We have been discussing skills for so long that there is a temptation to dismiss anything skills-based as just another set of buzzwords. However, if anything, we aren't talking about skills enough and certainly not in the holistic way we need to be. Forward-thinking companies are already using skills-based approaches to solve critical business problems. These aren't abstract HR initiatives but data-driven transformations directly tied to revenue and operational outcomes. AI is helping to deconstruct jobs into tasks, map skills with precision, and deploy talent with unprecedented flexibility. So how are organizations making this transformation, and what does this mean for talent acquisition's role in driving business strategy?

My guest this week is Craig Friedman, Talent Skills Transformation Leader at St. Charles Consulting Group and author of the book "Enterprise Skills Unlocked,". In our conversation, he shares how skills-based organizations are solving real business challenges and fundamentally changing how HR and talent acquisition deliver value.

In the interview, we discuss:

Definitions and drivers

Moving from skills curious to skills ready

A data-driven HR Transformation

Building more effective talent processes by linking skills to people

The workforce planning revolution

Moving from headcount planning to capability planning

True talent intelligence

The role of AI

Driving mobility and opening up talent markets

Aligning HR and TA to business outcomes and strategy

Getting started

What the future will look like

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Ep 734 Why Skills Really Matter