Crucial Foundations for Organizational Success
There is a long list of ideal skills that different management studies, experts, and blogs claim to be most important for a successful organization. Some are tactical and others strategic. Some are individually-based and others are team-based. The wish list includes time management, prioritizing and planning, clear communication, delegation, and teamwork/team management. Other lists include research coordination, collaboration skills, goal-setting skills, and self-care skills.
It's notable that most of these lists focus on foundational skills to success. Very few of the lists mention domain-specific skills such as being an insightful marketer, brilliant financial analyst, business development specialist, a tech programming whiz, or a visionary strategist. Instead they focus on building a strong foundation for the great things that can build on top of them.
One research framework from Rice University viewed the basic skills needed to succeed in a company as technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. The contention was as a person rises in an organization the importance or his or her technical skills, give way to human skills, which eventually give way to conceptual skills. This basic view has also been adopted to other tripartite frameworks.
Another way to label these three major skill groups is by what they are intended to improve. We contend the ultimate aim of technical skills is to 1) Improve Performance. The ultimate aim of human skills is to 2) Improve Communication, and the ultimate aim of conceptual skills is to 3) Improve Leadership.
We see these characteristics of people and organizations -- their performance, communication, and leadership -- as the foundations of a successful career and a successful organization. They also fairly neatly capture the items on the wish lists.
It's notable that most of these lists focus on foundational skills to success. Very few of the lists mention domain-specific skills such as being an insightful marketer, brilliant financial analyst, business development specialist, a tech programming whiz, or a visionary strategist. Instead they focus on building a strong foundation for the great things that can build on top of them.
One research framework from Rice University viewed the basic skills needed to succeed in a company as technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. The contention was as a person rises in an organization the importance or his or her technical skills, give way to human skills, which eventually give way to conceptual skills. This basic view has also been adopted to other tripartite frameworks.
Another way to label these three major skill groups is by what they are intended to improve. We contend the ultimate aim of technical skills is to 1) Improve Performance. The ultimate aim of human skills is to 2) Improve Communication, and the ultimate aim of conceptual skills is to 3) Improve Leadership.
We see these characteristics of people and organizations -- their performance, communication, and leadership -- as the foundations of a successful career and a successful organization. They also fairly neatly capture the items on the wish lists.
Three Crucial Skills Create the Foundation for Growth
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In looking toward the future, these are the foundations on which Crucial Learning (formerly known as VitalSmarts) will be building our solutions and our new courses. Our goal is to help companies achieve the crucial success for their employees and their own mission.