Skills gaps often surface only when a project fails or a promotion is blocked. This is Week 7 of the 7-week series by Ash Taherian, using the skills lens of the Performance Management Playbook.
Define skills per role, owned by the function
The playbook treats skills as the technical competencies a role needs, one of three lenses alongside deliverables and culture. Function leaders define them: the CTO defines skills for technical roles, for example a data scientist’s skills broken into a few specific areas.
Score them every quarter
Managers assess skills with yes or no scorecard statements in each quarterly review, so a gap shows up within a quarter rather than at year end. See rating scales.
Compare against the next level
People and managers need to know their skills versus those required in a more senior role. The talent bar by seniority makes that comparison explicit and links it to development and promotion.
Act on the pattern
When calibration shows the same gap across a team, that is a training or hiring signal for leadership, not just an individual issue. The review-cycle checklist adds this as a step after calibration.
Method source: the Performance Management Playbook (QuantumLight), summarised and applied by Ash Taherian. Examples are illustrative, not benchmarks. Ash works at Revolut People, which sells performance software.
Next: see all alternatives to annual performance reviews.
Get the full method: download the free Performance Management Playbook PDF (name + work email).
Free tools: estimate what your review cycle costs with the performance review cost calculator, or see if your HRIS is holding performance back with the HRIS switch checker.
FAQ
How do you find skills gaps early?
Define skills per role, score them every quarter with scorecard statements, and compare them with the next level up.
Who should define skills?
The leader of each function, such as the CTO for technical roles.