We live in a world where businesses need to be increasingly competitive and adaptable. To stay in the market, companies need to find the methods and means to develop their employees’ skills; as a result, their people too need to be open to continuous learning.

This aspect has become strategic in recent years, in the same way that physical training is for an athlete.

And, just like in any sport, companies also need a clear plan, a consistent routine, and the will to improve every day.

But what is a skill matrix and what is it used for?

A skill matrix is a visual tool that represents the who and the what—people and skills—within a team. A skill matrix can be used to:

• map the current skills of individuals
• identify areas for improvement
• plan harmonious, continuous, and measurable development

I chose to describe this process using a sports metaphor, as the parallel is quite evocative:

• skills are like exercises
• training is learning
• projects are the competition arena

Anyone who is used to working out seriously knows that just “randomly training” is not enough to truly improve. You need a structured program, clear goals, consistency, and measurement. The same applies to professional growth in a company.

Last week, while training, I reflected on how much similarity there actually is between a company’s skill matrix and a workout plan.

I identified six common elements:

1. Clear goals
Training always starts with a goal: building muscle mass, winning a competition, qualifying for the Olympics. Similarly, a skill matrix starts from a need: making a person autonomous, improving skills, or balancing competencies within the team. In both cases, growth doesn’t happen by chance. A clear direction is needed.

2. Check-up
Before designing a training plan, the coach evaluates the athlete’s physical condition, identifying the AS-IS state.
In a company, likewise, the HR department or manager assesses the competence level of team members. Without a measured starting point, it’s impossible to build a realistic development plan or track progress.

3. Personalised plan
Spoiler alert for some of you: no good coach gives all athletes the same training. The skill matrix must also be personalised based on the role, goals, and individual. There should be a balance between requirements of the role and personal ambitions.

4. Smart overload
In sports, effort increases progressively. Depending on the goal, the number of exercises, reps, or weights is adjusted.
At work, increasing challenges are assigned: shadowing, more complex projects, cross-functional roles. The skill matrix helps plan these “growth loads”, avoiding stagnation or unsustainable overloads.

5. The mirror and the trainer
An athlete sees their results and receives constant feedback from their coach. In companies too, a skill matrix is only useful if kept updated and integrated with real moments of discussion: periodic evaluations and one-to-ones.

6. Growth as a process
The training plan changes, it needs to adapt to progress, to be updated. A skill matrix, when used well, is a dynamic tool—not a file to be archived. It requires commitment, continuity, and above all, time.

All this to say that adopting a skill matrix in a company is not just an exercise—it’s a true training journey for skills. Like in sports, those who truly grow are those who are willing to measure themselves, to train, and to adapt over time.

Whether in sport or in business, the logic is the same: train to get stronger.