"Skills are just a lazy proxy for work." | A transparent debate with FM’s Mike Manning & Preethi Gowda on why business problems must dictate talent data.

It is rare to hear two leaders from the same organization move past the corporate script and into a "healthy debate" about the very foundation of their work. In this episode, Mike Manning (VP, HR Data & Innovation) and Preethi Gowda (Global People Insights Lead) from FM do exactly that. While Preethi advocates for the proactive power of layering skills with knowledge and ability , Mike challenges the "skills revolution" as a lazy proxy for understanding the actual tasks that drive revenue. They don't always agree on the terminology, but they are perfectly aligned on the outcome: if HR doesn't speak the language of the P&L, it isn't doing its job.

• 01:31 – The positive start: Mike and Preethi’s differing takes on a world without skills data.

• 08:22 – Sparring over "The Skill-Based Organization" vs. the reality of the job.

• 13:01 – Mike’s wake-up call: "You lost me when you called me an HR professional".

• 18:10 – The SIPOC Framework: A Six Sigma approach to talent.

• 28:15 – Case Study: How Preethi and Mike’s joint investigation saved $3M by slowing down hiring.

• 43:04 – The collaborative "Hard Question" for our next guest.