Skill Will Matrix Guide: When To Use, Benefits, Case Study

The Skill-Will Matrix is a management tool used to assess employee performance based on their skill (competency) and their will (motivation).

Managers and leaders use this tool to improve team performance and outcomes by matching their leadership style to a situation and individual. 

The origins of the Skill-Will Matrix are unclear, but it gained popularity as a management technique in the early 2000s.

The matrix is often depicted as a two-by-two grid, with “skill” on one axis and “will” on the other, and is used to assess employee performance and identify areas for development. 

This tool can be used in various situations, such as when returning to work after leave, when a new team associate comes on board, or when creating an agile team. 

It can also be used to identify employees who require additional training and support to develop their skills or to identify high-potential employees ready for more challenging roles within the organization.

How does the Skill Will Matrix work?

Managers and leaders use the Skill Will Matrix to assess an employee’s performance based on their skill (AKA their competency) and their will (AKA their motivation).

The Situational Leadership Model was created in the 1990s by author Paul Hersey and leadership expert Blanchard. 

To improve team performance and outcome, managers can match their leadership style to a problem and person using this model—which later inspired The Skill Will Matrix.

The difference between skill and will

A worker’s skill is how competent or effective they are at completing a particular task, while their will is how motivated they are to succeed.

In the workplace, some talents come naturally, while others are grounded over time-but. The same can be said for those with willpower.

On the other hand, workplace culture can either build or tear down a worker’s will, depending on their personal and professional goals, support system, confidence, and leadership team.

You may not be able to motivate an employee as much as you want. Or their motivation and engagement may decline over time. But once you understand why that is, you can establish a strategy to make it better.

History of the Skill Will Matrix

The Skill-Will Matrix is a management tool that helps managers understand how to manage and develop their employees effectively. 

It is based on the idea that employees fall into one of two classes: those who have the necessary skills but lack the motivation (i.e., will) to perform well and those who have the reason but lack the necessary skills (i.e., skill).

  • Quadrant 1: High skill, high will – These employees are highly motivated and have the necessary skills to perform well. They are often considered the “stars” of the organization and are typically given high-priority projects.
  • Quadrant 2: High skill, low will – These employees have the necessary skills to perform well but lack motivation. They may be disengaged or unhappy in their current role and may require additional support or incentives to increase their motivation.
  • Quadrant 3: Low skill, high will – These employees are highly motivated but lack the necessary skills to perform well. They may be new to the job or require additional training and support to develop their skills.
  •  Quadrant 4: Low skill, low will – These employees lack both the necessary skills and motivation to perform well. They may require significant intervention or may not fit the organization well.

The Skill-Will Matrix is a valuable tool for managers to assess employee performance and identify areas for development. 

By understanding where employees fall on the matrix, managers can tailor their management approach and provide appropriate support and guidance to help employees reach their full potential.

The Skill Will Matrix: When To Use It

Using The Skill Will Matrix is essential when your organization is transitioning or experiencing significant changes.

Getting back to work

Even if you work from home, reentering the workforce can be challenging. You can utilize The Skill Will Matrix to identify your employee’s attitudes and abilities as they return to work after maternity leave, paternity leave, illness, or another form of statutory holiday and help them transition back into their professional lives smoothly.

If your corporation returns to physical headquarters after operating remotely (or vice versa), you can use The Skill Will Matrix to realign your team.

Members of the new team

When a new team associate comes on board, getting to know their communication style, work habits, and skills takes some time.

Using the Skill Will Matrix this tool helps managers better comprehend a new employee’s strengths, triggers, and preferred leadership style.

Creating an agile team

You must select the best employees for the job to assemble an agile team.

Once you have determined your project’s goals and necessary skills, you can use the matrix to rate your candidates.

Leadership Improvement

A leader who uses The Skill Will Matrix improves, as well. Using this framework, you can learn how to communicate with team members more effectively using their preferred leadership style (guide, delegate, direct or excite). 

Through these conversations, you can uncover your employees’ untapped strengths and place them in a position where they will thrive.

Training and development

The Skill-Will Matrix can identify employees who require additional training and support to develop their skills.

Employees in Quadrant 3 (low skill, high will) are often the best candidates for training and development programs, which can help them improve their performance and advance their careers.

Succession planning

The Skill-Will Matrix can identify high-potential employees ready for more challenging organizational roles.

Employees who fall into Quadrant 1 (high skill, high will) are often the best candidates for leadership positions. 

In contrast, those in Quadrant 2 (high skill, low choice) may benefit from additional support and incentives to increase their motivation.

Fictional case study: New requirement hire

Here is a Skill-Will matrix for our fictional case study of a new manager hire at ABC Corporation:

High Will/Low Skill

Jared has been a software developer with ABC Corporation for five years. He is passionate about his work and eager to take on new challenges. 

However, he must gain the management skills necessary to oversee a team. With proper training and guidance from the new manager, Jared could become a valuable asset to the team.

Low Will/Low Skill

Bob has been with ABC Corporation for three years but has never shown much interest in his work. He lacks the necessary technical skills to perform his job effectively and has a negative attitude that affects the team’s morale.

The new manager may need to consider letting Bob go or finding a way to motivate him and improve his skills.

High Will/High Skill

Maria has been a senior software developer with ABC Corporation for ten years. She is highly skilled and has a great work ethic.

She is interested in taking on more responsibility and is excited about working with the new manager to improve the team’s performance.

Low Will/High Skill

Alex has been a software developer with ABC Corporation for seven years. He is highly skilled but needs more motivation. 

He has become complacent in his role and is resistant to change. The new manager will need to work with Alex to find ways to re-engage him and help him see the value in improving his skills and taking on new challenges.

Benefits of using Skills Matrix

People managers can only ignore these significant benefits of having a skill matrix for their teams if they are still convinced.

Assessment of employees’ skills objectively

In addition to learning a lot about your employees, you can assess their competencies concerning your project needs and business goals.

Identifying and recognizing individual achievements is difficult in collaborative projects, but skill assessment helps determine how each team member contributes to the project’s success.

Clear expectations

How can your employees improve their skills if they need to know what you expect from them?

The employees in your company are eager to learn new skills and improve their performance at work, but they need help identifying their skill gaps.

Employee training plans that are customized.

Skills matrices can help HR and L&D managers develop training programs based on employees’ skill sets and expertise gaps.

You can help employees reach their full potential by identifying where they lack knowledge or skills.

Management of resources in a more effective manner

The skill matrix is handy if your team is project-based.

Your up-to-date matrix contains all the information you need to identify the right people for a job or project.

You will improve project efficiency and build motivated, happy teams by selecting well-prepared team members for the job.

Improved internal mobility within the company

You don’t necessarily have to fire your highly motivated team member when they don’t fit their job description.

Internal mobility refers to moving employees within an organization to help them succeed in the work environment.

If you want to fill a skill gap within your company, you could find suitable candidates right inside instead of hiring new employees. You will see the employee’s hidden potential and see where their qualifications can be used to their best advantage.

You save time and money by minimizing recruitment and onboarding processes by mapping out skills in the matrix.

Identify competencies that need to be added.

A detailed skills matrix can help you determine what competencies you need to improve inefficient processes or get started on a new project.

It makes preparing training programs for collective improvement easier if you know what skills and knowledge a particular team or department lacks.

Tracking employee development is more accessible.

Using the skills matrix, you can monitor the impact of training on employee knowledge and skills after you’ve developed and implemented custom learning paths.

Each matrix utilizes a scoring system to grade your employees’ experience and interest levels, so you can monitor how their skills develop over time. You can also introduce regular assessments to see how their skills evolve.

Improved workforce planning and risk mitigation

Planning and hiring workforces are much easier when you have a solid skills matrix.

Having a clear understanding of the skills and competencies of your workforce enables managers to build more productive teams and identify hiring priorities based on the skills that are lacking.

Forecasting workforce supply and demand also makes it easier to anticipate employee attrition and quickly fill skill gaps.

Enhancing succession planning

As part of succession planning, high-potential internal candidates are identified, and the steps needed to progress to higher positions are outlined.

HR managers and employees can use a skills matrix to identify the skills and work habits needed for the next step in their careers.

Employees will be more proactive in attending training events and taking on new challenges once they know the skills they need for promotion.

Key Takeaways

  • The Skill Will Matrix is a tool used to assess an individual’s level of skill and willingness in relation to a particular task or project.
  • It helps project managers to assign tasks to team members based on their strengths and weaknesses.
  • Skill refers to a team member’s level of competence or expertise in a particular area, while will refer to their motivation or willingness to complete a task.
  • Assessing someone’s skill and will requires observation and communication.
  • The benefits of using a Skill Will Matrix include improved task assignment, more effective use of team member strengths, increased motivation and engagement, and better project outcomes overall.
  • The limitations of using a Skill Will Matrix include subjective assessments and not taking into account external factors.
  • A Skill Will Matrix can be used in other contexts besides project management, such as in sports teams, volunteer organizations, or educational settings.
  • A Skill Will Matrix should be updated regularly to ensure effective task assignments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Skill-Will Matrix is a valuable tool that managers and leaders can use to assess employee performance, identify areas for development, and improve team outcomes.

By understanding where employees fall on the matrix, managers can tailor their management approach and provide appropriate support and guidance to help employees reach their full potential. 

The Skill-Will Matrix can be used in various situations, such as when returning to work after leave, when a new team member comes on board, or when creating an agile team. 

It can also be used to identify employees who require additional training and support to develop their skills or to identify high-potential employees ready for more challenging roles within the organization.

FAQs

What is a Skill Will Matrix?

A Skill Will Matrix is a simple tool used to assess an individual’s level of skill and willingness about a particular task or project.

Project management often uses it to identify team members’ strengths and weaknesses and assign tasks accordingly.

How is a Skill Will Matrix used?

A Skill Will Matrix is typically created by drawing a 2×2 matrix with “Skill” on the x-axis and “Will” on the y-axis.

Each team member is then assessed and plotted on the matrix based on their perceived level of skill and willingness to complete a particular task.

This helps project managers to assign tasks to team members based on their strengths and weaknesses.

What does “Skill” and “Will” mean in a Skill Will Matrix?

“Skill” refers to a team member’s level of competence or expertise in a particular area. “Will” refers to their level of motivation or willingness to complete a task.

How do you assess someone’s skill and will?

Assessing someone’s skill and will requires observation and communication. It may involve reviewing past work or asking questions to gauge their level of knowledge and experience.

It may also involve discussing their level of motivation and interest in a particular task.

What are the benefits of using a Skill Will Matrix?

The benefits of using a Skill Will Matrix include improved task assignment, more effective use of team member strengths, increased motivation and engagement, and better project outcomes overall.

Are there any limitations to using a Skill Will Matrix?

Yes, there are some limitations to using a Skill Will Matrix. It relies on subjective assessments of team members’ skills and willingness, which may be inaccurate. Additionally, it does not take into account external factors such as resource availability or project timelines.

Can a Skill Will Matrix be used in other contexts besides project management?

Yes, a Skill Will Matrix can be used in any context where tasks need to be assigned based on team members’ skills and motivation, such as in sports teams, volunteer organizations, or educational settings.

How often should a Skill Will Matrix be updated?

A Skill Will Matrix should be updated as needed, such as when new team members join a project or when team members’ skill or motivation levels change.

It is important to regularly reassess team members to ensure that tasks are being assigned effectively.

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