COMPETENCY

Prof. Hemangi Bhalerao

History
Eg : Mc
o o

Ber and Company approached by U.S.State department To select Junior Foreign Service Information Officer. To represent America in foreign countries, make them like U.S and support U.S. policies All white

Criterion Sample BEI Thematically analyze BEI (CAVE Content analysis of verbal expression) Cross Cultural sensitivity Speed in Learning Political network Positive Expectation of other

Traditional Selection

How do you think they might have selected these officers

Knowledge of liberal arts and culture American History Western civilization English usage Specialties such as economics and government

Major Drawback

High passing scores (minorities and other less privileged cultures were less likely to pass) Test score on FSIO GATB or General Background knowledge did not predict success

What predicts performance ?

Criterion sample : Superior vs average/poor Original approach : Observe their daily work and find difference Too expensive and impractical

BEI

Behavioral Event Interview Idea of getting people to provide very detailed, blow by blow account of what they did in most critical situations they had been on the job

Describe three peak successes and three major failures Interviewer : Investigative reporter What led up to the situation ? Who was involved ? What did you think about, feel and want to accomplish in dealing with the situation ? What did you actually do ? What happened ? What was the outcome of the incident ?

BEI : A combination of Flanagans critical incident method with Thematic Apperception Test. Flanagan interested in identifying task elements of job and BEI interested in finding characteristics of people who did a job well. CAVE (Content Analysis of verbal expression) ; to measure motivation

I was a cultural affairs officer in North Africa. One day I received a directive from Washington saying I had to show a certain film featuring an American politician who I knew was seen as hostile to this countrys position. I knew that if I showed that film, this place would be burned down the next day by about 500 angry left wing students. Washington thinks the film is great, but the locals will find it offensive. What I had to figure out was how to show the film so that the Embassy can tell Washington we did and yet not offend anyone in the country ?

Diplomat A

..despite the troubles we had with them, I never stopped liking and respecting the student leaders. They were just becoming conscious of their nationalism, and that they were going to be the leaders of a greatly changed country. I could understand that they needed to rebel against us, to stand up to us, even throw us out-even when they wanted to burn my library..

Diplomat B
I finally came to the conclusion that (people of country X) were just stupid, dumb and unmotivated. I kept trying to schedule English classes , so these kids could learn enough to go to the United States to study, which is what they all said they wanted. But fewer and fewer showed up. So finally I cancelled the classes. What can you do with people like that ?

The prime ministers executive assistants mistresss nephew who called shots on petroleum policy

Competency

It is an underlying characteristic of an individual that is causally related to criterion referenced effective and /or superior performance in a job or situation

Causal Relationships

INTENT Personal Characteristics (Motive, Trait, SelfConcept, Knowledge)

ACTION

OUTCOME

Behavior

Job Performance

Causally related means the competency causes or predicts Behavior and performance

Criterion Reference
A characteristic is not a competency unless it predicts something meaningful in the real world.

Superior Performance Effective Performance

Underlying Characteristics

They indicate ways of behaving or thinking, generalizing across situations, and enduring for a reasonably long period of time. They are intrinsic operant or self starting master traits that predict what people will do on their jobs long term without close supervision

Types of Competency characteristics

Motives : Things consistently think about that cause action Drive, direct and select behavior towards certain actions or goals and away from others.

Eg. Achievement motivated people set challenging goals, personal responsibility and use feedback.

Traits : Physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations or information.

Eg. : Reaction time and good eyesight are physical trait competencies of combat pilot

Self Concept : A persons attitudes, values or self image.

PREDICTS

ACTION

RESPONDENT OR REACTIVE MOTIVES

VALUES

Knowledge : Information a person has in his content areas.

Eg. A surgeons knowledge of nerves and muscles in human body

Skill : The ability to perform a certain physical or mental task. Eg. The dentists physical skill to fill a tooth without damaging the nerve.

ICEBERG MODEL
VISIBLE

SKILL KNOWLEDGE

SELF CONCEPT TRAIT MOTIVE

HIDDEN

Level of Competency
SKILL

Core personality Difficult to develop

SELF CONCEPT

TRAIT, MOTIVE

ATTITUDES, VALUES

KNOWLEDGE

Surface easily developed

Core personality most difficult to develop cost effective to select Surface knowledge and skills relatively easy to develop Training most cost effective to secure these abilities

Categories

Threshold : Essential characteristic that everyone in a job needs to be minimally effective but does not distinguish superior from average. Differentiating : Factors that distinguish between superior and average performers

Clusters
Competency behavior Indicators appear to have scaling properties: a clear progression from lower to higher level on one or more dimensions Competencies have been clustered on the basis of underlying intent, which is a level of analysis between deep underlying social motives and superficial behaviors Eg. Intent to develop subordinates skill and prepare for promotion

Designing Competency Studies

Preparatory Work : Identify high values jobs to be studied in relation to following : Organization Strategy : Steps taken to identify goals, critical success factors & strategic plans to reach goals Organization Structure and Design : Identify critical jobs which are value-added make or break positions held by the people who will make the biggest difference in whether a firm succeeds . They define strategy, direction , responsibility for achieving major strategic outcome, controlling critical resources

Steps
1.

Define Performance effectiveness criteria :

Hard data : sales, profits, productivity measures Supervisor nominations Peer ratings Subordinate ratings (managerial style, morale) Customer rating

2. Identify Criterion performers).

Sample (Superior & Average

3. Collect Data BEI Panels (brainstorm personal characteristic to perform) Surveys 360 ratings Expert System Data Base Job Task/Function Analysis (List in details task, function and action the job holder performs) Observation

Star Questioning style

Situation Task Action Results

4. Identify

Job tasks (elements of job person has to perform) Job Competency Requirement (Characteristics of people who do the job well; Competency Model

5. Validate the Competency Model BEI Tests Assessment Centre Ratings

6. Applications
Selection Training Professional Development Performance Appraisal Succession Planning Evaluation of Training, professional development program

Selection

Matching people and jobs (External Recruitment or Internal Promotion)

The better the fit between the requirements of a job and competencies of the job holder, the higher the job performance and satisfaction will be.

Poor Performance High turnover/Poor retention Succession Planning Long learning curve times Equal opportunity for non traditional candidates Organizational Change

Performance Management System

Performance focus what of behavior shifted how of performance, oriented to future and focused on development. Job performance criteria and appraisal criteria unequal and unfair PM seen as bureaucratic having no impact on performance or development PMS does not address need of employee for skill development or career advancement PM doe not reinforce Strategy Performance appraisal ratings are inflated

Ongoing system of selecting competent employees to move to key jobs (vacant/future). These future jobs high level position but due to uncertainty in environment it may be for same level, even a level below the current or for lateral moves. Promotion or placement outcome are poor Very little vertical career opportunities so in lean and mean time either lateral of downward Organizational changes require employees with different competencies. Merger, Acquisition and reorganizations require the surviving firm to decide which existing employees are needed

Succession Planning

Development and Career Pathing

Competency can be taught including core motive competencies such as achievement motivation and traits such as self-confidence (learned optimism, reduction in depressive explanatory style, fear of failure, origin vs pawn self concept) Adult experiential education Motivation acquisition Social learning Self Directed chaneg

Pay

Compensation refers to methods used to set fixed and variable pay for the jobs in an organization. Competency based pay is compensation for individual characteristics, for skills or competencies over and above the pay or job or organizational role itself commands. Problem of internal equity and potential for misuse (how can one competency compared with other) Inability to attract good competent employees Perception that people with certain competencies add more value. Value added is function of Competencies Need to motivate and maintain state of art skill