how to improve skills

Hello,
The best way to improve your skills is through formal trainings/courses as first stage, then the most effective thing to do will be to practice what you've learnt, for example to use your new skills in a work project. Remember that you need to feel motivated to develop that specific skill, this will make your process much easier and successful.
Regards

Hi,
I would add that in Nokia we have several ways of learning through/with others, which also lead to improving skills - just like Daniela described - buddies, coaches, mentors, knowledge sharing communities, networking, webinars, e-learning courses, podcasts and formal trainings all help improve skills.
Practice is key, just like with sports, music or languages;-) and asking for feedback from peers, colleagues or one's line manager also help keep you on your learning and development path.

Hi – Thank you for asking this learning and development question which is key to all professionals’ sustained workplace success. The question of “how to improve skills”, which falls under the broader category of performance improvement, is wide-ranging and has numerous theoretical and non-theoretical solutions. Whichever performance improvement approach(es) you might choose to undertake; a word of advice is to engage your supervisor/line manager as part of the process. For this response to the question of “how to improve skills”, summary of one such theory-based performance-improvement approach will be presented.

Because performance problems are usually systemic in nature, a short answer to “how to improve skills” (i.e., workplace performance) is through environmental and individual performance analysis and by designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating feasible performance improvement interventions. Performance improvement interventions may include training and/or non-training interventions such as (1) up-to-date work instructions for the performance environment, frequent and relevant feedback from one’s supervisor, effective materials and tools for the job, adequate monetary and non-monetary incentives from the organization, and (2) the performer (i.e., the individual) possessing the expected knowledge and skills to do the job, completing well-designed training interventions that matches the workplace performance requirements, having the aptitude and physical ability needed to perform as expected, having the motivation to perform, and being a good match for the job.

When considering the best advice for individuals asking how to improve skills, what comes to mind most are (1) Van Tiem’s, Moseley’s, and Dessinger’s Performance Improvement/Human Performance Technology (HPT) Model and (2) Dr. Thomas Gilbert’s BEM (Behavior Engineering Model). To operationalize the Performance Improvement/HPT Model, a performance analysis must first be completed (where the current workplace performance is compared to the desired future workplace performance) to determine whether a performance need/opportunity (i.e., a performance gap) indeed exists. If a performance gap is found to exist, performance improvement intervention(s) selection, design, development, implementation, and evaluation are executed to address the performance gap. In alignment with the Performance Improvement/HPT Model, among the first steps in Dr. Gilbert’s BEM are to determine the root cause(s) for performance problems or opportunities and to specify the desired degree of performance in terms of behavior and accomplishment.

Dr. Gilbert’s BEM offers that performance problems result most often from environmental performance factors such as lack of relevant information, insufficient resources, and/or inadequate incentives; and that performance problems result least often from individual performance factors such as knowledge, capacity, and/or motives. For example, when individuals receive clear directions and instructions, frequent and relevant feedback from their supervisor and colleagues, and tools/systems that help improve their workplace effectiveness, motivated performers will likely seek to modify their performance to increase positive consequences. Because effective performance improvement interventions must address behavior and accomplishment, focusing first on the performer to address behavior, rather than first accounting for environmental support factors, individuals’ performance improvements are unlikely to reach full potential.

REFERENCES

Gilbert, T. F. (2007). Human competence: Engineering worthy performance. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Van Tiem, D. M., Moseley, J. L., & Dessinger, J. C. (2012). Human performance technology model. Fundamentals of Performance Improvement: Optimizing results through people, processes, and organizations. ISPI/Wiley. Retrieved from http://www.ispi.org/images/ISPI/About%20ISPI%20Images/HPT-Model-2012.jpg