What are Competencies?

Competencies are like an

iceberg, with skill and
Threshold Skill knowledge forming the tip.
Knowledge They are easier to measure
and develop

Social Role,Role
Social Values
The underlying elements of
Differentiating Self-Image competencies are less
Traits Trait
(Personality) visible but they largely
direct and control surface
Motive behaviour. They are more
difficult to measure and
develop – but lead to high
performance

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Why Competencies?
Competencies tell us about ‘how’ we do things. We define strategies, objectives and KPIs and
then look at processes and workflows for achieving these, but we also need to look at what
makes us effective in carrying out those work plans.
The competency framework maps out the most important behaviours that are necessary for
outstanding performance and to support the achievement of our organisation’s goals.
While a good number of the competencies could apply to any individual roles, for practical
purposes it is important to focus on those which are most critical for effective performance.
This document acts as a reference to understand what the competency means, to help in
identifying the key competencies for each role and how we can observe it in the IATCO
workplace.
Competencies are essential to human resource processes such as:
• Job Design and Analysis
• Performance Management
• Training and Development
• Career Management & Succession Planning
• Assessment & Development Centres

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 Competency Layout
Competency Title

‘Behavioural Definition
Analytical Thinking The competency
Levels’ What is it? briefly defined.
Increasing levels The capacity to understand situations or problems by breaking them down into smaller parts that can be more
easily understood.
of display of Lev.

behaviours that ‘Contra

0 Does not Understand Reasons
support the
competency.
 Is not able to identify reasons behind repeated problems.
Indicator’
1 Breaks Down Problems
Negative Display
There is a range  Uses basic knowledge to break down problems into smaller parts.

of 3 to 5 levels 2 Sees Basic Relationships of Behaviour

 Takes apart problems into pieces and identifies priorities for action.
within each  Links together pieces with a single link so as A leads to B.

competency. 3 Sees Multiple Relationships

 Understands complex situations by breaking them into their component parts.
‘Behavioural
4 Makes Complex Analysis
Indicators’
Rationale
 Uses several analytical techniques to break apart complex problems into component problems or issues

People can be
The reasons Why it matters?
seen to
It is required across the business to support decision making
why a particular demonstrate these
competency is
behaviours.
important to 8

IATCO’s
business
performance.

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Achievement Motivation
What is it?
The drive to succeed, to supersede standards and continuously improve how work is delivered
Lev.

0 Leaves a job incomplete

 Does not care about seeing a job through
 Is not concerned about the quality of work produced

1 Does things well

 Takes pride in completing work to the best of his ability
 Talks about the importance of ‘doing a good job’

2 Creates own standards of excellence

 Focuses on a standard of performance that is self created and imposed
 Achieves a set goal in a better way

3 Improves how things are done

 Makes improvements to own or others work processes
 Improves the efficiency / effectiveness of a process

4 Sets Challenging Performance Standards

 Imposes and works to challenging standards of performance
 Talks about breaking the record with a planned objective

5 Makes Improvements to business performance

 Weighs the risks and benefits associated with a business decision that impacts the business

Why it matters?
To have a winning attitude to drive the organization (at all levels), to guarantee organizational improvement and
ensure the required ‘Commercial Drive’
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Analytical Thinking
What is it?
The capacity to understand situations or problems by breaking them down into smaller parts that can be more
easily understood
Lev.

0 Does not understand reasons

 Is not able to identify reasons behind problems
 Fails to see steps leading to an activity

1 Breaks down problems

 Makes a list of things to do
 Breaks down problems into a list of tasks (with no particular priority)

2 Sees basic relationships

 Separates an issue into pros and cons
 Sorts out a list of tasks in order of performance

3 Sees multiple relationships

 Understands complex situations by breaking them into their component parts
 Makes causal relationships, A leads to B lead to C

4 Makes complex analysis

 Uses several analytical techniques to break apart complex problems into component problems or issues
 Peels back multiple layers of a problem.

Why it matters?
It is required across the business to support sound decision making

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 Conceptual Thinking
What is it?
The ability to make connections between situations that at first are not obvious and to come up with new ideas
Lev.

0 Does not make sense

 Relates issues that do not have a common theme
 Is unable to see any connections

1 Applies logic
 Is able to detect patterns in data and suggest straightforward inferences
 Uses common sense to spot problems

2 Uses past experience

 Is able to relate past situations to current ones
 Benefits from previous experience
 Uses analogies when explaining things

3 Simplifies complexity
 Uses models to make sense of complex information
 Is able to simplify very complex issues for others using a diagram or an illustration
 Summarises complex arguments for the benefit of others’ understanding

4 Innovates
 Is able to come up with new avenues for growing the business
 Invents a new way of delivering a product / service
 Applies breakthrough thinking

Why it matters?
To support business growth and market development there is a need to be creative and to think out of the box
across the whole company 6
Concern with Order
What is it?
The drive to maintain order within a complex environment

Lev.

0 Muddles through
 Is content with going about work without any clear aim

1 Seeks Clarity
 Is concerned about receiving clear instructions
 Prefers documentation of activities – having it in ‘black and white’

2 Checks work
 Double checks own work for potential mistakes
 Rereads what he writes to make sure that there are no typos

3 Checks others’ work

 Monitors the quality of others work
 Ensures that people are following procedure in their tasks

4 Monitors projects
 Uncovers gaps in project delivery
 Monitors an activity against agreed timelines

Why it matters?
To ensure a standardised and disciplined way of doing things all the time ( focussed on ‘smaller jobs’)

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Customer Service Orientation
What is it?
The desire to fulfill internal and external customer’s needs and requirements

Lev.

0 Is myopic
 Is not aware of the customers’ perspective
 Fails to consider a customer’s complaint

1 Communicates
 Keeps customers / principals in the communications loop
 Keeps an eye on customer satisfaction indicators (if available)

2 Takes responsibility
 Takes personal responsibility for the dis/satisfaction of a customer
 Corrects an error promptly

3 Follows through
 Goes out of his way to monitor the resolution of a customer’s issue
 Adds value to a customers’ interaction

4 Understands underlying needs

 Understands more about the customer’s business / needs
 Offers what will be suitable based on a good understanding of requirements

5 Builds long term partnerships based on mutual benefit / gain

 Looks for long term benefits for the customer and matches those with own benefit
 Helps the customer make the right decision

Why it matters?
To be consistent with our values and maximise sales through understanding customers (including
internal customers) / principals / suppliers needs 8
Developing Others
What is it?
The drive to support, develop and coach employees for performance improvement and career enhancement

Lev.

0 Is focused on achieving tasks

 Resources work with the only a concern for efficiency and task completion
 Fails to recognise on the job development avenues

1 Gives instructions / Spots talent

 Tells someone how to do something
 Is able to see a person’s developmental potential

2 Shares expertise for development

 Talks about experiences of similar situations to give people insights and share lessons learned
 Provides on the job development through doing things so people could learn by seeing

3 Gives development feedback

 Provides feedback and ongoing developmental guidance
 Would ask questions to make people think about self-development
 Will organise training events / formal development beyond scope of responsibilities

4 Promotes development of talent within the business

 Establishes process for enhancing and developing talent
 Impacts thinking of development across the business through modelling how development should be conducted within
own area of responsibility

Why it matters?
To ensure continuity of leadership (excellence) and reinforce the policy of promotion from within
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Flexibility
What is it?
The willingness and ability to change approach

Lev.

0 Is set on his ways

 Prefers to stick to the knitting
 Talks about ‘how we always do it here’
 Does not listen when people propose new ideas

1 Recognises the case for change

 Understands that change is an imperative
 Listens to people when they make suggestions

2 Accepts and acts to change own work methods

 Does things based on the situation
 Talks about the need for change
 Changes how things are done within agreed objectives

3 Changes approach
 Is able to change own and others work to cope with changes in the environment
 Revises plans and changes work objectives in reaction to market / operating environment changes

Why it matters?
There is a need to react, accommodate and embrace dynamic change

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Impact & Influence
What is it?
The ability to persuade others to own agenda

Lev.

0 Goes unnoticed
 Hardly says something in a meeting
 Is always concerned about what others think of him

1 Is concerned with impact

 Talks about the need to create a ‘good impression’
 Tries to leave a lasting impression

2 Makes a statement
 Would change tone of voice when making a speech to attract people’s attention
 Makes strong arguments to support own point of view

3 Tailors a message
 Considers what an audience wants to hear and uses that to make a case
 Adapts a presentation to a specific groups’ requirements (based on an understanding of their needs)
 Would approach people with a clear view of their background and what will get them energised

4 Uses influence tactics

 Is able to gather support from key players regarding own agenda
 Would use experts and opinion makers to influence a group’s (popular) opinion
 Gets someone to influence another to influence someone else (uses indirect influence)

Why it matters?
To influence others to deliver IATCO’s agenda
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Initiative
What is it?
The drive to anticipate and act before something happens

Lev.

0 Prefers to wait
 Is completely risk averse
 Talks about waiting and seeing

1 Is biased towards action

 Prefers to seek a decision or prompt an action
 Talks about preference to get things done
 Is frustrated by slow decision making

2 Decides on the spot

 Makes quick and appropriate decisions
 Is composed in a crisis

3 Makes decisions regarding the medium term

 Is proactive in making decisions regarding the next 6 months
 Tries to avoid a future problem by proposing a solution now

4 Makes decisions regarding the longer term

 Is proactive in making decisions regarding the business direction
 Anticipate and proposes business solutions to handle a potential future threat or take advantage of a potential
opportunity in the future

Why it matters?
To anticipate and cope with variations in the ever changing competitive environment
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Information Seeking
What is it?
The drive to know more and scan for information to be able to make sound decisions

Lev.

0 Makes ill informed inferences

 Decides on issues without getting adequate information
 Does not understand the extent of a problem before proposing a solution

1 Acquires required information

 Prefers to have the required data to support an argument
 Would carry out basic research on a customer before a meeting

2 Is systematic in gathering evidence

 Uses several sources of information regularly
 Would commission / carry out in depth investigation of an issue / business proposition
 Consistently collects views from different parties / perspectives before making decisions

3 Establishes information systems

 Puts in processes for gathering information
 Promotes the habit of gathering information and utilising available information systems
 Would utilise a variety of ways to scan for information and achieves depth in understanding issues

Why it matters?
As the business takes on new challenges there will be a need to conduct extensive research to support
developments / enhancements supporting the right decisions

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Integrity
What is it?
The drive to behave according to accepted norms and ‘walk the talk’

Lev.

0 Is hypocritical
 Acts contrary to what he espouses
 Seems to differentiate in treating people
 Says something he does not believe in for the sake of pleasing someone

1 Is open
 Speaks his mind out
 Does not care about hiding issues
 Is not defensive when asked personal questions

2 Is honest
 Is consistent in sharing the truth even if it may not serve his own agenda
 Is honest in customer relationships
 Admits to mistakes

3 Builds relationships based on trust

 Is able to maintain strong stakeholder relationships through being principled and acting on values
 Discloses information available (some of which may be thought of some as unnecessary / or sensitive to share)
 Does commercial deals with full appreciation (and incorporation) of the partners’ benefits and requirements
 Models trustworthiness in personal interactions

Why it matters?
Need to sustain trust across suppliers, customers and employees to maintain and grow IATCO’s business

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Interpersonal Understanding
What is it?
The ability to understand other people and to be sensitive to cultural subtleties

Lev.

0 Does not listen

 Loses track of what someone is saying
 Talks over people

1 Recognises personal differences

 Is sensitive to people’s voiced concerns
 Recognises emotion

2 Understands meaning behind behaviours

 Understands body language
 Is sensitive to personal characteristics
 Makes a suggestion about a person’s next action based on a personality trait

3 Detect underlying reasons for behaviours

 Makes assessments about people’s personalities
 Is able to judge a person’s behaviour based on the assimilation of several personality traits

4 Leverages cultural diversity

 Has an appreciation and understanding of different cultural variations
 Is able to accurately assess and judge people’s strengths and weaknesses through full appreciation of their
backgrounds

Why it matters?
To support the internal and external multi-cultural environment
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Organisational Awareness
What is it?
The ability to understand other organisations we work with and identify key players
Lev.

0 Fails to recognise key gatekeepers

 Tries to influence the wrong people
 Is impervious to someone’s organisational standing

1 Understand formal processes

 Understands the structure of the organisation
 Understands positional power and authorities

2 Understands informal processes

 Understands personal relationships within the organisation
 Knows how the key actors are
 Uses the informal structure to get things done

3 Understands climate
 Understands how things are done in the workplace (based on an understanding of the history of the organisation)
 Recognises particular ways of saying and doing things (language, terminologies, etc.)

4 Understands long term business / organisational drivers

 Understands the political reasons for decisions made
 Recognises the drivers behind organisational behaviours
 Understands opportunities and threats facing organisations / businesses he works with and how that effects decisions
made

Why it matters?
There will be a need (particularly) externally to understand who to influence to achieve what is best for IATCO
and its employees
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Teamwork & Cooperation
What is it?
The ability to work collaboratively with others across the business to achieve organisational goals

Lev.

0 Keeps to himself
 Never shares opinion with others
 Is uninterested in group dynamics

1 Shares useful information

 Is keen to provide the team with information that helps complete the task at hand
 Contributes effectively in meetings

2 Acts to further the teams achievements

 Is focused on getting the team goals achieved
 Will help others complete their part of the work if already done with own work

3 Encourages others to contribute

 Involves other people in the team to get their contribution
 Asks questions and tends to talk last so as to give others the opportunity to voice opinions / concerns
 Illicit the input of a different department on issues that have a wider impact

4 Promotes co-operation with other teams

 Effectively collaborates with other departments to achieve organisational goals
 Forms multi-functional teams to tackle assignments
 Ensures own area of work exchanges resources and expertise with other areas

Why it matters?
There will be an increasing need to work horizontally as well as vertically
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Team Leadership
What is it?
The ability to manage people and drive them to achieve common goals

Lev.

0 Is selfish
 Tends to put himself ahead of his team’s interests

1 Manages group dynamics

 Manages team meetings well
 Is effective in getting a group of people organised and focused

2 Delivers a clear message

 Makes the team objectives clear to members of team
 Is crisp and clear in conveying what needs to be done, including explaining the why something needs to be achieved

3 Makes the team effective

 Removes obstacles and ensures the team is equipped with necessary resources
 Talks up the achievements of the team to keep motivation levels up

4 Builds energy around the team’s goals

 Makes team goals compelling
 Delivers inspirational / motivational talks
 Explains the long term objectives / goals and make them accessible and personal to team members

Why it matters?
To sustain teamwork and co operation leading through a range of management styles ( not simply being
directive) and to build leadership capability in line with future work models (eg project based)

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