Competency gaps for Professional Development

Competency gaps for Professional Development

© www.asia-masters.com

What is Competency?


What do we mean when we say

“COMPETENCY” ?


A Competency is an underlying characteristic of a person which enables him /her to deliver superior performance in a given job, role or a situation.

Competencies are seen mainly as inputs.

They consist of clusters of knowledge, attitudes and skills that affect an individual’s ability to perform.


Hayes (1979) –

Competencies are generic knowledge motive, trait, social role or a skill of a person linked to superior performance on the job.


Albanese (1989) – Competencies are personal

characteristics that contribute to effective managerial performance.


UNIDO (2002)- A Competency is a set of skills,

related knowledge and attributes that allow an individual to successfully perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job.

What is Common in the definitions?

Competencies• underlying

characteristic of a person’s inputs.

• clusters of knowledge, attitudes and skills

• generic knowledge motive, trait, social role or a skill

• personal characteristics

• set of skills, related knowledge and attributes

Job• superior performance

in a given job, role or a situation

• individual’s ability to perform.

• linked to superior performance on the job.

• contribute to effective managerial performance

• successfully perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job


Set of SKILLS

Relates to the ability to do,

Physical domain

AttributeRelates to qualitative

aspectspersonal

Characteristics or traits

KNOWLEDGERelates to information

Cognitive Domain

COMPETENCY

Outstanding Performance of

tasks or activities

Behaviour Indicators• A Competency is described in terms of

key behaviors that enables recognition of that competency at the work place.

• These behaviors are demonstrated by excellent performers on-the-job much more consistently than average or poor performers. These characteristics generally follow the 80-20 rule in that they include the key behaviors that primarily drive excellent performance.


Example of a Competency


Analytical Thinking

• The ability to break problems into component parts and consider or organize parts in a systematic way; the process of looking for underlying causes or thinking through the consequence of different courses of action.


Key Behavior Indicators• Independently researches for information and

solutions to issues

• Ability to know what needs to be done or find out (research) and take steps to get it done

• Ask questions when not sure of what the problem is or to gain more information.

• Able to identify the underlying or main problem.

• Shows willingness to experiment with new things.

• Develops a list of decision making guidelines to help arrive at logical solutions.

What are Competencies?• Competencies are those behaviors that excellent performer’s exhibit much more consistently than average performers.

• … a grouping of behaviors, that taken together, better describe and communicate performance expectations.


What Competencies are Not…• Competencies are Not…

• a “psychological construct” No single behavior can term Conflict Management

• Not knowledge… the application of knowledge


Antimony of a Competency 1. Title

1. One to three words titling competency2. Definition (The WHAT)

1. Knowledge, skill and ability (KSA) statements defining competency3. Performance Statements (The HOW)

1. Groupings of behavioral statements describing successful performance


Monitor, Evaluate and Revise

– Measure progress to access what’s working and not working.

– Make adjustments to plan as needed and address new workforce and organizational issues.


What makes Competency valid?


Types of Knowledge: Tacit• Knowledge that people carry in their heads. It is difficult to access and most people are not even aware of what they possess or how it is of value to others. It provides context for ideas, experiences, people, and places and is not easily captured.


Types of Knowledge: Explicit• Structured – Data elements that are organized in a particular way for future retrieval, e.g. documents, databases, spreadsheets• Unstructured – Information not referenced for retrieval, e.g. emails, images, audio or video selections


Knowledge Transfer

• The process of sharing knowledge between one person and another

• If knowledge has not been absorbed, it has not been transferred


Knowledge Transfer Tip #1

• Managers may have some knowledge transfer methods already in place

• Consider using those methods as the foundation for the knowledge transfer plan


Knowledge Transfer / Management Strategies

•Job Aids•Mentoring Programs•Process Documentation•Best Practice Meetings or Studies•Communities of Practice•Retirees on Retainer•Job Shadowing•Expert Systems•Critical Incident Reviews

•Electronic Performance Support System•Storyboards•Storytelling•Double fills•Document Repositories•Job Rotation•Knowledge Fairs •Knowledge Maps•Structured On the Job Training

Monitor, Evaluate and Revise– Measure progress to access what’s working and not working.– Make adjustments to plan as needed and address new workforce and organizational issues.

Benefits of a competency Framework

Benefits of a Competency FrameworkDepartments will have improved and integrated processes for:1. Recruitment and retention of talent2. Assessment and selection3. Performance communication and support4. Leadership development5. Succession planning6. Career development


Benefits of a Competency Framework

Employees will benefit from:

1. Clarity about knowledge, skill, and ability expectations2. Improved supervisor and employee communication3. More consistent performance appraisal feedback4. Improved recognition for skill growth as well as

achievement5. Clearer paths for career development6. Supervisor’s increased ability to demystify HR processes for

employees


Contributes To Employee Retention


What’s Retention?• Keeping employees committed within the company for a long period of time

• High priority within HR departments today

• Key to retention is maintaining employee satisfaction


Mythbusters Activity

• Myth or Fact?– People most often leave a company for more

pay.• Myth!

– Most commonly people will leave because of work conditions, dissatisfaction with policies, and relationships with coworkers and supervisors.

• Solution– Work to improve employee involvement, recognition and

growth



• Myth or Fact?– Incentive programs produce long-term profits

and improve productivity and morale• Myth!

– Incentives can have a negative effect when they are over-used and people focus on speed rather than quality.

• Solution– Keep incentives spontaneous and surprising



• Myth or Fact?– People don’t want more responsibility.

• Myth!– Employees don’t want more work if they already have too much

on their plate, but they want more opportunities to expand their knowledge within their job.

• Solution– Don’t overload employees with too much work and give

opportunities to expand their knowledge within their job.

Mythbusters Activity• Myth or Fact?

– Loyalty is dead• Myth!

– People are changing jobs and careers more often, but if employees are getting the training to expand their career within the company, then they will stay loyal to them.

• Solution– Offering opportunities to expand within their job and career for the company.

Drivers of Retention

• Characteristics of the Employer– Management– Job security– Culture and values

• Employee Relationships– Co-worker relationships– Supervisor support

• Job Design and Work– Job matching– Time flexibility– Work/life balancing


Drivers of Retention• Career Opportunities

– Training and development– Career advancement

• Rewards– Competitive pay and benefits– Recognition


Managing Employee Retention

• Recognition for a job well done• Examples

• Hand-written card• Publish accomplishment in newsletter• Publicly announce accomplishment

• Use non-cash items to reward employees• Examples

• Movie tickets• Paid vacation day• Gift cards



• Offer flexible work schedules• Flex-time• Telecommute• Compressed workweeks

• Create traditions– Holiday dinners– Charity drives– Fun Days


• Post new employee pictures and biographies in community area with current employees– Gives sense of belonging and chance to find someone with

similar interests

• Be prompt with rewards– Having too much lag time between performance and recognition

can have a negative effect.


Competency Gap


Close the Gap– Determine what gaps exist between our current and projected workforce needs.– Develop and implement strategy to close the gap. These strategies include knowledge transfer, recruiting, training/ retaining, restructuring organizations, leadership development, succession planning, technology, enhancements, etc.– Knowledge Transfer Concepts

Take ownership of your professional development


Professional Development


Benchmark Competencies

A. Knowledge & UnderstandingB. Applications to PracticeC. Management and LeadershipD. Interpersonal skillsE.Ethics & Principles

Knowledge & Understanding Maintain and Extend Sound Theoretical Approach

– Read Technical Journals

– Engage through a project involvement in new areas for development and research– Creative and innovative Development of Engineering Technology and Continuous improvement Systems

– Read technical publications relevant to your field of engineering

– Be a member of a professional institute relevant to your field of engineering practice

– Read Publications of relevant professional institutions

– Engage in post graduate degree level or graduate degree level studies


B. Applications to Practice

– Apply Theoretical and practical methods to the analysis and solutions of engineering problems

– Participate in discussions to enhance knowledge and understanding

– Research, design and development

– Implement design solutions and evaluate their effectiveness

– Engage in carrying out necessary tests to evaluate performance or to find out defects

– Engage in cost plan for a project – Undertake engineering design

– Conduct Value Engineering exercises

– Read manufacturers literature and test data to establish understanding of a product or an equipment

– Attend seminars

– Visit technical exhibitions


Management and Leadership• Plan for effective project implementation• Budget, Organise ,direct and control task people and resources.• Staff management and technical development• Manage continuous quality improvements

Interpersonal Skills • Know and manage your own emotions, strengths and weakness• Effectively manage your own time• Work with others and communicate• Present and discuss proposals• Chair and record meetings and discussions• Write reports , prepare letters and documents• Deliver lectures / presentations • Improve listening skills• Learn languages ( English/Arabic )• Resolve conflicts and enhance productive working atmosphere • Be aware of the needs and concerns of others


Ethics & Principles• At all times uphold the dignity and reputation of your profession• Exercise professional skills and judgement to the best of your ability• Maintain your professional competence through systematic improvement• Discharge your professional responsibilities with honesty.• Do not undertake any work beyond your professional or technical competence• Be concerned about public health and safety issues• Be concerned about environmental policies• Mentor, assist and guide the professional development of others • Carryout continuing professional development necessary to maintain and enhance competence


Core Competencies


51

CORE COMPETENCE

• Core competence is a bundle of skills and technologies that enables a company to provide a particular benefit to customers’.

• For example, • A Sony – benefit is pocketability

– core competence is miniaturization• At Federal Express – benefit is on time delivery

– core competence is logistics management• At Motorola– benefit is untethered communication

– core competence is wireless communication.


52

TO BE CONSIDERED CORE COMPETENCE A SKILL MUST MEET THREE TESTS

• Customer Value: Core competencies are the skills that enable a firm to deliver a fundamental customer benefit.

• Competitor Differentiation:A capability must also be competitively unique power trains is a core competence at Honda which has never been so at Ford/s.

Honda’s ability to produce some of the world’s best engines and power trains does provide customers with highly valued benefits of superior fuel economy, zippy acceleration, less noise and vibration.


53

TO BE CONSIDERED CORE COMPETENCE A SKILL MUST MEET THREE TESTS

Contd...

· Extendibility: A core competitive is truly core when it focus the basis for entry into new product markets.

SKF, the world’s leading manufacturer of roller bearing has competencies in antification, precision engineering and making perfectly spherical devices. In order to achieve extendibility, SKF must be capable of manufacturing the round, high precision recording heads that go inside a VCR, most of which are now manufactured by Japanese firms.


54

RISKS OF IGNORING CORE COMPETENCIES

• Opportunities for growth will be needlessly turned down. • As a company divisionalies and fractures into ever smaller

business units, competencies may become fragmented and weakened.

• The lack of core competence perspective can desensitize a company to its growing dependence on outside suppliers of core products.

• A company focused only on end products may fail to invest adequately in new core competencies that can propel growth in the future.


55

RISKS OF IGNORING CORE COMPETENCIESContd...

· A company that fails to understand the core competence basis for competition in its industry may be surprised by new entrants who rely on competencies developed in other end markets.

· Companies insensitive to the issue of core competence may unwittingly relinquish valuable skills when they divest an under-performing business.


56

CORE COMPETENCE PERSPECTIVE

• Identifying existing core competencies• Establishing a core competence acquisition agenda• Building core competencies• Deploying core competencies• Protecting and defending core competence

leadership


Wyoming Core Competencies• Leadership

– Ex: Institutional Collaboration, Vision• Performance Management

– Ex: Change Mgt., Team Building• Workplace

– Ex: Customer Focus, Teamwork• Analytical

– Ex: Written Communication• Personal Effectiveness

– Ex: Integrity, Ethics

• See More @...

Foundational Skills Sets

Workplace Performance

Skills Sets

Leadership &

Succession Planning


Competency-Based Strategic AlignmentAgency Performance Measure

Performance Expectations /

Appraisal / Development

Needs

Skills / Competencies

Needed

Input FTE/BUDGET

Activities & Outputs

(Nuts & Bolts)

Strategies / Intermediate Outcomes

Agency Performance

Measures

Wyoming Quality of Life

*How do you plan on evaluating / developing performance?

-Identifying skills gap

-Communicating skills gap

-Developing skills gap

-Measuring success

What critical skills are needed to accomplish identified duties and activities?

What are the skills of the persons working on the project?

What is the gap between critical skills needed and skills of persons on project(s)?

What are the resources need to carry out stated duties, activities and outputs?

Who are the employee's and/or AWEC’s assigned to complete the identified duties and activities?

What duties, activities, processes and/or procedures have been identified to carry out the strategy?

What divisions are directly working on this measure?

What are their strategies and initial outcomes?

What are the goals and objectives of this measure?

The 10 Commitment to residents of the State.

Where and how does the performance measure fit into Wyoming’s Quality of Life?

The WHATThe HOW


Organizational Core Competencies“Definition”

• Clusters of universally-expected, observable behaviors• Necessary for successful performance in the position and in the organization• Distinguish performance in a particular work context


How Core Competencies are Used• Tell us “how” major responsibilities of a position should be done• Help us address how a professional can best go about adding value for a constituent• Help us evaluate the performance of employees• Give us a look at what mastery performance looks like• Gives ideas for employee development• Used in selection, professional development, and career planning, performance coaching, evaluation, promotion


Example Core Competency“Collaborating & Partnership”

Definition: Effectively develop relationships and collaborate with all stakeholders; value teamwork and apply a variety of strategies to meet the needs of a diverse constituency.

Developing Core Competencies1. Get a list of competencies2. Make sure it’s complete3. Write master-level descriptions4. Eliminate overlaps5. Sort the list6. Compare individual decisions7. Come to consensus8. Publish and use the competency list


Core Competencies + Job KnowledgeUtilize throughout the entire employment process:1. Developing the PD2. Qualifications detailed in advertising3. Evaluating candidates4. Interviewing candidates (behavioral questions)5. Reference checking (behavioral questions)6. Make job offer7. Training and development8. Performance evaluations


Benchmarks Core CompetenciesFoundational Competencies:• Professionalism• Reflective practice• Scientific knowledge and methods• Relationships• Individual and cultural diversity• Ethical and legal standards and policy• Interdisciplinary systems

Functional Competencies:• Assessment• Intervention• Consultation• Research and evaluation• Supervision• Teaching• Administration• Advocacy


People Competencies


66

What are competencies?

Competencies are the observable combination of

• Knowledge• Skills• Abilitiesthat contribute to individual and

organizational performance


67

Why do we have competencies?

• Move NIH in a direction away from tasks and toward observable behaviors

• Changing workforce/industry

• Succession planning

• Leadership development programs


68

Why Introduce Competencies?

Competencies: • Highlight the value of the organization• Provide clear guidelines of success• Provide practical tools for performance management• Target training needs for development of staff• Provide a better fit between employees and their job


69

What Do Competencies Look Like?

Each competency has a definition and level of proficiency. For Example:

Results OrientationDefinition: The desire or drive to achieve or surpass identified goals. Establishes performance objectives and measures to continuously improve performance and standards of excellence in the organization. Includes innovative or entrepreneurial behaviours


70

Results Orientation

Levels of proficiency and complexity

1. Wants to do the job well2. Works to achieve goals3. Sets own standards to improve performance4. Sets and strives to meet higher standards of performance5. Conducts Cost - Benefit Analyses 6. Takes Calculated Entrepreneurial risks

What Do Competencies Look Like?


Types of Competencies• Behavioral Competency: Behaviors, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that contribute to individual success in the organization

– Can apply to all (or most) jobs in an organization or be specific to a job family, career level or position– e.g., teamwork and cooperation, communication– Focus on the person

• Technical Competency: Specific knowledge and skills needed to be able to perform one’s job effectively– Job specific and relate to success in a given job or job family – e.g., knowledge of accounting principles, knowledge of human resource law and practice– Focus on the job


Competencies – Job Redesign• Technical competencies – Are part of the job description– Describe what a person needs for the job– Generally a phrase or statement

• Behavioral competencies– Are not part of the job description


Behavioral Competencies

Key Characteristics:• Observable and measurable• Relate to the core purpose and values of an organization• Focus on the person

– Contribute to improved employee performance – Contribute to individual success within an organization

• Can apply to all (or most) jobs in an organization or be specific to a job family, career level, or position

• Are not part of the job description

Drive organizational performance


Types of Behavioral Competencies

Statewide Competencies

Core Competencies (all employees)

Leadership Competencies (people managers & other leaders)

Customer Service Teamwork and CooperationResults OrientationAccountabilityJudgment and Decision Making

Talent ManagementTransformers of Government

Additional Behavioral Competencies

CommunicationConflict ManagementCreativity and InnovationCultural Awareness Flexibility

InitiativeNegotiation and InfluenceProfessional DevelopmentProject ManagementTeaching Others Team Leadership


Creates integrated value, Competencies that Generate Growth


Integrated Competency-Based HR• Strategic Planning

– Translates the organization's vision and goals into expected employee behavior

• Workforce Planning– Links competencies to the agency’s mission, vision, & goals– Assess and target skill and competency gaps– Identify where to best focus training dollars– Help determine what competencies are needed for today as well as the future– Identify gaps between present skill sets & future requirements– Identify gaps at the agency level


Integrated Competency-Based HR• Performance Management

– Provides consistency in performance expectations and measurement– Helps identify which behaviors most impact performance and success– Used in individual development plans to target gaps and identify development opportunities– Helps distinguish exceptional individuals that contribute to organizational success– Provides feedback to individuals to move them toward exemplary performance


Integrated Competency-Based HR• Succession Planning

– Helps clarify characteristics required for targeted position(s)– Focuses training and development plans to address competency gaps– Allows an organization to measure its “bench strength”– Helps target the agency’s investment of both time and money for developmental purposes– Helps provide a method for assessing readiness for the role


Integrated Competency-Based HR• Recruiting/Selection/Onboarding

– Ensures a more systematic interview process – Provides a complete picture of job requirements– Increases the likelihood of hiring people who will succeed in the organization– Can prescreen job applicants– Make selection decisions based on demonstrated ability to perform or evidence of results– Reduce hiring costs and absenteeism / turnover rates


Integrated Competency-Based HR• Workforce Training and Development

– Provides the ability to focus on the skills, knowledge, and characteristics that have the most impact on effectiveness– Ensures that training and development opportunities are aligned with organizational values and strategies– Recognizes that most efforts to build competencies occurs through work experiences– Helps individuals to discover their own competencies


Developing Organizational Capability


Organization Development Defined

A planned system wide effort, managed from the top with the assistance of a change agent, that uses behavioural science knowledge to improve organizational effectiveness.


Organizational Development: How Effective Is It?

20

30

40

50Pe

rcen

tage

of

Stud

ies S

how

ing

Posi

tive

Chan

ges

Individualoutcomes(e.g., job

satisfaction)

Organizationaloutcomes

(e.g., profit)

(23.55)

(48.70)Organizational outcomes

more often benefited fromOD interventions than did

individual outcomes

(Source: Porras and Robertson, 1992.)

EstablishClient-

ConsultantRelations

DisengageConsultant’s

Services

Action Research Process

DiagnoseNeed forChange

IntroduceChange

Evaluate/StabilizeChange


OrganizationParallel

Structure

Parallel Structures


Discovery

Discovering the best of “what is”

Dreaming

Forming ideas about “what might

be”

Designing

Engaging in dialogue

about “what should be”

Delivering

Developing objectives

about “what will be”

Appreciative Inquiry Process


Organization Development Concerns

• Cross-Cultural Concerns– Linear and open conflict

assumptions different from values in some cultures

• Ethical Concerns– Management power– Employee privacy rights– Employee self-esteem– Consultant’s role



Date post:	15-Apr-2017
Category:	Leadership & Management
Upload:	asia-master-training-
View:	155 times
Download:	1 times

Competency gaps for Professional Development

Leadership & Management