Tech Leaders: Avoid the Training Robbery Trap

For many years, the dominant strategy for building technical teams was simple: when a specific need arose, you would recruit a professional who already had that precise skill. This recruitment model was logical and served businesses reliably.

The reasoning felt intuitive—if a job needed doing, you found someone already qualified to do it. This method thrived in an era where technological change was gradual and predictable. There was little danger of a new technology suddenly making a position's core competencies obsolete.

Take the role of a Tech Infrastructure Administrator as a classic case. The career progression was often linear. An expert on Windows Server 2012 could, with little disruption, take a course to get up to speed on the 2016 version. A single course every four years or so was enough to maintain expertise.

That task was considered complete. However, that era of predictability is over. The comfortable 'train-and-done' cycle is no longer a viable strategy for ambitious organisations.

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Continuous Upgrades

Now is the time of the Skills-First Economy. Technology upgrades happen in continuous builds, and we are seeing seismic shifts in the mix of skills that are required to be productive in the Skills Economy. The demand for skills has shifted towards cognitive skills such as the ability to learn fast, and behavioural skills such as managing and excelling at teamwork.

In fact, The Worldbank’s Development report states that technological developments since 2001 has increased the share of employment with 24% ( from 33% to 41%) for occupations heavy in nonroutine and socio-behavioural skills.

Unfortunately, skill strategies have struggled to keep up and research from Forbes.com indicates that just 5% of executives now believe, that their business strategy and their technological resources are in sync.

The data

41% unemployment

The Worldbank’s Development report states that technological developments since 2001 has increased the share of employment with 24% ( from 33% to 41%) for occupations heavy in nonroutine and socio-behavioural skills.

5% in Sync

Research from Forbes.com indicates that just 5% of executives now believe, that their business strategy and their technological resources are in sync. Considering the vast investments in training, that is a shockingly low number.

The Reasons

HBR.org refers to the mechanism as the “Great Training Robbery”. What happens is, that businesses spend vast amounts of money on training that their people feel they need. But the training is not planned from the top, and time and money is wasted.

What happens?

Online Learning is made available, but your people can´t find their way around in the vast supply.
Training is conducted, but the new skills don´t connect with strategy
Courses are booked, but you are not sure if certifications are obtained
New skills are obtained, but you struggle to create real change

You´re stuck in the Great Training Robbery.

Do it right
Many of us are reluctant to start the much-needed top-down approach to skills Development. The idea of bottom-up or grassroots change feel right. It´s intuitive and feels inclusive and respectful to our people.

But it is not going to create change. In fact, change is much more likely to happen if you drive it from the top.

It does not mean that you need to embrace a hierarchical organizational structure, or that you need a culture of fear. It is a simple matter of leadership.

When it comes to digital transformation, McKinsey research shows that the single most important determining factor is the leadership.

Industry, culture, and actual tech all matter, but these things tend to be similar across competitors. Whereas the mindset, value and competence of your leadership will be the main differentiators and the determining enablers of Top-down planned Skills Development.

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