Introduction
How2 identify skills and know-how gaps
Main
STEP 1:
Actions required
- With each line manager, draw up a matrix of the core skills and knowledge required to perform their own job, so that they understand the process required. Ensure that they include performance management and training needs analysis in their core skills and knowledge, so they give them due weight of importance.
- Ask each manager to list all the jobs for which their reports are responsible and give them a time scale in which to carry out the same process for each of those jobs.
Having these tools in place, managers will already be able to see how to apply their knowledge to the assessment process, however they may still doubt their ability to carry out the assessments with authority, so this process will address points 1 & 3 in the introduction..
STEP 2: Next action required
Devise a training session for all line managers in assessment techniques, using the core skills/knowledge matrices they have already produced.
This will achieve 2 key results for you:
- Line managers will be practicing the skills required in assessment and analysis of their assessment with "live" and meaningful material (not just theoretical).
- You will all have the opportunity to test how well these matrices stand up against your requirements in practice before being used with staff. (They may need some adjustment in wording to get the results you/they want).
Having assessed a person's performance against the required skills and knowledge required in their role, it will become apparent where there are gaps in either knowledge or skills, which need to be filled.
STEP 3: Next actions required
As with all business activities; review, review, review!
If possible get all line managers together within an agreed time frame following implementation to review experiences of how it is working (and maybe where not!) and encourage them to draw on one another's experiences to come up with best practice for all. Ensure that the core skills wordings are adjusted accordingly.
This should reduce and eventually eliminate line managers' over-reliance on the training function's involvement in supporting them to carry out this aspect of their management process.
This set of procedures is not a quick solution, however it is thorough and should produce long-term benefits for the whole organisation.