How Capability Can Shape Two Broad Outcomes in Organisations:

Drag, Drain, and Drift vs. Wind in Your Sails:

In our previous post, we spoke about the importance of Capability which is the sum of our cognitive, emotional, and personality traits.

A mismatch between an individual’s capabilities and their role creates what we call “Drag, Drain, and Drift.” This occurs when low capability results in:

●     Wasted salaries on underperforming employees

●     Resources spent on disciplinary processes and managing disputes

●     Lower productivity and morale

●     Increased turnover and reputational damage

Organisations, like systems, rely on each component functioning optimally. If an employee in one area cannot perform, it affects the entire system. Managers may find themselves compensating for these gaps by taking on additional work, leading to inefficiencies, conflict, and disengagement.

On the other hand, when the right capabilities are in place, it's like having wind in a ship's sails. Employees are focused on improving performance rather than constantly firefighting. The right capabilities mean training gaps can be closed with development interventions, while poor capability makes these efforts largely ineffective.

The Takeaway: Select for Capability, Train for Skills

Many successful organizations have adopted the mantra: Select for capability, train for skills. This recognizes that while skills can be learned, deeply ingrained capabilities—our crystallized behaviours—are much harder to change. Attempting to train someone whose personality or behaviour is misaligned with their role is often futile.

The higher the level of capability constraints within an organization, the more severe the impact. For companies to thrive, they need the right capability at every level, with some individuals even exceeding the requirements. This creates a healthy talent pipeline, allowing the organization to innovate and grow rather than being bogged down by performance issues.

In the end, it’s not just about fixing what’s broken but about having the right capabilities in place to steer the ship in the right direction, with the wind fully in your sails.