Improving organisational resilience and performance requires replacing outdated capability frameworks with a capability blueprint

Is your organisation stuck in the past? If you’re relying on traditional capability frameworks to manage employee roles and career growth, the answer might be yes.

The rigid structure of a capability framework, designed to define employee roles, responsibilities and career pathways, often stifle creativity, innovation and adaptability. They can inadvertently reinforce individual and team silos and limit opportunities for employees to grow beyond their pre-defined roles.

As organisations continue to face the ongoing need to pivot quickly and leverage their existing talent, it’s time to replace these frameworks with a more fluid and responsive approach: capability blueprints.

Capability frameworks were once seen as the gold standard for managing employee development. They provided clear, structured pathways for career progression, learning and skill development. However, in practice, I have seen them do more harm than good when it comes to building organisational capability, by:

• narrowly defining roles and competencies, capability frameworks can create silos within organisations. Employees are often discouraged from stepping outside their prescribed roles, limiting cross-functional collaboration and stifling innovation.
• restricting learning and development opportunities which anchor learning and development opportunities to specific roles or functions, restricting employees from pursuing new skills or exploring different areas of interest. This limits the organisation's ability to build a versatile and adaptable workforce.
• inhibiting agility and adaptability, which organisations need to be agile and responsive to adjust to changing market conditions and customer expectations. With their fixed definitions and rigid structures, capability frameworks can hinder this agility, making it harder for organisations to adapt to new challenges or seize emerging opportunities.

The case for capability blueprints

Capability blueprints offer a modern, dynamic alternative. They are designed to be adaptive and flexible so they can evolve in line with an organisation's strategic goals and priorities. Unlike traditional frameworks, capability blueprints:

• translate strategic objectives into actionable skills, knowledge and behaviours that support operational functions and align with both current and future organisational needs. They are easily updated to reflect new strategies, ensuring that the workforce remains aligned with the organisation's goals.
• can be co-designed with leaders and employees so that they reflect the realities of the work environment. This collaborative approach to co-creation not only increases buy-in but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and development.
• enable knowledge transfer and skill development within teams and across departments, creating new pathways for employees to acquire, apply and enhance their skills, creating new internal talent pipelines and increasing the sustainability of organisational outcomes.
• empower employees to take charge of their own development by clearly outlining the skills, knowledge, mindsets and behaviours needed for success. This enables individuals to monitor their own progress and hold themselves accountable to meeting them outside of formal development and feedback sessions.

Example capability blueprint

At Adaptive Ecosystems Consulting I led the co-design of our capability blueprint for embedding connective capability. This blueprint clearly outlines our mission and breaks it down into three core areas: Sustainable Capability Uplift, Amplified Employee Voice and Optimal Client Experience. Each capability is linked to sub-capabilities and guided by our core values of being holistic, inclusive and kind.

We take this further by defining each sub-capability in terms of the specific skills, knowledge and mindsets required. For instance, under Sustainable Capability Uplift, we emphasise the importance of systems-thinking and mapping, supported by knowledge in systems theory and behavioural change management. Our team holds itself accountable to demonstrating these capabilities as we plan, act and reflect on our work.

This approach has transformed how we develop capabilities, ensuring alignment across all roles and empowering our team to actively build their skills, expand their knowledge and apply forward-thinking mindsets.

Becoming future-focused

The shift from capability frameworks to capability blueprints represents a significant evolution in how we approach workforce development. By embracing this more fluid, adaptive and responsive model of how we define capabilities, organisations can build a workforce that is not only aligned with strategic goals but also capable of pivoting quickly in response to change. Capability blueprints offer the flexibility needed to leverage existing talent, fill gaps and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Want to learn more?

If you'd like to learn more about capability blueprints or want support to co-design your own, please reach out for a chat today. I'd love to hear from you!

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