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Competence

Competence- availability of knowledge and experience necessary for effective activities in a given subject area. Competence (lat. competens - suitable, appropriate, proper, capable, knowledgeable) is the quality of a person who has comprehensive knowledge in any field and whose opinion is therefore weighty and authoritative; Competence is the ability to carry out real, life action and the qualifying characteristic of an individual, taken at the time of his inclusion in the activity; since any action has two aspects - resource and productive, then it is the development of competencies that determines the transformation of a resource into a product; Competence - potential readiness to solve problems with knowledge of the matter; includes substantive (knowledge) and procedural (skill) components and assumes knowledge of the essence of the problem and the ability to solve it; constant updating of knowledge, possession new information for the successful application of this knowledge in specific conditions, i.e. Possession of operational and mobile knowledge; Competence is the possession of a certain competence, i.e. knowledge and experience of their own activities, allowing them to make judgments and decisions. Competence in Sociology - Ability social factors, having mastered tacit knowledge, become full-fledged and qualified participants social interaction. Used in ethnomethodology.

Competency structure

In world educational practice, the concept of competence acts as a central, kind of “nodal” concept, because personal competence: firstly, it combines the intellectual and practical components of education; secondly, the concept of competence contains the ideology of interpreting the content of education, formed “from the result” (“output standard”); thirdly, the competence of an individual has an integrative nature, since it absorbs a number of homogeneous or closely related knowledge and experience related to broad spheres of culture and activity (information, legal, etc.). Personal competence has a certain structure, the components of which are related to a person’s ability to solve various problems in everyday, professional or social life. The structure of individual competence includes: competence in the field of independent cognitive activity; in the field of civil and social activities; in the field of social labor activity; competence in the domestic sphere; in the field of cultural and leisure activities. Among knowledge and practical experience, formed in the process of achieving a certain level of competence by an individual - skills of self-education, critical thinking, independent work, self-organization and self-control, team work, the ability to predict results and possible consequences different options solutions, establish cause-and-effect relationships, find, formulate and solve problems.

Division of competencies by area

Competence in the field of independent cognitive activity, based on mastering methods of acquiring knowledge from various sources information, including extracurricular (Cognitive sphere); Competence in the field of civil and social activities (performing the roles of citizen, voter, consumer) (Society); Competence in the field of social and labor activities (including the ability to analyze the situation on the labor market, assess one’s own professional capabilities, navigate the norms and ethics of relationships, self-organization skills); Competence in the everyday sphere (including aspects of one’s own health, family life, etc.) (Family); Competence in the field of cultural and leisure activities (including the choice of ways and means of using free time that culturally and spiritually enrich the personality) (Personality)

Notes

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Synonyms:

Antonyms

See what “Competence” is in other dictionaries: See dignity... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M.: Russian Dictionaries, 1999. competence authority, dignity; awareness, knowledge, awareness; preparedness, familiarity,... ...

Synonym dictionary - (lat.). 1) legal capacity, possession of information necessary to make a judgment about something. 2) terms of reference of any institution. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. COMPETENCE 1) jurisdiction; circle… …

Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language COMPETENCE, competencies, many others. no, female (book). distracted noun to competent. Competence of judgment. || Awareness, authority. Competence in policy matters. Dictionary Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

A competent person is one who is mistaken according to all the rules. Paul Valéry GARDNER'S LAW: 85 percent of people in any profession are incompetent. John Gardner Competence is the ability to discover and satisfy the personal tastes of superiors. Lawrence... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

competence- COMPETENCE, literacy, familiarity, knowledge, awareness, awareness CONFIDENT, connoisseur, expert, colloquial. dock, colloquial, joking bison, colloquial, joking monster, colloquial special, colloquial specialist SPECIALIST, connoisseur, colloquial... ... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms of Russian speech

Competence- Mastery of a whole class of behaviors, knowledge of how to do something. Abilities resulting from the development of a mental map that allow us to select and group individual behaviors. In NLP such mental maps take the form of cognitive... ... Great psychological encyclopedia

competence- Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in practice. Note The concept of competence is defined in this standard in a general sense. Use this term may have additional features and be specified in... ... Technical Translator's Guide

From lat. competens relevant knowledge, experience, education in a specific field of activity. Dictionary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001 ... Dictionary of business terms

- (from Latin competens corresponding) 1) area of authority of the governing body, official; range of issues on which they have the right to make decisions. The area of authority of certain bodies and persons is established by laws, other... ... Economic dictionary

COMPETENT, oh, oh; ten, tna. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

COMPETENCE- COMPETENCE. A term that has become widespread in the literature on pedagogy and linguodidactics since the 60s of the last century to denote an individual’s ability to perform any activity based on life experience and acquired... ... New dictionary methodological terms and concepts (theory and practice of language teaching)

Books

Competence in modern society. Identification, development and implementation, Raven John. The book by the famous British psychologist J. Raven is devoted to the types of motivation that are needed modern society. It examines abilities, attitudes, roles and dispositions,…

Based on analysis different approaches(N.N. Ivanova, E.V. Bondareva, S.A. Efimova, A.K. Markova, V.A. Naperov, L.A. Pershina, V.F. Spiridonov, etc.) we have developed a professional structure competence of specialists, including three components of professional competence, consisting of various blocks of competencies (see Fig. 1):

on the basis of types of professional activity (functional, legal, economic, technical, communicative competence);
on the basis of socially significant personality qualities, properties and characteristics of the individual (cognitive, emotive, reflective competencies) and professionally in demand in work important qualities;
based on the professional orientation of the individual (motivational competence).

This structure takes into account two sides labor process: firstly, the objective (independent of the employee) component is the work activity itself, which makes demands on the employee; secondly, the subjective component, which is characterized by individual psychological qualities and functionality employee as an individual, defining the boundaries of competent behavior and activity (personal qualities can contribute to the development and implementation of work activity, or can significantly complicate it). In addition to the highlighted two components, a person’s motivational orientation is significant, which is defined as readiness for learning, mastering professional activities, and professional advancement. It either speeds up or slows down the process of becoming a professional.
Any activity begins with the “setting” stage, defining a goal and ways to achieve it, and ends with obtaining a personally and professionally significant result, which correlates with the goal, self-esteem, and approval by independent experts. If there is a correspondence, we can talk about formed competence; if there is a discrepancy and the real result does not coincide or differs significantly from the specified one (the specialist’s model), they speak of a lack of competence of the specialist. Each employee is competent to the extent that the work he performs meets the requirements for the final result of this professional activity.

L.D. Stolyarenko and V.E. Stolyarenko consider a formula for successful learning that takes into account the following parameters:
Uo = M + 4P + S,

where Uo is the success of training;
M - motivation;
P1 - receiving (or searching) information;
P2 - understanding of information;
P3 - memorization;
P4 - application of information;
C - systematic knowledge.
Motivational competence includes three characteristics:

firstly, motives, goals, needs, value systems of actualization in professional competence stimulate the creative manifestation of the individual; the need of the individual specialist for knowledge, for mastery in effective ways formation of professional competence;
secondly, the ability to extrovert and dominate. This ability allows you to increase your influence on other people, since extroverts are able to withstand greater social stress, and on the other hand, the socially oriented ability to dominate implies the ability to get your way through persuasion, coordination and explanation;
thirdly, it implies the application of additional efforts to reduce the likelihood of failure, as well as the mobilization of energy, perseverance, activity and the ability to withstand loads, perseverance in performing difficult tasks, determination, i.e. characterizes the volitional side of a person’s command.

Motivational competence serves as a link in the process of specialist development. Motives, needs, goals, values determine the level of a person’s interest in acquiring professional competencies, as well as motivation for achievement, a resource for success, the desire for the quality of one’s work, the ability to self-motivate, self-confidence, and optimism.
In the structure of motivation, 4 components can be distinguished: pleasure from the activity itself; the significance for the individual of the direct result of the activity; motivating power of reward for activity; coercive pressure on the individual (B.I. Dodonov).
Motives can be external and internal (Table 5). The readiness to master and realize oneself in activity depends on the prevailing motives.
Table 5
Motives of the learning process

External motives	Internal motives
External to the immediate goal of the teaching	Encourage a person to study
Punishment and reward; threat and demand; material benefit: group pressure; expectation of future benefits	Interest in knowledge itself, curiosity, desire to improve cultural and professional level, need for active and new information
Knowledge and skills serving as a means to achieve other goals (avoiding the unpleasant; achieving general or personal success, benefits, career; satisfying ambition)	The development of cognitive interest goes through three main stages: ¦ situational cognitive interest that arises in conditions of novelty; ¦ sustainable interest in a certain subject content of the activity; ¦ inclusion of cognitive interests in the general orientation of the individual, in the system of his life goals and plans
Teaching may be indifferent	Teaching is significant
The teaching is forced	Learning has the character of cognitive independence

When considering professional competence, it is necessary to take into account the connections that arise between different but interacting types of competencies, since they manifest themselves in a new way each time depending on internal factors (personal potential, experience, skills, qualities) and external conditions (status, prestige, level vocational training etc.), influencing the activities of a professional. Moreover, internal factors or personal characteristics are the basis on which professional qualities are built, and professional activity and the process of its development actualize the need for the manifestation and development of personal, individual qualities.

What do we mean by “competencies”?

Definition of competencies
- Typical competency structure diagram
- Application of competencies
- Qualities of a good competency model
- Conclusions

Many organizations have been developing and using competency-based methods, or something similar, for at least 15 years. Currently, a whole direction has emerged in business psychology that studies competencies and their application, as can be seen from the topics of articles, journals, conferences and consultations devoted to the use of competencies.

So what happened in the development and application of competencies to generate such interest in them? For many organizations, the answer is both simple and obvious. The performance criteria developed 10-15 years ago were created to solve a very narrow range of problems. For example, a set of criteria only for conducting trainings. And the competency model makes it possible to create a set of criteria that directly connects a wide range of specific activities with personnel management. A set of general HR management criteria has two important advantages:

the ability to develop a common language to describe the performance of an entire organization. A mutual language helps to establish understanding between employees of different departments and different levels of the organization. For example, a common understanding for everyone: what good leadership is and what effective teamwork means;
opportunity to achieve high level consistency in employee assessment and selection of candidates for promotion. All experts will have the same understanding of the employee’s valuable qualities and will know what needs to be assessed and what can be ignored.

Previously, only professionals (for example, personnel selection specialists and performance assessors) defined and used competency-like criteria. These criteria were for highly specialized applications only. Line managers encountered something similar to competency models only when making decisions about rewarding employees. Recent changes in HR functions and organizational practices have led to much greater involvement of managerial practitioners in activities that used to be called 'HR'. In the past, selection procedures, forms of training and incentive methods were discussed with external consultants only by HR and training specialists. Now it has become a rule: consultants discuss all these problems together with HR specialists and line managers of companies.
The diversity of competence among users of the method means that there are different points views on the definition, application, structure and content of competencies.
This chapter covers everything that is needed to effectively use the competencies. To achieve effective use of competencies, you need to:

avoid ambiguity in defining competencies
structure competencies so that they are easier to use
understand the role and know the technique of applying competencies in work
compile competencies in accordance with quality standards.

All these problems are solved on the basis of examples. A sample competency model is provided at the end of the book in Appendix 1. This appendix will be used frequently as an example in our book: to avoid confusing the examples in the appendix with other examples, we will refer to the appendix.

Definition of competencies

There are many different definitions of competencies. This should never be confusing. Various organizations and competency experts prefer their own definitions of this concept to “alien” ones that appeared earlier. But most definitions are just variations of two themes that differ in their origins.

Main themes

Two fundamental themes that give rise to differences in the definition of competencies:
- Description of work tasks or expected work results. These descriptions originate from national education systems such as National/Scottish
Vocational Qualifications and Management Charter Initiative (MCI).
In these systems, competence is defined as “a manager's ability to act in accordance with the standards accepted in the organization” (MCI, 1992).
- Description of behavior. This topic has arisen in the activities of researchers and consultants specializing in the field of effective management.
Different definitions of behavioral competence are different variations of essentially the same definition: “competence is the main characteristic of a person, the owner of which is able to achieve high results at work” (Klemp, 1980).
A specific variation is usually supplemented by an indication of what qualities the main characteristic includes. For example: to this often cited definition of competence are added motives, character traits, abilities, self-esteem, social role, the knowledge that an individual uses at work (Boyatzis, 1982).

The variety of definition options indicates that although competence consists of many personal parameters (motives, character traits, abilities, etc.), all these parameters can be identified and assessed by how a person behaves. For example: Communication skills are fully reflected in how effectively a person negotiates, how he influences people and how he works in a team. Behavioral competence describes the behavior observed when effective performers exhibit personal motives, character traits, and abilities in the process of solving problems that lead to the achievement of desired work results.

Defining and Implementing Values

In addition to motives, character traits and abilities, on individual behavior are influenced by the values and principles adopted in the organization. Many companies have established what principles they are committed to and communicate these principles to their employees, particularly emphasizing the role these values should play in daily operations. Some companies have included corporate principles and values in the competency model and make sure that staff behavior corresponds to accepted guidelines.

"Decoration of the Month"

The municipal service published a statement of the company's values. These values were not reflected in the behavioral guidelines used in personnel selection and performance monitoring. For example, the stated operating principles stated: “customers and suppliers should be treated as partners.” And the behavior criteria included the following instructions: “in negotiations, insist on getting the best service for the lowest price” and “set and maintain prices that bring maximum benefit.” If the values and principles of municipal service determined the criteria for the behavior of employees, we would see such instructions as “winning the negotiations is a victory in the fight for high quality service” and “provide high-quality deliveries to customers at a good price.” The separation between codes of conduct and company principles is clear: employees are not required to behave according to published principles at all times, despite the company's good intentions. This separation of values and daily work created the impression that values were just a “flavor of the month” and in a practical sense they were not that important.

What is the difference between “competence” and “competency”?

Many people want to know if there is a difference between competency and competency. A general belief has emerged that the concepts of “competence” and “competence” convey the following meanings:

Ability required to solve work problems and obtain necessary results performance is most often defined as competence.
- An ability that reflects the required standards of behavior is defined as competence.

In practice, many organizations include tasks, performance and behavior in their descriptions of both competencies and competencies and combine the two concepts. But it is more typical to describe competencies in terms of abilities that reflect standards of behavior rather than in problem solving or performance outcomes.
The subject of this book is competencies. And we define the concept of competence through standards of behavior.

Typical competency structure diagram

Different organizations understand competencies differently. But in most cases, competencies are presented in the form of some kind of structure, like the diagram in Fig. 1.
In the structure shown in Fig. 1, behavioral indicators are the core elements of each competency. Related competencies are combined into clusters. Each competency is described below, starting with the main blocks - behavioral indicators.

Figure 1Typical competency structure diagram

Behavior indicators

Behavioral indicators are standards of behavior that are observed in the actions of a person with a specific competency. The subject of observation is the manifestation of high competence. Manifestations of weak, ineffective “negative” competence can also be the subject of observation and study, but this approach is rarely used.
IN Application behavioral indicators for the book are presented with examples effective competence. Example. Behavioral indicators of the “WORKING WITH INFORMATION” competency, that is, actions in the process of collecting and analyzing information, include the following employee abilities:

Finds and uses fruitful sources of information.
- Accurately determines the type and form of information required.
- Receives necessary information and saves it in an easy-to-use format.

Competencies

Each competency is a set of related behavioral indicators. These indicators are combined into one or several blocks, depending on the semantic scope of the competence.

Competencies without levels
A simple model, that is, a model that covers types of work with simple standards of behavior, may have one list of indicators for all competencies. In this model, all behavioral indicators apply to all activities. For example: a model that describes the work of only senior managers of a company may include the following behavioral indicators in the “Planning and Organizing” section:
- Creates plans that distribute work according to deadlines and priorities (from several weeks to three years).
- Creates plans that closely align with departmental goals.
- Coordinates the activities of the department with the company’s business plan.

A single list of behavioral indicators is what is required, because all behavioral indicators are necessary in the work of all senior managers.

Competencies by level
When a competency model covers a wide range of jobs with varying categorical requirements, behavioral indicators within each competency can be compiled into separate lists or divided into “levels”. This allows a number of elements of different competencies to be brought under one heading, which is convenient and necessary when the competency model must cover a wide range of activities, jobs and functional roles.
For example: the content of the planning and organizing competency may be suitable for both an administrative role and a managerial role. The criteria for the behavior of people involved in planning and organizing activities are different for different roles, but the distribution of criteria by level makes it possible to include homogeneous indicators of behavior necessary for organizing and planning in one competency model and not develop individual models for each role. However, some competencies will have only one or two levels, while others will have several levels. For example, in Application Several levels are considered for each competency, although most competencies include three levels. But the competency “ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS: Planning” contains four levels, and “ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS: Management Clarity” - only two levels. One of the ways to distribute competencies by level is to reduce standards of behavior into groups designated by numbers: the more complex the required standards of behavior, the higher the level. Some companies link levels directly to activity grades. For example, in some models, all Level 1 competencies relate to specific job grades, and all Level 2 competencies are included in the next block of positions, etc. There is usually a certain connection between competency levels and the complexity of activities, but this connection is not always direct and unambiguous. For example, a senior manager position requires the employee to have the highest level of “relationship management” competency, while junior managers may perform limited roles of this kind (handling claims, maintaining accounts, etc.). For this reason, many firms avoid using their existing structures when drawing up competency levels.
Another method of distributing competencies by level is by dividing them according to the professional qualities that the employee needs. This method is used when the competency model relates to one level of work or one role. For example, the model may include a list of the following indicators:

Initial competencies - usually this is the minimum set of requirements necessary for permission to perform work
- outstanding competencies - level of activity of an experienced employee
- negative competencies - usually these are standards of behavior that are counterproductive for effective work at any level

This method is used when it is necessary to evaluate the varying degrees of competence of a group of workers. Examples. When assessing job candidates, you can apply baseline (minimum) standards of conduct. When assessing the performance of experienced personnel, more complex competencies can be applied. In both cases, negative indicators of behavior can be used to identify disqualifying factors and develop a competency model. By introducing levels, you can accurately assess personal competencies without complicating the structure of the competency model.
Competency models built by level will have one set of behavioral standards for each level.

Names of competencies and their descriptions

To aid understanding, competencies are usually referred to by a specific name and given an appropriate description.

A title is usually a very short term that sets one competency apart from others while being both meaningful and easy to remember.
Typical competency names:

relationship management
group work
influence
collection and analysis of information
making decisions
personal development
generation and accumulation of ideas
planning and organization
task execution management deadline
goal setting

In addition to the name of the competency, many competency models also include a description of the competency. The first approach is to create a set of behavioral criteria that correspond to a specific competency. For example: a competency called “Planning and Organizing” can be deciphered as follows:

“Achieves results through detailed planning and organization of employees and resources in accordance with established goals and objectives within agreed time frames.”

Where the competency content covers a single list of behavioral criteria, this approach works very well.
The second approach is a reasonable explanation of what is briefly stated, that is, an argument for why this particular competency is important for the organization. This approach is best used when the competency model reflects multiple levels of behavior, because in such situations it is difficult to summarize everything that should cover all the personal roles that exist in the company and all the standards of behavior for different competency levels.
For example. The competency model called “Influence” can have 5 levels. At one level, influence is achieved by presenting clear arguments and facts in support of a particular product. At another level, influence involves developing and presenting one's own vision for one's company and the company's influence on the market and various professional groups. Instead of trying to summarize such a wide range of standards of conduct, a company could present it as follows:

"To persuade other people to adopt an idea or course of action by means of effective persuasion. This is very important for learning, acquiring new knowledge, for innovation, decision making and for creating an atmosphere of trust.”

In many cases, such a statement is much more useful than a summary of the standards of behavior included in the competency, since the detailed description reveals why the company chose this particular competency model, and, in addition, the description explains special nuances, characteristic of the selected competency model.

Competency clusters

A competency cluster is a set of closely related competencies (usually three to five in one bundle). Most competency models include clusters related to:

Intellectual activities, such as problem analysis and decision making
- actions, for example, to achieve specific results
- interaction, for example, working with people.

All phrases in the description of competency models must be presented in a language generally accepted and accessible to staff. IN Application, to which we periodically refer, these bundles of competencies are entitled:

WORK WITH PEOPLE
- WORKING WITH INFORMATION
- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
- ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS.

Competency clusters are usually given names similar to these to ensure that the competency model is understood by all employees.
Some organizations present descriptions of entire “bundles” of competencies to reveal the nature of the competencies included in each set. For example, the competency cluster “Working with information” can be represented by the following phrase:

“Working with information includes all kinds of forms of information, methods of collecting and analyzing information necessary for making effective solutions- current, operational and future."

Competency model

A competency model is a term for a complete set of competencies (with or without levels) and behavior indicators. Models may contain detailed description standards of conduct for personnel of a particular department or standards of actions leading to the achievement of specific goals, but may also include basic standards of behavior developed for full description a business structure or activity aimed at achieving a set of diverse corporate goals. The set of details included in the description of a competency model depends on the intended practical application specific model.
Number of competencies in models recent years decreased. Once upon a time, models were common that included 30 or more different standards; Models containing no more than 20 competencies are now common, and sometimes only eight. Many users consider a set of competencies from 8 to 12 standards in one model to be optimal.
But models with a large set of competencies still exist. This is because some firms try to cover all the information needed for all situations and roles, including detailed descriptions objectives and performance results and standards of employee behavior. The experience of recent years has shown that the most effective is the development of a general model of competencies - such as is given in our Application, indicating how general model use in practice.
The more competencies a model contains, the more difficult it is to apply. Experts believe that in an overly detailed model it is difficult to identify specific competencies, since the differences between individual competencies in such a model can be subtly small.

Experts are confused
Main financial management developed a model that included a huge set of competencies in the Negotiation and Influence sections. During the personnel assessment, the Assessment Center observers found it difficult to identify the standards of behavior required by the subject in such competencies as, for example, achieving goals when working in a team. What ability is needed to work in a team - skillful negotiation or strong influence on others?

In addition, the documentation can turn into a very thick and inconvenient tome. And the volume of documentation is usually inversely proportional to the number of people studying this documentation, that is: the more pages a book has, the fewer readers it has.

Volume is very important
Several years ago, a government agency developed a very complex competency model. The model contained about 60 competencies, each with five levels of complexity. In addition, this model linked behavioral standards to task and performance outcomes. This meant that each competency was illustrated with many examples (up to seven), which also covered different levels of competency. Users of the model found it almost impossible to apply it, and the 200-page reference document itself did not inspire any of the confidence that would have been generated if the developers had created the correct model.
The agency, realizing the mistake, reworked the model: it defined standards of behavior that were common to all roles in the organization. The new model included only 12 competencies. Even the division of each competency into levels fit into a document of only 12 pages. Users found new model appropriate to their needs, and the idea of returning to the original model never appealed to anyone.

If all the competencies included in the model apply to all activities of a company or department, then the model is often called a “Core Competency Model.”
The core model does not include competencies that differentiate the performance of the work groups for which the model is intended. The core competency model consists of competencies that cover standards of behavior that are common to all activities or only standards for specific types of work in a particular organization. The standards of behavior included in the basic model are truly general, so applying these standards to specific activities requires work extra work. For example: in the Application there is a competency “Decision Making” (in the cluster “WORKING WITH INFORMATION”). Standards of behavior of the first level of this competency:

Follows pre-established decision-making procedures.
- Collects and uses all information necessary for decision making.
- Regularly reviews and agrees decision-making boundaries appropriate to their role.
- Delegates decisions to others when delegating a decision is appropriate.

These are the general standards of behavior. But if an employee’s professional abilities are assessed in relation to a specific activity, then the standards of behavior appear to be examples of precisely this activity. For an employee serving regular customers, personal standards of behavior may be as follows:

Follows customer service procedures strictly according to standards.
- Receives and uses information from the customer service database and from instructions on procedures for working with customers; if necessary, consults colleagues when making decisions.
- Does not make decisions that exceed the powers established by the administration.

Model example

This structure includes clusters of competencies, that is, it describes in detail the main elements and standards of behavior of employees in the process of specific activities. The application is designed exactly this way. Figure 2 illustrates this using examples from the WORKING WITH PEOPLE cluster.

Application of competencies

Competency magazine regularly publishes reviews of the application of competencies. A few years ago, the magazine summarized the reasons why different firms use the same competencies:

efficiency and quality of work
cultural exchange
education and development
recruitment and selection
business goals (competitiveness)
planning career growth
ability analysis
flexibility
role clarity
general strategies work with personnel
raising quality standards
reward
employee motivation
increasing efficiency
investments in personnel development
equal opportunities
Source: Competency (1996).

A very similar list was published in the same magazine a year earlier. The authors of these reviews used information from readers who generally indicated five reasons for addressing competency in their companies. In other words, the reasons for introducing the competencies were formulated by the users themselves, and not by the journal.
In practice, the reasons for turning to competencies can be associated with three tasks:
-recruitment and selection
- education and development
- reward.

Competency magazine used these reasons to summarize the topic. Although there are many reasons for developing and using competencies (see the first list), this set still boils down to three main tasks.

Figure 2 TYPICAL CONTENT OF A COMPETENCY MODEL

It may seem strange that staff evaluation is not among the tasks. But there is nothing surprising here. Development and reward, as large-scale tasks solved with the help of competencies, can be divided into several separate functions of working with personnel. And personnel assessment and work to improve the professional qualities of employees is a single process in which all functions are closely related to one another.
In addition to a more rational and practical set of expectations from the application of the competency approach, the simplified competency model reflects changes in work with by human resourses that have occurred in the past few years.

The Cure for Inconsistency
The pharmaceutical company has recently launched several new business lines. Each business area has its own competency model, and the most major destinations- more than one model. Many of these models were developed for special purposes. This gave rise to difficulties, because people faced various criteria during certification, promotion, selection, etc. ") due to changes in their roles in the process of business integration. The company decided to develop a core competency model in order to have a single set of criteria common to recruitment, training and development, compensation and trading, as well as for performance management. Now this means that people are selected, assessed, developed and rewarded according to the same criteria - regardless of their position in the company. This has led to increased consistency in the company's HR processes becoming evident to employees. In addition, specialists from different functional HR departments now talk about performance in the same language.

For example: Many companies are now developing competency models that cover a fairly wide range of professional roles. In fact, organizations use competency models to link corporate objectives and human resource performance.

Nowadays, it is common to find companies that use only one competency model that meets the standards of behavior and performance required of the entire workforce. This model contains basic standards of behavior in all types of personnel management activities, but above all in recruitment, training, development and evaluation. For example, Application based on a model composed of competencies and levels that are applicable to all activities trading company, which includes about 20 different professions and has a staff of about 400 people.

Impact on culture

Currently, companies' attention is shifting to the main activities, but we must also remember some of the “minor” areas that appeared in the early reviews of Competency magazine.
When organizing personnel management based on the proposed competencies, the actions of employees are determined by the standards of behavior expected of them and the requirements for the quality of work. Therefore, you should remember: the use of competencies will affect the internal culture of the company. In most cases, an increase corporate culture and there is the main objective introduction of a competency system. If changes in business culture are not included in the description of standards of behavior, then this means that the competencies are not written correctly and there are likely to be conflicts between what the company needs and the standards of behavior that employees are asked to accept.
In the “Culture Conflict” example, the competency model reflects exactly what employees might consider most the best way work. This model does not take into account the principles of building an organization, the strict deadlines for achieving goals that senior managers set and demanded to be fulfilled. This model also did not correspond to the ideas of the senior managers themselves about what they wanted to change in the organization’s activities. Changes in the culture of activity were not included in the development of competencies, requirements successful business were clearly ignored.

Conflict in culture
The company, focused primarily on the sale of electronic equipment, introduced a competency model for junior and mid-level personnel. Behavior indicators in competencies were grouped around collaboration V open organization, in which it was allowed to express opinions, pose problems and defend one’s point of view. All junior and middle management personnel were assessed according to the competency model, and the company's work plans were drawn up based on the same requirements. All this was done to make the competency model work. But any junior or middle manager, who tried to behave in an interactive style, immediately encountered resistance and coldness from senior managers. Very soon the work plans were changed so that they “reflected the real state of affairs”, and in other cases the plans were simply not taken into account.

If an organization intends to influence cultural change through the introduction of a competency model, then without the agreement, support and initiative of senior managers, this good intention will not succeed.

Transparency of goals and limitations

As mentioned above, many companies are introducing competency models to streamline their human resource practices. The success of all efforts in such integration of management processes is associated, first of all, with the depth of understanding of the function that the competencies actually perform. Competencies can be applied in the selection and hiring of personnel, in training, developing and rewarding employees. Those companies that work fruitfully are those that use competencies as a tool to perform just such tasks. These companies clearly understand the limitations and true capabilities of competencies. Successful organizations give competencies their rightful place. A precise definition places of competence are the basis for their productive use. It is important to have a clear understanding that competencies help effective management personnel when used correctly.
Competencies include General requirements to staff and standards of behavior in the form of positive models. But effective application competencies requires a whole block of employee evaluation criteria.

For example:

When selecting an applicant for a vacancy, the person's professional experience, past achievements and qualifications useful for performing the proposed job are taken into account.
- During training, professional tasks and results that the employee has to achieve are taken into account.
- Development takes into account the interests of both the company and the person himself.
- Remuneration depends on the actual value of the work, as well as the need to encourage and motivate the employee for quality work.

The introduction of competencies can strengthen the connection between all these tasks. However, the introduction of competencies in itself does not guarantee that this innovation will have a high effect. The effectiveness of applying the competency model depends on the perfection of the organization of activities, on the availability the right tools personnel management and from the art of experienced people. Most competency models, no matter how carefully and correctly they are developed, will not turn a bad process into a good one and will not compensate for poor training, poor technological equipment and inexperienced staff. But then, where an effectively and correctly organized process of activity is connected with good tools management and experienced employees, the introduction of competencies can help significantly improve the structure of personnel management and the consistency of employee activities within the organization.

Qualities of a good competency model

For a competency model to work effectively, it must be true to its meaning and used for its intended purpose. At a minimum, the competency model should be consistent with the quality standards listed in Table 1.

Table 1 QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THE COMPETENCY MODEL

The quality standards summarized in Table 1 ensure good foundation to evaluate and validate the competency model. Where a model does not meet quality standards, it is possible to correct the situation, but the correction is not always easy and not always affordable. Quality standards (activities, products, management) must be developed and adopted before the competency model is drawn up and implemented. The competency model must be built based on predetermined standards: only then can you be sure that the competency model will correspond to the task assigned to it.
These standards can also be used as a set of requirements for the quality of the model itself during its preparation. Each of the quality standards of a good competency model is explored below.

Clarity and ease of understanding

The competency model should:
- be unambiguous
- to describe in simple language
- have a simple structure
- have a harmonious structural logic.

To be clear and easy to understand, the competency model should contain the language and phrases used within the organization. The model must be built in such a way that it is easy to follow this model. If the competency model is unclear and users find it difficult to use the model, interest in the competencies is likely to be lost.

Relevance

The language used in the model must be native to the people who are going to use the model. It is very important whether the model becomes a common property or remains a tool for the “chosen few”. “Relevance (compliance) of the competency model for the entire staff” means: all employees recognize the behavioral indicators as requirements corresponding to high-quality performance of work. In addition, everyone who will apply the model, and everyone to whom this model will be applied, must understand the necessity and usefulness of the competency model for the business.
In general models, the relevance of personnel standards of behavior should be perceived by bearers of all professional roles. In specific models, relevance may be limited to a narrow range of roles or a specific application.

Relevance for all roles - general models
Maximum use of competency models can be achieved if the models are relevant to all roles of the company or department. “Relevant to all roles” means: a competency should describe in general terms behaviors that are essential for the effective performance of all roles covered by the model. It is important that standards of behavior relate directly to the requirements of the job and that they are described by examples of such behavior that contribute to the effective performance of the job.

Relevance for specific role- special models

If competencies are developed for a specific application or role, then the competency model must be appropriate for the application and role for which it was intended. For example: a model developed specifically for personnel selection should be sufficient specifically for selection.

Accounting for expected changes
In order for the model to remain relevant, it is necessary to take into account the expected changes that may affect the organization of the company's activities. Potential changes are included in the competency model as standards of behavior that describe how employees will have to cope with their jobs in the near future or in the longer term. A relevant model must take into account the vision of the future that the company's leaders have and that is included in the company's plans. To remain relevant, the model must take into account:
- changes in external environment
- introduction new technology
- an image of the future predicted by managers in order to inform employees about the meaning of decisions made.

Discrete elements

One of the main ways to use competencies is personnel assessment. This could be an assessment of applicants for vacancies during selection or an assessment of the success of employees at work. The structure of the competency model has an important impact on the ease and accuracy of assessments. It is therefore essential that each of the competencies has clearly defined elements. Without clear indicators of behavior, it is difficult for experts to assess which competencies they should assign to specific example effective activities. A few simple rules can help avoid mixing different competencies:

One competency should not be dependent on other competencies.
- Competencies and behavior indicators should be contained in only one fragment of the model.
- Competencies should not be included in several clusters.
- Behavior indicators should not relate to several competencies
- Behavioral indicators should not relate to multiple levels of competency.

Behavior indicators are working part competencies used in employee assessment. For standards of conduct to work, they must:

Describe directly measurable (observable) manifestations of an individual's competence.

For example: informs colleagues about changes in work priorities; draws up detailed plans to achieve goals.
- describe just one act of behavior - it is unacceptable that some indicators of human behavior are good and others are bad.
- do not allow duplication of competencies and levels - it is unacceptable for a behavior indicator included in one competency or one level of competence to be included in
another competence or another level of competence.
- build from verbal expressions: behavioral indicators describe a person’s actions.
For example: informs colleagues about changes in work priorities; draws up detailed plans to achieve goals.
- include a sufficient amount of contextual information so that the actions carry a clear meaning, that is, they explain to the person why the actions he performs are necessary.
For example: informs colleagues about changes in work priorities; draws up detailed plans to achieve goals.

Justice in everything

If a competency model includes high quality standards, then the model will be fair to everyone to whom it is applied. However, a model may meet the above quality standards, but nevertheless legitimize injustice in the company. Injustice may arise due to insufficient attention to the sources of various deformations. For example: a competency model is developed only by older (or only white, or only male) managers. Formally meeting all quality standards, such a model, however, will be unfair to everyone: it may exclude standards of behavior characteristic of effective managers, but not included in the model adopted by the company.

conclusions

Competencies can be defined in different ways, but most models are now based on behavioral indicators. Clarity in defining the competency model in relation to a specific situation is important. This clarity can be achieved by defining the goals to achieve which the developed competency model will be used.
To make the competency model itself easy to use, it should be extremely simple. Many successful companies believe: it is easier to apply a general competency model when clear instructions users of the model rather than trying to construct a model that covers the requirements needed to perform all tasks and all roles.
Competencies should contain a set of standards that can be applied to a wide range of HR activities. For personnel management to be effective, it is necessary:

Various information
- clearly and precisely organized process of activity
- experienced users.

Competencies can improve the effectiveness of people management activities in a company, but competencies themselves do not guarantee effective management.
The quality of a competency model has a significant impact on the ease and durability of its use. A well-developed competency model is distinguished by:

Clear structure
- phraseology used in the company.

Whatever the purpose of introducing a competency model, the model itself should relate to:
- to the current and future state covered by the adopted model
- to the modern and future interests of the company.

Following these requirements will lead (albeit without guarantee) to the creation of a model that is fair for everyone to whom the model applies. Potential sources of inequity should also be considered when creating a competency model, and high standards of behavior should be included in the model to ensure:

Justice
- relevance
- clarity
- division by elements
- long term of application of a specific competency model.

Different organizations understand competencies differently. But in most cases, competencies are presented in the form of some kind of structure, like the diagram in Fig. 1.

In the structure shown in Fig. 1, behavioral indicators are the core elements of each competency. Related competencies are combined into clusters.

Figure 1 TYPICAL COMPETENCY STRUCTURE DIAGRAM

Each competency is described below, starting with the main blocks - behavioral indicators.

Behavior indicators

IN Application For the book, behavioral indicators are presented as examples of effective competence. Example. Behavioral indicators of the “WORKING WITH INFORMATION” competency, that is, actions in the process of collecting and analyzing information, include the following employee abilities:

Finds and uses fruitful sources of information.

Accurately determines the type and form of information required.

Receives the necessary information and stores it in a format convenient for use.

Competencies

Each competency is a set of related behavioral indicators. These indicators are combined into one or several blocks, depending on the semantic scope of the competence.

Competencies without levels

A simple model, that is, a model that covers types of work with simple standards of behavior, may have one list of indicators for all competencies. In this model, all behavioral indicators apply to all activities. For example: a model that describes the work of only senior managers of a company may include the following behavioral indicators in the “Planning and Organizing” section:

Creates plans that organize work by time frame and priority (ranging from a few weeks to three years).

Creates plans that closely align with departmental performance goals.

Coordinates the activities of the department with the company's business plan.

A single list of behavioral indicators is what is required, because all behavioral indicators are necessary in the work of all senior managers.

Competencies by level

When a competency model covers a wide range of jobs with varying categorical requirements, behavioral indicators within each competency can be compiled into separate lists or divided into “levels”. This allows a number of elements of different competencies to be brought under one heading, which is convenient and necessary when the competency model must cover a wide range of activities, jobs and functional roles.

For example: the content of the planning and organizing competency may be suitable for both an administrative role and a managerial role. The criteria required for the behavior of people involved in planning and organizing activities are different for different roles, but the distribution of criteria by level makes it possible to include homogeneous indicators of behavior required in organizing and planning into one competency model and not to develop separate models for each role. However, some competencies will have only one or two levels, while others will have several levels. For example, in Application Several levels are considered for each competency, although most competencies include three levels. But the competency “ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS: Planning” contains four levels, and “ACHIEVEMENT OF RESULTS: Management Clarity” - only two levels. One of the ways to distribute competencies by level is to reduce standards of behavior into groups designated by numbers: the more complex the required standards of behavior, the higher the level. Some companies link levels directly to activity grades. For example, in some models, all Level 1 competencies relate to specific job grades, and all Level 2 competencies are included in the next block of positions, etc. There is usually a certain connection between competency levels and the complexity of activities, but this connection is not always direct and unambiguous. For example, a senior manager position requires the employee to have the highest level of “relationship management” competency, while junior managers may perform limited roles of this kind (handling claims, maintaining accounts, etc.). For this reason, many firms avoid using their existing structures when drawing up competency levels.

Another method of distributing competencies by level is by dividing them according to the professional qualities that the employee needs. This method is used when the competency model relates to one level of work or one role. For example, the model may include a list of the following indicators:

Initial competencies - usually this is the minimum set of requirements necessary for permission to perform work

Outstanding competencies - level of performance of an experienced employee

Negative competencies are usually standards of behavior that are counterproductive to effective work at any level

This method is used when it is necessary to evaluate the varying degrees of competence of a group of workers. Examples. When assessing job candidates, you can apply baseline (minimum) standards of behavior. When assessing the performance of experienced personnel, more complex competencies can be applied. In both cases, negative indicators of behavior can be used to identify disqualifying factors and develop a competency model. By introducing levels, you can accurately assess personal competencies without complicating the structure of the competency model.

Competency models built by level will have one set of behavioral standards for each level.

Names of competencies and their descriptions

To aid understanding, competencies are usually referred to by a specific name and given an appropriate description.

A title is usually a very short term that sets one competency apart from others while being both meaningful and easy to remember.

Typical competency names:

relationship management

group work

collection and analysis of information

making decisions

personal development

generation and accumulation of ideas

planning and organization

managing task completion by deadline

goal setting

“Achieves results through detailed planning and organization of employees and resources in accordance with established goals and objectives within agreed time frames.”

The second approach is a reasonable explanation of what is briefly stated, that is, an argument for why this particular competency is important for the organization. This approach is best used when the competency model reflects multiple levels of behavior, because in such situations it is difficult to summarize everything that should cover all the personal roles that exist in the company and all the standards of behavior for different competency levels.

For example. The competency model called “Influence” can have 5 levels. At one level, influence is achieved by presenting clear arguments and facts in support of a particular product. At another level, influence involves developing and presenting one's own vision for one's company and the company's influence on the market and various professional groups. Instead of trying to summarize such a wide range of standards of conduct, a company could present it as follows:

“To persuade other people to accept an idea or course of action through effective persuasion. This is very important for learning, acquiring new knowledge, for innovation, decision making and for creating an atmosphere of trust.”

In many cases, this formulation is much more useful than a brief listing of the standards of behavior included in the competency, since the detailed description reveals why the company chooses a particular competency model, and, in addition, this description explains the special nuances inherent in the chosen competency model.

Competency clusters

A competency cluster is a set of closely related competencies (usually three to five in one bundle). Most competency models include clusters related to:

Intellectual activities, such as problem analysis and decision making

Actions, for example, to achieve specific results

Interaction, for example, working with people.

All phrases in the description of competency models must be presented in a language that is generally accepted and accessible to staff. IN Application, to which we periodically refer, these bundles of competencies are entitled:

WORK WITH PEOPLE

WORKING WITH INFORMATION

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ACHIEVE RESULTS.

Competency clusters are usually given names similar to these to ensure that the competency model is understood by all employees.

Some organizations present descriptions of entire “bundles” of competencies to reveal the nature of the competencies included in each set. For example, the competency cluster “Working with information” can be represented by the following phrase:

“Working with information includes all kinds of forms of information, methods of collecting and analyzing information necessary for making effective decisions - current, operational and future.”

Model competencies

A competency model is a term for a complete set of competencies (with or without levels) and behavior indicators. Models may contain detailed descriptions of the standards of behavior of personnel in a particular department or standards of actions leading to the achievement of specific goals, but may also include basic standards of behavior developed to fully describe the business structure or activities aimed at achieving a set of diverse corporate goals. The detail included in the description of a competency model depends on the intended practical application of a particular model.

The number of competencies in models in recent years has decreased. Models that included 30 or more different standards were once common; Models containing no more than 20 competencies are now common, and sometimes only eight. Many users consider a set of competencies from 8 to 12 standards in one model to be optimal.

But models with a large set of competencies still exist. This is because some firms try to cover all the information needed for all situations and roles, including detailed descriptions of tasks and performance and standards of behavior for employees. The experience of recent years has shown that the most effective is the development of a general model of competencies - such as is given in our Application, with an indication of how to use the general model in practice.

The more competencies a model contains, the more difficult it is to apply. Experts believe that in an overly detailed model it is difficult to identify specific competencies, since the differences between individual competencies in such a model can be subtly small.

Experts are confused

The General Finance Directorate developed a model that included a huge set of competencies in the Negotiation and Influence sections. During the personnel assessment, the Assessment Center observers found it difficult to identify the standards of behavior required by the subject in such competencies as, for example, achieving goals when working in a team. What ability is needed to work in a team - skillful negotiation or strong influence on others?

Volume is very important

Several years ago, a government agency developed a very complex competency model. The model contained about 60 competencies, each with five levels of complexity. In addition, this model linked behavioral standards to task and performance outcomes. This meant that each competency was illustrated with many examples (up to seven), which also covered different levels of competency. Users of the model found it almost impossible to apply it, and the 200-page reference document itself did not inspire any of the confidence that would have been generated if the developers had created the correct model.

The agency, realizing the mistake, reworked the model: it defined standards of behavior that were common to all roles in the organization. The new model included only 12 competencies. Even the division of each competency into levels fit into a document of only 12 pages. Users found the new model to suit their needs, but the idea of going back to the original model never appealed to anyone.

If all the competencies included in the model apply to all activities of a company or department, then the model is often called a “Core Competency Model.”

The core model does not include competencies that differentiate the performance of the work groups for which the model is intended. The core competency model consists of competencies that cover standards of behavior that are common to all activities, or only standards for specific types of work in a particular organization. The behavioral standards included in the core model are truly general, so more work needs to be done to apply these standards to specific activities. For example: in the Application there is a competency “Decision Making” (in the cluster “WORKING WITH INFORMATION”). Standards of behavior of the first level of this competency:

Follows pre-established decision-making procedures.

Collects and uses all information necessary to make decisions.

Regularly reviews and agrees decision-making boundaries appropriate to the role.

Delegates decisions to others when delegating a decision is appropriate.

Follows customer service procedures strictly according to standards.

Receives and uses information from customer service databases and customer procedures manuals; if necessary, consults colleagues when making decisions.

Does not make decisions that exceed the powers established by the administration.

Model example

Figure 2 TYPICAL CONTENT OF A COMPETENCY MODEL

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