Workplace Stories by RedThread Research

Why Skills are like Oxygen: Ericsson’s Vidya Krishnan + Peter Sheppard

May 8, 2024

Vidya Krishnan and Peter Sheppard from Ericsson discuss the importance of skills in the workplace, their systematic approach to skill development, and the shift towards a skills-based organization. They emphasize the connection between skills and corporate strategy, the evolution of skill requirements, and the significance of recognizing unique skills for individual success.

01:05:55

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Episode guests

Peter Sheppard

Vidya Krishnan

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Identifying and visualizing skills is crucial for leveraging their potential within organizations.

Erickson's culture supports continuous improvement and agile approaches to skills development.

Erickson's strategy involves defining global critical skills while empowering job role owners to update specific skills, ensuring alignment with business goals.

Deep dives

Skills as Oxygen

Skills are compared to oxygen by Vidya Krishnan, representing the invisible yet vital nature of skills. Emphasizing the need to identify and visualize these skills to leverage their potential and impact within an organization.

Introduction

5min

Exploring Skills Strategies at Erickson with Vidya and Peter

3min

Building a Skills-Based Organization

12min

The Evolution of Skills at Ericsson

15min

Hilarious Misheard Song Lyrics and Team Leadership Insights

4min

Evolution of Skills Architecture and Technology Integration

26min

Navigating Workforce Planning and Skill Recognition in an Evolving Work Environment

3min

“Skills are like oxygen, invisible but necessary.”

This mindset shift is the brainchild of Vidya Krishnan, the Chief Learning Officer, and Peter Sheppard, the Head of the Global L&D Ecosystem at Ericsson.

Much of their job is identifying the oxygen and making it visible so they can do something with it. To do this, they’re taking a top-down and bottom-up approach. They’ve worked with senior leadership to define seven key skills they think everyone in the organization needs. They also work with the job leaders who own the skills to make sure their skills taxonomy is continuously updated.

Vidya and Peter are passionate about what they do. They’re working tirelessly to systemize learning to take care of and serve the individual. Because, ultimately, systems-first means people-first.

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Workplace Stories by RedThread Research

Why Skills are like Oxygen: Ericsson’s Vidya Krishnan + Peter Sheppard

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Skills as Oxygen

Cultural Support for Skill Development

Top-Down and Bottom-Up Skill Approach

Skills Adjacency and Intelligence in Career Fairs

Establishing an Integrated Architecture for Skills and Job Roles

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts