Addressing Skill Gaps Before Starting New Initiatives

Are you planning your 2026 product training strategy yet? Most companies treat team development like emergency room visits, only when something's broken. But the best product organizations are already mapping out next year's skill development alongside their product roadmaps. Q4 is the perfect time to get strategic about this because when you plan a full year ahead, you can align skill building with your actual product challenges. If you need to launch in new markets, your team can master market research before they need it. If you're rolling out AI features, get them up to speed on tech fundamentals now, not when deadlines are looming. I've seen too many companies scramble for quality training when skill gaps become urgent. The options shrink, the costs rise, and your team spends months playing catch-up instead of driving forward. The complexity of product work isn't getting simpler. Your teams need everything from user research to market analysis to technical fluency. But when you plan ahead, you can build these capabilities systematically rather than reactively. At Product Institute, we're seeing smart organizations lock in their 2026 development plans now. They're treating upskilling like the strategic investment it is, not an afterthought. How does your company approach product team development? Strategic planning or emergency response?

A CRO I know got fired 6 months after spending $250K on sales training. The training was world class. Six months later, win rates hadn't moved. Pipeline was still a mess. Reps were still missing quota. The board asked one question: "What did we get for a quarter of a million dollars?" He didn't have an answer. Here's what went wrong: Training wasn't the root cause. Training was the band-aid. The real problem was stage conversion. Deals were dying between discovery and proposal. Reps weren't qualifying properly because managers weren't inspecting deals. Managers weren't inspecting deals because there was no defined criteria for what "qualified" even meant. Training reps on "better discovery" didn't help because no one reinforced it after the workshop ended. Two weeks later, everyone was back to old habits. Before you spend a dollar on training, ask yourself four questions: #1 Do we actually know where the problem is? Not what we assume. What the data shows. Is it lead quality? Discovery? Demo conversion? Manager coaching? Comp plan? If you can't pinpoint it, you're guessing. #2 Have we validated this with the team? Leaders often assume they know what's broken. But have you actually listened to call recordings? Asked reps what's getting in their way? #3 Is this a skill gap or a system gap? If one rep struggles, it might be skill. If the whole team struggles, it's probably system. Training doesn't fix broken processes. #4 What happens after? Who's coaching to the new skills? How are you measuring behavior change? Training without follow-through is entertainment. Most training fails because leaders want a quick fix. They don't want to hear "your managers aren't coaching" or "your CRM data is garbage." They want to hear "two days will fix everything." Band-aids don't fix bullet wounds. P.S. Sales Leaders, if you've invested in training and nothing changed, the root cause is hiding somewhere else. I put together a free diagnostic kit to help you find it: https://lnkd.in/gDexefD5

A Fortune 100 exec asked my colleague a simple but powerful question: “Who’s truly solving the workforce challenge — and what are they doing differently?” Her answer was spot‑on: 👉 Organizations making real progress aren’t treating this as a recruiting problem. They treat it as business continuity, risk mitigation, and long‑term capability strategy. The real differentiator? They’ve stopped talking about the problem — and started building operational, measurable programs. 🚨 Industry Reality: The Talent Challenge Is Solvable 📈 Demand is rising: 91% of organizations plan to hire new mainframe talent in the next 1–2 years. 🎓 Universities are producing more talent: 65% of university leaders say availability has improved over the past five years. 💡 Employers are investing heavily: Two‑thirds already leverage external learning programs to accelerate talent development. This isn’t a pipeline problem — it’s an execution problem. 🔥 What Leading Employers Are Doing Right Now ✔ They treat skills as a strategic investment, not an HR activity. ✔ They build structured, multi‑year pipelines with measurable outcomes. ✔ They fully integrate early talent into cloud, security, automation, and modernization work. ✔ They leverage industry programs instead of reinventing the wheel. ✔ They move with urgency — long before retirements or outages trigger a crisis. This shift from “awareness” to action is what separates the organizations closing the skills gap from those widening it. ⭐ High‑performing employers consistently embrace: 🔹 Role‑based, ability‑aligned pathways Clear progression from entry → practitioner → specialist, aligned with industry competency frameworks. 🔹 Learning integrated with real work Not sequential — concurrent. Accelerates time‑to‑productivity. 🔹 Coaching + mentorship + AI assistants Structured support reduces the experience gap and strengthens retention. 🔹 Broaden talent funnels Apprenticeships, universities, mid‑career cross‑skilling — diversify and stabilize workforce pipelines. 🔹 Program governance + measurement Track competency attainment, contribution milestones, and retention with the same rigor applied to operational risk. 📘 IBM Z: A Lifecycle Approach at Scale IBM has operationalized this at full lifecycle, global scale: 🎓 University & early‑career pipelines via Z Career Connection events 🔗 Mainframe Career Depot — a global talent marketplace connecting employers with job‑ready candidates 🚀 IBM Z Global Skills Accelerator (GSAP) — role‑based mainframe training, coaching, & on the job doing 👥 New‑to‑Z Communities for post‑ramp retention 🎯 Why This Matters Organizations implementing these models see: ✔ Faster time‑to‑productivity ✔ Higher early‑career retention ✔ Deeper skills in critical roles ✔ Increased modernization capacity Early‑talent programs become a capability engine — not a cost center. If your organization is ready to shift from talking to doing, I’d welcome a conversation. #mainframe #skills

After 300+ conversations and 6 months of job posting research, I can tell you this: If you're pivoting from non-tech — NGO, journalism, government, or social work  into Trust & Safety or AI Governance, you don't need the "right" background. You just need to understand where your gaps actually are. Because here's what I see every week: You've been doing risk assessment. Just in a different context. You've managed stakeholders. Just without the tech company label. You've communicated across functions. Just without calling it that. The skills are there. What's missing is the bridge. Based on those 300+ conversations and 6 months of real job posting data, I distilled the market down to 5 profiles and mapped exactly where each one gets stuck. Here's what consistently blocks interviews for non-T&S backgrounds: -T&S Domain Credibility — 95/100 severity No T&S vocabulary. No portfolio artifacts. Hiring managers screen this out fast. - SQL / Python Basics — 92/100 You don't need to become a developer. But you need to be fluent enough to work with data — because every role in this space expects it. - AI Literacy + Red Teaming — 88/100 This is table stakes now. Not knowing it signals you're behind. The good news? All three are learnable. And your existing experience makes the learning faster than you think. I built a full skill gap matrix — 5 persona types, severity scores, and a learning path for each. DM me "SKILLS" and I'll send you the full read-out.

🌟 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 🌟 In today's episode of Coffee Chats, we dive into a critical topic: How can organisations address skill gaps in the age of AI? As AI reshapes industries, skill gaps could hinder digital transformation efforts. A recent report highlights that 87% of executives believe these gaps pose significant risks. So, how can companies equip their workforce to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲s: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 🚀 Integrating AI into real-life projects enhances adoption and learning. Rather than traditional educational sessions, create workshops where employees can work on tangible AI outcomes. This hands-on approach helps them better absorb and apply new skills. 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 & 𝗔𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 🤝 Partnering with AI communities and fostering mentorship across different business functions can expedite the learning curve. This collaboration helps bridge the gap between the technical and business sides of an organisation, making AI adoption more seamless. 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 🔧 Providing employees with access to AI tools and resources is crucial. Whether through internal programs, free trials, or lower-instance environments, enabling hands-on experimentation fosters continuous learning and innovation. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 📍 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 Align AI initiatives with business strategies, ensuring top-down support. This approach embeds AI into the core operations rather than treating it as a side project, promoting hands-on experience and continuous learning. 📍 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩-𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘜𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 Move beyond pilot projects and engage employees in large-scale AI deployments. By prioritising high-impact use cases, organisations can drive significant value while encouraging active engagement with AI technologies. 📍 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 Encourage innovation while building AI capabilities. Create safe spaces like Gen AI playgrounds, innovation days, and hackathons. Additionally, focus on ethical AI usage, addressing risks related to accuracy, bias, and responsible AI implementation. Hope you found these pointers helpful. Feel free to add your input in the comments section. Until next time, stay tuned for more discussions on Coffee Chats with Ranjani Mani and Vignesh Kumar (and our dog Keifer!). Talk soon! 🐾 #DigitalTransformation #AI #SkillGap #ContinuousLearning #Innovation #Mentorship #Leadership

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🤖 Worried about the rapid pace of technological advancements and how they might leave your team behind? You're not alone. Many employees are at risk of obsolescence due to the surge of automation and AI technologies transforming industries. This isn't just a minor hiccup - it's a potential crisis. Let's face it: if your employees' skills become outdated, their roles could be at risk, leading to job losses and a decline in your organization's competitive edge. But here's the good news: you can turn this challenge into an opportunity by implementing continuous upskilling programs, which IMHO the best programs include video training. This isn't just about survival; it's about thriving in the new technological landscape. Here's why upskilling is crucial and how to get started: 1️⃣ Identify Skill Gaps: Conduct a thorough skills assessment to identify current gaps and future needs. Understand which skills are becoming obsolete and which new ones are in demand. 2️⃣ Develop a Comprehensive Upskilling Strategy: Craft a strategy that aligns with your business goals. Focus on both technical skills (like data analysis, machine learning, and coding) and soft skills (such as adaptability, problem-solving, and critical thinking). 3️⃣ Leverage E-learning Platforms: Utilize online courses, webinars, and interactive modules to provide flexible learning opportunities. Platforms like Pluralsight give you the edge when it comes to learning technical topics. 4️⃣ Encourage a Learning Culture: Foster an environment where learning is part of the daily routine. Encourage employees to dedicate time for learning and recognize their progress and achievements. 5️⃣ Mentorship and Peer Learning: Pair employees with mentors who can guide them through new skills. Promote peer-to-peer learning sessions to share knowledge and experiences. 6️⃣ Invest in Leadership Development: Equip current and future leaders with the skills needed to navigate and lead in an automated world. This includes strategic thinking, decision-making, and digital fluency. 7️⃣ Monitor and Evaluate Progress: Continuously track the effectiveness of your upskilling programs through feedback and performance metrics. Adjust your strategy based on what's working and what's not. By prioritizing upskilling, you're not just preparing your workforce for the future - you're ensuring your organization remains competitive and innovative. Imagine a team that's always ready to tackle new challenges, equipped with the latest skills and knowledge. That's the power of upskilling. What steps is your organization taking to stay ahead in the age of automation? Share your strategies and thoughts below. 💡 #Upskilling #Automation #FutureOfWork #EmployeeDevelopment #ContinuousLearning #WorkforceDevelopment

Step 4: Skill Building – Bridge the Gap Between Where You Are and Where You Want to Be In today’s competitive job market, one thing is clear: continuous learning is non-negotiable. As part of my ongoing series about landing a tech role in 2025, let’s dive into skill building, a critical step that can make or break your job search success. Here’s how I approach skill development: 1️⃣ Assess Your Current Skills • Start by comparing your current skill set to the requirements of your target roles. What’s missing? Identifying these gaps is the first step to creating a focused plan to upskill. 2️⃣ Upskill with Online Learning Platforms • Enroll in courses on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or edX to acquire or sharpen technical skills such as: • Programming languages: Python, JavaScript, Java • Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud • Data analysis tools: SQL, Tableau, Excel • Many of these platforms offer flexible learning options to fit any schedule. 3️⃣ Earn Certifications • Certifications validate your expertise and increase your credibility with employers. Consider certifications like: • AWS Certified Solutions Architect • CompTIA Security+ • Google Data Analytics Certificate • Research which certifications are highly valued in your target industry or role and start working towards them. 4️⃣ Gain Practical Experience • Apply your skills in real-world projects. For example: • Build personal projects to showcase your knowledge. • Contribute to open-source projects to gain collaborative experience. • Create a portfolio that highlights your skills and accomplishments; whether it’s a GitHub repository, a website, or a blog. Building skills isn’t just about learning; it’s about demonstrating your ability to solve real-world problems. A strong foundation of skills, paired with practical experience, can set you apart from other candidates. Next in this series, I’ll discuss the importance of personal branding and how it can help you stand out to recruiters. Stay tuned! What’s the one skill you’re focusing on mastering in 2025? Share in the comments! #SkillBuilding #JobSearchTips #TechCareers #Upskilling #Certifications #ProgrammingSkills #CloudComputing #DataAnalysis #CareerGrowth #CareerPlanning #JobHunting2025 #LinkedInTips #CareerJourney

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?

“Skill and talent gaps” emerged as one of the top inhibitors in our latest research.  It’s a challenge that almost every organization recognizes but responds to incorrectly.  Most organizations respond with more training programs, more courses, more top-down initiatives. But in Never Lead Alone, we discovered that the most effective solution comes from teams who learn together. This means making upskilling a co-created, peer-driven practice, and not a periodic thing that happens only when needed. This is the essence of Teamship. Teamship creates a culture where every member takes ownership of outcomes and their collective capability to achieve them. It’s a shift from “I need to grow” to “We need to grow together.”  When peers co-elevate, knowledge flows laterally across functions, silos dissolve, and new skills emerge in the flow of work and not months later in a training room. For leaders, this means your job is to design the spaces and systems where growth becomes a daily ritual and capability becomes contagious.  Teams and leaders need to understand that upskilling is everyone's responsibility.

Struggling with Skills Gaps? It's Time to Transform Your Strategy. According to EY, nearly two-thirds (62%) of companies are struggling to fully leverage AI due to gaps between technology and talent. This challenge spans industries, threatening to leave many organizations behind. Companies face two key types of skills gaps: scaling up existing capabilities and sourcing entirely new ones. For instance, while many businesses have machine learning engineers, few possess the advanced skills required to implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems or knowledge graphs. So, how can you close these critical gaps? Here are four strategies to get started: 1️⃣ . Upskill Your Workforce for Future Needs It’s not just about addressing today’s gaps but also preparing your team for future roles and skills while making your organization agile enough to pivot through future disruptions. Investing in skills like prompt engineering, AI model integration, and collaborating with AI agents will be essential for long-term success. 2️⃣ . Leverage AI to Boost Efficiency and Job Satisfaction AI tools like Copilot can improve coding speed by 55%, freeing developers to focus on more complex, fulfilling work. This helps alleviate skill shortages while boosting employee satisfaction by automating repetitive tasks and fostering meaningful engagement. 3️⃣ . Close Gaps in Data and Infrastructure Whether you develop in-house capabilities or partner with external AI providers, preparing proprietary data and sourcing the right infrastructure is crucial for effective AI integration. Addressing these foundational elements is key to long-term AI success. 4️⃣ . Build Buy-In by Addressing Employee Concerns AI adoption isn’t just about tech—it’s about people. One of the biggest challenges is earning employee buy-in. Leaders need to emphasize that AI isn’t here to take jobs, but to empower employees. Refactoring roles to collaborate with AI and creating new, AI-enhanced positions provide growth opportunities and help retain top talent. ⏳ The time to act is now. AI is reshaping tasks and roles, and businesses that fail to address these gaps risk being left behind. By upskilling your workforce, modernizing your infrastructure, and fostering a culture of acceptance, you can bridge the talent and technology gaps and unlock the full potential of AI. If this resonates with you, let’s connect. I’d love to hear where you are in your AI journey and explore how I can help. #futureofwork #digitaltransformation #aiandhumans #skillsgap