Competency mapping is a process through which one assesses and determines one’s strengths as an individual worker

and in some cases, as part of an organization. It generally examines two areas: emotional intelligence or emotional
quotient (EQ), and strengths of the individual in areas like team structure, leadership, and decision-making. Large
organizations frequently employ some form of competency mapping to understand how to most effectively employ the
competencies of strengths of workers. They may also use competency mapping to analyze the combination of strengths
in different workers to produce the most effective teams and the highest quality work.

Competency mapping also requires some thought, time, and analysis, and some people simply may not want to do the
work involved to sufficiently map competencies. Thus a book like the above is often used with a human resources team, or
with a job coach or talented headhunter. Competency mapping alone may not produce accurate results unless one is able to
detach from the results in analyzing past successes and failures. Many studies find that people often overestimate their
abilities, making self-competency mapping results dubious.
The value of competency mapping and identifying emotional strengths is that many employers now purposefully screen
employees to hire people with specific competencies. They may need to hire someone who can be an effective time leader
or who has demonstrated great active listening skills. Alternately, they may need someone who enjoys taking initiative or
someone who is very good at taking direction. When individuals must seek new jobs, knowing one’s competencies can
give one a competitive edge in the job market.

For the company

The advantages of competency mapping for the companies or organizations are as follows:
• Establishes expectations for performance excellence
• Improved job satisfaction and better employee retention
• Increase in the effectiveness of training and professional development programs because of
their link to success criteria.
• Provides a common understanding of scope and requirements of a specific role
• Provides a common, organization wide standard for career levels that enable employees to
move across business boundaries.
• Help companies “raise the bar” of performance expectations
• Help teams and individuals align their behaviors with key organizational strategies

For Managers
The competency mapping provides following advantages to the managers:
• Identify performance criteria to improve the accuracy and ease of the selection process
• Easier communication of performance expectations
• Provide a clear foundation for dialogue to occur between the managers and employees and
performance, development and career-oriented issues

For employees
The employees in an organization get the following advantages by competency mapping:
• Identify the behavioral standards of performance excellence
•Provide a more specific and objective assessment of their strengths and the tools required to
enhance their skills
• Enhances clarity on career related issues
• Helps each understand how to achieve expectations

 The best way to understand performance is to observe what people actually do to be successful
rather than relying on assumptions pertaining to trait and intelligence.

 The best way to measure and predict performance is to assess whether people have key
competencies.

 Competencies can be learnt and developed.

 They should be made visible/accessible.

 They should be linked to meaningful life outcomes that describe how people should perform in
Core competency- Inherent strength of an organization.

 Core competence is an intrinsic capability of a firm, industry or nation that competitors find
difficult to emulate.

 Japan as a nation and Japanese firms as entities have core competencies in, among other things,
miniature design, electronics and mechanical engineering, manufacturing productivity and
quality management.

 The US' core competencies, on the other hand, are in its advanced universities, space-age
materials, computer hardware and software, biotechnology and venture capital management.
  Honda’s strategic strength, for example, lies in its small engine design and manufacturing.

 Sony has a core competency in miniaturization

 the real world.

Some examples of competencies required by employees are-

 Adaptability

 Commitment

 Creativity

 Motivation

 Foresight

 Leadership

 Independence

 Emotional Stability

 Analytical Reasoning

 Communication skills

Competency - definition

 “An underlying characteristic of an individual that is causally related to criterion-referenced

effecting and/or superior performance in a job situation”. (Source- Spencer and Spencer, 1993)

COMPETENCY CHARACTERISTICS

 Motives

 Trait

 Self-Image/Self Concept
  Knowledge

Skill

 Competencies are visualized in terms of an iceberg- technical competencies above the waterline
and behavioral competencies below the waterline.

 Technical competencies are clearly visible and therefore easier to assess.

Behavioral competencies are more difficult to assess and often harder to develop

 Competence is not performance.

 Competence is not process input.

 Competence is not process output.

 Competence is not a trait.

 Competence is not capability or ability.

 Competence is not a motivational attitude.

 A competency model is a descriptive tool that identifies the competencies needed to perform a
specific role in a job, organization, or profession.

 A competency model helps define what people need to know and do to be successful in an
employment situation. 

Career path planning/succession planning

 A competency model is a valid, observable, and measurable list of the knowledge, skills, and
attributes demonstrated through behavior that results in outstanding performance in a
particular work context.

 Typically A competency model includes

 Competency titles

 Definitions of those titles

 Key Behaviour indicators

  Competency modeling begins the process of building tools to link employee performance to
the mission and goals of the organisation .

Steps in Model Building

 Background information about the organisation

 Decide on the Occupation / Job Position(s) that require competency Model(s)

 Discuss the application of the competency model

 Select a data collection method and plan the approach

 Organize Data collected

 Identify main themes or patterns

 Build the model - Defining specific behaviour Indicators

 Review the model

 In 1986 the first version of the Job Competences Survey (JCS) was produced in the fields of
assessment centers and management competencies in the 1970s and 1980s(Dulewicz and
Fletcher 1982).

 The PCF stems from the findings of the JCS. It consists of 45 competencies under six main
headings. When rating the appraisees against these competencies, specific scales are employed.

Behavioral Competencies

 Competencies that are required by people in terms of behavior.

 Example- Team working is required by an employee working in a typing group in an office where
they may be required to cover up for others as the work grows.

The Lancaster Model of Managerial Competencies

 It is a universal management competency framework, developed by Burgoyne and Stuart (1976)

and first published in Personnel Review.

 The 11 qualities separated into three groups, as shown in the fig represent three different levels.
The first level forms the

foundation level, and comprises of two kinds of basic knowledge and information a manager may
need to use in decision making and action taking.
  Competence One: Command of Basic Facts

 This competency states that a successful manager should understand the business and have a
sound knowledge of basic facts surrounding the business such as short- and long-term goals,
product knowledge, and the roles and relationships between various departments.

 Competence Two: Relevant Professional Knowledge

 This includes knowledge of a specification such as legislation, management techniques, sources

of finance or knowledge of basic background management principles including planning,
organizing and controlling. The second category comprises specific skills and attributes that
directly affect behaviour and performance.

Level Two

 Competence One: Continuing Sensitivity to Events

  This means the manager is aware of what is going on and is perceptive and open to information:
hard information such as figures and facts and soft information such as feelings of other people.
As a result, a successful manager is able to respond in a suitable manner to situations as they
arise.

 Competence Two: Analytical, Problem-solving and Decision-making Skills

 A manager must make many decisions—sometimes these can be made using logical, optimizing
techniques. At other times it means using the ability to weigh the pros and cons in what is a very
uncertain or ambiguous situation, calling for a high level of judgement or even intuition.
Consequently, the manager must develop judgement-making skills.

 Competence Three: Social Skills and Abilities

 Burgoyne and Stuart (1976) describe interpersonal skills as ‘one of the key features of the
manager’s job’. A successful manager needs to develop a range of skills such as communicating,
delegating, negotiating, resolving conflict, persuading, using and responding to authority and
power, all of which are essential to interpersonal activities.

 Competence Four: Emotional Resilience

 This is the ability to deal with the emotional stress and strain that arises as a consequence of
working in situations of authority, leadership, power, targets and deadlines. Burgoyne and
Stuart (1976) talk about being resilient in coping with this stress. They explain: ‘Resilient means,
that when feeling stressed, we don’t get thick skinned and insensitive but manage to cope by
maintaining self-control and by “giving” to some extent.’

 Competence Five: Proactivity or Inclination to Respond Purposefully to Events

 At times managers must respond to the needs of the instant

situation, but whilst making such a response, the successful manager considers the longer-term aims
and goals and the impact of the immediate decision. This competence also includes abilities such as
dedication and commitment, having a sense of mission and taking responsibility.

Level Three

 Competence One: Creativity

 This is the ability to come up with unique ideas or solutions, and to have the insight to take up
useful ideas—either your own ideas or ideas from another source.

 Competence Two: Mental Agility

 This competence is concerned with being able to grasp problems quickly, to think about several
things at once, to understand the whole situation quickly and to ‘think on one’s feet’. ‘Given the
 hectic nature of managerial work these are particularly necessary qualities for success,’ explain
Burgoyne and Stuart (1976).

 Competence Three: Balanced Learning Habits and Skills

 Successful managers according to Burgoyne et al. exhibit independence as learners rather than
depending on an authority figure capable of abstract thinking. Such managers have the ability to
use a range of learning processes including use of inputs like teaching, discovery from one’s
personal experiences and reflection, a process of analysing and reorganizing pre-existing
experiences.

 Competence Five: Self-knowledge

 The final competence concerns the extent to which managers are aware of their own beliefs,
goals, values, feelings, behaviour and the part they play in influencing their actions. ‘The
successful manager therefore needs skills of introspection,’ explain Burgoyne and Stuart (1976).

 RATING SCALE

RATING SCALE
What is an Assessment Centre?

 An assessment centre is a program; not a place

 It involves individual participants undertaking a series of simulations

 These simulations will reflect the job demands of a particular position(s)

 Participants are observed (assessed) by line managers / HR consultants

 Performance in these simulations is assessed against competencies, which are core

requirements of the position you may be applying for.

 Rather than being a place they are an event. They are useful because they can assess a number
of candidates at the same time and a wide range of skills and capabilities related to the position.

 Candidates take part in a number of assessment exercises and several assessors will observe and
rate each candidate on a set of pre-determined competencies.

 Competencies are similar to Selection Criteria. They are a set of pre- determined skills identified
as being required for the job or position that you have applied for. Core competencies can
 include achievement orientation, communication, motivation, initiative, teamwork, leadership
and adaptability. Also more recently, emotional intelligence.

 Following methods are used:

 360 Degree feedback

 Role plays

 Benchmarking & Case study

 Management Climate Study

 Structured Experiences/Simulations/Business Games

 Top Performer Survey

Competency General Definition Activity – for
assessment

Leadership Articulates a common vision and provides Group Discussion

others with a sense of direction

Results Driven / An underlying concern for doing things Interview

Concern for better. Is self driven, self motivated and
Effectiveness enthusiastic

Initiative and Ability to go beyond what the situation Group Discussion /

Innovation requires and act before being asked. Interview
Brings new approaches to problems

Customer Focus Ability to set priorities and evaluate Presentation / In Tray

options on a commercial and community Exercise
basis

Competency General Definition Activity – for

assessment
 Effective Ability to communicate clearly and Group Discussion /
Communication effectively at the appropriate level Presentation /
Psychometric Testing

Flexibility / Ability to shift strategies and accept other Group Discussion

Adaptability viewpoints. Adapts quickly and effectively
to changing situations

Interpersonal Ability to interpret the feelings, unspoken Group Discussion

Astuteness concerns, desires, strengths and
weaknesses of others

Influencing Others Ability to persuade, convince, influence or Group Discussion / In

impress in order to gain support or to Tray Exercise
have a specific impact on others

Competency General Definition Activity – for

assessment

Teamwork Ability to work effectively with others to Group Discussion

achieve an optimal outcome
 Conceptual Ability to analyse and synthesise Presentation /
thinking / Analytical experiences, observations and Interview / In Tray
Skills information; to evaluate options and Exercise
identify patterns and future possibilities

Resilience Ability to overcome disappointments and Interview /

learn from the setbacks; bounce back. Psychometric Testing
Ability to adjust to unexpected change

Activity Purpose Description

Group Exercise - To establish the participant’s ability to A group problem-

Collaborative solve problems in a group context. solving situation,
Evaluates group process/interpersonal where participants
skills, communication, and the ability to must interact
lead/influence others effectively, while
attempting to achieve
their own goals
Interview A structured interview to fill in any gaps in A structured
the evidence and obtain feedback from situational/behavioral
the candidate regarding their perceptions interview, which also
of the AC. The opportunity to answer the solicits feedback
candidate’s outstanding questions from the participant.
The final ‘exercise’ in
the AC
Activity Purpose Description
 Role Play To measure achievement oriented and The participant must
interpersonal competencies in a ‘one-to- meet with a customer
one’ format. To measure the participant’s in a situation when
ability to progress the discussion there are a number
effectively under pressure and of problems. The
questioning participant must
resolve the issues
whilst maintaining the
confidence of the
customer
In-tray To see at what level the participant The analysis of a
analyses a situation and extracts what is situation, which
relevant. Whether the participant contains both
recognises the broader implications of opportunities and
issues and takes personal responsibility threats for an
for the problem. Forming a coherent plan organisation.
of action Information is
presented as a
mixture of letters,
internal notes and
situation reports

 Competency mapping involves the process by which we determine:

The nature and scope of a specific job role, the skills required, the level of knowledge required,
and the behavioral capacities required to apply those skills and knowledge in that role. Often the
information/data gathering process involves interviews with individuals experienced in the
position as well as observation of the role being performed. Behavioral competencies are
derived from the raw data, and competencies defined, selected, and prioritized. A great
resource to consult is "Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance" (Lyle Spencer
with Signe Spencer) and "The Art and Science of Competency Models" (Anntoinette D. Lucia
with Richard Lepsinger).