Constructing a Competency Model

This exercise will help you understand the difference between a simple job description and a more dynamic competency model. Think of it as a brainstorming process that allows you to continually refine your working drafts into a more condensed version that will eventually become a competency model that is customized to the organizations unique culture and business goals. For demonstration purposes, we will create a condensed version of a competency modeling process that would take days or weeks to construct w/ contributions from various subject matter experts.

To get started, after reviewing this weeks lessons and examples, begin by brainstorming a list of what you believe are the most important job duties and tasks that a midlevel manager or executive level leader would perform. If you have a particular individual or job description in mind in your organization, you may use them/it for reference. (If you are ambitious, do both models.)

Review your list and condense it to what you believe are the most important core competencies an individual must have to successfully perform their job.

You may easily have 10 15 competences that you may continue to condense if you see overlap in the concepts. For demonstration purposes, select what you believe are your top 5 competencies and write brief definitions for them. This allows you to make subtle distinctions in similar competencies across job families and tailor your competencies to your organizations culture.

Next, as an example of setting your competencies to behaviors, try writing your top 5 competencies into must statements. For example, a top candidate must be able to communicate effectively by

Take a look at your creation. Do you notice some aspects may seem task-oriented while other aspects seem more descriptive of personal qualities, even personality traits?

Next, summarize what you see as personal attributes for the finishing touch. These are qualities that typically distinguish top performers or those we see as having unique talents.