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A Competency Model is
a set of key behaviours required for
excellent performance in a particular role. Excellent performers on the job
demonstrate these behaviours much more consistently than average or poor
performers. These characteristics include the key behaviours that primarily
drive excellent performance. They are usually presented with a definition and
key behavioural indicators.
The root of competency modelling can be traced back to
the work of a noted psychologist called David
McCelland. In his article ‘Testing for Competence Rather Than
Intelligence’ McCelland (1973), strongly argued that assessment tools such
as intelligence tests predict academic performance more than success on the
job. He further argued that
organisations should not concentrate on testing for traits related to
intelligence that are divorced from practical outcomes, the best test for selection and employment
purposes would be one that assesses real job skills. According to Schippmann
(2000), the notion of competency modelling has gathered such
momentum that in 1997, The Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology
commissioned a task force to investigate and review the practice of Competency
modelling.
According to Schippmann (2000), the competency
modelling process includes a substantial effort to understand an organisation’s
business context and competitive strategy. It establishes a direct line of
sight between individual competency requirements and the broader goals of the
organisation.
Below is a brief
overview of the steps that you as an
organisation might need to consider when designing your competency model.
NUMBER | DELIVERABLE | APPROACH |
D-1 | Project Inception Report | Convene a Project Kick –Off Meeting |
D-2 | Collection of relevant data | Literature Review of relevant documents |
D-3 | Identification of Competencies at each level | Key Expert Interviews |
D-4 | Assessment of Competencies | Psychometric TestsInterviewsAssessment Centres |
D-5 | Data Analysis and Interpretation | Using scientifically validated tools like Cronback Alpha |
D-6 | Benchmarking and Validation of the Competencies | Comparative analysis of competencies you desire against competencies of organisations of similar standing |
D-7 | Development of a competency dictionary | Define all the respective competencies |
D-8 | Development of a Transition and Sustainability Plan | Design an Implementation Plan |
In
the light of the above it is foolhardy for any competent manager to wake up one day and say here are the competencies of
this particular job. What should happen first is that your organisation needs
to conduct a validated process of coming up with competencies for its respective roles rather just pluck from the internet
irrelevant competencies. It is a matter of regret that most organisations use
competencies which are not aligned to their strategy.
Newturn
Wikirefu is the Talent Acquisition Manager at Industrial Psychology Consultants
(Pvt) Ltd a management and human resources consulting firm.
Phone +263 4
481946-48/481950/2900276/2900966 or cell number +0784 597343 or email:
newturn@ipcconsultants.com or visit our website at www.ipcconsultants.com
This article was written by one of the consultants at IPC
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