The Competencies Workshop

Worldwide, competencies are the leading approach to improving performance in the workplace.

Whether you are a huge international organisation employing thousands of people, or a small organisation employing less than 10 people, or somewhere in-between, competencies are a proven approach to improving both individual and organisational performance.

They help us describe how an individual is expected to behave in a work setting that will support the deliverables; that is, what an individual does. The basis for using competencies in your organisation is the idea that people are more effective if they are judged on how they behave as well as what they achieve. Competencies have been used in the field of people management over the past 30 years. Organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors have adopted the concept of competencies and, in many cases, have written their own.

They are used in recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management (including appraisals), giving feedback, coaching and discipline. This workshop firstly introduces the concept of competencies and the competency framework, then shows how they can be used in performance management and selection interviewing.

Participants will:

• Establish a clear understanding of the purpose and value of competencies
• Understand how competencies fit into the organisational big picture
• Construct a basic competency framework
• Understand multi-level competencies
• Use behavioural interviewing and competencies to expertly assess behaviour

This course is suitable for those who are, or will be, managing the performance and behaviour of others.

Pre-Course Activity

• Participants consider some key questions about competencies and their previous experience of them.

The Concept of Competencies

• Competencies – definitions, purpose and benefits.
• How competencies can help develop and support a business.
• Types of competencies
• Understanding the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ – behaviours that align with high performance.
• Using behavioural indicators to manage behaviour
• Competency architecture

Competencies across the Talent Lifecycle

• The many uses of competencies across the talent lifecycle

Using Competencies within Performance Management

• Performance Management – The Big Picture
• How competencies can help within performance management and appraisal.
• Balancing the use of competencies with other performance measures
• Increasing objectivity by separating behaviour from values, beliefs, attitudes and personality.
• Preparing behavioural evidence to demonstrate performance

Self assessment and Disclosure

• Assessing behaviour using competencies
• Removing performance blind spots using the Johari window

Behavioural Interviewing

• Using competencies to interview behaviourally

Video Content

• The Video Arts production ‘Behavioural Interviewing: taking the guesswork out of recruitment’ is used to reinforce learning. The programme looks at the common mistakes made during a selection interview and illustrates just how useful and successful using the behavioural interviewing technique really is.

“I now understand the full value of competencies and the importance of using them in performance management and selection interviewing. I thought it was a worthwhile course.”
Participant from Turley

• Conducting Effective Appraisals
• Performance Management for Managers
• Managing Underperformance
• Effective Influencing Skills