Deploy Diverse Skills is one of the seven MSP principles introduced in the 5th edition of Managing Successful Programmes. This principle recognises that programmes are complex, multifaceted endeavours that cannot be delivered successfully by a single skillset or a homogeneous team. Instead, they re…Deploy Diverse Skills is one of the seven MSP principles introduced in the 5th edition of Managing Successful Programmes. This principle recognises that programmes are complex, multifaceted endeavours that cannot be delivered successfully by a single skillset or a homogeneous team. Instead, they require the integration of a wide range of competencies, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds to navigate uncertainty and drive transformational change. Programmes typically span multiple projects, business functions, and stakeholder groups, meaning that leadership must blend strategic thinking, business acumen, technical expertise, change management, and interpersonal skills. Deploying diverse skills ensures that the programme benefits from balanced decision-making, creativity, and robust problem-solving, as varied viewpoints help challenge assumptions and reduce the risk of blind spots or groupthink. This principle also emphasises the importance of bringing together individuals from different disciplines, organisational levels, and even external partners, so that the programme team can respond flexibly to evolving circumstances. Effective programmes combine the vision and direction provided by senior leaders with the operational knowledge of those closer to delivery and the specialist input of subject matter experts. Diversity is not limited to professional skills; it also includes diversity of thought, culture, and experience, which enhances innovation and adaptability. Applying this principle requires deliberate effort to identify skill gaps, assemble complementary teams, and foster an inclusive environment where all contributions are valued. It supports collaboration across boundaries, breaking down silos that often hinder large-scale change. By deploying diverse skills, the programme increases its capacity to realise benefits, manage complexity, and sustain momentum through the transition to a new future state. Ultimately, this principle underpins the collaborative and integrative nature of programme management, ensuring that the right mix of capabilities is available at the right time to achieve the desired organisational outcomes and lasting transformation across the enterprise.
Deploy Diverse Skills: An MSP Principle Guide
Introduction Within the MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) framework, the principles provide the foundation upon which all programme activity is built. One of these key principles is Deploy Diverse Skills. This guide explains what the principle means, why it matters, how it works in practice, and how to answer exam questions about it effectively.
What is the 'Deploy Diverse Skills' Principle? The 'Deploy Diverse Skills' principle recognises that transformational change is complex and cannot be delivered by a single type of expertise or a narrow set of individuals. Programmes require a broad mix of leadership, management, technical, business, and interpersonal skills brought together in an integrated way.
In essence, this principle states that a programme must bring together people with a wide variety of experience, knowledge, and perspectives, and blend both leadership (setting direction and vision) and management (organising and controlling) capabilities. It emphasises that diversity of thought and skill produces better decision-making and more resilient delivery.
Why is it Important? Programmes operate in uncertain, ambiguous environments where the path to the desired outcome is rarely straightforward. Because of this, the following reasons make deploying diverse skills essential:
1. Complexity of change: Transformational change touches multiple business areas, requiring different specialist skills to succeed. 2. Better decision-making: Diverse perspectives challenge assumptions and reduce the risk of 'groupthink'. 3. Balancing leadership and management: A programme needs visionary leadership to inspire and align stakeholders, and disciplined management to control scope, cost, and risk. 4. Adaptability: A wide skill base allows the programme to respond flexibly to changing circumstances. 5. Stakeholder engagement: Diverse teams can better understand and relate to the varied needs of stakeholders.
How Does it Work? The principle is applied throughout the programme lifecycle in several practical ways:
Blending leadership and management: Leadership is about direction, motivation and vision, while management is about planning, monitoring and control. Successful programmes deliberately combine both.
Building integrated teams: Programme teams are assembled from people with complementary skills - business change managers, project managers, subject matter experts, and specialists - working collaboratively rather than in silos.
Encouraging collaboration: The principle promotes a culture where different viewpoints are valued and openly discussed, improving the quality of solutions.
Ongoing capability assessment: Programme management continually reviews whether the right mix of skills is available and brings in additional expertise where gaps exist.
Supporting the other principles: Deploying diverse skills reinforces principles such as 'Collaborate across boundaries' and 'Align with priorities', creating a coherent approach to managing the programme.
How to Answer Exam Questions on Deploy Diverse Skills Exam questions on this principle typically test whether you understand its meaning and can recognise it applied in scenarios. To answer well:
1. Identify the principle: Look for scenario clues about mixing skills, blending leadership and management, or bringing together varied expertise. 2. Link to the concept: Connect your answer to the idea that diversity of skill and thought improves programme outcomes. 3. Use precise terminology: Refer to 'leadership and management', 'integrated teams', and 'diverse perspectives'. 4. Avoid confusing principles: Distinguish this from 'Collaborate across boundaries', which focuses on working across organisational lines rather than the mix of skills itself.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Deploy Diverse Skills Tip 1: Remember the key phrase - blending leadership and management is the heart of this principle. Tip 2: In scenario questions, watch for words like 'variety of skills', 'different expertise', 'range of perspectives', or 'combining vision with control'. Tip 3: For 'select the correct principle' questions, eliminate options that describe boundaries, priorities, or benefits realisation. Tip 4: Justify your choice briefly by explaining how diverse skills reduce risk and improve decision quality. Tip 5: Keep answers concise and directly tied to MSP terminology; avoid generic HR-style answers about teamwork. Tip 6: Read the full stem carefully - MSP exam questions often include distractors that sound plausible but relate to a different principle.
Summary The 'Deploy Diverse Skills' principle ensures that programmes harness a broad range of leadership and management capabilities, expertise, and viewpoints. This diversity strengthens decision-making, improves adaptability, and increases the likelihood of successful transformational change. Mastering the meaning of this principle and recognising it within scenarios is key to scoring well in the MSP examination.
