skill and will matrix | Project Success

When your project team is not delivering, the first step is to diagnose why. The skill and will matrix provides a simple framework.

Do They Have the Will?

Do team members actually want to do the work? If not, your role is to excite and motivate them. This might mean clarifying how their work contributes to project goals, recognizing effort publicly or adjusting task assignments to better align with individual strengths and interests.

Do They Have the Skill?

If motivation is not the issue, can they actually do the work, or do they know what they need to do clearly? If not, the solution is training and skill development. Pair them with experienced team members, provide access to learning resources or bring in external expertise to build capability.

The Ideal Team Member

The team members you want are those with both high skill and high will. They have the capability to do excellent work and the motivation to deliver it.

If a team member lacks both skill and will, you have a more serious conversation ahead. Whether you coach them up or reassign them depends on your project timeline (how much time you have, and how willing they are to change) and organizational options (like training, or reassigning).

Start by diagnosing which dimension is the real constraint. Then your path forward becomes clear.

– David McLachlan

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