Expertise
Do you have deep specialists, not just generalists?
What it measures
Whether the company develops and retains deep expertise in the things that matter to the business, and whether that expertise is shared across the team rather than hoarded.
Why it matters
Competing on quality and innovation requires specialists. A team full of generalists can handle anything at average quality; a team with targeted expertise handles the hard problems at high quality.
What good looks like
- Critical domains have a named expert with a named successor
- Knowledge is shared through documentation and teaching
- Development plans are customised to grow deep skills, not just breadth
- Expertise is recognised and rewarded, not taken for granted
How it evolves across levels
- L1 Foundation
Critical expertise areas are identified.
- L2 Structure
Successors are named for key experts.
- L3 Performance
Knowledge transfer is structured, not ad-hoc.
- L4 Excellence
Expertise development is a career path.
- L5 Mastery
The company is known for depth in its domain.