Factors Compelling the need for Reskilling and Upskilling in today’s organization Plus Associated Competences
1. The Emergence of the Underdogs
Clearly it doesn’t matter where these originate from, locally or otherwise. Easy access by customers to products and service offers is often the major factor for consideration here. With increasing ease of entry and technologically induced scalability, the disruption to business and the erosion of market share that new entrants deliver to incumbents should be taken seriously.
What does this mean for bigger organizations? Simply that there is an increasing need to bring forward a certain kind of innovation, speed to market, and internal collaboration that fosters the generation and timely execution of ideas.
Pushing this even further, these new requirements underscores the importance and/or creation of a different kind of system or structure that facilitates quick decision making, one that’s ruthless with removing bottlenecks, encourages certain levels of autonomy and mutual respect [regardless of age] within and across teams. Even more important, is the ability to foster the discretionary sharing of ground breaking ideas across the organization, a trait that clearly stands out modern organizations from older ones.
All of the above doesn’t just happen. It requires a whole new approach to building multi-layered skillsets within an organization. Wishing that organizations would achieve these without significant shifts in mindset, behaviors and culture would be akin to building castles in the air.
Many organizations have retained cultures that have proven relevant for stable environments and certain kinds of workforce for several years. The very idea of change [in behavior] is therefore often very frightening and debilitating. Identifying this factor as a major road block would be vital for HR and their organizations in starting this all important transformation journey.
2. Existence of Nimbler, More Adaptive and Resilient Competition:
It’s not just underdogs that can disrupt and destabilize market share. More agile organizations have a number of admirable qualities many of which typically gives them an edge in many ways. In one of my Agility themed courses, ‘Hiring for Agility’ I share copiously on agile tendencies that discerning recruiters, business leaders and HR need look out for when hiring for the new world of work. Traits as Responsiveness, Adaptability, Curiosity, Flexibility and Resilience. These skillsets can be critical game changers! Delving further are competences as Critical thinking and the ability to work around complex problems. There is also the place of an Agile-iterative approach to project management and delivery. One competence that is increasing in demand across roles and functions including HR.
In simply observing the dynamic nature of the times, more discerning organizations are able to identify and recruit for skillsets that meets [head-on] current and future demands of business.
On account of these, it is therefore possible for us to observe two organizations – functioning in the same sector; for the exact same number of years; exposed to the same disruptive forces and for the nimbler, more resilient organization to stay ahead considering a wide range of indices.
To this end, the HR of highly adaptive organizations are able to achieve one or more of the following:
1. Get more agile employees through the door.
2. Identify adaptive and agile skills relevant to their operations
3. Help their workforce grow these skillset using a multi-dimensional approach
4. Help their leaders and executives build agility skills especially via coaching
Rigid postures, outdated, irrelevant approaches and practices are factors that can cheaply undermine any strategic effort of an organization. This is the very risk that Deanna Mulligan, MD/CEO at Guardian Insurance sought to alleviate when her organization made definite moves to bring on board talent that can deliver on agility – ensuring that the organization she leads is sturdy and capable of withstanding disruptive elements.
In her own words:
“We know that a whole lot of people are trying to make entrance into the insurance space and we have responded to that by disrupting ourselves. Seeking talent who themselves have gone through disruption [media; credit cards companies] not necessarily from within insurance space….
Myself as well as the entire organization is being trained in and undergoing an agile transformation. Because to unlock the potential of our talent we believe we need a different structure”.
More modern approaches and which is being increasingly adopted by nimble organizations is where resource allocation is effected in unconventional ways, based strongly on an iterative strategy and in response to an environment that’s actively unstable.
All of these independent but highly cohesive moves ultimately result in a culture that is agile. Again this takes good effort.
3. The Need to take Leadership Seriously:
By now it should be evident that a whole new leadership approach would be required for a new era of complexity as we have today. For HR to be a true enabler vis-à-vis reskilling and upskilling the workforce, then they must truly understand how the world now works, the drivers of these changes and the type of responsiveness required to make a difference.
They must understand the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture that can drive results and create an atmosphere for innovation, speed, trust, collaboration, psychological safety and growth.
Modern organizations need craft their own leadership philosophy and be resolute in moving that agenda forward.
I find that leaders who have thrived in relatively stable environments would likely require a whole new mindset to succeed going forward. Understanding this premise is a crucial part in achieving early success.
For example, the benefits of engendering a culture of transparency is enormous and has implications for the building of trust, psychological safety and ultimately discretionary individual contribution. The ability of HR, line managers and business leaders to identify and understand these vital connections again, will prove very valuable.
Leaders that are more internal than external focused will no doubt harm the organization. In a recent Masterclass, I share the agile capabilities that are relevant for more senior and executive levels. Vital skills like curiosity, learning agility, being comfortable with ambiguity and managing complexity.
Again, these are skillsets which HR need to look for and seek to grow across leadership cadres and across the organization.
Let’s face it, an era for a new kind of leadership is upon us. For many, especially with increasingly fast paced organizations, leadership roles will change significantly. Traditional paradigms of ‘Command and Control’ will give way to more collaborative paradigms. With complex problems being the norm, no one leader holds the answers anymore. To mitigate associated discomfort with this imminent change, it is imperative to let leaders in on the new roles that would emerge for them especially as coaches, mentors and activators.
In conclusion, I believe it is important for HR to fully understand drivers of relentless change, understand the gaps and linkages between where their organizations are and the associated aspirations. They need also to increase their capability to think more holistically with full awareness of organizational outcomes and the specific people skills and competences required to chart a viable path in arriving at their ‘destinations.’ The overall success and sustainability of their organizations will depend on this.
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