What's better for increased business performance: employee certification or employee skills? Recently the founder of a leadership company asked me that question, and I wanted to expand on this topic because it's an important one that business executives are always debating. You may find yourself in a position to move a very skilled employee up within the organization, but are there certificates they need for you to be comfortable with that decision. Or reverse that, if someone comes to your company with acronyms and alphabet soup after their name and a portfolio of certificates looking for hire, does that mean they have the skills to do what you need them to do?