The Skill/Will Matrix – Danny Meyer’s Secret for Managing a Team
Managing a team can be a challenge, but using simple, proven tools can make all the difference. One of the most effective yet simple tools for managing your team is the Skill/Will Matrix, a framework introduced by Danny Meyer, the founder of Shake Shack.
This tool helps you categorize your employees based on their ability (skills) and motivation (willingness), allowing you to create tailored development plans and drive performance across your entire team.
What is the Skill/Will Matrix?
The Skill/Will Matrix is a 4-quadrant framework used to categorize your team members based on two key factors:
• Ability (Skill): Does the employee have the required skills to perform the job?
• Willingness (Will): Is the employee motivated to perform the job?
By categorizing employees in this matrix, managers can identify where each person falls, understand their development needs, and take the right action to improve team performance.
Why is the Skill/Will Matrix Relevant to Hospitality & Service Industries?
In hospitality, people are everything. The success of your service and the experience you deliver depend on the motivation and skill of your team. Whether it’s ensuring guests are satisfied, running a smooth front desk, or preparing an exceptional meal, having the right people in the right roles is crucial.
The Skill/Will Matrix provides a straightforward, actionable method to manage your employees in a way that helps you build a high-performing team. By leveraging this matrix, you can keep your team motivated, develop leaders from within, and address performance issues before they impact your service quality.
The 4 Quadrants: How to Assess Employees
Danny Meyer’s Skill/Will Matrix divides your employees into four quadrants based on their ability and willingness. Here’s a breakdown of each quadrant, including the appropriate actions for managers:
1. Q1: Can’t + Won’t (Unfit)
• Description: These employees lack both the skills and the motivation to perform the job. They may have poor attitudes or aren’t interested in improving.
• Action: Let them go. These employees are a liability and can negatively affect team morale. Reassess your hiring practices to prevent similar issues in the future.
• Time Frame: Immediate.
• Key Focus: Reevaluate your recruitment and hiring practices. Learn from this experience and ensure that your hiring team knows what to look for in candidates moving forward.
2. Q2: Can + Won’t (Unmotivated)
• Description: These employees have the necessary skills but lack the motivation to perform well or fully engage with the team.
• Action: Address the attitude problem. Have a direct conversation with them to understand why they aren’t motivated despite their skills. Give them actionable feedback and set clear expectations for improvement.
• Time Frame: As quickly as possible.
• Key Focus: Provide clear, actionable feedback and a time-bound performance improvement plan. If they don’t improve, it could be time to consider whether they are a good fit for the role long-term.
Q2 is probably the one quadrant that vexes managers the most. You may have hired for skill or put in loads of effort to train someone over the years, and now, they just don’t perform or won’t. What should you do? It’s time to dig deeper and uncover the real reasons behind their disengagement. Learn how to diagnose and address the root causes of low performance, create personalized action plans, and reignite your team’s motivation. read more
3. Q3: Can’t + Will (Untrained but Motivated)
• Description: These employees are motivated and eager to contribute but lack the necessary skills or knowledge to perform at their best.
• Action: Invest in training and development. Cherish these employees for their positive attitude and provide them with the tools and resources to build their skills. They can be valuable long-term team members if you invest in their growth.
• Time Frame: 3 to 6 months.
• Key Focus: Provide mentorship, ongoing training, and consistent check-ins to help them develop the skills they need. Continuously reassess their progress and reassign roles if necessary based on their skillset.
4. Q4: Can + Will (High Performers)
• Description: These employees have both the necessary skills and the motivation to excel. They are high performers who consistently deliver exceptional results.
• Action: Celebrate and support them. Recognize their achievements and provide growth opportunities. Ensure they are constantly challenged and given opportunities to grow into leadership roles.
• Time Frame: Ongoing.
• Key Focus: Regularly celebrate their achievements, involve them in leadership or mentoring roles, and ensure they feel valued and appreciated. Keep them engaged by offering development opportunities and new challenges.
Actionable Insights for Managers
Using the Skill/Will Matrix is more than just categorizing your employees. It’s about taking action to create a culture of growth and support.
Here are some key steps to put into practice:
Regularly Assess Your Team:
Conduct regular check-ins with each team member and place them in the appropriate quadrant. This allows you to stay on top of any performance issues and address them before they impact the team.
Create Tailored Development Plans:
For each employee in the Q3 and Q4 quadrants, create personalized development plans that focus on their growth. For example, employees in Q3 may need extra training or mentoring, while those in Q4 may need opportunities for leadership roles or more challenging assignments.
Provide Clear, Actionable Feedback:
For employees in Q2 and Q1, make sure you’re providing them with honest, actionable feedback. Set clear expectations for improvement and outline a time frame for achieving those goals.
Celebrate High Performers:
Employees in Q4 need recognition. Celebrate their contributions, involve them in mentoring new hires, and give them opportunities to grow and lead. Acknowledge their efforts regularly to ensure they feel appreciated and stay motivated.
Want to Make This WOW?
• Create a Leadership Pipeline: Take this matrix a step further. Instead of just evaluating employees for their current roles, assess them for the next level. For instance, if an Associate is doing well, assess whether they are ready to become a Supervisor. If they fit the Q4 profile (can and will), promote them as soon as possible. By using this method, you can create a solid leadership pipeline and promote from within.
• Create a Hiring Feedback Loop: Ask your hiring team to predict performance during the hiring process. Track how employees are performing over the next few months, and provide feedback to your hiring team based on how well their predictions matched the actual performance. This will help them fine-tune their approach and improve future hires.
Something You Should Do Right Now:
• Conduct a Skill/Will Matrix Assessment: Take a few minutes today to evaluate your current team using the Skill/Will Matrix. Identify where each team member falls, then create personalized development plans for each quadrant. This will help you better understand your team’s dynamics and create a roadmap for improving performance and boosting morale.
Q2 - Can, Won’t
There are several reasons why employees in Q2 (Can, but Won’t) may not be performing despite having the necessary skills. Here are some potential factors:
1. Lack of Motivation or Engagement
• Burnout: Employees in Q2 might be experiencing burnout or fatigue. If they have been under a lot of pressure for a prolonged period, their motivation could diminish.
• Monotony: Repetitive tasks or a lack of challenging work can lead to disengagement. When work feels predictable and lacks excitement, even skilled employees may lose their drive to perform.
2. Misalignment with Personal Values
• Cultural Mismatch: Sometimes, employees have the skills but may not be aligned with the organization’s culture or values. If their personal values do not resonate with the company’s, they might not be as motivated to contribute.
• Conflict with Organizational Goals: Employees may struggle to see how their individual efforts contribute to the larger vision of the organization, which can result in a lack of enthusiasm and initiative.
3. Lack of Recognition or Reward
• Underappreciation: If employees don’t feel valued or recognized for their work, they may not feel inclined to put in extra effort. A lack of acknowledgment for their skills or contributions can lead to a decline in performance.
• Unclear Career Path: Employees who don’t see opportunities for advancement or professional growth may not feel motivated to perform at their best. Lack of career development planning can lead to stagnation.
4. External Factors
• Personal Issues: Employees may be dealing with personal challenges that affect their performance. Issues such as family problems, health concerns, or financial stress can impact their motivation and focus at work.
• Work-Life Imbalance: A poor balance between work and personal life can also contribute to low motivation. Employees may feel overwhelmed or stressed, affecting their willingness to go above and beyond.
5. Poor Leadership or Management
• Lack of Clear Expectations: If managers have not set clear goals, guidelines, or expectations, employees might not understand what is required of them, leading to low motivation to perform.
• Inconsistent or Poor Communication: If managers do not communicate regularly or provide timely feedback, employees may not know if their efforts are on the right track or if they’re doing enough to meet expectations.
• Lack of Support: Even if employees have the skills to perform, they may need support in the form of resources, training, or mentorship. Without this support, their motivation may wane.
6. Overconfidence or Complacency
• Comfort in Existing Skillset: Employees may feel secure in their current skills and may not feel motivated to stretch themselves. They might perform adequately but not go beyond what’s required because they believe they can stay in their current position with little effort.
• Complacency: If they have been in the same role for too long without challenges, employees may fall into complacency. They may not feel the need to push themselves to improve if they perceive that their current performance is “good enough.
7. Inadequate Feedback or Development Opportunities
• Lack of Constructive Feedback: Without regular, constructive feedback, employees in Q2 may not understand where they can improve or how to get better. The absence of feedback can leave them feeling uncertain about their performance.
• Limited Learning or Growth Opportunities: If employees don’t feel they have room to learn new skills or expand their expertise, their performance may plateau. Employees who are skilled but not motivated may benefit from new challenges or career development opportunities.
8. Toxic Work Environment
• Negative Peer Influence: Employees in Q2 may be surrounded by a negative or toxic work culture that discourages performance. Negative gossip, politics, or bad attitudes can demotivate even the most skilled employees.
• Unfair Treatment: If employees feel they are being treated unfairly compared to their peers, whether it’s due to favouritism, discrimination, or bias, their willingness to put in the effort may decrease.
9. Inadequate Tools or Resources
• Lack of Resources: Even if an employee is skilled, without the right tools, resources, or systems in place, they may not be able to perform at their best. This can lead to frustration, causing them to disengage.
• Inefficient Work Processes: If employees are working within inefficient or outdated systems, they may feel frustrated and demotivated, leading them to disengage despite having the skills needed for success.
Employees in Q2 (Can, but Won’t) are often in a state where they have the capability to perform, but their motivation is lacking. The reasons behind their lack of engagement can range from burnout or misalignment with personal values to poor leadership or a toxic work environment. Understanding these factors is crucial in addressing performance issues effectively. By providing clarity, support, recognition, and opportunities for growth, you can help employees in Q2 reignite their motivation and improve their performance.
Manager’s Diagnostic Checklist for Identifying Issues with Q2 Employees (Can, but Won’t)
This checklist can help managers identify why an employee in the Q2 (Can, but Won’t) quadrant is underperforming, and guide them in addressing the issue effectively.
1. Motivation and Engagement
Signs to Observe:
• Decline in enthusiasm or passion for work.
• Employee seems disengaged or unenthusiastic, even in meetings or team discussions.
• Work output is below potential despite having the skills to excel.
Questions to Ask:
• Have you noticed any change in your motivation or interest in your role lately?
• Is there something in your workload or environment that is affecting your enthusiasm?
• Do you feel challenged or bored with your tasks?
Action:
• Offer opportunities for new challenges or projects.
• Address any signs of burnout by discussing work-life balance and workload adjustments.
2. Cultural or Value Misalignment
Signs to Observe:
• Employee shows signs of frustration with company values or culture.
• Apathy towards organizational initiatives or missions.
• Reduced engagement in team activities or company events.
Questions to Ask:
• How do you feel about the company’s culture and values? Do you feel aligned with them?
• Are there any aspects of our work environment that you find demotivating or frustrating?
Action:
• Engage the employee in a discussion about cultural fit and how they see themselves contributing.
• Identify if there is a gap between their personal values and the company’s and try to align them.
3. Lack of Recognition or Reward
Signs to Observe:
• Employee seems disheartened or uninterested in completing tasks.
• There is a noticeable decline in productivity or initiative.
• Passive attitude toward praise or feedback.
Questions to Ask:
• Do you feel that your contributions are being recognized?
• Are there any achievements or successes that you feel have gone unnoticed?
Action:
• Acknowledge the employee’s past contributions and achievements.
• Set up a clear, regular feedback system where recognition is given.
4. External Factors (Personal Issues, Work-Life Imbalance)
Signs to Observe:
• Employee seems distracted, stressed, or absent more often.
• Performance fluctuates due to personal issues.
• Employee appears disengaged or unable to focus.
Questions to Ask:
• Is everything okay outside of work that might be affecting your performance?
• How do you feel about your work-life balance right now? Are you feeling overwhelmed?
Action:
• Offer support, flexibility, or resources for managing personal or work-related stress.
• Consider adjusting workloads or offering temporary relief if needed.
5. Poor Leadership or Communication
Signs to Observe:
• Lack of clarity regarding expectations or goals.
• Employee seems confused about the direction or purpose of their tasks.
• Low levels of engagement or feedback from the employee.
Questions to Ask:
• Are the expectations for your role clear? Do you feel that you have everything you need to succeed?
• Is there any support or feedback that you feel would help you improve your performance?
Action:
• Ensure clear and consistent communication about job responsibilities and expectations.
• Set up regular one-on-ones or team check-ins to offer feedback and support.
6. Complacency or Overconfidence
Signs to Observe:
• Employee shows a lack of interest in improving or expanding skills.
• Stagnation in work quality or a “good enough” attitude.
• Minimal effort in going beyond what’s required.
Questions to Ask:
• Do you feel that you are reaching your full potential in your current role?
• Is there a specific reason you don’t feel the need to push for more in your work?
Action:
• Set higher expectations or stretch goals to encourage growth.
• Offer training or development opportunities to challenge the employee.
7. Lack of Career Growth or Development Opportunities
Signs to Observe:
• Employee expresses dissatisfaction with their career path or future prospects.
• Lack of interest in taking on more responsibilities or advancing in their role.
Questions to Ask:
• Do you see opportunities for growth and development in your current position?
• Are there any specific areas you would like to develop or explore further in your career?
Action:
• Discuss and create a clear career development plan with measurable goals.
• Identify potential leadership opportunities or cross-training options.
8. Toxic Work Environment or Peer Influence
Signs to Observe:
• Employee seems to be influenced negatively by peers or team dynamics.
• Increased signs of negativity, gossip, or discontent within the team.
• Low morale or tension among team members that affects productivity.
Questions to Ask:
• Are there any challenges within the team or with your colleagues that are affecting your work?
• How do you feel about the team dynamics and the atmosphere at work?
Action:
• Address any issues of toxicity or negative behavior within the team.
• Foster a culture of open communication and mutual respect.
9. Inadequate Tools or Resources
Signs to Observe:
• Employee seems frustrated with their tools or processes.
• Decline in performance due to lack of necessary resources or support.
• Employee struggles to complete tasks due to inefficient systems.
Questions to Ask:
• Do you have everything you need to complete your tasks effectively?
• Are there any tools or processes that you feel are hindering your ability to perform?
Action:
• Ensure that the employee has the right tools, training, and resources to do their job well.
• Investigate inefficiencies in systems or processes and make necessary improvements.