Concept of

Competency

Dr. J B Patnaik
Introduction
All organizations are talking about competencies. Some have truly worked the concept
into several of their processes. A few have a fully implemented competency modeling
and reporting system in place. However, quite a few organizations are still striving to
build a competency model and implement it. Most organizations of all sizes are still
struggling with defining, designing and implementing competency model projects.

The process is completely customizable.

What is Competency?
 Competency is a capacity of an individual that leads to the behaviour, which
meets the job demands within the parameters of the organizational environment and in
turn brings about desired results. The competency mix comprises Knowledge, Skills
and Attitude.

 Any underlying characteristic required for performing a given task, activity, or role
successfully can be considered as competency.
Definitions of Competency
 Hogg B (1989) “competencies are the characteristics of a manager that lead to the
demonstration of skills and abilities, which result in effective performance within an
occupational area. Competency also embodies the capacity to transfer skills and
abilities from one area to another”.
 ‘An underlying characteristic of a person which results in effective and/or superior
performance on the job’ (Klemp, 1980).
 “a cluster of related knowledge, skills and attitudes that affects a major part of
one’s job (a role or responsibility), that correlates with performance on the job, that
can be measured against well-accepted standards and that can be improved via
training and development” (Parry, 1996).
 Spencer and Spencer (1993) in their work Competence At Work have defined
competency as “an underlying characteristic of an individual that is casually related to
criterion-referenced effecting and/or superior performance in a job situation”.
Cont….
An analysis of the definition reveals:

 Competencies are the characteristics of a manager.

 Competencies lead the demonstration of skills and abilities.

 Competencies must lead to effective performance.

 Competency also embodies the capacity to transfer skills and abilities from one
area to another.

Cont….
 Five Types of Competency

AT The things a person consistently thinks about or wants and that

T Motives causes action. Motives ‘drive, direct, or select’ behaviour towards
I certain actions or goals and away from others.
T
U Physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations or
Traits information.
D
E A person’s perception towards self and the world.

Self–concept

Knowledge Information a person has in specific content areas.

Skill The ability to perform a certain physical or mental task.

Cont….
The Iceberg Model

Cont….
Central and Surface Competencies

Cont….
Under the Surface Competencies
A Quick Glance at the History of Competency
 In the beginning of the twentieth century, work brought complex skills to the job.
Typical business processes required specific competencies for the task at hand. These
competencies could be acquired only through years of one- the-job learning and
practice.
 Then came the era of scientific management where Frederick Taylor’s and
Henry Ford’s use of assembly line shifted competencies from workers to time-and-
motion study.
 Later, in mid-century, World War II enforced management centric views where
officers gave orders to subordinates who obeyed the commands without questions.
 Later McClelland, founder of McBer, a consulting company, was asked by the US
Information Agency (USIA) to develop new methods that could predict human
performance.

Cont….
 The turning point for competency movement is the article published in American
Psychologist in 1973 by McClelland. In this article, he presented data that traditional
achievement and intelligence score may not be able to predict job success and what
is required is to profile the exact competencies required to perform a given job
effectively and measure them using a variety of tests.
 Equally noteworthy is the pioneering work by Douglas Brey and his associates at
AT&T in the US, which gave evidence that competencies can be assessed through
assessment centres and on-the-job success can be predicted to some extent.
 Latter McBer, a consulting firm founded by David McClelland and his associate
David Berlew, has specialized in mapping the competencies of entrepreneurs and
managers across the world. They even developed a new and yet simple methodology
called the Behaviour Event Interviewing (BEI) to map the competencies.
Competency Mapping Process
Introduction
Competency Mapping is the process, which involves the following three steps:

1. Developing Competency Models to facilitate competency profiling for each

job/role.

2. Identification of Competencies required to perform successfully a given job/role

or a set of tasks at a given point of time.

3. Assessing Competency to measure the extent to which a given individual or a

group of individuals possess these competencies required for a given role or a set of
roles.

Cont….
Components of this definition

Diagrammatic Representation
Aspects of Competency Mapping
The chart projecting the following aspects of Competency Mapping is given below:

1. What does affect Competency Mapping?

2. What does necessitate Competency Mapping?

3. What are the tools for Competency Mapping? (Competency Identification and
Competency Assessments)

4. What are the applications of Competency Mapping?

Cont….
 What affects: Competency Mapping?

Management Philosophy
Customer Requirements
Business Needs
Business Process

Aspects of
Applications of Competency
Competency Mapping Mapping
Why Competency
Mapping? Recruitment
Placement
Right Sizing Competency
Development
Quality Manpower Mapping
Performance
Higher Performance Management
Organizational Core Career Planning
Competence
Succession Planning
Reward
Job Redesign
Cont….
 What are the tools of Competency Mapping?
Competency Identification Competency As ses s ments
Task Forces Self and Superior Assessment
Benchmarking against Superior 360° Feedback
Performers
By Self and Superior Assessment Centre
By HR Specialist Psychometric Tests
Job Experts/Subject Matter Interviews
Specialists
Psychologist Leaderless Group Discussion (L GD)
Industrial Engineers In-basket Exercise
Task Analysis Workshop Management G ames
Questionnaire Role Play
Interviews Case Study
Group Work S cenario Discussion
Critical Incident Technique Portfolio Presentation
Repertory Grid

Cont….
Determining whether the workforce possesses the abilities critical for its success is
indeed difficult. Behaviours necessary for effective performance vary from business to
business and roles to roles. Many organizations have, thus, developed competency
models to help them identify the essential knowledge, skills and attributes needed for
successful performance in a job aligned with the strategy and integrating it to the HR
strategy.

Such organizations have followed the following model:

Develop Mission, Vision and Values for Organization

Set Goal for Organization

Design Strategy to achieve Goal

Cont….
 Specify Competencies required for people for Specific Jobs for Superior
Performance at different levels in Organization.

Design and apply Assessment Design and deliver training

Tools to identify Competency or other developmental
Gaps in relation to each methods to close the
Role/Job Competency Gaps

Re-deployment/Job Re-design
Career planning/succession planning