Your team is resistant to upskilling. How can you overcome conflicts and drive successful initiatives?

One thing I've found helpful when launching any new initiatives, is identifying the WIIFM (what's in it for me) for stakeholders upfront. If you help them understand why this change is needed and how it will benefit them and/or how it will improve existing work processes, it's easier to get buyin for implementing changes. Setting a time limit to pilot changes can also be helpful...because they can "date" the idea, but they don't have to "marry" it.

There are many different reasons why a team/organization might be resistant to upskilling. Is it true upskilling or just another tool being added to an already crowded IT stack. What value does the new set of proposed skills bring to the table? Are they expected to learn on their own time, or company time? If on their own time - what's truly in it for them? Is this a critical skill that will significantly advance their career? The WHY to resist new skills can be due to a number of reasons, and different people will have different reason to resist. Understanding goes a long way to trying to fix the issue, but there might not be a simple answer/fix.

Resistance is a byproduct of inadequacy. The team that is struggling to want to upskill is an inherent issue with the leader not leading by example. The first thing to provoke the team to want to follow you is to begin the upskilling yourself. The second is to provide positive influence to ambition and being proactive. If you establish a foundation around those things, this resistance will not resurface. Remember, an individual is the sum of the 5 closest people around them. Inherently, if you work onsite, your 5 closest people are co-workers whether you like it or not. That means the entire team lacks ambition and you need to systematically pursue them so that as a couple begin to rise, the rest of the team looks to follow suit.

It's important to understand the value of any new skill in the scope of a persons job and career. Resistance to change is already an indicator of a potentially unhappy employee/team. Consider if people are in the right roles. If you have a team that needs to advance, but some are holding the team back, it could be an improper fit for the organization for those team members. That's a different problem that would need to be addressed.

I always encourage leadership teams to look ahead at skills they need in their organization 1-3 years from now. Start early so that your teams understand the company investment in training. It's much better for companies to develop skills in house than acquire. When you invest in your people and their skills they are more likely to stay and that's a guaranteed money saver for the company.

When your team is resistant to upskilling, overcoming conflicts and driving successful initiatives can be achieved by providing support through a digital adoption platform like tts performance suite. This platform integrates engaging, real-time support and personalised learning modules directly into employees' daily workflows, making the upskilling process less intimidating and more engaging. By offering contextual guidance and immediate support as they navigate new tasks, the platform helps employees build confidence and competence gradually.

overcoming conflicts and driving successful upskilling initiatives within a resistant team requires a strategic and inclusive approach that addresses underlying concerns, provides clear incentives, fosters a supportive learning environment, and demonstrates leadership commitment. By investing in upskilling, teams can not only stay competitive in today's fast-paced work environment but also unlock their full potential and achieve long-term success.