Get your Competency Framework Right

Many organisations develop a competency/behaviour framework with a view to managing performance and progression more effectively.  However, many managers and individuals find it hard to use the frameworks to achieve their goals and, therefore, the goals of the organisation.

The most common reasons for this are that people don't see the benefit of the framework and aren't trained adequately; there aren't clear links to what the business is aiming to achieve and many frameworks are a mix of different concepts which makes them unwieldy. 

A competency framework should be a useful tool to help manage performance.  If you already have one, or something similar in your organisation, here are some simple steps you can follow to see if it's fit for purpose.

1.  Communicate the purpose
The first thing is to find out if employees understand what the purpose is.  If they don't understand how behaviours contribute to personal and organisational success, there is little point in updating or developing the framework.  Remind people about why it was introduced, for example, to help with culture change, performance management, recruitment or development.  Make sure they understand how the framework contributes to these.  If people aren't clear about this then you need to find out what their challenges are and explain how the framework can help.  If the framework doesn't help meet their challenges, it is not fit for purpose however 'perfectly' constructed it is.

2.  Idenfity Key Themes
Even if staff are clear about the purpose of the framework, it still needs to support the organisation's aspirations (goals, values, business plans and so on).  If people aren't all working towards these aspirations, then some individual efforts are likely to be diversions from organisational success.  Meet with key stakeholders (the people who have an influence on production or implementation);  gather together all the documents that capture the organisation's aspirations and ask them to consider questions such as:  'What would people say about our organisation?'  'What needs to change?' and 'What are the challenges that lie ahead?'  Key themes are likely to be things such as 'listen to customers' and 'look after staff'.  Once you have the themes, check that the behaviours in the framework support them.  All themes should be supported by some behaviours, and all behaviours should support some of the themes.

3.  Get Conditions Right
The organisation's procedures need to support the framework, and the culture, resourcing and management structures must be supportive too.  For example, if you have a silo-type organisation or a performance management system that focuses solely on the individual, then people are unlikely to display collaborative teamworking behaviours.  Be realistic; if conditions inhibit behaviours then change the conditions or change the behaviours.

4.  Tackle the Root Cause
As well as goals and conditions, behaviour is influenced by underpinning characteristics (knowledge, skills and attitude).  One underdeveloped characteristic, such as communication skills, can affect many different behaviours.  If managers don't understand this distinction they may focus on trying to improve the behaviour without tackling the root cause.  For example, someone who is not 'planning the whole task to ensure effective implementation' (an example of a behaviour) may simply lack knowledge of the task.  If managers focus only on the behaviour, there may be a frustrated delegate on a planning skills course and a wasted chunk of the training budget.

5.  Keep it Simple
There are two key elements to ease of use - language and structure.  However 'perfect' the framework, if it's too complicated, long or detailed it won't be used.  The language has to be meaningful to the people who use it.  This is partly why frameworks bought off the shelf don't work - because the language doesn't fit the culture or the organisation.  If the framework is too complex to be used effectively, it is possible you have tasks (for example, 'completes work records on time'), aspirations ('valuing diversity') and personal characteristics ('communication skills') mixed in with behaviours.  These are valuable influences on performance but if they are mixed in with behaviour statements it makes the framework not only unwieldy but also confusing.  Strip out tasks (they belong in job descriptions), characteristics (these underpin behaviours) and asipirations (at organisational level these are value statements or organisational goals and at an individual level they are personal goals).   If you want to highlight the importance of characteristics then keep them in a separate part of the framework from the behaviours.

6.  Train, don't Blame
Once you have tidied up the structure make sure that everyone who uses the framework is trained in how to use it.  A framework is a tool, and as with any tool, if users don't know how to use it, it will fall into disuse or fail to meet its full potential. 

As stated at the outset, the purpose of a competency framework is to be a useful tool to help manage performance.  If you discover that your framework is not fit for purpose this is probably not the fault of the tool, but the way it was constructed, the conditions in which it is used or the abilities of those who use it.  Improve these factors and you will have a powerful tool to improve the performance of your organisation.

People Management - 26 July 2007