Competency Areas Communication Communication skills for all levels of management have been identified by many organizational development practitioners and researchers to be a competency area that has a major impact on the workplace. Interpersonal communication competencies include proficiency in speaking, actively listening to others, open questioning techniques, awareness of non-verbal gestures and body language, and effectively handling conflict and difficult situations. Other critical communication proficiencies include effective and persuasive writing and presentation skills adopted for a variety of workplace situations and requirements.
Relationship and Team-Building
Competency in managing working relationships and building strong teams for supervisors and managers is a critical skill set. Within the contemporary workplace, an effective team has the support and guidance of each other and their leadership in order to resolve and work through difficulties as they arise and to create a culture of behaviours that alleviate conflict and misunderstanding. The focus will be: the ability to understand the dynamics of successful work teams; to develop and lead diverse groups with differing work styles, aspirations, cultures and perspectives; to identify the strength of team members; and to harness and focus team energy and spirit in contribution to a healthy work force with sustained motivation.
Performance ManagementWhether you are managing people, operations, strategies, or a combination of all three, performance management is essential for appreciating what has been already been done, setting clear expectations for the future and then finding ways to effectively measure the work it takes to reach those goals. From the humble but essential beginnings of on-the-job orientation and training, through to ongoing coaching for performance and everyday strategic thinking, managers need to have the ability to identify, foresee and create collaborative performance-to-plan work strategies that are supportive, attainable and measurable, and that have a clear line of sight to organizational goals.
Planning and Problem-Solving Everyone needs to plan! From a day’s work to an annual work plan through to special projects and strategic organizational planning, at every level of management the ability to create a planning framework and the process by which to organize and deliver¬—from start to finish—involves practical techniques that embody scope, cost, quality and schedule. The relationship of the performance criteria to the design process and to the nature of the deliverable, while staying focused and creative, is an essential discipline for the contemporary manager.
Self-Development and CreativityTo know one’s own personality is intrinsic to understanding others. Determining strong personal values and demonstrating those convictions aligns behaviour with beliefs and becomes an effective model for others to follow. Managers who are self-directed and self-motivated manage their time effectively and ensure expectations and goals are met without sacrificing productivity, vitality, balance and wellness. The focus of the self-development competency is to honour the wisdom of the adult learner by facilitating experiences that further personal growth including, but not limited to, self-responsibility, confidence-building, flexibility, integrity, ongoing personal development, and the willingness to openly participate in learning from others and from experiences.
The Self That LeadsMore than a title or position, true leadership is best described as a behaviour. As broad as the competency is for leading well, there are fundamental skills and abilities that contribute to leadership success that leaders and rising leaders aspire to. As agents of change that can adapt quickly to demands, effective leaders understand the nature and necessity of change and help to prepare the ground for others by removing barriers to greater performance. A role model for self-improvement and positive influence, leaders emulate integrity with what they do and what they say. Able to articulate values and vision, they enlist champions in the organization and beyond, while anticipating trends and opportunities for growth. The senior manager can build an effective business case and solicit buy-in at all levels for strategic change initiatives in organizational direction, sometimes involving taking risks that work toward the advancement of the organization’s goals. A resilient critical thinker, working to establish an intergenerational succession plan for meeting current and future leadership needs, builds an environment that fosters career development and advancement.