A Practical Story About Introducing Competency Management in an Organization
Kerstin Biesdorf is responsible for people development in a company with around 50 employees. When she took on this role, people development in this form did not yet exist. Trust first had to be built – while at the same time there was the task of introducing a tool that would deeply affect collaboration, feedback, and competency development.
That is exactly what we talked about.
In an in-depth practical interview, Kerstin Biesdorf shared her experiences with introducing Teammeter – openly, thoughtfully, and with a clear view of what worked and what did not. The conversation was conducted by Lisa Carolin Wehking, Customer Success Manager at Teammeter, who closely supported Kerstin throughout the introduction.
What makes this practical story special:
It is not about a perfect tool rollout, but about real decisions, typical challenges, and concrete insights from practice. Kerstin did not simply introduce Teammeter, but developed it step by step together with managers and teams – deliberately and without pressure.
Her central question was not:
Which tool should we use?
But rather:
How can we introduce competency management without triggering a sense of control – and how do we truly bring teams along on that journey?
Starting Point: Introducing Competency Management Without Focusing on Evaluation
Kerstin’s goal was clear: people development should not remain abstract, but provide orientation for managers and support teams in developing their competencies in a targeted way. It was not about managing people, but about making development visible and usable in everyday work.
Before deciding on Teammeter, she reviewed several tools. Many appeared to focus strongly on individual evaluations or left little room for collaboration within teams. For Kerstin, it quickly became clear that such an approach to competency management would create resistance rather than foster development within the organization.
Why a Team-Centered Approach Is Crucial in Competency Management
After comparing several solutions, two aspects of Teammeter stood out for Kerstin in particular: the team-centered approach and the user interface. She was especially convinced by the fact that Teammeter does not stop at individual assessments, but places roles, collaboration, and development within the team at the center.
At the same time, she felt that the tool sparks curiosity and invites people to explore it – especially team members who are open to new topics. For Kerstin, one thing was clear: competency development can only be sustainable if teams work on it together and development is not controlled from the outside.
Introducing a Competency Matrix: Why Starting With Managers Was Key
Instead of involving all teams at the same time, Kerstin consciously decided against a classic rollout plan. There was no fixed timeline, no “Team A in January, Team B in February.”
Her experience in people development had shown her that competency management cannot be imposed.
That is why Teammeter was first introduced within the management group. The logic was simple: if managers do not experience the value themselves, competency development remains an HR topic with no real impact on daily work.
This step proved to be a central success factor for the later introduction in additional teams.
The First Workshop: Personal Profiles Instead of Theoretical Training
The first workshop was deliberately not designed as a classic software training session. Initially, the focus was on roles within the organization, especially leadership roles. Only after that did the group start working with Teammeter.
The decisive moment came when each manager was able to work on their own personal profile.
Suddenly, competency management was no longer abstract or “for others,” but directly relevant. It was about one’s own role, strengths, and development areas. This personal involvement became a key lever for acceptance and genuine interest.
An Early Step With Major Impact: Peer Feedback
One particularly impactful element was the early introduction of peer feedback. This format had not previously been established within the company.
Giving feedback requires courage – especially when it is new. That is why Kerstin consciously framed the topic and included a short conceptual introduction. What does constructive feedback mean? What is it for? And what is it not?
The effect was clearly noticeable. Even though it felt unfamiliar at first, participants quickly benefited from it. Feedback was not experienced as evaluation, but as a learning impulse – exactly as competency development is intended.
A Typical Challenge When Introducing a Competency Matrix: Scales Are Interpreted as Evaluation
Despite the positive experiences, a typical challenge emerged – one that many organizations face.
As soon as scales become visible, many people do not think about development, but about evaluation.
“Am I good enough?”
“Is this a target level?”
“What happens if I am below it?”
For Kerstin, it was clear: if this perception dominates, competency management loses its actual purpose. That is why language was used very deliberately. Evaluative terms were avoided and relationships were explained repeatedly.
The guiding question always remained:
Where do I want to develop myself – and what kind of support helps me get there?
Linking competencies to concrete training opportunities was particularly helpful. This made development tangible instead of theoretical.
Voluntary Participation Instead of a Rollout Plan: An Underestimated Success Factor
One key decision during the rollout was not to make Teammeter mandatory. Kerstin deliberately chose voluntary participation – an approach that is often viewed critically in people development.
Her experience was clear: voluntary participation created acceptance.
Teams that were not yet involved became curious when they saw how other teams were already working with the tool. The rollout developed from within the organization – without pressure and without top-down persuasion.
Second Round, New Learnings: What Was Done Differently on Purpose
With the second team, Kerstin took a more focused approach. Not because the first approach was wrong, but because she had learned from experience.
The workshop was more clearly structured:
- first, personal competencies
- then feedback
- and only afterwards the team matrix
Another deliberate change was that openness of the team matrix was no longer assumed, but actively discussed. The second team was more reserved, and Kerstin wanted a clear, shared commitment before moving forward.
A Practical Observation: Concerns Often Come From Managers
One surprising insight emerged: the greatest concerns did not come from the teams, but from managers. These concerns were less technical and more emotional – driven by fear of triggering something within the team or losing trust.
This highlighted how important experience, trust, and a good sense for team dynamics are. Because she was not part of the hierarchy but acted in a supporting role, Kerstin was able to approach the process more boldly.
What Companies Should Consider When Introducing Competency Management
Clear best practices can be derived from these experiences:
- Competency management only works if trust comes before structure
- Managers are key players in the rollout
- Scales need context, otherwise they create pressure
- Personal profiles foster acceptance and ownership
- Voluntary participation accelerates introduction rather than slowing it down
- A tool cannot replace mindset, but it can make it visible
Conclusion: Competency Management Is Not a Tool Project
For Kerstin, this did not feel like a classic software implementation, but like a shared development process. The rollout was not a one-time project, but the starting point for continuous team work.
Teammeter delivers the greatest value where competency development is taken seriously – not as a control mechanism, but as a shared responsibility.
Next Steps: Starting Competency Management the Right Way
Are you facing a similar challenge?
If you want to introduce competency management not by simply rolling it out, but by developing it together with managers and teams, feel free to talk to us. In a non-binding conversation, we will explore what a meaningful starting point could look like for your organization – including a pilot setup and personal support.