In the age of data, almost every role in the workforce demands perpetual and consistent up-skilling. However, many corporate positions (such as in Procurement) do not possess the culture of continuous skills development – a firm requirement in today’s data-driven world. The simple reality is that our job requirements change over time and, no matter how closely we attempt to adhere to the position description we first receive when we assume a role, the continual growth of an organisation yields change in what is required to succeed and thus, a short-fall in our skillset is unavoidable.
Without regular self-assessment we are flying blind.
Though on-the-job training and experience are essential components for up-skilling, the continuous assessment as to what we are doing, how we are doing things and why we are doing what we do, is crucial. Without clear objectives and intentions, how can we truly determine how effective our way is and how can we track our progression? The unfortunate truth is that, without regular self-assessment and self-evaluation, we are flying blind. We do not possess the necessary data or knowledge to support our personal and professional development and thus, we inhibit our own capacity to nurture our confidence. Self-assessment using the correct tools (such as the Procurement Assessment Solutions offered by SkillsGAP Analysis) can help us garner information about ourselves and consequently, we can use such data to improve on areas in which we are lacking
Without the data required to understand ourselves – to understand who we truly are – we cannot make an informed or fair assessment of whether our confidence levels are matched by level of skill and knowledge. If we cannot identify what our skill-gaps are, we cannot channel our energies and focus on areas of improvements. In turn, this prevents us from adapting and growing within a role and forces us into positions wherein which we feel that the only way to mitigate this is to do things like change jobs.
Knee-jerk decisions are often made during stressful times.
Changing under duress is not ideal as it detracts from our capacity to make logical decisions. As such, a fair superior strategy in this age of information is to plan for (and continuously assess) yourself and your team so that any action taken in warranted, effective and efficient in mitigating any potential issues. The Procurement Assessment Solutions offered by SkillsGAP Analysis supports individuals and teams working in Procurement as it enables the identification of their strengths and weaknesses thus, providing opportunities to create customised learning plans to bridge any skill-gaps.
The assessment functions by measuring individuals against a question-set such to determine what the overall skill level is for an individual (or a team). Thereafter, the identified skill level is contrasted and compared against position requirements to identify any “gaps”. Gaps exists where the skills a person does not meet the skills required for person to complete a tasks that they must perform. Once known, such skill-gaps may be rectified though the undertaking of further training. There is no purpose to undertake continuous self-assessment (and identify gaps) if there are no actions taken to close off this shortfall.
Your role is not static.
Procurement positions are not traditionally roles associated with the requirement to continuously up-skill. However, we no longer live in a world where roles are static and thus, we must adapt accordingly. There are new strategies to learn, innovative ways to negotiate and sometimes refreshers are needed to ensure our skills remain current. To navigate this current reality, we require data on ourselves and self-assessment is the tool by which we can gain this information. However, it is important to appreciate that data gathering is merely the first step and that the use of this knowledge is essential to our capacity to up-skill. To maintain our competitiveness and edge in this economy, peak efficiency is essential and that demands the closure of any skill-gaps.
Have a chat with us about how you can improve the performance of your Procurement staff through our training programs or our corporate E-learning.
For chalk and talk, see our open training calendar for a session, date, location and time that suits you.
Email: info@academyofprocurement.com
Phone +61 (03) 8547 3940
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