Competencies: What, Why & How?

PGP

Prof. Surya Prakash Pat

Human Resource Management Group
IIM Kozhikode
Email: spp@iimk.ac.in
Date: 14.01.2015

[This lecture has borrowed material from multiple sources. To be revealed

on demand].
 What is Competency?
If a person X is doing a job, then he should do A B C in order for us to say he is doing job well

• Competency based analysis means describing a job in terms of

measurable, observable, behaviours, that an employee doing the job
must exhibit to do the job well.
• “Experienced easiness in variability of skills according to demands in
the job”
• Since organizatons operate in fast changing environment, employees
and their jobs need to absorb the uncertainty. Thus varied teams,
multple roles (leader, technician, administrator, supporter etc.) are the
norms.
• Hence instead of being ‘boxed’ to a job, competency based job
analysis encourages employees to develop role based behaviours [by
skills, knowledge, abilites].
• People can be shifted across roles, across domains, across functons
• Example
– Infosys Technologies has completely revamped itself to a role based
organizaton, identfying skills and behaviours at every positon.
– (Show e.g.)
• Types of competencies
– Generic competencies
• Managerial and cognitve competencies required in small and large
measure across functons [customer satsfacton, analytcal skills]
– Functonal competencies
• Competencies that are required in small or large measure within
specific functons. [project planning, resource planning for project
management]
– Threshold competencies
• Characteristcs which any job holder needs to have to do the job
effectvely – but do not distnguish an average from a superior
performer [language skills, computer skills]
– Differentatng competencies
• Competencies that superior performers possess, but absent in
average performers [empathy, ability to scan environment for
opportunites]
 How to extract competencies?
[Fundamental of competency mapping]
• Step 1: Conduct JD
• Step 2: Co-relate each behaviour to a skill
• Step 3: Measure each skill in a Likert scale
• Step 4: Define each point/number by demonstratve
behaviour
 How to extract competencies?
[Fundamental of competency mapping]
• Competencies of faculty member
– Teaching and learning skills
• 1: Basic (Just lectures a prepared presentaton)
• 2: Average (Invites selected questons in class, but does not go beyond the scope)
• 3: Good (Demonstrates the applicatons of concepts in class by discussions)
• 4: Excellent (Challenges the students to critque the concepts)
– Communicaton skills
• 1: Basic (Speaks at a single place in the class)
• 2: Average (Moves around, makes eye contact with students)
• 3: Good (Moves around, makes eye contact and encourages frequent dialogues)
• 4: Excellent (Moves around, makes eye contact, teaches through discussion)
• Competencies for IIM Profs.
– Competency 1: Research, Analysis and Interpretaton
• Defn: Shows evidence of informaton richness and clear
analytcal thinking. Gets to heart of complex problems and
issues. Applies own expertse effectvely
• Underdeveloped (0): Frequently presents unsupported
statements. Unable to formulate a reasoned argument. Can
never think fast enough to find facts to support one’s
argument. Ineffectvely infers unrelated conclusions from
presented data.
• Moderately developed (1): Although contributes little
informaton to the group for discussion, yet makes the best use
of presented informaton to derive logical inferences.
• Superiorly developed (2): Presents statements that follow a clear
logical pathway. Presents supported statements/data. Is deft in
interpretng alternatve meanings from presented data.
• Competencies for IIM Profs
– Competency 2: Interacton and presentaton
• Defn: Communicates and networks effectvely.
Successfully persuades and influences others. Relates
to others in confident and relaxed manner
• Underdeveloped (0): Finds difficulty in arguing an idea.
• Moderately developed (1): Is not focused on a single
idea. Changes ideas to suit the mood of group. Aim is to
make himself/herself acceptable than the idea.
• Superiorly developed (2): Likes his/her ideas and argues
enthusiastcally to get them accepted
• Competencies for IIM Profs
– Competency 3: Creaton and conceptualizaton
– Defn: Openness to new ideas and experiences. Thinks
broadly and seeks out learning opportunity
– Underdeveloped (0): Limited demonstraton of ability
of integraton of ideas, informaton and perspectves.
– Moderately developed (1): Is only capable of
summarizing ideas. However it does not result in any
change in the directon or nature of discussion
– Superiorly developed (2): Proactvely builds on
others’ ideas and integrates varied informaton to give
a new directon to the discussion.
• Competencies for IIM Profs.
– Competency: Technological familiarity
– Defn: Aptness with modern technology and awareness of
usage
– Underdeveloped (0): Is unable to appreciate and
incorporate technological infrastructure into his pedagogy.
– Moderately developed (1): Is comfortable incorporatng at
least 50% of the technological infrastructure in his
pedagogy. However is resistant to learning of new
technological infrastructure.
– Superiorly developed (2): Is apt in using every bit of
technological infrastructure available in his/her pedagogy.
Is enthusiastc to learn additonal features. Is passionate
about staying up to date in the same.
• Problems with competency analysis
– Focus on behaviours and not results
– Competency is loosely interpreted and is subjectve