CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Competencies
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It's got to be a
vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion." – Theodore
Hesburgh, President of the University of Notre Dame

Leadership translates vision into reality by inspiring followers to want to

experience the change process. And to influence their followers to willingly jump
into that experience, leaders need a specific set of competencies to guide their
actions. Although competencies will always differ from one leader to the next,
having a core set to draw from increases their chance for success. These
competencies can be thought of as the inner tools for motivating employees,
directing systems and processes, and guiding the business towards common goals
that allow the organization to increase its value.

To ensure leaders are able to achieve the required goals and objectives, an
organization needs to develop and implement a performance based leadership
appraisal process. The goal is to leverage their leaders' competencies to drive the
organization's performance. This is best accomplished through an evaluation
process that provides feedback as to which competencies meet standards, and
which competencies must be improved. It also allows the organization to hire
people who meet, or can be trained to the competency standards.

Although many people believe that only the top echelon are leaders, while the rest
are managers or supervisors, would leave many organizations open to the whims
of the informal leaders that can be found scattered throughout the ranks. While a
small company may find that having only one leader works fine, larger and highly
competitive environments know that having a number of smaller visions
supporting the top organizational goals helps them to do more faster and better.

On the other hand, an organization may call its managers or supervisors leaders,
but this does not make it so. They may have the authority to accomplish certain
tasks and objectives throughout the organization, but this power does not make
them leaders...it simply makes them the boss if they do not have the trust and
vision that goes with true leadership.

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Competency + Attitude = Performance

Competency is the state or quality of being adequately or well qualified to perform

a task. It is synonymous with ability. A person gains competency through
education, training, experience, or natural abilities. While there are many
definitions of competency, most of them have two common components:

 The competencies are observable or measurable Knowledge, Skills, and

Abilities (KSA).
 These KSAs must distinguish between superior and other performers.

Conversely, performance is the accomplishment of a task in accordance with a set

standard of completeness and accuracy. While a person may have the skills or
knowledge (competency) to perform a task, does not mean he or she will have the
desire (attitude) to do so correctly (performance). In other words, competencies
give a person the ability to perform, while attitudes give a person the desire to
perform. Attitudes change with various events in a person's life. These emotional
changes also vary in length of time. For example:

 I lose a loved one and my performance drops for a few months while I am
in the grieving process.
 My performance appraisal is due in four weeks. My performance increases
in the hope that I will get a better review.
 I am deeply in debt and my performance drops as this burden weighs
heavily upon my mind.
 One task is very complex and takes up the majority of my time. As I
become more experienced, I learn several methods that speed up the
completion of the task. This allows me to concentrate on improving other
skills.
 My interest change. Even though I know how to perform a task to
standards, I no longer worry if it is performed correctly or not as I am
engaged in the tasks that interest me.
 My career leads me to mastering certain tasks as I am very ambitious.
 I do not believe that the task is important, so I do not spend the time to
perform it correctly.
 I have a cold. I do as little as possible for a few days until my energy level
improves.

Many definitions of competency include attitudes, such as beliefs, values, traits,

and motives. But, as shown above, people ride an emotional roller coaster
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throughout their lifetime, which makes performance a combination of
competencies and attitude. Emotions are more than a mood of feeling up or
down...they include desires, ambitions, traits, etc. that guide our every action.

On the other hand, some would say that competencies fade away over a period of
time if they are not used, but, if it is a real competency, then it take an extremely
long time for it to weaken. For example, I consider bicycle riding as one as my
personal competencies. While serving in the Army, there was a six year period
where I never came near a bicycle. Yet, when I returned to riding, I rode as if I
never missed a day. A competency is a skill buried deep within you, and it takes
an extremely long period for it to weaken significantly or turn into a liability.

Skills + Knowledge + Attitudes = Observable Behavior

Observable Behavior = Performance Appraisal Rating

"If you don't keep score, you're only practicing."

- Vince Lombardi

Performance Appraisals (often called reviews, evaluations, or assessments) are the

measurement of a specific range of skills, knowledge, and attitudes in relation to
certain objective standards. The ratings are based upon observations or empirical
data in relationship to a set of predefined standards. Although we sometimes make
decisions based upon our own personal feelings or gut-level instincts, appraisals
must be based upon how well a person has performed to a set standard.

"He who stops being better stops being good."

- Oliver Cromwell

The objective of performance appraisals is to help employees improve their

performance and grow as individuals so that the organization can meet its present
and future goals in a timely and cost effective manner. Is this how most
organizations use them? No. They are used for protection against lawsuits, to
justify different levels of pay increases, or to provide once-a-year feedback. In
other words, a lot of managers and supervisors view them as an additional burden
required by Human Resources. When in fact, they should be viewed as a
performance tool. Just as a leader uses speaking skills to encourage the troops and
analytical skills to forecast budgets; performance appraisals should be used to
encourage great performance and create goals to improve weak competencies.

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For many, the performance appraisal is tied in to their pay as a reward system.
Tony Hope, a visiting professor at the French Business school INSEAD, spoke of
rewards at the Institute of Personnel and Development's Compensation
conference. He believes that we need to stop this practice as trust and commitment
cannot be fostered while cost-control imperatives dominate organizational
thinking. "Just as we have seen that knowledge workers don't respond to a regime
of command and control in management style, so they won't perform according to
pay systems that are individually based," says Professor Hope, "Organizations
must hang on to their best people and these people are exactly those that are least
impressed by internal competition within tight budgets...New and powerful forces
that are shaping organizations mean that people management professionals are
going to have to find ways of collectively rewarding effort. It will be less pay for
performance and more pay for participation."

Performance appraisals are normally given at annual or semi-annual time periods.

They need to provide specific feedback to the individual as to what competencies
need improvement:

 Skills - What areas do I need to train in?

 Knowledge - What areas do I need to learn more about?
 Attitude - Are my inner drives coinciding with the organization's goals?
 Rewards - What am I doing right so I can do more of it? (we all like pats on
the back)

Performance Appraisals do not take the place of daily feedback mechanisms. If an

individual is shocked or surprised by the evaluation that he or she has received,
then you as a leader have not performed your job. An evaluation is the overall
scorecard that sums up a person's performance over the rating period, while daily
one-on-ones, meetings, and other feedback devices are the tools that leaders use to
motivate their employees on to higher performance.

Job Based and Competency Based Models

The major difference between traditional job-based models and competency based
model lies in their approach in identifying the KSA needed for successful
performance. The dominant approach in human resources has focused on
designing organizations around job structures. This traditional job based approach
starts with a job analysis to identify job-related tasks, which are then used to
identify a list of KSA that are required for successful job performance.

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On the other side of the coin are Competency-Based models. These start with the
observable behaviors of superior performers to produce a list of grouped
competencies, or behavioral indicators, related to effective or superior
performance. The question is not which KSAs do we believe are required to
perform a job, but which KSAs do superior performers in a job possess and use?
Organizational success greatly improves upon hiring individuals who fit the
organization, rather than the job. A person-to-organization match provides an
organization with the core competencies needed to maintain a competitive
advantage by meeting the demands of a rapidly changing environment brought on
by corporate restructuring and change initiatives.

To generate superior performance, job holders need core competencies that allow
them to quickly jump into other jobs, and distinctive competencies to perform in
specific positions. This requires the development of several competency models:

 The first is a set of core or essential competencies. These are the

organizational competencies that all individuals are expected to possess.
These competencies define what the organization values the most in people.
For example, an organization might want each individual to possess
teamwork, flexibility, and communication skills. The goal of the core
competencies is for individuals to be able to perform in a diverse number of
positions throughout the organization.
 The second set is the professional or individual competencies. These
distinctive competencies are grouped for each job within the organization.
For example, a trainer requires a different set of competencies than an
accountant, and a teller requires a different set than a maintenance worker.
If there are different levels within the same position, then each job level
might also have its own set of vertically derived competencies. The goal is
to optimize performance by having the technical skills to perform a job.
 Some jobs also require a third set of specialty competencies. For example,
managers require the core and professional competencies discussed above,
plus a set of leadership competencies since they occupy a leadership
position. Another example would be individuals trained to give medical aid
in emergencies. They would require the core, professional, and first-aid
(specialty) competencies.

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CHAPTER 2

Leadership Competency Model

The introduction to leadership competencies provides the foundation for

establishing an approach to achieving core competencies for management
staff. Program directors at both the senior and middle management level will
find this resource useful. This chart is one example of how these groups of
competencies for leaders might be laid out in a typical organization: core,
leadership, and professional .

Chart - Leadership Competency Model

or
The Pyramid of Leadership
This sample listing is broken into three main groups, Core or Essential
Competencies, Leadership Competencies, and Professional Competencies.
These three groups of competencies can be thought of as the Pyramid of
Leadership, which collectively form the basic requirements for becoming a
leader.

Core or Essential Competencies

These are the personal skills required at all levels of leadership. Essential
Competencies provide the foundation that a person needs to become a leader.
Without a strong foundation, the sides of the pyramid will soon fall and
crumble as the base gives away.

Communications

 Expresses oneself effectively in both individual and group settings.

 Communicate plans and activities in a manner that supports strategies

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 for employee involvement.
 Actively listens to others.
 Expresses written ideals clearly, using good grammatical form.
 Comprehends written material with little or no help.

Teamwork

 Uses appropriate interpersonal style to steer team members towards the

goal.
 Allocates decision making and other responsibilities to the appropriate
individuals.
 Organizes resources to accomplish tasks with maximum efficiency.
 Influences events to achieve goals beyond what was call for.

Creative Problem Solving

 Identifies and collects information relevant to the problem.

 Uses brainstorming techniques to create a variety of choices.
 Selects the best course of action by identifying all the alternatives and
then makes a logical assumption.

Interpersonal Skills

 Treats others with respect, trust, and dignity.

 Works well with others by being considerate of the needs and feelings
of each individual.
 Promotes a productive culture by valuing individuals and their
contributions.

Manage Client Relationships

 Works effectively with both internal and external customers.

 Gathers and analyzes customer feedback to assist in decision making.

Self-Direction

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  Establishes goals, deliverables, timelines, and budgets with little or no
motivation from superiors (self-motivation rather than passive
acceptance).
 Assembles and leads teams to achieve established goals within
deadlines.

Flexibility

 Willingness to change to meet organizational needs.

 Challenges established norms and make hard, but correct decisions.
 Adapts to stressful situations.

Build appropriate relationships

 Networks with peers and associates to build a support base.

 Builds constructive and supportive relationships.

Professionalism

 Sets the example.

 Stays current in terms of professional development.
 Contributes to and promotes the development of the profession through
active participation in the community.

Financial

 Does not waste resources.

Looks for methods to improve processes that have a positive impact on the
bottom line.

Leadership (special) Competencies

These are the skills needed to drive the organization onto the cutting edge of
new technologies. Leadership Competencies form the basic structure that
separates leaders from bosses. These skills create the walls and interiors of

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the pyramid. Without them, a leader is just a hollow windbag, or as Scott
Adams of Dilbert fame best characterizes it, "a pointy-head boss."

Leadership Abilities

 Displays attributes that make people glad to follow.

 Provides a feeling of trust.
 Rallies the troops and builds morale when the going gets tough.

Visioning Process

 Applies effort to increase productiveness in areas needing the most

improvement.
 Creates and set goals (visions).
 Senses the environment by using personal sway to influence
subordinates and peers.
 Gain commitment by influencing team to set objectives and buy in on
the process.
 Reinforces change by embracing it (prevents relapse into prior state).

Create and Lead Teams

 Develops high-performance teams by establishing a spirit of

cooperation and cohesion for achieving goals.
 Quickly takes teams out of the storming and norming phases and into
the performing phase.

Assess Situations Quickly and Accurately

 Takes charge when the situation demands it.

 Makes the right things happen on time.

Foster Conflict Resolutions (win-win)

 Effectively handles disagreements and conflicts.

 Settles disputes by focusing on solving the problems, without

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 offending egos.
 Provides support and expertise to other leaders with respect to
managing people.
 Evaluates the feasibility of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

Project Management

 Tracks critical steps in projects to ensure they are completed on time.

 Identifies and reacts to the outside forces that might influence or alter
the organization's goals.
 Establishes a course-of-action to accomplish a specific goal.
 Identifies, evaluates, and implements measurement systems for current
and future projects.

Implement Employee Involvement Strategies

 Develops ownership by bringing employees in on the decision making

and planning process.
 Provides the means to enable employee success, while maintaining the
well-being of the organization.
 Develops processes to engage employees in achieving the objectives of
the organization.
 Empower employees by giving them the authority to get things
accomplished in the most efficient and timely manner.

Coach and Train Peers and Subordinates

 Recognizes that learning happens at every opportunity (treats mistakes

as a learning event).
 Develops future leaders by being involved in the company mentoring
program.
 Provides performance feedback, coaching, and career development to
teams and individuals to maximize their probability of success.
 Ensure leadership at every level by coaching employees to ensure the
right things happen.

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Ensures performance feedback is an integral part of the day-to-day activities.

Professional or Individual Competencies

These are the skills and knowledge needed to direct the systems and
processes that a leader controls. Professional Competencies form the mortar
that binds the pyramid together. Without some knowledge of the technical
skills that they direct, the pyramid soon begins to fall apart and the
organization begins to operate in damage control mode.

Each organization requires a different set of professional competencies for

each leadership position. Although leaders do not need to be the Subject
Matter Experts (SME) for the tasks that they direct, they must have a basic
understanding of the systems and processes that they control. Again, each
position requires a different set of skills and knowledge.

Business Acumen

 Reacts positively to key developments in area of expertise that may

affect our business.
 Leads process improvement programs in all major systems falling
under area of control.

Technical Competency

 Completes tasks according to established standards.

 Understands and adheres to rules, regulations, and code of ethics.

CHAPTER 3

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Knowledge, Information, and Skills Needed to
Support the Role of Head Start and Early Head
Start Directors

The role of a Head Start or Early Head Start director is demanding and
complex, therefore having a professional development plan helps to
prioritize areas for professional growth. Program directors can use this
resource for suggestions on specific skills, competencies, and knowledge
that will enable them to accomplish diverse tasks.

Knowledge

 The history and background of Head Start

 Head Start Program Performance Standards
 Head Start Act
 Federal On-Site Instrument
 Early childhood development
 Community needs
 The individual program information, including policies and
procedures
 Policy group/governing body by-laws
 Personnel policies and procedures
 Fiscal management
 Human dynamics and the culture of the community, families, and
staff members
 How to build and support your community
 Grant information
 Current events
 What resources are available, including the T/TA Network
 All Head Start content areas
 How to work with a variety of people
 Head Start terminology and acronyms
 State and local laws, state licensing, and local codes

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  Management systems and methods
 Staff development
 Monitoring, self-assessment, and community assessment
 State and local transportation requirements
 Liability insurance
 Employment laws
 How to be proactive instead of reactive
 How to plan strategically
 How to be assertive
 Public relations
 Work with technology and the Internet

Information

 Work with diverse populations

 Coaching and mentoring
 How to develop systems
 How to empower and motivate a team
 Legislation and regulations
 Create a vision and set goals for the program

Skills

 Ability to delegate
 Problem-solving and conflict resolution
 Ability to establish a relationship with the Regional Office and other
national partners
 Leadership
 Time management
 Oral and verbal communication
 Listening
 Prioritizing
 Organizing
 Multitasking
 Analytical
 Negotiation
 Ability to set goals and create plans to meet those goals
 Admitting when you are wrong

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  Training for staff and parents
 Networking
 Analyzing and evaluating trends
 Ability to make learning fun

Leadership and Direction

The role of a Head Start or Early Head Start director is demanding and complex.
While keeping one foot in the local community service area and the other foot in
the federal political arena, the director faces the challenge of providing expanded
programming to clients with ever increasing needs with fewer and more
competitive government dollars. This phenomenon forces management to create
different and innovative methods of service delivery to accommodate the
forecasted trends and changes in client and/or customer needs as well as the
political and social climate associated with the trends and changes.

Managing change, therefore, particularly in the delivery of high quality, effective,

and efficient services to clients/customers is an essential skill to be added in the
director's overall toolbox. To manage organizational change effectively, the
director must provide a work atmosphere that promotes innovation and
entrepreneurial thinking by:

 displaying the behavior her/himself,

 learning and applying new tools and methods for promoting the behavior
and values to employees and clients,
 and developing internal systems that are flexible and support the new
thinking towards continuous program improvement.

Many Head Start and Early Head Start Directors leave their own personal
professional development plans on the back burner while the rest of their staff
enjoy the benefits of training and education customized to their individual needs.
However, to learn about new tools and methods for managing in this ever-
changing environment, it's absolutely essential that directors take the time and
resources needed to enhance their skills and knowledge in the areas of change
management, organizational development, strategic planning, benchmarking, and
evaluation to name a few.

The demand on directors to provide leadership and direction during a time of

change brings with it a host of challenges. Therefore, it is vital that directors

14
assess their current set of skills and knowledge, compare that skill set to those
needed to manage effectively, and aggressively seek out opportunities for
professional development.

CHAPTER 4

Competency- Based Hiring

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about utilizing core
competencies in the hiring process. You may be wondering what exactly core
competencies are and how they can help your organization make better hires.

The term core competency was originally introduced in 1990 by the Harvard
Business Review to describe the management concept of corporations
possessing specialized expertise in a specific area. Corporations quickly
adopted the concept of core competencies to communicate what they did "best"
and to leverage the competitive advantages of their brands.

Since then, core competencies have been applied to other aspects of

management and have become a key strategy in the hiring process. This article
explores competency-based hiring and how nonprofit organizations can best
use this technique in the hiring process.

What Is Competency-Based Hiring?

An individual's core competencies are determined by two groups of factors: (1)

skills, knowledge, and technical qualifications and (2) behavioral
characteristics, personality attributes, and individual aptitudes. Although
traditional hiring has focused primarily on evaluating a candidate's skills and
technical qualifications, a competency-based approach includes an analysis of
a candidate's behavioral characteristics as well. Competency-based hiring is
grounded in the identification of core competencies required for success and
the subsequent evaluation of each candidate's demonstration of those
competencies in their past experiences.

From a hiring perspective, there are two different kinds of core competencies:
position-specific and organizational. The following is a brief overview of each
type.

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 Position-specific competencies refer to the abilities and behavioral
characteristics required for success in a specific role. These characteristics may
include attributes of an individual's work style as well as personal qualities
such as being analytical, resourceful, flexible, or creative.

Organizational competencies refer to the qualities and attributes that

characterize success across an entire organization. These competencies include
fit with the organization's management style, risk tolerance, work pace and
volume, employee demographics, and physical environment. Organizational
competencies play a major role in determining what type of people will "fit" in
an organization, regardless of their specific roles. For example, a bureaucratic,
autonomous manager may not succeed in a management role at a highly
entrepreneurial nonprofit where all decisions are made by consensus.

Sample Core Competencies

Development Director, Program Associate, Youth-

 
Tutoring Organization Outreach Organization

Develop and maintain effective Motivate participants through

Position- relationships ongoing support and dedication
Specific
Competencies Use innovation and creativity Demonstrate awareness of the
to create opportunities community and ability to
translate needs into services
Focus on demonstrable results Value every person, regardless
Organizationa in every aspect of work of circumstance and past
l experience
Competencies Be entrepreneurial, take action,
show initiative Demonstrate personal self-
awareness and be reflective

Core Competencies in Action

The first step in adopting a competency-based hiring model is to determine

both the organizational and position-specific competencies required for a given
position. To figure out organizational competencies, we recommend convening

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a focus group or implementing a carefully crafted survey to identify the top
three to five characteristics and traits that typically make someone successful
within the organization. Be sure to include all key stakeholders, including
management, staff, board members, funders, and other constituents as
appropriate. In order to determine position-specific competencies, you will
want to employ a similar process, focusing on those who know the position
best. Depending on your organization, it may also be helpful to define
department-specific competencies, particularly for highly specialized
departments such as finance or development.

After you have determined the competencies for a given position, you can use
this information to inform all subsequent stages of your recruitment and hiring
process. For example, your job description should focus on the core
competencies successful candidates will demonstrate, not just academic or
technical qualifications. In terms of recruitment, a focus on core competencies
will lead to a broader candidate pool because you will be seeking professionals
who possess the desired competencies required for a position but may come
from less traditional backgrounds. To learn more about developing your search
strategy and recruitment plan.

Using core competencies to drive the screening and interviewing phases of the
hiring process will provide more relevant information upon which to base
hiring decisions than matching candidates against a list of requirements or
assessing whether the hiring manager "likes" the candidate. We recommend
using behavioral interviewing, which refers to asking questions that require
candidates to describe past experiences in which they were able to demonstrate
specific competencies. Based in the premise that "past behavior predicts future
behavior," research and experience have found behavioral interviewing to be a
more effective way of gauging how each candidate has performed in certain
types of situations and therefore how successful each may be in a certain role.
To learn more about behavioral interviewing.

Hiring and Beyond

Adopting a competency-based hiring model requires an investment of time and

effort up front, but that investment is well worth the effort because it enables
you to make more appropriate and sophisticated hiring decisions. After the hire
is made, core competencies continue to be useful in setting goals and
positioning new hires for success, identifying areas for professional
development, and making appropriate decisions about future promotions and

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 raises. These factors lead to increased employee engagement and retention, two
hallmarks of successful organizations.

CHAPTER 5

Competency Based Recruitment

OVERVIEW
 
This 1 day course is designed to give you an appreciation of the power and
effectiveness of Competency Based Interviews in staff recruitment.

Many organisations have found that traditional staff recruitment and selection
techniques often produce results of variable quality, even when supplemented with
psychometric testing.                            
 
A  well structured and executed competency based interview has been
demonstrated to be highly effective in appointing the best matched candidates to
the correct roles, and thus achieving a win-win for both the employer and future
employees.
 
The cost of recruiting or selecting the wrong candidates can be very high, whilst
the effort required to implement competency based techniques represents a wise
investment.

 WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS TRAINING?

Are you...?

 A HR professional who wants to improve your selection accuracy?

 A Line Manager involved in staff recruitment or selection?
 Involved in staff recruitment policy?

If you answered YES to any of the above this training will provide you with the
tools to be successful in your recruitment and selection campaigns

SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

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Have you ever:

 Matched the wrong candidate to the wrong job?

 Wanted to reduce the cost of recruitment to your employer?
 Wanted a recruitment system that consistency provides the right candidates
for your company?

 WOULD YOU AND YOUR COMPANY BENEFIT IF YOU COULD:

 Match the right candidate to the right job?

 Reduce the cost of recruitment through implementing a proven
methodology?
 Learn how to use a 5-step process that ensures correct matching of
candidates to roles?

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Competency-Based Employment and Training
Programming for Youth under the Job Training
Partnership Act.
This guide provides an introduction to competency-based employment and training
under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). The guide describes in general
terms the steps service delivery areas should take to implement competency-based
employment and training systems for youth. The content is based on the
experiences of practitioners, and it is intended as a working introduction to major
issues in the design, operation, and management of competency-based programs.
The guide is organized in four parts. The first part provides background
information on JTPA legislation and regulations, the concept of competency-based
employability development for youth, advantages of a competency-based
approach, and roles and responsibilities. The second part of the guide introduces
the elements of competency-based employment and training. This section
describes general tasks and specific duties, such as determining local employer
standards, developing indicators and benchmarks, assessing and measuring
competencies, focusing program opportunities on competency attainment, and
recording ongoing competency attainment. The third part of the document focuses
on implementation issues, while the fourth part summarizes the whole program
process. Appendixes to the guide include a sample competency-based system and
an annotated resource guide containing assessment instruments, publishers'
addresses, and a bibliography. (KC)

CHAPTER 6

Competency based Job Analysis

Not coincidently, many employers and job analysis experts say traditional job
analysis procedures can’t go on playing a central role in HR management.
Their basic concern is that in high performance work environment in which

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employers need workers to seamlessly move from job to job and exercise self-
control, job description based on lists of job-specific duties may actually inhibit (or
fail to encourage) the flexible behavior companies need. Employers are therefore
shifting toward newer approaches for describing jobs, one of which, competency-
based analysis.

Competencies can be simply defined as demonstrable characteristics of the person

that enable performance. Job competencies are always observable and measurable
behaviors comprising part of a job. Unfortunately, once we get beyond that simple
definition, there’s some confusion over what exactly “Competencies†
mean. Different organizations define “competencies” in somewhat different
ways. Some define them more broadly and use “competencies†
synonymously with the knowledge or skills or abilities a person needs to do the
job. Others define competencies more narrowly in terms of measurable behaviors.
Here the context would be to identify the job’s required competencies by
simply completing the phrase, “In order to perform this job competently, the
employee should be able to:….”

Competency-based job analysis means describing the job in terms of the

measurable, observable, behavioral competencies (Knowledge, skills and/or
behaviors) that an employee doing that job must exhibit to do the job well. This
contrasts with the traditional way of describing the job in terms of job duties and
responsibilities. Traditional job analysis focuses on “what† is accomplished
on duties and responsibilities. Competency analysis focuses more on “how”
the worker meets the job’s objectives or actually accomplishes the work.
Traditional job analysis is thus more Job focused. Competency-based analysis is
more worker focused specifically, what must he or she be competent to do?

Why use Competency Analysis? There are three reasons to describe jobs in terms
of competencies rather than duties. First as mentioned earlier, traditional job
descriptions with their lists of specific duties may actually backfire if a high
performance work system is the employer’s goal. The whole thrust of these
systems is to encourage employees to work in a self-motivated way, by organizing
the work around teams, by encouraging team members to rotate freely among jobs
(each with its own skill set) by pushing more responsibility for things like day-to-
day supervision down to the workers and by organizing work around projects or
processes in which jobs may blend or overlap. Employees here must be
enthusiastic about learning and moving among jobs. Giving someone a job
description with a list of specific duties may simply breed a “that’s-not- my-
job” attitude, by compartmentalizing workers too narrowly.
21
Second, describing the job in terms of the skills, knowledge, and competencies the
worker needs to be more strategic. For example, Canon’s strategic emphasis on
miniaturization and precision manufacturing means it should encourage some
employees to develop their expertise in these two strategically crucial areas.

Third, measurable skills, knowledge, and competencies are the heart of any
company’s performance management process. As at Canon, achieving a
firm’s strategic goals means that employees must exhibit certain skills and
competencies. Performance management means basing employees’ training,
appraisals, and rewards on fostering and rewarding the skills and competencies he
or she needs to achieve his or her goals. Describing the job in terms of skills and
competencies facilitates this.

Examples of Competencies: In practice, managers often write paragraph-length

competencies for jobs, and organize these into two or three clusters. For example,
the job’s required competencies might include general competencies such as
reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning, leadership competencies such as
leadership, strategic thinking, and teaching others and technical competencies
which focus on the specific technical competencies required for specific types of
job and/or occupations.

Illustrations:

Some technical competencies for the job of systems engineers might include the
following:

1. Design complex software applications, establish protocols, and create

prototypes.
2. Establish the necessary platform requirements to efficiently and completely
coordinate data transfer.
3. Prepare comprehensive and complete documentation including specifications,
flow diagrams, process patrols, and budgets.

Similarly, for a corporate treasurer, technical competencies might include:

1. Formulate trade recommendation, by studying several computer

models for currency trends, and using various quantitative techniques
to determine the financial impact of certain financial trades.
2. Recommend specific trades and when to make them.
3. Present recommendations and persuade others to follow the
recommended course of action (Note that exhibiting this competency
22
 presumes the treasurer has certain knowledge and skills tat one could
measure).

CHAPTER 7

WHAT IS HR COMPETENCE?
Competence refers to an individual’s knowledge, skills, abilities, or personality
characteristics that directly influence his or her job performance. The concept of
individual competence has a long tradition in the managerial field. Most of this
work has focused on leaders and general managers. Other research has sought to
specify HR competencies through interviews with executives within a single firm
or from a limited set of firms. Many companies have tried to identify HR
competencies by asking line managers within the company what they expect from
HR and the kinds of competencies HR professionals should exemplify (e.g. what
line managers need from HR) This approach assumes that each company may have
unique expectations of its human resources professionals and that, as clients, line
managers play a central role in defining those expectations.

Defining HR competencies company by company through executive interviews has

some advantages. For one thing, it anchors the findings in behaviors, because the
questions asked in the interviews can target actual cases in which HR professionals
within the company demonstrated competence. It also tailors the process to the
specific needs of the companies in question. However, the danger is that executives
may not know what they don’t know. That is, they may identify only those
competencies they have seen, when in fact other HR competences may have more
importance for their firm if they only knew about them. This approach may also
lead to biased results, depending on the sample of executives chosen for
interviews. Executives’ managerial orientation, rather than the actual needs of
the business, may influence their expectations of HR. For example, line managers
that have never seen HR professionals in a strategic role may not be able to think
of HR as anything other than administrative overhead. Firms generally have
idiosyncratic requirement for implementing strategy. Therefore, while firm-
specific studies may yield some interesting examples, these case studies alone will
not provide an overall competency model for the HR profession

23
Three large-scale HR competency studies, conducted in the 1990s, have shed some
interesting light on the status of this profession. In the first study, Towers Perrin
collaborated with IBM to survey 3,000 HR professionals, consultants, line
executives, and academicians about a broad range of HR issues. The work revealed
a rather diverse perspective on HR competencies. Among the four groups
surveyed, the most commonly identified competencies included the following:

* Computer literacy (line executives)

* Broad knowledge of and vision for HR(academics)
* Ability to anticipate the effects of change (consultants)
* HR’s education of and influence on line managers (HR executives)

The second study was recently sponsored by the Society of Human Resource
Management Foundation. This work focused on the future competency
requirement of HR professionals. Based on data from 300 HR professionals from
different industries and companies of different sizes, this study concluded that core
human resources competencies center on leadership, management, functional, and
personal attributes that must be augmented by level and role –specific
competencies.

The third and most extensive of the HR competency surveys was conducted at the
University of Michigan School of Business in three rounds over a ten-year period
(1988 to 1998). This work involved more than 20,000 HR and line professionals
and identified human resources competencies across HR functional specialties,
industries, firms, and time. The study aimed to create a competency template for
the entire HR profession, not just for a single firm.

CHAPTER 8

List of Competencies
There are two groups of competencies for the non-academic staff of UOIT:
common and complementary. Common competencies are those behaviours,
knowledge and skills that apply to each UOIT staff member. Complementary

24
competencies are not common to all roles, but may be mutually selected by the
supervisor and employee because they relate to a specific role.

Common Competencies (All UOIT Staff Members)

All 6 common competencies are to be included in the Performance Review and
Development for Professional/Manager staff.

Service Focus
 Adheres to the University's Vision, Mission and Values to advance the
highest quality experience.
 Works effectively and co-operatively with all stakeholders to foster on-going
mutual respect and trust.
 Demonstrates an attitude of interest and care and approaches each situation
with a positive outlook. Shows respect for the diversity of our community.
 Anticipates and responds to the needs and concerns of others.

Communication
 Listens and interprets verbal and non-verbal inputs in order to ensure
thoughts and ideas are understood.
 Determines what information is to be communicated, when and to whom.
 Organizes a response based on an awareness of content and intended
audience.
 Shares information, seeks feedback from others, and provides appropriate
follow-up to ensure understanding of both the message and its intent.
 Expresses ideas respectfully and shares information in a clear and concise
manner using the appropriate mode of communication.

Integrity & Accountability

 Pursues goals, objectives, and commitments in an ethical manner.
 Meets job expectations, takes personal responsibility for outcomes, and
makes decisions based on sound judgments.
 Identifies implications and works to minimize any negative effects by
developing contingencies or alternatives when commitments cannot be met.
Involves and/or alerts those affected.
 Uses resources (intellectual, material, time, technological) in an efficient and
cost-effective manner.

25
Adaptability
 Responds in an open and receptive manner to changes in the work
environment or work demands.
 Adjusts methods and approaches to effectively carry out tasks in situation of
ambiguity and uncertainty.
 Adjusts style to respond appropriately to different and changing
circumstances.
 Responds appropriately to different personal styles to provide positive and
constructive input.
 Embraces change and demonstrates a willingness to learn new technology
and processes.

Collaboration
 Works with others and builds effective relationships to accomplish common
team goals and objectives.
 Shares ideas freely and openly. Receives input from others.
 Recognizes when compromise is necessary while working towards
consensus with a focus on outcomes which reflect the collective need.
 Accepts responsibility for his/her role as an effective participant.

Results Oriented
 Demonstrates an ability to focus time and effort on day-to-day tasks.
 Works towards agreed-upon goals and objectives in a timely manner.
 Sets priorities to constructively address the specific needs of stakeholders
and ensures timely delivery.
 Stays focused and balances changing or competing priorities and
responsibilities.

Complementary Competencies (Role Specific)

Upon discussion with their supervisor, each Professional/Manager staff member
selects up to 4 complementary competencies that will be included in their
Performance Review and Development. Staff who are responsible for managing
others, should select Managing & Developing as one of the complementary
competencies.

Planning/Organizational Skills

26
  Establishes priorities to map out a course of action to achieve goals and
objectives.
 Seeks input from others on priorities and adapts work schedule to respond to
changing timelines or expectations.
 Estimates difficulty of work and timeframes accurately.
 Takes long-term implications into account when dealing with current
problems and issues.

Initiative/Innovation
 Generates new ideas and goes beyond the status quo.
 Demonstrates a proactive approach to tasks without reminders or prompts.
 Identifies the need for unique or modified approaches to achieving results
and developing solutions to problems.
 Works independently with minimal direction or structure as appropriate for
the role.
 Takes self-motivated steps towards assuming additional challenges which
benefit the broader University community.
 Takes calculated risks and initiates actions towards a recognized benefit or
advantage.

Conflict Resolution
 Recognizes the signs of conflict and initiates appropriate action.
 Encourages open communication in order to identify causes of conflict and
to explore different perspectives and solutions.
 Addresses conflict in a manner that respects the needs of each stakeholder
and the University.
 Recognizes when compromise is necessary and is effective in getting others
to be flexible in their views to achieve a desired outcome.

Project Management
 Defines the project by developing realistic and achievable work plans that
include project objectives, outcomes, and key success factors.

27
  Obtains and manages appropriate and necessary resources to accomplish
objectives in a timely and efficient manner.
 Provides ongoing direction and support throughout the project lifecycle.
Keeps stakeholders informed, and prepares contingency plans for possible
roadblocks.
 Ensures project is delivered on time, on budget, and achieves desired goals.

Problem Solving
 Identifies issues and underlying components of the situation.
 Considers alternative solutions by weighing the potential risks and impact
against the desired outcome.
 Recommends or implements, as necessary, the best solution(s) for resolving
the problem.

Delegating
 Determines appropriateness of reassigning tasks.
 Assigns tasks and appropriate authority based on individual skill sets while
recognizing shared responsibility.
 Acts as a coach, monitors assignments, and provides feedback and support.
 Ensures completion of tasks in accordance with agreed specifications.

Managing & Developing

 Fosters a positive, healthy, and safe work environment and motivates team
members to achieve strong results while at the same time, achieving their
maximum individual potential.
 Works with staff to define and communicate performance expectations
clearly, and holds people accountable.
 Evaluates performance expectations, provides appropriate coaching and
mentoring to encourage staff development, and facilitates a course of action.
 Develops factual and logical arguments or presentations in an effort to
present one's position, point of view or opinion. Looks for the "win-win"
opportunities.
 Engages staff in the decision making and planning processes where
appropriate. Encourages and/or empowers staff to assume ownership of the
issue or problem at hand.

28
Financial Management
 Assesses and projects accurately the financial requirements for assigned
work or projects. Works within the designed budget and keeps in mind the
short and long-term departmental and University requirements.
 Considers cost implications of decisions.
 Establishes and implements sound financial management practices and
controls.
 Exercises cost control through expense monitoring and attention to detail.

CHAPTER 9

Level wise list of Competencies

Level wise list of Competencies which can be better developed through

means other than training programmes

Supervisor-LevelCompetencies
1. Positive Attitude

29
 Is positive in his outlook towards work and the environment in
general. Enthusiastic in accepting new initiatives / challenges and
demonstrates a feeling of optimism and energy.
2. Functional Knowledge
Has a good grasp of his job and related processes. Can evaluate job
related information for its practical application.
3. Interpersonal Skills
Involves others, interacts effectively and is a committed team
member. Understands others and is able to deal with them effectively.
Shares information and ideas and seeks to resolve conflicts.
4. Self Empowerment
Is confident, decisive and action-oriented. Assumes ownership
andresponsibility for the job. Is committed, resilient and energetic and
has a clear sense of what needs to be done.

5. Analytical Ability
Is able to identify and diagnose key issues, seek relevant information,
draw accurate conclusions / inferences in order to find the appropriate
solution.
6. Adaptability
Is open and adapts to different situations quickly. Accepts change
willingly.
7. Improvement Orientation
Seeks, suggests and implements new ideas for continuous improvements.
Can think, think, think of innovative (think out of box), multiple
options.

Executive – Level Competencies

1. Planning & Organising/ Self Management
Identifies and prioritises resources, anticipates constraints, work
scheduling and mobilises resources so as to achieve the targets/goals.
Is personally organised andsystematic.
2. Problem Solving/ Analytical Skills
Overcomes problems and obstacles through systematic analysis and
balanced decision-making. Seeks all relevant information and finds
the optimal solution.

30
3. Interpersonal Skills/ TeamWorking/ Conflict Resolution
(InterpersonalSkills)
Is an effective and committed team member? Understands other
people and relates effectively to them. Shares information and ideas
and seeks to resolve conflicts.
4. Self Empowerment (ActionOrientation)
Confident, decisive and action-oriented. Assumes ownership and
responsibility for his job. Is committed and energetic and has a clear
sense of what needs to be done.
5. Creativity/Flexibility
Is open and adaptable. Looks at situations creatively and finds new
solutions.

Middle Management–LevelCompetencies
1. Listening/Summarising (Networking)
Collects, interprets and shares information effectively. Interacts, liases
and builds relationships with a diverse range of parties both internal
and external to the organisation.
2. Motivation/CaringCreates an urge in an employee to achieve
specific objectives. Shows genuine concern and respect and are
sensitive to employees' needs. Is committed to supporting and
protecting staff.
3. Empowering/Development of Subordinates
Creates an environment where people have the confidence to assume
responsibility and ownership of the job. Supports ongoing feedback
and development and helps staff to realise their full potential through
appropriate interventions.
4. Improvement Orientation
Keeps own skill set up to date and is proactive in ensuring the
implementation of new and better ways of achieving desired
objectives. Ensures that learning is shared and that quality is
maintained and improved upon.
5. Integrity/Drive
Fully internalises the organizations philosophy of doing business and
acts as a role model and example. Is committed to the job and works

31
 hard for the long term good of the organisation. Takes on
responsibility and accepts challenges.
6. Specialist Knowledge
Has a good grasp of a wide range of operational issues and
demonstrates good technical project skills. Keeps updated on new
developments, theories and methods and continuously expands his
knowledge base. Capable of conducting research in a specialist area.
7. Influencing&Persuading
Makes an impact and puts his/her ideas and views across clearly.
Establishes credibility, gains acceptance and converts resistance to
acceptance.

Senior Management –Level Competencies

1. Influencing
Is able to impact upon, gain the acceptance of, and effect behaviour
changes in individuals, groups and large audiences either through
directly presentational skills or liasing, networking and indirect
influence.
2. Resource Optimisation/ Work Process Orientation
Plans effectively to make the best possible use of the existing
resources. Optimises the workflow and ensures effective integration
and alignment with other related processes. Sets goals and objectives,
monitors progress and responds rapidly when required.
3. Stress Management (People Management)
Shows genuine concern for staff and takes responsibility for their
welfare and development. Seeks to improve and optimise man-
management processes and the working environment.
4. Multi-functionality
Has a complete overview of the operation and business area.
Understands the specific operational components and diverse
functional responsibilities and ensures their smooth integration.
5. Leadership in adversity (Leadership by Example)
Motivates, inspires, influences and pushes people to attain
organisational and project goals. Leads by example and delegates
effectively.
6. Learning Facilitation/ People Process Orientation (Organisation
Development Orientation)

32
 Initiates and supports a continuous process of increasing the skill base
and systems and process improvement. Makes optimal utilization of
various people management techniques for effective recruitment,
reward and development.
7. Integrity
Fully internalizes the organizations philosophy of doing business and
acts as a role model and example. Does whatever he/she believes to be
right in spite of pressures to the contrary

CHAPTER 10

Competency: Technical and Functional Expertise

Definition: Technical and functional expertise are underlying
knowledge and skills, described in observable and measurable terms,
that are necessary in order to perform a particular type or level of work
activity. Technical and functional expertise typically reflects a career-

33
 long experience in the job or occupational area.

NOTE: Subject matter experts (SMEs) typically help to identify the

technical and functional expertise required for successful performance
in each occupation. There are a series of Commonwealth Career
Guides that contain information about the technical and functional
expertise required in various occupations that Virginia government
employs. You and your supervisor can use information in the
applicable career guide to identify the specific technical and functional
expertise required for success in your role and those should be a part
of your Employee Work Profile (EWP).
   
  Competency: Understanding of the Business
Definition: Understanding the organization's purpose and mission.

Team Member Indicators:

1. Understands the organization's services and priorities.

2. Appreciates the political dynamics that exist inside and outside
the organization.
3. Seeks ways to combine efforts to address common issues.
4. Understands how his or her job impacts business results.
  5. Responds to external and internal forces affecting work
environment.

Team Leader Indicators:

1. Ensures that everyone understands each other's roles and

responsibilities and how they relate to business results.
2. Aligns team goals with those of the organization.

   
 
Competency: Results Focus
  Definition: Attaining goals and objectives.

Team Member Indicators:

1. Pursues work with energy, drive, and a need for completion

2. Applies innovative ideas
34
 3. Adapts to varying work situations and is flexible in your
approach to resolving challenges
4. Takes initiative with a clear business purpose in mind
5. Continually seeks to improve business processes

Team Leader Indicators

1. Fosters innovative solutions

2. Gives guidance to process improvement efforts
3. Creates a work culture that rewards teamwork and cooperation
4. Creates a work culture that rewards positive results

   
  Competency: Customer Service
Definition: Fulfilling the needs of internal and external customers.

Team Member Indicators

1. Anticipates customers' needs

2. Provides services in a respectful manner
3. Delivers services accurately
4. Delivers services on time
  5. Establishes and maintains effective contacts with customers
6. Suggests ways to improve processes to fulfill customer needs

Team Leader Indicators

1. Insures consistency and flexibility as needed

2. Empowers employees to improve service delivery strategies
3. Obtains data to measure customer satisfaction

  Competency: Teamwork
  Definition: Collaborating and cooperating to get the job done.

Team Member Indicators

1. Values the input and know-how of other team members

2. Asks for help, when needed
3. Offers help to other team members, when needed
4. Builds trust and respect among fellow team members
5. Takes actions that demonstrate consideration for the feelings
35
 and needs of others
6. Works with other team members toward a common goal

Team Leader Indicators

1. Communicates a clear vision of team goals and objectives

2. Creates an environment in which team members share both risks
and rewards
3. Focuses the team's efforts on both the process and desired
outcomes

  Competency: Interpersonal Communication

Definition: Developing and maintaining positive relationships.
Exchanging ideas and opinions.

Team Member Indicators

1. Treats others with respect

2. Communicates openly and honestly
3. Communicates with tact
4. Resolves conflicts in a positive way
  5. Expresses self verbally in a clear and organized way
6. Expresses facts and thoughts in writing in a clear and organized
way

Team Leader Indicators

1. Promotes cooperation, trust, and open exchange of ideas

2. Establishes processes for open communication
3. Networks with others to achieve positive results

  Competency: Leadership
  Definition: Motivating, influencing, and supporting others to
accomplish team and organizational goals.

Team Member Indicators

1. Influences others in a positive way

2. Shares knowledge freely with others
3. Assesses impact of decisions on others
4. Sets goals and develops plans to reach goals
36
 5. Acts with integrity
6. Tells the truth
7. Acts ethically
8. Builds trust by keeping word, commitments, and promises
9. Admits mistakes

Team Leader Indicators

1. Uses position power to support team and individual efforts

2. Gains support of others to accomplish work
3. Uses knowledge of organization and relationships to achieve
results
4. Thinks “big picture”
5. Communicates vision for organizational success that sparks
excitement in others
6. Sets direction for the future as well as the present
7. Uses knowledge of emerging trends and external forces to set
direction
8. Rewards behavior that supports organizational values
9. Confronts inappropriate behavior
10.Communicates high standards and expects ethical behavior
11.Leads by personal example
12.Keeps confidences and honors commitments
13.Rewards employees who demonstrate integrity in the face of
adversity

 
Competency: Personal Effectiveness
  Definition: Developing oneself, achieving results, and solving
problems. Planning, organizing, and managing your own time and
work.

Team Member Indicators

1. Develops self and others

2. Continuously learns and develops
3. Identifies own strengths and weaknesses
4. Helps co-workers learn and develop, and assist when they are
having difficulty

37
 5. Defines and solve problems
6. Takes responsibility for actions
7. Considers costs, benefits and risks when making and
implementing decisions
8. Uses time and resources wisely
9. Organizes and prioritizes work
10.Prepares for potential problems before they occur

Team Leader Indicators

1. Encourages a work culture of continuous learning, information

sharing, and professional development
2. Provides direction and support to team members and assigns
challenging work
3. Learns from what went well and what did not go well on
projects
4. Guides team towards making effective decisions
5. Collaborates with team members and teams before making
important decisions
6. Plans ahead to organize and deploy resources effectively
7. Delegates work and authority
8. Reviews progress toward accomplishing team goals
9. Sets clear objectives and then monitors progress

CONCLUSION
Why use Competency Analysis? There are three reasons to describe jobs in terms
of competencies rather than duties. First as mentioned earlier, traditional job
descriptions with their lists of specific duties may actually backfire if a high
performance work system is the employer’s goal. The whole thrust of these
systems is to encourage employees to work in a self-motivated way, by organizing
the work around teams, by encouraging team members to rotate freely among jobs
(each with its own skill set) by pushing more responsibility for things like day-to-
day supervision down to the workers and by organizing work around projects or
processes in which jobs may blend or overlap. Employees here must be
enthusiastic about learning and moving among jobs. Giving someone a job

38
description with a list of specific duties may simply breed a “that’s-not- my-
job” attitude, by compartmentalizing workers too narrowly.

Second, describing the job in terms of the skills, knowledge, and competencies the
worker needs to be more strategic. For example, Canon’s strategic emphasis on
miniaturization and precision manufacturing means it should encourage some
employees to develop their expertise in these two strategically crucial areas.

Third, measurable skills, knowledge, and competencies are the heart of any
company’s performance management process. As at Canon, achieving a
firm’s strategic goals means that employees must exhibit certain skills and
competencies. Performance management means basing employees’ training,
appraisals, and rewards on fostering and rewarding the skills and competencies he
or she needs to achieve his or her goals. Describing the job in terms of skills and
competencies facilitates this.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Ibid., for review of these studies.
2. Khandwalla, P.N. (1992). Excellent Corporate Turnaround. New Delhi:
Sage.
3. Schein, E.H. (1985). Organizational Culture and Leadership, p.9. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
4. Sathe, V. and E.J. Davidson (2000). ‘Towards a new conceptualization of
culture change’, in N.M. Ashkanasy, P.M. Celeste, and M.F.Peterson (eds),

39
 Handbook of Organizational Culture and Climate, pp. 279-296. New Delhi:
Sage.
5. Quinn, R.E. and M.R. McGrath (1985). ‘The transformation of
organizational cultures: A competing values perspective’, P.J. Frost et al
(eds), Organizational Culture. London: Sage.
6. Pareek, U. (2002). Training instrument for HRD & OD. New Delhi: Tata
McGraw-Hill.
7. Kluckohn, F. and F.L. Strodtbeck (1961). Variations in Value Orientation.
Evanston, IL: Rowe Peterson.
8. Pareek, U. (2002). Training instrument for HRD & OD, Chapter 100. New
Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.

40