1. Best Practices in Competency Models

Best Practices in
Competency Models
CEB Corporate Leadership Council
Mark Whittle, Director CEB, Latin America
Friday, April 22nd
Santiago, Chile
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Agenda
1. Best Practices in Competency Models
2. The New Path Forward: Creating Compelling Careers
for Employees and Organizations
3. Leveraging Engagement to Support Business Priorities
© 2016 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
7
Types of Assessments
Traditional intelligence
tests, such as numerical
reasoning, vocabulary,
critical thinking
Questions map to
traits, attitudes, and
motivations known
to predict
performance
Custom job/culture fit
• Retention predictor
• RJP/RCP
Ask about past
experiences (education,
work, life)
Interactive demonstration
of skills, aptitude or ability.
May not include items to
answer, but rather tasks to
perform
• Past performance,
Future performance
Ask what candidates
think is best response in
a work-related situation
8
How Well Do Assessments Work?
Objective assessment provides a better prediction of a candidate’s likely
job performance than many typical methods
+1
Perfect prediction
+.65
Assessment Centers
+.45
+.40
+.35
+.30
Ability Tests/Job Samples
Group Exercise/Personality Composites
Structured Interviews/In-Tray Exercises
Biodata (e.g., work history)
+.15
Employment Interviews
+.10
Educational Qualifications
Graphology/Astrology/Phrenology
0
Random prediction
9
Designing and
Implementing
Competency Models
CEB Learning & Development Leadership Council
10
Our research demonstrates
that clearly communicating
performance standards and
providing fair, accurate, and
informal feedback drives
employee performance.
■■
Organizations need a fair
and simple framework to
assess employee performance
and support continued
improvement.
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR COMPETENCY MODELS
Clearly Communicating Performance Standards Drives Employee Performance
We surveyed 19,000 employees from 34 companies and 29 countries and found that an employee’s understanding
of performance standards can impact performance by up to 36.1%.
We also found that providing fair, accurate, and informal feedback has a maximum impact of 39.1% on
performance. To achieve this impact, organizations must establish a framework to measure employee performance
fairly and accurately. A well-designed and -implemented competency model will provide managers with an
actionable and realistic understanding of performance and allow them to positively influence performance through
informal feedback.
Providing Fair and Accurate Informal Feedback Drives Employee Performance
Impact of Employee Understanding
on Performance Standards
∆ = 36.1%
1.36x
1x
Performance of an
Performance of an
Employee with a
Employee with a
Poor Understanding Strong Understanding
of Performance
of Performance
Standards
Standards
Source: CEB analysis.
Impact of Fairness and Accuracy
on Informal Feedback
∆ = 39.1%
1.39x
1x
Performance of an
Employee Receiving
Unfair and Inaccurate
Informal Feedback
Performance of an
Employee Receiving
Fair and Accurate
Informal Feedback
Source: CEB analysis.
© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved. LDR1360115SYN
11
Organizations use a
combination of behavioral
and technical competencies
in performance
management processes.
■■
■■
Behavioral competencies
are transferable behaviors that
typically compose attitudes,
values, and leadership
competency models.
THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF COMPETENCY MODELS
Organizations Typically Measure Employees’ Performance in Two Ways
■■
■■
Technical competencies
are specific skills and
knowledge linked to particular
roles and activities.
Management by Objectives (MBOs): A system in which specific performance objectives are jointly determined by
subordinates and their superiors. Progress toward objectives is periodically reviewed, and evaluation and rewards
are based on this progress.
Competency Models: The knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to perform job responsibilities are correlated
with on-the-job performance measured during formal performance processes.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Competency Models
Advantages
Disadvantages
MBOs
■■
■■
Measure output that can be directly linked to business
unit and organizational goals
Ensure employees within the organization are aware
of the link between their roles and responsibilities and
the goals of the business by coordinating objectives
from the top down
■■
■■
■■
■■
Can be overly focused on output and ignore other core
responsibilities of a role
Do not measure adherence to organizational values
Do not break down performance at a role into actionable
behaviors
Tend to be more applicable to certain positions than
others
Competency Models
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
Standardize performance management criteria to
enable the comparison of performance within job
families across business units and geographies
Standardize development expectations across the
organization
Help to create a unified corporate culture
Enable organizations to strengthen leadership bench
and facilitate the identification of future leaders
Create a more robust hiring process by ensuring
better candidate fit
Help integrate HR processes such as recruiting,
development, succession planning, and performance
management
■■
■■
Creating and updating competency models is a time- and
data -intensive process.
Competency models present serious design and
implementation challenges. Failing to overcome these
challenges can have the following consequences:
–– Competency models can become complex and
unwieldy, thus overwhelming employees and managers.
–– Competency models can become outdated rapidly and
fail to reflect the changing reality of employee roles.
–– Competency models can be too abstract and
nonactionable.
–– Competency models can be insufficient for developing
skills needed for future strategy.
© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved. LDR1360115SYN
12
Best in Class Competency Models
Best-in-class competency models are:
1.
Aligned with core values and company mission and strategy
2.
Balance comprehensiveness and simplicity
3.
Streamline the number of competencies and provide flexibility
4.
Are anchored in specific behaviors
5.
Are embedded in the talent management process
6.
Use ‘talent analytics’ to identify the most impactful competencies
© 2016 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
13
CISCO: NEW LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES MODEL
Highlights of the Process for Creating a New Leadership Competencies Model
• Interview the best leaders to identify the ideal profile of the leaders in their area,
and to understand how the leadership roles are changing for the future
• Use talent analytics to identify the competencies and behaviors that most
differentiate the best leaders from the average leaders
• Motivate the leaders to want to close the development gaps themselves
Definir la diferenciación temporal—Cisco delinea la diferencia
entre las conductas pasadas, presentes y futuras del modelo CDesarrollar la
LEAD mediante demostraciones para ayudar a los líderes a
autoconciencia
emprender
cambios conductuales.
Liderazgo para el—Las
Modelo
CLiderazgo
Liderazgo para
maña
LEAD de
evaluaciones
hoy día
na
tradicional
desarrollan la
“competenci Mantiene el
Colabora entre
Colabora entre
(Futur
(Presente)
(Pasado)
autoconciencia
as
enfoque
distintas
distintas
Colaborar
o)
de los líderes
primario
en
el
funciones,
funciones
para
diferenciante
sobre si están
éxito
informando
a
desarrollar
s”
Encuesta
de
las conductas del modelo C-LEAD
DesarrollaJuan
una Pérez:
Procura
el
Se opinión
desafía a360
sí sobre
demostrando
funcional
los
demás
sobre
soluciones
que
Liderazgo
tradicional
Liderazgo
para ver
hoy día
Liderazgo para el mañana
Aprender profunda pericia desarrollo
fuera
mismo para
una
transición
soluciones y
beneficien la
Resumen
Superiores
Colegas
Subalternos
dentro del área
de la función y el las cosas
desde
criterios
función,
la región del liderazgo
Trabajar
más
allá
de los
límites
Demuestra un
Demuestra
Incentiva
en los
funcional
área de
otra
perspectiva
tradicional
al
y la empresa
Ejecutar enfoque intenso
pasión
por la
demás
la pasión
Involucrar
a los demás
Colaborar
especialidad
y
liderazgo para el
en una ejecución ejecución
por
las metas
a
Ganarse como
la
hacerlas
de otra
mañana de
Implementa
Participa
en los
el
Se
adapta
impecable la
así
también
largo
plazoaylas
los
confianza
manera
Autodesarrollo
Cisco.
Aprender
desarrollo
de la condiciones
del
objetivos
objetivos
Acelerar estrategia tal
El desarrollo de los
demás
como se da
estrategia
mercado
y del
globales de la
empresariales
Demostrar pasión
mundo a fin de
empresa
Soluciona Ejecutar
Hace
que alalos equipos
Desafía
Facultar
evolucionar y
problemas para innovación
sea
continuamente el
Revolucionar
Obtener resultados
desarrollar una
procesos y
parte de la
estatu quo y fija
Forjar la estrategianueva estrategia
estrategias Acelerar
ejecución
nuevos criterios
Desarrollar la capacidad
comprobadas a cotidiana y
para el mismo
medida que
prioriza el trabajo
surgen
y la planificación
en equipo
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
14
Translate Competencies in Behaviors that
Facilitate Performance Evaluation
Driving for Results
Competency
Rating 1
Rating 2
Rating 3
…Rating 5
Creates generic plans
without timeframes,
milestones, or
deliverables
Develops specific
plans but has
difficulty accurately
estimating timelines
and resource needs
and may not
consistently
communicate the
plan to others
Creates and
communicates
specific, detailed,
and comprehensive
plans, which may
need revisions
throughout the
course of the project
Develops realistic
short and long-term
project/work plans
with accurate
forecasts of all
potential restrictions
Does not monitor or
measure progress
against the plan
Inconsistently or
infrequently checks
progress against the
project/work plan
Regularly monitors
and measures
progress against the
project plan
Puts systems or
processes into place
to continuously
monitor and
measure progress
against the project
plan; effectively
communicates
project plans to
others, checking for
understanding and
commitment
© 2016 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
15
Translate Competencies in Behaviors that
Facilitate Performance Evaluation (CONT)
Driving for Results
Competency
Rating 1
Rating 2
Rating 3
…Rating 5
Does not attempt to
identify obstacles
and is often
unsuccessful at
resolving problems
once they have
occurred
May give up when
confronted with
obstacles or
resistance
Consistently checks
in with team
members to identify
and resolve obstacles
early on
Works across
organizational
boundaries to
overcome obstacles
Does not make
effective use of
available resources;
occasionally wastes
time, money,
materials, and/or
people’s productivity
Occasionally has
difficulty resolving
unanticipated
resource problems
Organizes and
coordinates
resources to ensure
that the project
meets its overall
objective
Anticipates changes
in resource needs
and organizes those
resources
accordingly to
prevent delays or
problems; gets more
out of fewer
resources
© 2016 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
16
CASE PROFILE: IBM’S LEVEL-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTIONS
FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING COMPETENCE
Best-in-Class Competencies Are Anchored in Specific Behaviors
To help employees understand their competency model, organizations should provide a definition of each competency, as well as behavioral anchors
linked to each (examples of what the competency would look like in action). Behavioral anchors serve two purposes: a) they better enable managers and
employees to understand how the abstract competency translates into observable behaviors and b) they enable organizations to define baseline levels of
competency required for specific roles and levels in the organization. Organizations may use a single competency model covering all levels of seniority for
a given job family and use behavioral anchors to specify the level of competence mastery required for each seniority level. The following IBM and Alpha
Company1 case profiles provide examples of competencies that are anchored in specific behaviors, with different performance levels illustrated.
Case Profile 3: IBM’s Level-Specific Performance Descriptions for Problem-Solving Competence
Creative Problem Solving: Sees patterns not obvious to others; breaks problems apart to prioritize; identifies multiple causes and effects
Needs Development: Breaks down problems into basic components to devise a solution
■■ Thinks through contingencies and consequences of actions, identifying pros and cons of different solutions
■■ Quickly identifies the issues that must be resolved, using cause-and-effect thinking to plan out next steps
Demonstrated Competence: Synthesizes information from multiple sources to identify opportunities and solve problems (e.g., to pinpoint the customer’s
compelling reason to act)
■■ Assembles multiple data points into a coherent whole to prioritize action
■■ Identifies a trend in the marketplace and uses this insight to solve problems and identify opportunities
Strength: Redefines the problem by getting underneath the surface to gain insight into the underlying issue being faced
■■ Quickly identifies the root of the problem or issue rather than being distracted by the details surrounding it
■■ Demonstrates significant mental flexibility, moving quickly and easily among complex problems to move the opportunity forward
Extraordinary Strength: Brings multiple disparate factors (technical, pricing, negotiations, etc.) together in new and creative ways to structure an elegant
business solution
■■ Simplifies complex situations to create a unique vision of a solution that brings business value to the customer
■■ Identifies options that others have not seen, finding fundamentally new and different opportunities (e.g., applications, ways to structure deals, market
opportunities)
Source:IBM; CEB analysis.
1
Pseudonym.
© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved. LDR1360115SYN
17
CASE PROFILE: COMPETENCY BLIND SPOT ANALYSIS (ALPHA COMPANY1)
Deplyoing Competency Models for Training and Development
Case Profile 8: Alpha Company Uses Performance Management Data to Identify Blind Spots
Situation: Multiple competency models do not provide a clear overview of skill gaps.
A review of performance management practices revealed that there were 16 different competency models in use at Alpha Company—making the identification
of skill gaps across employee groups very difficult.
Action: Alpha Company uses data from its performance management system to identify skill gaps.
Following a redesign of its performance management processes, Alpha Company is able to generate blind spot competency reports that identify skill gaps for
teams and departments. HR can then pinpoint the number of individuals in a team or department who do not meet the required level of competence for their
positions and provide managers with a view of aggregate talent problems. The graphic below is a sample blind spot analysis report.
Sample Blind Spot Analysis Based on Pilot Data
Development Priorities
Specialist
Competencies
L1
L2
Leadership
L3
L4
L1
L2
L3
L4
4
1
6
4
4
Influencing
6
1
1
5
5
Decision Making
3
5
1
Project Management
1
Selection and Assessment
5
3
4
8
1
Areas of Deficiency
9
6
3
7
How do we develop project management skills?
Areas of Serious Concern
3
Areas of Excellence
Blind spot analysis
identifies where
individuals at
different levels meet
or exceed their
required competency
performance levels...
1
Planning and Prioritization
Efficiency
Generalist
Meeting or Exceeding Profile Requirements
Not Applicable to Profile
People Not Meeting Profile Requirements
Problem Areas
...as well as the number
of individuals not
meeting their profile
requirements.
Blind spot analysis automatically highlights areas where
individuals at different levels fail to meet performance
expectations, including team-wide skill gaps.
Source:Alpha Company; CEB analysis.
1
Pseudonym.
© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved. LDR1360115SYN
18
Best-in-class organizations
apply competency models
to all employees and align
competency models with
business needs.
GUIDELINES FOR CREATING COMPETENCY MODELS
Case Profile 10: TD Bank’s Strategy-Driven Competency Model Development
TD Bank Financial Group employs an iterative process for developing its leadership competency model. Using
internal executive interviews, focus groups, and CEO review, TD Bank refines competency data from external sources
to ensure its competency model reflects the unique organizational values and maps to its new strategic direction.
In addition, TD Bank’s model provides leaders with clear performance expectations and serves as the overarching
framework for its leadership development initiatives.
Three Months
Three Months
One Year
Three Months
One Month
Benchmarking
Executive
Interviews
Profile
Development
Focus Group
Testing
Final Review
Owner: L&D
Owner: L&D and
HR Directors
Owner: Steering
Committee
Owner: Steering
Committee
Owner: CEO
Expert opinion
identified
through a review
of secondary
literature,
benchmarking, and
input from external
consultants
Interviews
conducted with
50 executives
to ensure the
leadership profile
aligns with current
and future needs of
the organization
Steering committee
consolidates,
analyses, and
discusses
all collected
information to
identify and
synthesize
attributes that
reflect the values
and strategic
direction of the
organization.
Steering committee
pressure-tests
the draft in
cross-functional,
executive focus
groups; changes are
then integrated into
a final version of the
leadership profile.
CEO reviews
and edits the
leadership profile
to ensure that the
attributes reflect
the organization’s
values and strategic
direction.
Source:TD Bank; CEB analysis.
© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved. LDR1360115SYN
19
Novo Nordisk reduces the
number of competencies
being assessed to the
four most critical for each
requisition and drives a
more detailed discussion
with candidates based on
those competencies.
■■
■■
To avoid having to conduct
wide-ranging conversations
that cover the whole
competency model, Novo
Nordisk identifies and
focuses on the competencies
that have disproportionate
impact on business results.
Interviewers use behavioral
interviewing questions that
show how a competency
manifests itself in a
candidate rather than simply
whether or not he or she
possesses the competency.
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT
MATTER MOST
Novo Nordisk’s Competency-Based Interviewing Approach
Organizational Competency Model:
Prior Approach
Streamlined Job-Specific Competency Model:
Current Approach
All candidates to be assessed for:
All candidates for Job A to be assessed for:
■■
Problem solving
■■
Problem solving
■■
Inquisitive nature
■■
Task execution
■■
Innovation
■■
Results orientation
■■
Relationship building
■■
Communication
■■
Communication
■■
Leadership
■■
Problem solving
■■
Resilience
■■
Innovation
■■
Flexibility
■■
Flexibility
■■
Detail orientation
■■
Task execution
■■
Supporting others
■■
Task execution
■■
Results orientation
■■
Ethics and integrity
All candidates for Job B to be assessed for:
Challenges:
Solutions:
1. Too many competencies to assess for
1. P
rioritize competencies by how they drive
business results.
2. Insufficient level of candidate information
regarding each competency
© 2013 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. RR6104513SYN
SITUATION
OVERVIEW
2. Identify how competencies manifest themselves
in candidates.
PRIORITIZED
COMPETENCIES
QUESTION COMPASS
RESULTS
20
To avoid conducting
wide-ranging
conversations covering
the whole competency
model, Novo Nordisk
identifies and evaluates
candidates on only the
competencies that have
disproportionate impact
on business results.
■■
Prior to needs definition,
hiring managers identify the
objectives for the role and
the tasks required to meet
those objectives.
PRIORITIZE COMPETENCIES BY DEFINING
HOW THEY DRIVE BUSINESS RESULTS
Novo Nordisk’s Competency Prioritization Exercise
1. S
et Objectives:
Hiring managers set role
objectives and prioritize them
based on alignment to business
strategy and alignment with
peers’ objectives.
Alternatively, they do this
during needs definition with
a recruiter’s support.
Exceed last year’s sales by 7%.
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
Increase prospect pipeline by
10%.
Manage and develop team of
six direct reports.
Win back at least two key
accounts.
■■
■■
■■
■■
…
■■
Implementation Tip
Store the competencies
identified for each role to
help prompt discussions the next
time the role needs to be filled.
© 2013 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. RR6104513SYN
3. P
rioritize Competencies:
Recruiters and hiring
managers select the four
competencies that best
reflect the tasks.
Objectives for Role
■■
■■
2. D
efine Tasks:
Hiring managers define the
tasks required to meet those
objectives (prioritizing the
tasks if needed).
SITUATION
OVERVIEW
Identify new ways to cross-sell.
Align new product offerings
with emerging customer
needs.
Conduct market mapping.
■■
Problem solving
Develop relationships with
new customers.
■■
Task execution
■■
Results orientation
■■
Communication
Identify organization-wide
development opportunities.
Share technical expertise.
Provide coaching on specific
skill gaps.
PRIORITIZED
COMPETENCIES
QUESTION COMPASS
RESULTS
21
To make the concept
tangible for leaders
and to translate it into
American Express’s
context, L&D held
interviews and focus
groups with senior
leaders to understand
what differentiates the
best leaders.
DRIVE AWARENESS BY CLARIFYING KEY BEHAVIORS
Step 1: Interview Senior Leaders to Ask Them
What Defines Leadership (Without Specifically
Asking About Mindset)
Step 2: L&D Translates Interviews into Key
Behaviors That Define a “Growth Mindset”a
at American Express
Interview Questions
■■
Welcome new ideas
■■
Anticipate and act
■■
Test and learn
■■
Welcome new voices
■■
Operate at the edge of our comfort zone
■■
Gather input from across the organization
■■
Welcome candid assessment
■■
Encourage stretch goals
■■
Embrace change
Illustrative
■■
■■
To get an unbiased definition
of leadership from today’s
current and rising senior
leaders, the interviews did
not explicitly ask about state
of mind.
■■
■■
■■
■■
L&D then summarized and
translated the leaders’ own
words into a set of behaviors
that characterized a “growth
mindset.”
What does leadership need to look like in
American Express now and in the future
to ensure our sustained success and
transformation?
Are there behaviors that you see in leaders
today that will be less important in the future?
What should be unique and distinctive about
leadership here in the future?
Step 3: Highlight Presence of Behaviors in Existing
Leadership Frameworks
L&D then highlighted where
in their current leadership
competency model these
key behaviors already
existed to make it tangible
for leaders.
Drives for Results
■■
■■
Manages time effectively, delivers on
commitments, and meets deadlines
Adjusts actions to respond to changing situations
Drives Innovation
■■
■■
Is prepared and willing to challenge the
status quo
Identifies root-cause problems
Source:American Express; CEB analysis.
a
“Growth mindset” is a term coined by Professor Carol Dweck from Stanford University.
Situation
© 2013 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. LDR6574413SYN
Overview
Make Tangible
Make Actionable
Reinforce
through
Development
Results
22
Deere uses explicit
key talent criteria to
identify situations in
which strengths become
weaknesses.
■■
Put simply, Deere believes
that strong attributes of key
talent employees can, when
taken to an extreme, also
represent common causes of
leadership derailment.
–– To ensure that this
is addressed, Deere
provides managers of
key talent with specific
“red-flag” indicators
concerning negative
behavioral tendencies
sometimes associated
with overused leadership
attributes of key talent.
–– Managers are then asked
to indicate the extent
to which any key talent
employee reporting to
them has exhibited these
behavioral tendencies.
When Strengths Become Weaknesses
Criteria to Evaluate Key Talent
Identifying Coaching Opportunities:
Tendencies to Watch For
Rapid Mastery of Assignments
Performance
Initiative: Coaching Opportunities
High performance among peers;
masters new role assignments
quickly; engages others effectively
in new assignments; anticipates
and readily meets deadlines
Dependability
Political Savvy
Initiative
Political Savvy
Can sometimes state own position, not taking
into account the backgrounds, knowledge, and
interests of others involved; needs to do more
pre-selling of new ideas; may at times show a
lack of respect for sensitive information in the
change-management process
Shifts priorities, adapts roles,
takes on new “higher value” work;
champions change, proposes
new ideas, takes risks, suggests
and pursues improvements in
processes and practices; builds
alliances across the organization
and externally
Decision Making
Decision Making
Learning Agility
Strategic Thinking
Learning Agility: Coaching Opportunities
Learns faster than peers;
keeps abreast of functional/
technological trends; shows
curiosity outside of normal scope;
actively pursues learning, selfstudy, interaction with role models
and networking
Adapting to Differences
Strategic Thinking
Emotional Maturity
Team Building
Shows humility, self-awareness,
and sensitivity to others;
shares credit with peers and
subordinates; builds mutually
supportive relationships
with peers; puts things into
perspective; seeks balance; makes
prudent, independent judgments
Sensitivity to Others
Sensitivity to Culture
May experience difficulty making tough
decisions; may take too long or overanalyze;
may defer too quickly in the face of opposition
when right
Can overmanage people; sometimes gets too
far into the details beyond what is warranted
for the situation; has trouble stepping back to
understand the big picture
Adapting to Differences
Composure
Can get wedded to one idea and be reluctant
to consider other views; sometimes has
difficulty differentiating which ideas to spend
the most time on
Displays
Tendency?
Yes
No
Displays
Tendency?
Yes
No
Displays
Tendency?
Yes
No
Displays
Tendency?
Yes
No
© 2012 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. LDR3561512PRO
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