Tech Skills Are Not Enough

I was recently asked to reflect on a pivotal moment in running my IT company – the moment I realised that technical skills alone were not enough. We needed to think about skills in a far broader context than just hiring people who could fix things.

The situation that forced this realisation nearly cost us a major client relationship. And it taught me one of the most expensive lessons of my career.

The Technical Talent Trap

Like most MSP owners, I was obsessed with hiring raw technical talent. People who could solve problems. People who knew their stuff inside and out.

But here is what I did not understand at the time: we were not actually looking for people who could solve problems. We were looking for people who could solve technical issues.

There is a massive difference between the two, and confusing them will cripple your business.

When Technical Expertise Becomes a Liability

In a purely technical environment, it is dangerously easy to believe that technical problems exist in isolation. You start thinking that every issue has a technical root cause and a technical solution.

Your team becomes laser-focused on the minutiae. You end up with a room full of highly paid subject matter experts who are brilliant at what they do – but only what they do.

The problem? Life is complicated and nuanced.

Just because someone can fix a problem in one area does not mean they understand how it relates to another area. And when real-world problems arise – the kind with multiple moving parts – these technical wizards double down on just the bit they know.

The Customer Reality Check

Here is the uncomfortable truth that took me years to accept: most of the time, customers do not care about technical problems.

They do not even care that there is a technical problem to be fixed.

They care that there is an operational problem disrupting their business. And, operational problems are rarely solved by technical expertise alone.

The Technical Mindset, ‘The server's RAM is failing, causing application crashes.’

The Customer Reality, ‘Our sales team cannot access the CRM during peak hours, we are losing deals, and our biggest client is threatening to walk.’

See the difference? One focuses on the technical symptom. The other focuses on the business impact.

The Generalist vs Specialist Revelation

This revelation forced us to rethink our hiring strategy fundamentally.

We started looking for generalists rather than specialists. Now, do not misunderstand – you absolutely need people who are highly skilled in particular fields. Technical expertise is still crucial.

But those technical skills need to be tempered. They need to be married to people who understand the bigger context of what you are trying to achieve.

What We Used to Hire For:

• Deep technical knowledge in specific areas

• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues

• Industry certifications and technical credentials

• Problem-solving skills (within their domain)

What We Started Hiring For:

• Technical competence paired with business awareness

• Ability to see connections between different systems and processes

• Communication skills to translate technical issues into business language

• Collaborative mindset to work across disciplines

The Human Problems Equation

The biggest lesson we learned: when you are convinced you have enough technical people to answer the technical questions, stop looking for more people who know how things work.

Start finding people who know how the parts fit together and how to resolve human problems.

Because here is the reality that most MSPs refuse to acknowledge: human problems are 90% operational, 10% technical.

Real-World Examples: When Technical Skills Fall Short

The Email Migration Disaster. Our team executed a flawless technical migration. Every mailbox was transferred perfectly, with zero data loss and minimal downtime – technical success by every measure.

However, we failed to communicate the change process to end users. We did not train them on the new interface. We did not set expectations about the transition period.

Result? The client was furious, not because of technical failures, but because their staff were confused, frustrated, and unproductive.

The Backup Solution That Nobody Used. We implemented a state-of-the-art backup solution. Automated, redundant, foolproof. Technically brilliant.

But we never established clear procedures for who was responsible for monitoring it. We did not train the client's staff on recovery procedures. We did not integrate it into their business continuity planning.

When disaster struck, the backup worked perfectly. But the client could not restore their data because no one knew the process.

Building a Balanced Team

The solution is not to stop hiring technical experts. It is to build a team where technical skills are enhanced by operational awareness.

The Technical-Operational Bridge. Look for people who can:

• Understand technical systems AND their business impact

• Communicate with both engineers and executives

• See problems from multiple perspectives

• Think beyond their immediate technical domain

The Collaboration Multiplier. Create an environment where specialists work together on a regular basis. The networking expert should understand how their decisions affect the security specialist. The security specialist should know how their policies impact user productivity.

The Customer Context Champion. Ensure someone on every project team understands the client's business model, operational challenges, and strategic goals. Technical decisions should always be filtered through this business lens.

The Skills Matrix Revolution

We completely overhauled our hiring and development approach:

Technical Foundation (40%)

• Core competencies in their primary discipline

• Continuous learning and certification maintenance

• Deep problem-solving abilities within their domain

Operational Awareness (30%)

• Understanding of business processes and workflows

• Knowledge of how technical systems support business operations

• Ability to assess the business impact of technical decisions

Communication Skills (20%)

• Translate technical concepts into business language

• Listen actively to understand underlying business needs

• Collaborate effectively across disciplines

Strategic Thinking (10%)

• See the bigger picture beyond immediate technical fixes

• Understand client business models and challenges

• Think proactively about future needs and opportunities

The Bottom Line: Systems Thinking Wins

The most successful MSPs understand that they are not in the business of fixing technical problems. They are in the business of solving operational challenges that happen to have technical components.

Your technical expertise is the foundation, but it is not the whole building. The real value comes from understanding how all the pieces fit together – technical, operational, and human.

Your Action Plan: Building Beyond Technical

Audit Your Current Team

• Map out each team member's technical skills

• Identify gaps in operational and business awareness

• Look for opportunities to cross-train and broaden perspectives

Revise Your Hiring Criteria

• Add operational awareness questions to technical interviews

• Test candidates' ability to explain technical concepts in business terms

• Look for evidence of collaborative problem-solving

Create Cross-Functional Projects

• Pair technical specialists with client-facing team members

• Rotate engineers through different client engagements

• Encourage participation in business planning discussions

Develop Business Acumen

• Train technical staff on common business processes

• Share client feedback and business impact metrics

• Include operational context in all technical training

Final Thought: The Human Element Always Wins

Remember this: customers do not buy technical solutions; they buy solutions to their problems. 

The moment your team understands this distinction, everything changes. Technical problems become business opportunities. System failures become chances to demonstrate value.

Complex technical environments become streamlined operational advantages.

Stop hiring just for technical skills. Start building teams that solve human problems.

→ Review your last three challenging client situations. How many were purely technical vs operational/communication issues?

 → Assess your current team's balance of technical vs operational skills.

 → Create a development plan to enhance business awareness across your technical team.