It’s not a Vacancy – It’s a Capability Gap

Across boardrooms and executive meetings this year, I’ve noticed something striking: executives are talking a lot about roles - but not enough about capability.

The focus is almost always on vacancies - what's open, what’s urgent, and who can fill it. But in a market shaped by demographic shifts, emerging tech, and increasingly fluid career paths, the real risk isn’t an open role. It’s a critical capability gap - one you may not realise you have until it's too late.

We are working with several companies right now who are facing exactly this issue. They’ve hired smart people, filled the roles, but somehow execution still struggles. Teams are busy but not always aligned and leaders are stretched, but not always confident. And the question becomes: have we built a team, or just filled seats?

Just this month, at the Samaggi Academic & Career Conference in London, I met dozens of exceptional Thai students studying abroad. They weren’t just asking about job openings - they were asking about environments. “Where will I be supported to grow?” “Who will I learn from?” “Will I be set up to succeed?” These aren’t candidate questions; in fact, these are capability questions.

Design Starts with Direction

Strong organisations don’t start by hiring for roles. They start by asking: What do we need to be great at next year? That question shifts the conversation - from job descriptions to value creation, from headcount to capability.

When we work with clients on workforce planning, we look beyond structure. We focus on business strategy, leadership bandwidth, and the true drivers of performance. We map not just who is doing the work, but how it’s getting done, where judgement lives, and what’s missing.

Because the truth is, most organisational structures are built to reflect control, not capability. And in a fast-moving market, that’s not enough.

Organisational Charts Don’t Build Capability - People Do

A job title doesn't guarantee impact. Capability lives in how people think, make decisions, work together, and adapt. So, if you're still using yesterday’s job profiles to hire for tomorrow’s challenges, you’re not building capability, you’re just repopulating the past.

One of our clients - a fast-growing Thai services business - recently pivoted its growth strategy toward regional expansion. Instead of immediately recruiting for “country manager” roles, they began by identifying the capabilities needed to lead cross-border teams, manage regulatory complexity, and adapt delivery models to new markets. That insight shaped their entire talent strategy and avoided costly mis-hires.

Final Thought

This year, shift the question. Don’t just ask, “Who do we need to hire?”
Ask: “What do we need to be great at?” And then: “Do we have it?”

Capability-building is not an HR exercise - it’s a leadership responsibility, and it’s the difference between momentum and mediocrity.

If you’re ready to stop filling roles and start building capability, we’d be glad to help.