Skills and Mindsets - The WHAT and the HOW in Talent Development!

When I joined LinkedIn in September 2022 my role was described to me as one of the most “meta” talent jobs in the industry. What an exciting prospect! Now, six months later I find a new sense of purpose for me as a people executive in helping to shape the future of talent and learning alongside all of you in this professional network. I am discovering my voice on this platform. And it is exciting and scary at the same time .... part of my personal growth journey! Thank you for engaging in dialogue with me!

Let's start with the facts: The data and insights provided by LinkedIn's economic graph are a real gift in my opinion. They are a valuable contributor for reflection and thought leadership for me.

A great example is the 2023 Workplace Learning Report .

WHY SKILLS FIRST

Focusing on a skills first approach for talent acquisition, talent management and talent development continues to be a topic. Skill sets for jobs have changed by around 25% since 2015. By 2027 this number is expected to double.?

At this rate of change and evolution, the topic of agility in organisations - including agility in talent development is an important consideration. Linda Jingfang Cai is sharing helpful perspectives in her recent article “Building the agile future - together” . I especially like the concept of moving from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” culture (inspired by Satya Nadella ).

“Skills are the new currency” as Ryan Roslansky outlines in this article - and I am excited about the opportunities this brings. I see a potential revival of the apprenticeship programs that exist in countries like Germany and Austria and the opportunity for more applied learning (in addition to academic learning).?

An executive coaching conversation this week highlighted the importance and value of skills to me further: We were talking about the person’s lack of self-confidence due to the fact that they did not have a university degree. Unfortunately, they were discounting the 20+ years experience in their area of expertise which has developed them into an expert in their profession.

What we need is a collective mindset shift in the industry to see skills as the new currency!

SKILLS FIRST ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH

When I look at my work in talent development I believe that a “skills first” approach to hiring and development alone is not enough. Based on my experience we need to look at both skills and mindsets.

We need both horizontal (skills) and vertical development (mindsets).?

“Horizontal development is about expanding your toolkit by adding to the tools you already have. You gain more skills, expand your knowledge and become more competent. “?

“Vertical development, on the other hand, is about expanding your mindset — changing the way you think and behave. Your mindset refers to the mental models you engage when you are thinking, as well as your sense of identity.”?

See this Forbes article Research Says Vertical Development Can Make You A Better Leader to learn more.

SKILLS AND MINDSETS - THE WHAT AND THE HOW

You could say that skills are the WHAT in development and mindsets (vertical development) are the HOW in development. Focusing on skills alone will not achieve the desired agility for the future, because we are leaving out an important part of how we are learning and how we are showing up with each other.?

What does this mean for talent leaders? How do you integrate vertical development in the hiring and development approach in organisations?

I was recently discussing this topic with a trusted colleague who introduced me to VMI - The Vertical Mindset Indicator (an AI powered application). Although I don’t have first hand experience of this application, I am intrigued by the practical application and scalability.?

The Leadership Mindtraps by Jennifer Garvey Berger are an approach that I find very practical and useful when working with leadership teams and I am currently exploring this for my work with leadership teams at LinkedIn.?

My vision for the future would be to integrate vertical development as a key part in organisational onboarding programs. Imagine if you would focus onboarding not only on cultural onboarding and job specific skill building but also on teaching people how to learn, helping them understand their mental models and expand their mindsets.

This would put learning agility front and center right from the moment a person is joining an organisation!

What is your perspective on Skills and Mindsets and how are you integrating horizontal and vertical development in your organisation? Please join this conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments!

#skillsfirst #learningagility #mindset #verticaldevelopment