Three areas must be worked out for a skills management initiative to be successful:
Employees have to adopt the program as their own, rather than as a management dictate. The employees must assume control of their own professional development.
Supervisors have to surrender some control over employee development.
Executives must ensure that employees use metrics as a tool for professional development, not as a weapon in cutthroat competition.
As enterprises turn to technology such as autonomic computing to reach the next level of corporate performance, IT organizations should identify the skills they need to meet corporate objectives. Through a program of skills identification, IT organizations can see the holes in their coverage, set priorities for projects, define what training is required, and determine which skills may need third-party coverage. A commitment to funding for training is essential.
