Competencies

Competencies: the critical knowledge, skills, behaviors, and results defined for key positions in the organization that ensure a common understanding of what is required for performance excellence in our company.

Competencies provide the foundation for organizational excellence. They are based on the belief that it is the people who generate the results, and the people who provide a company with its competitive advantage. Competencies are based on the behavior principle that:

• Past performance is the best predictor of future performance;
• Good current performance builds from past performance;
• The more recent the effective behavior, the more appropriate the fit to the position.

When organizations go through the rigor to determine the precise skill sets required for goal achievement and high performance, they have established the measurable criteria for:

• Selection and Recruitment (Staffing);
• Development Planning including Mentoring;
• Education and Training;
• Performance Management; and
• Succession Planning.

As a process, this model is very simple. We take business objectives and support employees in developing the ability to meet those objectives. We view it as a cycle of continuous improvement. Organizational goals are translated into critical competencies around which individuals and/or teams can conduct 360° feedback assessments. The results lead to focused development plans and action.

The objective of this process is to develop a system that is:

• Fair and Equitable;
• Accurate;
• Credible;
• Objective;
• Measurable;
• Sustainable.

The competency framework can be simple or complex depending on the organization’s need. However, competencies should always align with the organization’s values. An example of one smaller company’s approach is as follows:



Company X first looked at competencies through two dimensions: Individual Excellence and Interpersonal Excellence. They then chose three key competency categories that related to these two dimensions. After that, they identified a few critical competencies for each category. 

Example: Interpersonal Excellence, Category: Training and Developing Others.

• Teaching: Has the ability to communicate the big picture or macro perspective while providing the “how to” or micro perspective required to get the job done.
• Coaching: Has the ability to provide information about a person’s behavior that assists him/her to improve who they want to be and what they want to accomplish.

Once competencies have been identified and understood by all employees, we recommend a performance measurement process utilizing a 360°-assessment tool. As its name suggests 360° feedback assesses employee performance and development from several points of view: peers, customers, supervisors, and those who work for the employee. The pioneers of this tool, Ann J. Ewen and Mark R. Edwards, have proven that it is an extraordinarily effective tool for change: “No organizational action has more power for motivating employee behavior change than feedback from credible work associates.” Ewen and Edwards tested employee satisfaction at various customers with the following results:

• At Intel, 90% of the 360° participants found that the feedback process provided useful information and was time efficient.
• At Dupont, user assessments showed 88% satisfaction with the 360° process versus only 22% satisfaction with the traditional “single rater” evaluation.

Hill Enterprises Inc. can help you identify the core competencies that support your organizational values and business goals. Then, we can educate your staff on how to provide effective feedback, run the 360° -assessment processes for you and help your people understand and use the data to enhance their growth and development.

E-mail Jan for more information.