The skills marketplace

To develop yourself in your profession, it helps if your peers know what you want to develop and can help you with it. This is not only about specific knowledge and skills but can also be about behavior. For your personal growth, it is important that you can ask for help and offer help. For some people, this is difficult. Investigate why this might be challenging for you and what you need to be more open and transparent. A fun exercise is the “skills marketplace”. In this exercise, a group of people (team or guild) works on their skills and development areas while simultaneously practicing the skill of asking for and giving help.

• Give the task: write individually two Post-it® Notes (with your name on them): one with your skill and one with your development area:

• What are you good at and can help others with?

• What are you less good at and need help with? 

• For example: I have 101 ideas and solutions, but I don’t act on them or finish them. I can offer to help generate ideas. I need help choosing, implementing, and finishing.

• Make a flipchart with a demand and supply side for the marketplace.

• Ask participants to stick their Post-it® with their skill on the supply side and their Post-it® with their development area on the demand side.

• Ask participants to pair up: find someone with an offer you can use. Or find someone who has a need you can offer help for.

• Engage in a conversation and discuss your skill and development area. Make both clearer. Help each other pinpoint what help is needed and how you can help each other. Write down concretely what your learning goal is, how you will practice it, and who could help you with it.

• Report back to the whole group what your learning goal is, what you will practice, and what help you need.