What is a competency?

An underlying characteristic of an individual

which is causally related to superior
performance

Competencies can be motives, traits, self-

concept, attitudes or values, content
knowledge, or cognitive or behavioral skills -
any individual characteristic that can be
measured reliably and that can be shown to
differentiate significantly between superior
and average performers
 What is a Competency?

Competencies
 What are Competencies?
Definition
COMPETENCIES What superior
performers do more
often, more
BEHAVIORS
(actions) completely and
consistently
Observable behaviors
OUTPUTS that make a
difference
ORGANIZATION
The how side of
RESULTS performance
 Competencies help Integrate HR
Programs

Recruiting
Assessment
& selection
all that separates you from
your competitors are the skills, Business
knowledge, commitment, and process Compensation &
rewards
abilities of the people who work
for you Competency
Career Framework New hire
roadmaps orientation

Performance Training &

management development

Succession
planning
 Needs Competency Models Address

Hiring the best available people

Aligning Behavior with Organizational
Strategies and Values
Giving people clear objectives
Measuring their achievements and delivering
unbiased feedback
Maximizing Productivity
Adapting to change
 Guiding Principles for Competency Model
Competency Model Development
Principles
1. The competency model should be
aligned with the organizations
objectives and culture
Aligned with
2. The competency model should be ORGANIZATION
developed through research and strategies, culture
validated by subject matter and
experts and top management modernization
efforts
3. The competency model should lend
itself to multiple HR programs
including recruitment and selection, Built and validated
performance management, and with input from
training ORGANIZATION Integrated into
Leaders HR processes
4. The competency model should be
clear and compelling, and easy to
communicate
 Competencies Prescriptively Define the
Expected Level of Proficiency
1. Leading Change
Definition: Includes facilitating and communicating change across the organization, and overcoming
resistance.
Key Concepts Facilitates change Communicates change Overcomes resistance

Sample Indicators Sample Indicators Sample Indicators

Developing Performs own work in a
Still developing; may way that is consistent with
show proficiency in the culture change
some areas
Proficient Translates organizations Tailors culture change
Fully proficient without new direction into specific
additional coaching steps that enable others to
implement change
Expert Actively oversees and
Seen as role model; champions the new culture
teaches others change priorities across
organization
Promotes an I can culture Identifies and effectively
to various audiences works through resistance
to change
Anticipates barriers and
messages to win over key resistance to change and
stakeholders achieves successful
resolution
Creates/delivers a clear Directly confronts
and compelling vision to significant challenges and
focus key internal/external leads efforts to convert
stakeholders on priorities resistance into strong
support

1. Competency name and definition

2. Key concepts or dimensions
3. Descriptions of sample behavioral indicators at three stages or levels
Developing Competency Model
 Approach to Model Development
Project
Planning
Meeting
Expert Panel BEI

Clarify Steering Identify

Roles/Jobs Group Interview Sample
Meeting

Run Conduct
Expert Panels Interviews

Analyse
Interviews
Prepare
Model

Design
Questionnaire
for Validation

Validate
Model

Design Development
Applications Resource
Guide

e.g e.g. e.g. e.g. e.g.

Career Selection Performance Succession Development
Pathing Process Management Analysis Workshops
 Data Collection tools

Behavioral Events Interview

Expert Panels
Surveys
Job Analysis
Role Analysis
Repertory Grid
Direct Observation
 Behavioral Events Interview

Advantages
Empirical identification of competencies
Precision about how competencies are
expressed
Freedom from gender, cultural bias
Generation of data for assessment, training,
etc.
 Behavioral Events Interview

Disadvantages

Time and expense

Expertise requirements
Missed job tasks
 Expert Panels

Advantages

Quick and efficient collection of a great deal of

valuable data
Helps ensure better buy-in
 Expert Panels

Disadvantages
Possible identification of folklore or
motherhood items.
Omission of critical competency factors which
panelists are unaware of.
 Surveys

Advantages

Quick and cheap collection of sufficient data

for statistical analyses
A large number of employees can provide
input
Help build consensus
 Surveys

Disadvantages

Data are limited to items and concepts

included in the survey
It cannot identify new competencies or
nuances of competency
Can also be inefficient
 Job Analysis

Advantages

Produces complete job descriptions

Can validate or elaborate on data collected by
other methods
 Job Analysis

Disadvantages

Provides characteristics of job rather than

those of the people who do the job well
Task lists too detailed to be practical and do
not separate truly important tasks from the
routine activities
 Direct Observation

Advantages
A good way to check competencies suggested
by panel, survey, and BEI

Disadvantage
Expensive and inefficient
 Conducting BEI

Introduction and Explanation

Job Responsibilities/typical workday
Behavioral Events
Characteristics needed to do the job
Conclusion and summary
 Behavioral Code
It is a statement beginning with I (first person singular) that describe
what the candidate did, said, thought or felt
It is a statement in first person singular in which the candidate is
describing her/his involvement in one situation
Statements that indicate (although not in first person singular) the
personal involvement of the candidate in a particular situation
Statement in which the candidate describes in detail his/her activities in a
particular situation
Statements that describe what the candidate did in the past and repeated
in the particular situation.
 List of Competencies
Achievement Resilience &
Cost consciousness Initiative/Proactive
Orientation Perseverance
Adaptability &
Creativity & Innovation Integrity Resourceful
Flexibility
Result Orientation/Goal
Analytical Orientation Customer Orientation Interpersonal Sensitivity
Orientation
Decision Making Leadership Risk Taking
Learning/Development
Business Acumen Decisiveness Self-Awareness
Orientation
Change Management Detail Orientation Managing Diversity Self-Confidence
Development of
Communication skill Networking Sense of excellence
Subordinates/Others
Conceptual Thinking Empathy Planning & Organizing Strategic Orientation

Conflict Management Energy & Enthusiasm Political Sensitivity Stress Tolerance

Confrontation &
Impact on Others Proactive Team Orientation
Assertiveness
Influencing/Persuasive Problem Solving &
Conscientiousness Technical Expertise
Skills Decision Making

Quality consciousness Tolerance of Ambiguity

Assessment Centre Approach to
Competency Mapping
 WHAT IS AN ASSESSMENT CENTRE?

Multiple Participants
Multiple Methods
Stress on Situational Methods
Multiple Assessors
Behaviorally Based
Founded Competencies
Integration of Data
 ASSESSMENT CENTRES IN HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Selection

Promotion and Transfer

High Potential Identification

Training and Development

Human Resource Planning

 A TYPICAL ASSESSMENT CENTRE
Candidates participate in a series of exercises that simulate on-the-job situations

Trained assessors carefully observe and document the behaviors displayed by the
participants. Each assessor observes each participant at least once

Assessors individually write evaluations reports, documenting their observations of

each participants performance

Assessors integrate the data through a consensus discussion process, led by the
center administrator, who documents the ratings and decisions

Each participant receives objective performance information from the administrator

or one of the assessors
 These arent Assessment Centres
Multiple-interview processes (panel or sequential)
Paper-and pencil test batteries (regardless of how
scores are integrated)
Individual clinical assessments
Single work sample tests
Multiple measurement techniques without data
integration nor is
Labeling a building the Assessment Center
 VALIDITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIFFERENT
SELECTION METHODS
Assessment Centre 0.65
Work Sample Tests 0.54
Cognitive Ability Tests 0.53
Personality Tests 0.39
Bio-data 0.38
References 0.23
Interviews 0.19
Competency Based Interview 0.48+
 TYPES OF SITUATIONAL EXERCISES

COMPLEXITY %OF ACs USING

THE EXERCISE

High Business Game 25

In-Basket 81
GD: Assigned 44
GD: Non-assigned 59
Oral Presentation 46
Case Analysis 73
Fact Finding 38
Low Interview Simulation 47
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE METHOD AND PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL

PA AC

Criteria Past & Present Job Anticipation of future Job

Performance Performance
Observation Past Behavior Present Behavior

Task Observed Non-uniform Uniform

Assessor One Observer (often) Several Observers

Dimensions Measured Often Perceived differently Attempted clarity

Consensus Little discussion Much discussion

 EXERCISES, COMPETENCIES, AND RATINGS

Exercises Within Exercise Overall Overall

Competency Competency Assessment
Observations Ratings Ratings

Prelim Final Prelim Final

GD
Behaviors
1 Leadership
2 Decision-making
3 Assertiveness
4
5 Leadership
Overall
Fact Finding Decision Making Assessment
Behaviors Rating
1 Leadership Assertiveness
2 Decision-making
3 Assertiveness
4
5
 Qualities of Assessors
Commitment to the AC concept and process
People-orientation and empathy
An astute observer and good listener
Attention to detail, systematic and organized
Well-respected and free from bias
Track record of developing staff
Good Oral and written communication
Flexible
Ability to confront and to be confronted
High energy level
High work standards
 Assessor Training Content
Introduction to Assessment Centre

The Competencies

The Behavioral Assessment Process

Practising the assessment process on the exercises

Non-exercise components of the AC

The Assessor Discussion

How to give feedback
 Minimum Goals of Assessor Training

Must Exhibit a Thorough Knowledge of

The Organization and jobs

Assessment Techniques, relevant competencies etc.
Typical Behaviors
Recording and Classifying Behavior to competencies
Evaluating and Rating Procedure
Assessment Policies of the organization including how data
will be used
Feedback procedure
Role Playing
 Resilience
Your performance in this competency was below the required standard overall
In the GD exercise you remained calm and effective, persevering with your arguments she has
all the skills necessary to do the job, she is a very strong candidate, we will be lucky to
get her until your candidate was accepted by the group.

Your performance in the one-to-one interview with Simon was well below the standards
expected. You became agitated with Simon, wagged your finger at him stating, this
situation is not acceptable and I will not allow this situation to continue. You did not
attempt to alter your approach to win Simon over and convince him of the need to alter his
behavior. No acceptable solution was found by the end of the exercise.

In the presentation exercise, your presentation was delivered in a calm and effective manner.
When the assessor changed the budget figure and asked how this would affect your
recommendations you became flustered and replied sharply youll have to give me time to
re-work it.

To be effective in this competency, it is necessary to maintain a high level of performance

across a range of challenging situations. This can be achieved by remaining calm, reacting
to changes positively and adapting your style to ensure an acceptable solution is found to
the problem.
 Why ACs Fail?

Poor Planning
Shifts in Personnel
Burden of Preliminary Work (CM/JA)
Assessors develop cold feet
Results are misused/unused
Lack of predictive ability
Lack of continued senior mgmnt support
Use of same assessors/exercises