Integrated

Competency
Development
Introduction to the Competency Development Cycle

What is this for?

This guide introduces a competency development cycle which can
support competency development processes in programme teams.
identify plan It aims to provide guidance and tools to prepare staff each stage in
the cycle. It includes:
evaluate support & u a rationale for using a competency development planning and
monitor action cycle
u
an overview of the competency development cycle
u
guidance and tools for introducing the competencies and the
competency development cycle to programme teams
u
ideas for next steps.
Competency
development cycle

What is the competency Who is this for?

development cycle?
This resource is for a range of staff members
The competency development cycle is a who are planning and implementing
framework to help staff think through, manage competency development activities for
and facilitate effective and efficient staff programme teams. For example:
competency development. u
capacity building managers or officers
It involves a continuous cycle of action, u
technical area specialists or
reflection and learning that can be used to: coordinators, including DME staff
identify strengths and development
u u
People & Culture staff (HR)
needs
u
operations directors and managers
develop an action plan to effectively
u (at national, regional and zonal levels).
engage staff in competency development
activities It is particularly relevant for team leaders in
support and monitor competency
u programmes who are taking responsibility for
development progress, including the supporting the competency development of
application of learning their staff members. The tools and guidance
evaluate impact on behaviour and
u in this section may also be of interest to
work performance. development facilitators and other local level
staff as they develop their capacity building
See Figure 1 for a more detailed diagram of
skills to use with community stakeholders and
the competency development cycle.
partners.

www.wvdevelopment.org WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 1

 Why focus on competency development as a cycle?
A lifelong learner:
u continually acquires knowledge and skills
through education, training, work and
general life experiences Many factors influence this lifelong
learning journey, including:
u
includes reflection in all planning processes
• existing individual competencies
u
develops skills and attitudes to successfully • job requirements
adapt to new challenges and changing • the programme context
contexts. • past experiences and education
To be a lifelong learner who contributes to an • self identity and personal beliefs
effective team, it is helpful to view competency • individual learning styles
development as a personal and collective journey. • learning support provided by others
A team is composed of individuals who are likely • team relationships and dynamics.
to begin their personal development journeys
from different starting points and who travel in
different ways and at different speeds.

While there are many differences between individual learners, approaching competency development
with a degree of intentional reflection, planning and action helps strengthen staff as lifelong learners.
Individual and team competency development is also more effective when the team is supported to
facilitate each other’s learning. This involves all staff members taking responsibility to share their
knowledge, engage in peer mentoring or coaching, and give each other feedback.

Figure 1. The competency development cycle: an action, reflection and learning cycle to support the
competency development journey

2 WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

 The competency development cycle can help the journey be more efficient and effective. The cycle is
continuous; it can be followed many times to help prioritise learning needs, choose the best learning
activities, allocate resources appropriately, and ensure learners receive the support they require to
apply and evaluate their learning.
The competency development cycle is not intended to be followed rigidly but aims to help staff members
consider questions and issues that are critical to ensuring a quality approach to staff development.

Before starting . . .

When preparing to use the competency development cycle for the first time with staff it’s important
to ensure they:
u understand the competency development cycle
u
be familiar with the Integrated Competency Development (ICD) competencies for local level
staff (for example, how to use, their benefits, which competencies are needed for certain roles
and how competencies can be developed).
Use the suggested session plans to introduce staff and familiarise them to the ICD competencies and
the competency development cycle.

Session Plan 1 - Introducing the ICD Competencies

u
It offers a suggested way to introduce the ICD competencies to programme teams. See
‘Appendix A’.

Session Plan 2 - Introducing the Competency Development Cycle

u
It provides a suggested way to introduce staff to the key elements of the competency
development cycle. See ‘Appendix B’.

What now?

TIP
With an understanding of the competency development cycle
and how it can be used to support competency development for This series of guidance and tools
programme teams, the next step is to start using it do plan and is provided separately so it can
implement competency development activities. Use the other guides be used flexibly and according
in this series to help: to your needs and interests.
identify the competency development strengths and needs
u However, when planning
of the programme team (see Identifying Strengths and Needs) capacity building it is vital
plan competency development (see Planning Competency
u to also plan how staff will be
Development)
supported and monitored and
support and monitor staff in their competency
u
how it will be evaluated.
development (see Supporting and Monitoring Competency
Development)
evaluate the effectiveness of the competency development
u
process that have been implemented (see Evaluating
Competency Development).

WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 3

 Appendix A

S E S S I O N P L A N #1

Introducing the ICD competencies

OBJECTIVES
Overview
• To understand the core competencies This session gives the group an opportunity to explore the use
required for programme teams of competencies to support their local level staff development in
• To become familiar with the ICD World Vision’s programmes. It includes:
competencies
• an examination of the structure of the ICD competencies
• To consider a variety of ways the
competencies can be used to support • activities to help explore ways the ICD competencies can
local level staff, including competency be used both by national office staff and by programme
development and recruitment teams.
This is an essential ‘getting started’ session before beginning the
planning process.

time span
Two hours
Recommended process
product
Suggested uses of the Introduction (15 min)
competencies by national office
and local programme staff. This activity is designed to introduce the concept of ‘competencies’ in a
simple, fun way.
who facilitates
Designated national office staff 1 Introduce the ‘competency’ of driving a motorbike by finding out from
member group who rides a motorbike and who does not.

who participates
National office staff including:
• operations manager
• P&C director
• IPM point person
• IPM learning coordinator
• capacity building manager
• technical roles (as appropriate)
• finance director
• DME staff
• CC coordinator
• sponsorship coordinator (optional)

materials
PowerPoint
o slides for the
competencies
competency handouts
o
a Critical Path poster
o
sticky notes with a selection
o
of the competencies that
participants can explore and
understand more deeply
large sheets of flipchart paper
o
tape or sticky tack
o
coloured pens or markers
o

4 WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

2 Invite participants to describe ‘what they would observe to see if
someone was driving safely’. List the behaviours on a flipchart.

3 With a list of behaviours, ask participants to describe skills. Next

ask them to describe the knowledge needed, and then the attitudes
needed to drive safely.

4 Invite participants to think about the concept of competency as made up

of behaviours, skills, knowledge and attitudes. If the term ‘behaviours’
causes difficulty, explain that behaviours are like ‘performance
indicators’ – expressed as observable behaviours (behaviours we would
be able to observe if someone has a particular competency level).

Enabling SKILLS Enabling KNOWLEDGE Enabling ATTITUDES

5 Provide the definition of competency:

‘Competencies summarise the skills, knowledge,

attitudes and behaviours required to perform
effectively in a given job, role or situation.’

Activity One:
The structure of the competencies (20 min)
1 Put participants in groups and give them two or three different
competency documents per group.
2 Ask participants to look through the competency documents (without
reading them word for word), to work out what the structure of the
document is.
3 Ask participants to identify and explain the different components of
the competency document using the following questions as a guide for
their discussion:
u
What are the common components?
u
How does each of those components relate to the competency
itself?
u
How can those components be used to support competency
development with staff?
u
How would you apply it?
In plenary, ask participants to share their observations about the
competency documents. During the discussion, ensure that all the
components of the competency have been covered.

WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 5

 Activity Two:
Exploring the competencies (55 min)

1 Divide participants into groups by asking them

to select a competency that they are particularly
interested in. Limit the number in each group so
that the group numbers are even.

2 Give each group printouts of their competency

document, flipchart paper and pens.

3 Ask each group to prepare a visual-based

flipchart for each competency to present it to
the plenary (including elements, behaviours,
key words, knowledge, skills, attitudes, strategic
importance, links to the Critical Path and
possible adaptations).

4 Ask participants to consider the following two

questions and write the response to each on a
post-it note:
u
At which stage of the Critical Path is this
competency required or important?
u
What does aligning of competencies to
the Critical Path tell us about key issues to
consider when planning and implementing
competency development?

5 Teams present their flipcharts to the plenary. They should place their
post-it notes at appropriate steps on the Critical Path and share their
response to the above two questions.

6 Take a few minutes after each team has presented for questions,
comments and discussion.

Activity Three:
Using competencies to support our work (20 min)
1 Regroup participants into functional groups and ask each to prepare
a two-minute role play demonstrating how they would use a specific
competency in their work.

2 Teams present their role plays to the plenary with time for questions,
comments and discussion.

3 While teams are presenting, create an overarching list of ways that the
competencies can be used.

6 WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

Appendix B

S E S S I O N P L A N #2

Introducing the competency development cycle

OBJECTIVES
Overview
• To understand the steps involved in the This session gives participants an opportunity to understand the
competency development cycle steps of the competency development cycle and how it can support
• To understand how the competency the competency development of local level staff in World Vision
development cycle can support capacity programmes. This process assists national offices to incorporate
building within programme teams and align current national office capacity building approaches and
resources with ICD competencies and approaches as needed.

time span
One hour

product
Brief action plan outlining next steps

who facilitates
Designated national office staff
member

who participates
National office staff including:
• operations manager
• P&C director
• IPM point person
• IPM learning coordinator
• capacity building manager
• technical roles (as appropriate)
• finance director
• DME staff
• CC coordinator
• sponsorship coordinator (optional) Recommended process
It’s helpful for the group to see the overall rhythm of competency
materials development work. Building the competency development cycle together
large
o sheets of flipchart paper
o large
white cards can help the group visualise the entire process and purpose of each element.
tape or sticky tack
o
coloured pens or marker
o 1 Divide the group and give each small group or pair a print out of the
copies of the competency
o
competency development cycle.
development diagram
coloured pens or marker
o 2 Assign each group one element of the competency development cycle
and give them the graphics (element and arrow) for the one they are
preparation assigned. Ask them to use the handout to identify the purpose of their
• Review Figure 1 in the Introduction assigned element and write the purpose on a card.
to the Competency Development
Cycle document.
• Create each element and arrow
3 Ask each of the small groups or pairs to post the graphics and purpose
of the competency development of their assigned element of the competency development cycle on a
cycle on separate pieces of large flip chart or on the wall, while reading the purpose.
paper (four total).
• Create a flipchart with the
reflection questions.
4 Facilitate a discussion using the following questions:
• If needed, print out the remaining u
How will using this cycle help us move through a complex process?
ICD competency development u
How can using this cycle help us merge current capacity building
cycle documents with guidance
resources with new resources we create or adapt from others?
and tools for the participants.
u
How will this support a process of continuous improvement?

WORLD VISION GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES 7