The Forgotten Step in Leading Large-Scale Change: Assessing Skill Sets and Mind-Set Shifts

The Forgotten Step in Leading Large-Scale Change: Assessing Skill Sets and Mind-Set Shifts

Introduction:
Leading large-scale change within an organization requires more than just skill development and execution. It also requires a shift in mind-sets to effectively apply those skills and improve the overall health of the organization. By understanding the importance of assessing skill sets and mind-sets, companies can pave the way for successful execution of their strategies.

Assessing Skill Sets:
To ensure successful execution of performance aspirations, change programs must assess the skills required. Research shows that when companies assess the skills needed to fulfill their performance aspirations, they are more likely to succeed. This can be done through a three-step process:

1. Quantify demand: Determine which skills are most important to the strategy, hardest to find, and create the most value by interviewing business leaders and functional experts.

2. Understand supply: Assess the current state of the skills required and explore the quality and quantity of existing skills within the company. Also, consider the ability to attract skills from outside the company through the employee value proposition (EVP).

3. Close the gaps: Prioritize skill sets and determine how to close any gaps. This can be done by reskilling and upskilling the current workforce, hiring new talent, tapping into new talent pools, or relying on contractors, partnerships, or outsourcing.

Assessing Mind-Set Shifts:
In addition to skill sets, understanding the mind-set shifts needed to improve organizational health and performance is crucial. Problems in change programs often arise from employee resistance to change and inappropriate leadership behavior. To effectively assess mind-sets, follow these three steps:

1. Identify behavior: Determine the helping and hindering behavior within the organization. Identify the behaviors that align with the desired mind-set shifts and those that hinder progress.

2. Uncover drivers: Use techniques like laddering to uncover the underlying mind-set drivers. Understand the motivations, values, and assumptions that shape individuals' personal worldviews.

3. Reframe mind-sets: Reframe the root-cause mind-sets by bringing the subconscious into consciousness. Use techniques like visual cues in focus groups and qualitative data analysis (QDA) to mine rich sources of textual data. This helps expand the realm of possibilities and make the reframing memorable.

Actionable Advice:

1. Prioritize skill-set assessments: Before embarking on any change program, prioritize assessing the skill sets required for success. This will ensure that the right skills are in place to execute the strategy effectively.

2. Address mind-set shifts: Pay attention to the mind-set shifts needed within the organization. Identify the deep-seated mind-sets that may hinder progress and reframe them to align with the desired changes.

3. Continuously evaluate and adapt: Change is an ongoing process, and it's essential to continuously evaluate and adapt skill sets and mind-sets as needed. Regularly assess the effectiveness of the changes and make adjustments accordingly.

Conclusion:
When leading large-scale change, it is important to not overlook the assessment of skill sets and mind-set shifts. By understanding the skills required and the necessary mind-set changes, organizations can pave the way for successful execution of their strategies. Prioritizing skill-set assessments, addressing mind-set shifts, and continuously evaluating and adapting are key to driving lasting change within an organization.