Alignment and the Skill Gap

This is the third part in a series of blogs on alignment. In the first blog of this series, I described the importance of alignment and introduced three causes of misalignment. The first, discussed in my previous blog, occurs when the vision is not clear. The next cause is the one that is most frequently overlooked: when the people in the organization are not able to do what they’re being asked to do. The simple way to refer to this is the “skill gap.” As important as vision may be, wise leaders always ask, “Do our people have the capabilities to achieve this vision? If not, what kind of equipping and training is needed?” The bigger the shift that is required, the more training that is needed. While this may seem obvious, many organizations pour much more energy into crafting a vision statement than preparing their vision implementers. Of course, a few people may already have the needed capabilities, and some may take the initiative to learn on their own, but many others will wait to be taught. The inevitable result is misalignment. The example in my last blog on “alignment and vision” was of a church deciding to focus its evangelistic efforts through existing small groups and relationships. While it’s very important for small group leaders to understand this vision, that’s not enough. Quite often they will need to learn a different set of skills. For example, in an established group, the leader may need to facilitate discussion of a problem within the congregation. In a group that welcomes unchurched people, the leader may need to redirect this discussion. In a group of mature Christians, it’s appropriate to tackle complex theological issues. In a group that includes new believers, the leader may need to explain “churchy” words in simple language or find other ways to keep everyone engaged in the conversation. The vision will explain why, but these small group leaders also need to know how to do their roles effectively. Closing the skill gap is an essential part of alignment, but there’s another reason that it’s important. Whenever a skill gap exists, frustration follows. A few people may be blissfully unaware that their capabilities don’t match the new vision, but most will recognize that they’re not moving in the right direction. Whenever someone wants to support the organization and the vision, but doesn’t know how to do so, frustration will build rapidly. Of course, it’s a different issue altogether if they’re not supportive. That’s the final cause of misalignment that we’ll explore next time. For now, consider whether there are skill gaps that need to be addressed before you can realize your vision. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>