What are Competencies

Competencies are the underlying characteristics of an individual-knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, self-concepts, traits & motives that have casual relationship with effective/and or superior performance in a job situation.
Competencies are measurable human capabilities that are required for effective & successful work performance of individuals.

What are Core Competencies

A core competency is a bundle of skills & technologies that enables a company to provide particular benefits to customers. It could be in the form of communication effectiveness, involvement & a deep commitment to working across organizational boundaries.

Types of Competencies
Types of Competencies
Central & Surface Competencies: The surface level competencies of knowledge & skills are visible in the performance & behavior of an individual & can also be developed by appropriate Training & development. The core Trait Competencies which, reside within an individual are difficult to understand, be measured & developed effectively. Job-Role Competencies: Things an individual must demonstrate to be effective in a job, role, function, task, or duty, at a departmental level, or in the entire organization. Threshold & Differentiating Competencies:

Threshold competencies are characteristics required by a job- holder to perform a job effectively.
Differentiating Competencies are those characteristics which, differentiate superior performers from average performers. Organizational Competencies: These include unique factors that make an organization competitive through organizational culture or organizational changes Personal Competencies: These include aspects of an individual that imply a level of skill, achievement, or output.

Identifying a Competency
Identification of competencies & developing a competency model is a specialized task. A comparison of the two extreme groups ie the star performers & average performers throws up the data on how the two groups differ on performance criteria in a particular job/role in a particular organization. Identification of competencies for various job positions can be done with the help of 360 degree feedback in which the employee, the supervisor, subordinates & the peers can help to identify competencies which differentiate star performers from average performers. Based on the above scores competencies could be ranked in order of importance for a particular job position.

Assessment of Competencies
Competencies are based on an analysis of the professional role(s) &/or a theoretical formulation of professional responsibilities.
Competency statements describe outcomes expected from the performance of professionally related functions, or knowledge, skills & attitudes thought to be essential to the performance of those functions. In a competence-based assessment system, the focus is on outcomes of performance & assessment of individuals over a continuous period of time.

Assessment of Competencies
The key factors of a competence-based system are: Focus on outcomes Individualized assessment No percentage rating No comparison with other individuals results All standards (requirements) must be met On-going processes leading to further development Only competent or not yet competent judgments made.

Assessment of Competencies
Assessment of competences serves the purpose of: Measuring individual contribution to business objectives Measuring group/team contribution to business objectives Identifying potential for further development
Competence Assessment may be in form of the assessment of: Occupation/Technical competence Personal/Individual Competence General Competence Combination of the above

Assessment of Competencies
The competence-based assessment may be used for: Certification Performance Appraisal Identifying Training Needs Skills Audit Prior Learning Recruitment & Selection Evaluating Training

Competency Analysis & Modeling

It helps to identify & document those capabilities of employees and thereby allows an organization to use that information across a wide range of people management systems.
It can be used for designing for a specific job, an unit, a division, or an entire organization.

Competency Mapping
Competency mapping is a process to identify key competencies for an organization &/or a job & incorporating those competencies throughout the various processes of the organization.
The steps involved in the process of competency mapping are as follows: Conduct a Job Analysis by asking incumbents to complete a position information questionnaire. Using the results of job analysis, a competency based job description is developed. Taking the competency based job description, mapping the competencies can be done.

Approaches of Competency Mapping

Assessment Centers: it is a mechanism to identify the potential for growth. It is a procedure specifically designed to evaluate an individuals managerial potential.
Critical Incident Technique: It is a set of procedures for systematically identifying behaviors that contribute to the success or failure of individuals or organizations in specific situations. It is useful for obtaining in-depth data about a particular role or set of tasks. It involves gathering facts, content analysis & creating feedback. Interview Techniques: The interview consists of the interaction between the interviewer and the applicant. Questionnaire: These are written lists of questions that users fill out & return. It can be used at any stage of development depending on the questions that are asked in the questionnaire. Psychometric Tests: It is a standardized objective measure of a sample of behavior.

Approaches of Skill Development

A. Planning and Organization Skills: To follow up with others to evaluate progress of tasks. To motivate others on group projects To facilitate brainstorming activities To develop goals & objectives To work effectively with organizational members To identify tasks to be accomplished To prioritize tasks To facilitate discussions on program planning processes. To provide constructive feedback.

Approaches of Skill Development

B. Oral & Written Communication Skills: To organize & present ideas effectively for formal & spontaneous speeches To effectively participate in group discussions To prepare concise & logically written materials To listen carefully & respond to verbal & non-verbal messages. To effectively utilize campus resources for public relations To respond appropriately to positive & negative feedback To debate issues without being abrasive to others To possess courteous telephone skills.

Approaches of Skill Development

C. Decision-Making, Supervisory, Management &/or Leadership Skills: To understand the steps involved in effective decision-making To facilitate groups in the decision-making process. To implement decisions To take responsibility for decisions To evaluate the effects & effectiveness of a decision To be able to make decisions without feeling pressured. To remain flexible with decisions To explain to others unpopular decisions To use effective coaching/mentoring skills with peers or subordinates

Approaches of Skill Development

D. Critical Thinking, Problem-solving & Conflict Resolution Skills: To anticipate problems before they occur. To define the problem & identify apparent causes of the same. To identify possible alternative solutions & select the most appropriate ones. To facilitate group members in identifying & evaluating possible solutions To develop plans to implement solutions To handle several problems at one time. To understand the steps involved with critical thinking To recognize if a problem needs to be addressed

Approaches of Skill Development

E. Teamwork & Team Building Skills: To motivate team members to work towards common goals To understand strengths & weaknesses of members & use strengths to build team development To effectively collaborate on projects To support & praise one another for reaching goals & accomplishments.

Approaches of Skill Development

F. Ethics & Tolerance Skills: To define & explain ethical behavior To practice ethical behavior in different situations To accept others opinions & actions in a non-judgmental way. G. Personal & professional Management Skills: To work effectively under pressure To manage time & stress effectively To seek additional opportunities for professional development To regularly participate in a healthy combination of activities for stress management To arrive at work at an appropriate time. To evaluate personal & professional strengths & weaknesses To take initiative in job related duties To discern appropriate behaviors for the workplace.

Approaches of Skill Development

H. Human Relations & Interpersonal Skills: To keep a group on track while moving towards goal achievement. To maintain group cooperation & support To delegate tasks & responsibilities To interact effectively with peers, superiors & subordinates To understand the feelings of others To make commitments to people To be prepared to take risks To be able to teach a skill or principle to others. To demonstrate effective social behavior in a variety of settings & under different circumstances.

Approaches of Skill Development

I. Career Building Skills: To determine likes & dislikes of current position. To practice new skills involving small projects (low-risk) To join new or different professional organizations related to new interests To encourage continuing education or exploratory courses for professional growth. To acquire new interests outside of work To work or volunteer in an organization related to new interests

Approaches of Skill Development

J. Management & Administrative Skills: To effectively analyze tasks To identify people who can contribute to the solution of a problem or task To identify resource materials useful in the solution of a problem. To delegate responsibility for completion of a task To motivate & lead people To organize people & tasks so as to effectively achieve specific goals.