Question

Topic: Career/Training

My Team Don’t Have The Skills What Do I Do?

Posted by rachellfrancis on 12/4/2018 at 5:51 AM ET 125 Points
Recently, taken on a role as director of Marketing and Comms for a mid-tier firm. I’ve been in this role for 6 months but after 2 weeks I knew that my team didn’t have the right skills for the job and where I want to take the company but I thought let’s train them up. However, after 6 months they really don’t have the right skills, attitude or passion so I have nothing to work with !

It’s realky sad and stressful for me as they’re all lovely and get along really well. But a lot of them have their roles because they’ve been in the firm for a long time, they fell into marketing. But I need digital marketers who understand websites and digital platforms. I need people who can write good content, I need event planners who can put on great events. Etc.

I don’t have the nudge to expand the team but not sure how I can go about this.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Mike Steffes on 12/4/2018 at 7:46 AM Accepted
    I take it upper management wouldn't support wholesale staff change. That implies they really don't want or expect real change. You're probably stuck there for another 18 months. Maybe you can pull the staff together to make a color change or improve the layout of some existing piece(s). If management doesn't support change then all you can do is salvage some minor resume points and maybe attend some higher-level specialized training events. Of course, the staff could somehow surprise you.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/4/2018 at 8:49 AM Member
    How big is your team? Can you split the team in half (creating 2 smaller teams) and have them compete with each other to produce some great results? Perhaps the competition will illuminate the talents you may not be seeing.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 12/4/2018 at 7:27 PM Member
    A lot depends on how the company is in relation to treating long time staff and budgets.

    Can you work to move some of the folks out to other areas of the company that may be better for them, freeing up openings you can fill with people who have the skills/experience you want?

    Can you just expand the group with people who have the skills/experience you want (either hire or contract) and still keep the less performing folks?
  • Posted by matthewmnex on 12/13/2018 at 7:23 PM Member
    Please take a careful look at your statement "they really don’t have the right skills, attitude or passion so I have nothing to work with ! "

    Skills can be trained -- Attitude and passion is really about YOUR leadership. Are you LEADING the team by example? are you infusing your team with PASSION everyday?

    Start there.

    In addition to that, you can start to 'Outsource' some tasks to professional companies. Have them work hand in hand with your team. they can learn new skills from the outsiders and you can then set time limits for them to gradually bring those tasks back in house or show them the door.

    Once you contract a couple of outsources, a couple of your current team will just quit anyway so you will be saved the pain of letting them go.

    Those who stay, are the ones with more grit so you can work with them on the skills side.

    PASSION !!! That has to come from leadership.

    Good luck.

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