From the early 1980s when Steve Glowinkowski commenced his initial research, we have gone on to acquire increasing levels of corroborative evidence that demonstrate it is behavioural competencies that represent the assessable and measureable difference between outstanding and average performers.
Factors such as education, experience, skill and knowledge are all very important. They represent the fundamental threshold requirements for acceptable performance to emerge but none of these factors differentiates outstanding from average. Behavioural competencies do! Therefore, they represent a critical focus for us right around the HR management cycle embracing recruitment and selection, talent management, succession planning, performance management and downsizing and outplacement.
That a senior leader is selected by behavioural assessment often ‘sets the tone’ for the rest of the organisation. That ‘behaviours beget behaviours’ can cause a cascade down and throughout an enterprise helping individuals raise their game and so enable the organisation to improve its performance.
Competencies should be used to address the following issues:
