Instead of assuming what training is needed, you can target. Instead of hoping new hires will fill gaps, you can unlock existing potential. Here's my proven 3-step approach to breaking skill gaps: 1. Map What You Have (Not What You Think You Have) Use simple surveys, not assumptions Look at previous experience, not just current roles Check passion projects and side interests Track what people gravitate toward in meetings 2. Identify True Gaps vs. Visibility Gaps True gaps: Skills that genuinely don't exist in your organization Visibility gaps: Skills that exist but aren't being used or recognized Development gaps: Skills that could be built faster than hiring 3. Create Learning That Fits For true gaps: Targeted external training or strategic hiring For visibility gaps: Internal showcasing and cross-training opportunities For development gaps: Micro-learning tied to real projects Before you post that job listing, before you call that contractor, before you buy that training package-ask yourself: "What capabilities already exist in my organization that I might not be seeing?" My guarantee: Every organization has at least $10,000 worth of hidden skills waiting to be unlocked. The question is whether you'll find them before you spend money elsewhere.

Skill Assessment: The Game-Changing 4-Day Blueprint Most teams are playing Career Roulette. Not You. No guessing. No assumptions. Just clarity and action. (Note: If you have not DEFINED the Skills to be Assessed, Start there. - check yesterday’s post for guidance.) Here is the 4-Step playbook. To map Your team's capabilities - Fast! 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 1: 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 (Day 1) Don’t overcomplicate it. Speed + Simplicity = Results. Tap into these 3 feedback channels: • Self-Assessment: What do they believe they are great at? • 360 / Peer Review: What do peers see that they don’t? • Leadership Evaluation: What do you see from the top? Tip: Use a simple 1-5 rating system. No overthinking. Example scorecard for each role: - Technical Proficiency - Customer Service Care - Problem-Solving Speed - Collaborative Potential 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 2: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (Day 2) Before you collect feedback, lock in these critical details: - Objective: Why are we doing this? - Metrics: What skills are we actually measuring? - Timeline: When will it start and finish? - Analysis: How will we interpret the results? - Next Steps: What will we do with the data? This step prevents confusion and creates alignment. Skipping this step may end up with data overload and no direction. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 3: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (Day 3) Data only works if people are honest. Here’s how you get it: - Anonymize it: People are more honest this way. - Ensure Psychological Safety: No fear of being punished for honesty. - Train Assessors: Consistent evaluation beats biased judgment. With this approach, You will get truth instead of sugar-coated feedback. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 4: 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 & 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 (Day 4) The data is in. Now, take action. Here’s how you do it fast: - Identify Top 3 Skill Strengths & Gaps - Align Skills to Business Goals: Results start here. - Develop an Improvement Plan (more on this tomorrow) This is where good teams become great. You are not just collecting data You are building a team of peak performers. No Team? This blueprint works for personal development too. Which skill is most critical for your team to assess right now? P.S. I just ran this process with a team and found our top development need is Marketing. What is Yours?

Your best employees are hiding in plain sight. But you can't see them because you don't know what skills they actually have. Most manufacturing teams are flying blind. They assign projects based on job titles. They plan training based on assumptions. They miss development opportunities daily. Then wonder why productivity stays flat. The problem isn't your people. The problem is your visibility. You need a skill matrix. A simple visual tool that maps what your team can actually do. Not what their job description says. Not what you think they know. What they can actually deliver. Here's what changes when you map skills properly: You stop guessing who's ready for promotion. You identify training gaps before they hurt production. You balance workload across actual capabilities. You plan cross-training strategically. You make succession planning real. The matrix shows everything at a glance. John is expert at welding but needs machine setup training. Sarah can train others in quality but struggles with leadership. Mike knows four areas well but has zero leadership experience. Lisa is your future leader but needs technical development. Suddenly you have a roadmap. Not just for today's assignments. But for building tomorrow's capabilities. Most managers make development decisions in the dark. They promote based on tenure. They train based on complaints. They assign based on availability. Smart managers use data. They see exactly where their team stands. They plan development paths systematically. They build bench strength intentionally. Your team has hidden potential. The skill matrix reveals it. Are you ready to see what you've been missing?