What Is the Skill Will Matrix? A Guide for Employers

What is the Skill Will Matrix?

The Skill Will Matrix is a performance assessment tool used by managers all over the world. It assesses two key aspects of performance: skills and motivation. According to the situational leadership model, successful leaders adapt to their followers’ needs. Once you assess an employee, you can take one of these four approaches:

Tell: This approach works best when an employee has a low level of skill and a low level of confidence. Instead of allowing an employee with these characteristics to take charge, you must tell them exactly what to do. For example, you may have to use the telling approach when working with a brand-new employee who doesn’t feel secure in their position yet.
Sell: Selling is appropriate when an employee has a high level of skill and a low level of commitment. In other words, they’re capable of doing the task, but they don’t want to do it for some reason. Selling involves persuading the team member to complete the task instead of doing something else.
Participate/collaborate: This approach makes sense when an employee has a high level of willingness and a low level of skill. For example, if you have an experienced employee who just took over a senior position, they may not feel confident in their ability to make critical decisions. In this case, you might adjust your leadership style to create alignment between the employee’s skill level and their confidence level.
Delegate: Delegating works best with those who are both skilled and confident in their abilities. This type of leadership is more hands-off than the others, as it gives team members the freedom to think outside the box and make their own decisions.

Skill Will Matrix vs. situational leadership model

The Skill Will Matrix is similar to the situational leadership model. Instead of telling, selling, participating/collaborating and delegating, it uses directing, guiding, delegating and exciting as the four approaches to effective management.

Like the situational leadership model, the Skill Will Matrix assesses team members based on their skill level and motivation to complete a task. The situational leadership model includes the following quadrants:

Quadrant I: Employees in Quadrant I have a high level of skill. They also demonstrate a willingness to complete the task.
Quadrant II: Team members in Quadrant II lack the skill required to complete a task, but they show a high level of willingness.
Quadrant III: Employees in Quadrant III lack the skill and the will to complete a particular task.
Quadrant IV: Team members in Quadrant IV are highly skilled, but they lack the will to complete the task.

Adjusting your approach based on skill and willingness levels

To choose the right approach, you must assess each team member carefully. This may involve observing employees while they work, reviewing previous performance reviews, asking colleagues and supervisors to complete 360-degree feedback forms or administering skills assessments.

Once you have the data you need, examine it carefully to determine if the team member has the skills required to complete the task. Then assess their willingness to perform the task by asking questions or observing how they behave. It takes a little practice, but once you get to know each team member, you should be able to make an accurate assessment.

Here’s how to adjust your approach based on the Skill Will Matrix:

High skill/high will: People in Quadrant I don’t need you to hold their hands as they complete their assigned tasks. Instead, they need you to nurture their skills and empower them to take ownership of their work. In this situation, it makes sense to delegate.
High skill/low will: If you have a team member in Quadrant II, they may need a bit of motivation before they’re ready to embrace a new program or project. This is when the excite approach makes the most sense. In simple terms, you need to get the employee excited about the possibilities. For example, if you have a team member who regularly finishes their work early, perhaps they’re bored with their current job duties. Consider giving stretch assignments or putting them on the path to a promotion.
Low skill/high will: Some employees are eager to complete assigned tasks, but they lack the skills necessary to do so independently. These people need you to guide them as much as possible. For example, you may need to spend an hour observing them and then providing feedback on how to improve their skills.
Low skill/low will: Employees with performance issues may demonstrate a lack of skill and a lack of willingness to improve. If you have a team member with these traits, you must tell them exactly what to do. You may even have to put them on a performance improvement plan or terminate them for poor performance. Just be sure you’re clear about why you’re taking these actions.

Practical applications of the Skill Will Matrix

The Skill Will Matrix is useful in almost any setting, but it’s especially helpful under these circumstances.

1. A new manager takes over an underperforming team.

If you’re new to managing a particular team, it’s important to get to know each member and understand their strengths and weaknesses. The Skill Will Matrix focuses on just two characteristics, so it’s easier to implement than some management tools. Using the Skill Will Matrix can also help you determine who needs a little motivation and who just isn’t a good fit for the team.

2. Your company merges with another company.

Done right, a merger can help your company establish itself as an industry leader. That said, mergers are often stressful. Once you complete a merger, it’s important to find a way for the remaining employees to work together instead of treating each other with suspicion.

Although it’s pertinent to review employee files, you can’t get the same information from a computer that you can get from talking to team members and observing how they communicate. Creating a skills matrix for each person makes it easier to identify their talents and determine if you need to provide additional training. If the matrix shows that most employees lack the will to complete assigned tasks, you’ll also have an opportunity to address low morale before it hurts your company.

3. Your company changes its remote work policy.

An employee’s work environment has a big impact on their motivation level. For example, someone who’s perfectly happy working at home may find themselves feeling resentful and disinterested if they’re forced to return to the office. Therefore, if your company plans to change its remote work policy, the Skill Will Matrix can help you determine if you need to adjust your management style once employees are back in person.

What Is the Skill Will Matrix? A Guide for Employers

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