Set Effective Skill Development Goals for Your Team

Many managers fall into a common trap when it comes to technical goals: they focus on easily measurable outcomes, such as completing a course or obtaining a certification. While these milestones are important, they’re often just the starting point. The true value lies in employees applying their newfound skills to drive results that align with business objectives.

In this article, we’ll explore how managers can set technical goals beyond training and certifications, ensuring employees develop critical skills and use them effectively to support team and organizational success.

Skill development goals are designed to build the specific capabilities employees need to excel in their current or future roles. These goals are often tied to achieving role-specific or business-aligned outcomes. They focus on enhancing an employee’s ability to deliver results, whether through improved project management, better technical execution, or faster problem-solving. Typically the manager and employee create these goals during annual performance reviews, but they can be created at any point as part of the performance management cycle.

Valuable skill development goals include:

• Quality: The quality is specifically called out so that employees meet or exceed standards.
• Deadlines: Completing tasks within set timeframes. Typically there will be several short-term deadlines with a final goal completion deadline.
• Outcomes: Achieving specific strategic objectives. The goal spells out what the employee should be able to do by the final deadline.

While skill development goals may include training or certifications, these are merely steps toward achieving larger, business-aligned outcomes.

Here’s a typical SMARTER skill development goal:

• Specific: Develop XYZ skills.
• Measurable: Obtain XYZ certification.
• Attainable: Yes, courses are available.
• Relevant: Improves XYZ skills.
• Timeframe: Three months.
• Evaluate/Revise: Verify certification.

On paper, this looks like a well-structured SMARTER goal. However, the measurement of success, an employee obtaining a certificate, might not align with what the manager ultimately needs. Nowhere can we see if the employee actually used any of the skills learned in training. The real measurement of success is likely not the certificate itself but rather the employee’s ability to apply those new skills to drive project success, improve processes, or solve complex problems.

To set more impactful goals, managers need to think beyond training completion. In our new example below, obtaining the certification is just one milestone within a broader, business aligned objective.

• Specific: Successfully manage the team’s tasks and ensure all project inputs and outputs are delivered accurately and on time.
• Measurable:
  • Obtain X certification
  • deliver all project milestones on schedule
  • receive a 10 rating or above from the quality assurance team once the project is shared with QA
• Attainable: Yes, assuming course completion and project alignment
• Relevant: Supports the strategic initiative of [specific business or organizational goal].
• Timeframe with Milestones: 
  • Month 1: Enroll in and begin X course, and prepare a project plan.
  • Month 2: Obtain certification and apply new skills to initial project tasks.
  • Months 3-12: Lead project updates and ensure all deliverables meet expectations.
• Evaluate/Revise:
  • Regularly review progress through bi-weekly 1:1 meetings with the manager.
  • Starting in month two share at least two methods being used on the project tasks that were learned from coursework.

In this approach, obtaining the certification is just one milestone within a broader, business-aligned objective.

For skill development goals to succeed, managers must provide various types of support throughout the process. Before offering support, a manager should consider the time commitment involved and whether they can provide it. If not, the manager should find a mentor or team member who can provide the employee with support or consider decreasing the complexity of the goal. Without the proper support, most goals will fail.

Goal Supports

1. Training Support: Provide access to necessary resources, such as online courses, workshops, and certifications. Ensure employees understand how these fit into their overall development.
2. Team Support: Depending on the goal, a manager and employee may decide to share the objective on which the employee is working. In this way, other team members can help by offering collaboration or peer feedback that guides employees as they apply their new skills in real-world scenarios.
3. Cultural Support: Help employees navigate organizational dynamics. Offer insights on how to manage interdepartmental relationships and align with company culture.
4. Managerial Support: Be actively involved in the employee’s development. Regularly check-in, provide timely feedback, and offer the resources needed to remove obstacles. Ensure that 1:1 meetings are productive and focused on progress.
5. Coaching and Mentoring: Act as a coach or assign an internal/external mentor to help employees refine their skills. Provide scenario-based coaching to deepen understanding and application.

Managers often make these mistakes when setting skill development goals:

1. Focusing Solely on Training Completion
   While training is important, the real goal is to apply the new knowledge. Ensure the objective includes actionable outcomes, like improving project timelines or enhancing process efficiency.
2. Setting Vague Expectations
   Goals like “Improve X skill” are too broad. Be specific about what success looks like in terms of deliverables, behaviors, or outcomes.
3. Providing Insufficient Support
   Employees need the right tools, feedback, and guidance to succeed. Without these, even well-structured goals can falter. A manager and employee should check in regularly regarding goal progress. Depending on the goal, this may mean daily, weekly, or monthly check-ins.
4. Overloading the Employee
   Ambitious goals are good, but they must be realistic. The manager should consider the employee's abilities when creating a goal that stretches the employee but is a doable challenge. Break larger objectives into smaller, manageable steps to prevent burnout and maintain focus.

Evaluation is a critical step in the goal-setting process. Regularly assess both the progress toward the goal and the impact on business outcomes. Consider the following when it comes time to discuss the goal during a regular 1:1:

• Short-term success: Did the employee complete the training or certification?
• Long-term impact: Has their performance improved? Are they contributing more effectively to team or organizational goals?
• Feedback: What do peers, mentors, and stakeholders say about the employee’s progress?

Use this information to refine future goals, ensuring they remain aligned with evolving business needs.

Addressing behavioral underperformance may feel daunting, but it’s a crucial aspect of effective leadership. By focusing on business impact, setting SMARTER goals, and tapping into intrinsic motivations through self-determination theory, managers can guide employees toward meaningful growth.

Goals aren’t just about improving individual performance. They’re about building stronger, more cohesive teams. With the right approach, managers can turn uncomfortable conversations into opportunities for lasting change.

Skill development goals, when set thoughtfully, can transform employee performance and drive organizational success. By focusing on applied skills, aligning goals with business objectives, and providing robust support, managers can help their teams achieve outcomes that matter. Remember, the ultimate goal isn’t just to train employees but to empower them to make meaningful contributions.

Start with the end in mind, provide ongoing support, and continuously refine your approach. This way, both your employees and your organization will reap the benefits.