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Competency Modeling

Organizations are fluid and dynamic.  Technologies and processes change, and competitive pressures constantly change how jobs are defined.  Less supervision, increased technical skills, increased use of information technology, and the ever-changing nature of the work itself all create a need for a different set of competencies.  This drives a critical question for today’s organizations:

“What are the competency requirements of our jobs?”

Selection & Development

Competencies are the building blocks for employee selection and development.  They are the starting point in identifying what to look for in job candidates or employees by guiding decisions on what should be assessed and compared.  Competencies also work as the basis for development planning where potential strengths and areas for improvement can be identified through assessment and comparison to other scores within the organization or across the industry.  How well you identify and define the competencies relevant to your organization and the jobs within heavily influences how well you select and develop your workforce.

AAI’s Competency Model

Competency Modeling
  • Defining Competencies
  • AAI's Tailored Process
  • Benefits

Competencies are the observable and measurable attributes of an individual that are causally related to enhanced employee performance and organizational success.  They typically cover:

  • Knowledge—Gained through formal education, professional certifications, training, and learned information used for the job.
  • Skills—Proficiency acquired through previous work experience and practice.
  • Abilities—A demonstrated capacity to acquire skill and/or knowledge that improves performance.
  • Work Styles—A preferred style of behaving, frequently attributed to one’s personality (i.e., Flexibility).
  • Motivation—Recurrent thoughts and tendencies that drive behavior (i.e., Achievement Drive).

AAI works closely with you to identify and define the competencies most relevant to your organization.  This often involves reviewing job descriptions and training, management and employee interviews or discussions, and group sessions targeted at the specific work behaviors making a difference in job performance.  The process is tailored to find your specific needs.  Through our extensive research and practice, we have also developed our own AAI Competency Model which can be used or modified for your organization.

  • Supports Talent Management.  Greater coherence and synergy in HR processes from selection to performance management to coaching is achieved through a common language to define levels of performance, capability, and potential.
  • Greater focus on the behaviors that make a difference.  Managers and employees are more acutely aware of precisely those behaviors that separate highly effective job performance from average job performance.
  • A much more productive and effective workforce.  All HR systems can leverage key competencies and will more directly contribute to productivity, quality, and profitability.  Sharing a common set of competencies across the organization builds a performance culture.
  • Greater legal defensibility of HR programs because of their demonstrated job relatedness.  This may provide you with greater peace of mind and help avoid potentially costly litigation.