HR Competencies

Dave Ulrich
Human Resource Competency Study
(HRCS) Model, 1987
Business Knowledge
HR
Delivery
Change
HRCS Model, 1992
Business
Knowledge
Personal
Credibility
Change HR Delivery
HRCS Model, 1997
Personal
Creditability
Change
HR
Delivery
Culture
Management
Business
Knowledge
HRCS Model, 2002
Strategic
Contribution
(culture & (culture & change)& change)
HR
Technology
HR
Delivery
Personal
Creditability
Business
Knowledge
HRCS, 2007
The sample consisted of 10,063 covering HR
and non-HR professionals working in different
industrial sectors, geographically distributed
to:
USA and Canada,
Latin America,
Europe,
China,
Australia/Asia pacific, and
India

HRCS Model,2007
OPERATIONAL
EXECUTOR
TALENT
MGR/ORG
DESIGNER
CULTURE
& CHANGE
STEWARD
STRATEGY
ARCHITECT
CREDIBLE
ACTIVIST
HR PROFESSIONALISM
BUSINESS
ALLY
Organization
Capabilities
System &
Processes
Relationships
Domain 1: Credible Activist
Credible; Respected, admired and listened to
Active: offers a view point, takes a position, challenges
assumptions
HR professionals who are credible but not activists are
admired, have little impact
Activists who are not credible have ideas that no one
implements
Factors
Delivering results with integrity
Sharing information
Building relationship of trust
Doing HR with an attitude


More Activist


Less Activist
Less Credible

Risk of being seen as
impetuous, arrogant, or
uninformed

Risk of being seen as a
marginal or poor
performer
More Credible

Opportunity to have
impact

Risk of being seen as
irrelevant, not having
anything to say, resting
on past laurels, or not
knowing the business
Domain 2: Culture and Change
Steward
HR professional appreciates, articulates and
helps shape a companys culture
Factors
Facilitating culture
Crafting culture
Valuing culture
Personalizing culture

Domain 3: Talent Manager/
Organisation Designer
HR professional masters theory, research, and
practice in both talent management and
organisational design
Factors
Ensuring todays and tomorrows Talent
Developing talent
Shaping organisation
Fostering communication
Designing rewards system
Domain 4: Strategy Architect
HR professional has a vision for how the
organisation can win in the marketplace, now,
and in future
Factors
Sustaining strategic agility
Engaging customers
Domain 5: Operational Executor

HR professional executes the operational
aspects of managing people and organisation
Factors
Implementing workforce polices
Advancing HR technology
Domain 6: Business Ally
HR professional contributes to the success of a
business by knowing the social context in
which the business operates
Serving the value chain
Interpreting social context
Articulating the value proposition
Leveraging business technology
Pattern of HR Competencies Identified
1. Credible activist (personal credibility)
2. Culture & Change Steward (strategic contributions)
3. Talent Manager/ Organisation Designer (HR
delivery)
4. Strategy Architect (strategic contributions)
5. Business Ally (business knowledge)
6. Operational Executor (HR delivery/HR technology)

Pattern of HR Competencies Identified-
Region wise
USA &
Canada

Latin
America


Europe Australia/
Asia Pacific

China

India

Credible activist

Credible activist Credible activist

Credible activist

Credible activist

Credible activist
Culture &
Change Steward

Culture &
Change Steward
Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer

Culture &
Change Steward
Operational
Executor
Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer

Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer

Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer
Culture &
Change Steward

Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer
Talent Manager/
Organisation
Designer
Culture &
Change Steward

Strategy
Architect

Operational
Executor

Strategy
Architect

Strategy
Architect
Culture &
Change Steward
Business Ally

Operational
Executor
Strategy
Architect

Business Ally

Operational
Executor
Strategy
Architect

Strategy
Architect

Business Ally

Business Ally

Operational
Executor

Business Ally Business Ally

Operational
Executor

Highlights
20% of a business success can be attributed to HR professionals
Credible activist emerged as the most impactful competency for both
the individual and business
Talent manager/organization designer, culture & change steward and
strategic architect showed up as second tier in importance
HR professionals are able to develop organisational capabilities that
create competitive advantage through the second tier HR
competencies
Operational executor and business ally don't differentiate a company or
an individual, but competency in these area is necessary