The Perfect Match

     Workers are like puzzle pieces. They come in specific shapes, and as managers, we try to plug them into positions they seem to fit. Many times those fits are imperfect, and in some cases there's not a fit at all, but we push the person into the position anyway, to fill the space. When we stand back and look at the big picture, we find ourselves having to tilt our heads or squint a little because it's just not right.

     In order for organizations to be successful, they must be made up of teams of positions that work together effectively and efficiently to strive for a common vision. Each position has specific competencies required for optimal performance, and the best people to fill those roles are individuals with those competencies already developed or who can gain proficiency in short order.

     So if success is dependent on the right competencies, why do we allow imperfect fits? This article looks at what competencies really are, how to figure out which ones are the right ones, and how to use them to ensure employee and organizational success.

WHAT ARE COMPETENCIES?
     Organization Systems International, a top leadership consultant, defines the term competency as a consistent pattern of behavior resulting from a cluster of knowledge, skills, abilities and motivations (i.e., attitudes, values, beliefs, personalities) that define a coherent facet of the overall competence needed for exceptional performance.

     There are probably hundreds of competencies in the world, but leadership-specific competencies represent a special segment. For purposes of this article, we're going to focus on one model that includes 41 competencies across seven broad areas (see Table 1).

IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT COMPETENCIES
     Identifying the critical competencies of an organizational role can occur in two ways. The first approach is time-intensive and starts by identifying competencies from scratch. Imagine your organization wants to identify the competencies important to a front-line supervisor. As a starting point, the job's responsibilities and performance expectations might be studied in an attempt to identify important competencies for the position (e.g., conflict management, initiative, problem-solving/decision-making).

     Once you have a feel for what the job appears to require, the next step is to identify those doing it who are top performers. What competencies do they possess? How do those compare to the list you started? Are the differences things that are necessary to succeed at the job, or just ones that work well for a particular individual as they tackle their role? Once you've identified additional competencies from the high performers, add them to your earlier list to get a first draft of the potentially important competencies for the position.

     This process can be more complex than it looks. Often the competencies identified are too broad or too specific, and it can be hard to hone them down. In addition, it can be hard to separate opinion from objective observation.

     For an easier process, you could begin with a defined list of competencies, such as those described in Table 1. This allows you to skip the step of crafting and defining specific competencies. Instead you begin with a palette from which you can select. Then a handful of content experts (in our example, supervisors' managers) can separate the defined list into four groups: unnecessary, useful but not necessary, essential and absolutely essential. The result is a simplified process to quickly identify the core competencies you seek.

     Whichever approach you take, the goal is to identify the essential competencies for a given position.

Where to use them?
     Careful review of job expectations and outcomes and study of high performers provides the data to build your competency models. Now, what do you do with the information?

Selection
     EMS leaders are finally catching on to what award-winning companies have known for a long time: Success is about having great people with the right skills. With the competency lists you've developed for each position, you can now separate competencies required at the time of hiring from those that are trainable. Designing your selection process around the required competencies ensures only the right people are considered.

Performance review
     In addition to understanding a job's responsibilities and meeting its objectives, you must also be able to determine if an employee is exhibiting the necessary competencies (see Figure 1).

     Reviewing what competencies are in place and which need to be developed to be a high performer is a key outcome of any employee review. One method to accomplish this is through the use of a multi-reviewer, or "360 review," process. A 360 uses a competency-based survey that is completed by the employee, their supervisor, several peers and several direct underlings. The responses are compiled, and a report is generated that shows how the employee is viewed overall, as well as by each group. This provides a 360-degree perspective of their overall performance. This process can provide a wealth of information for employee development.

Employee development
     When an organization has a solid understanding of the competencies required to be a high performer and has assessed its employees' strengths and areas needing development, it can now work to help develop employees. Competencies can be used in both group and individual efforts.

     In a group setting, an organization might look at, for example, the important competencies for supervisors and create targeted trainings that build the needed knowledge and skills (e.g., listening skills, coaching, problem-solving). Knowing the competencies needed provides the basis for a curriculum that targets important areas.

     A popular development tool for individuals is coaching. By looking at the required competencies of a position and reconciling them with the competencies of specific employees, managers can mentor employees—help them build on their strengths and manage their weaknesses so they can grow to be high performers in their positions or even enter new roles. Coaching can also be outsourced to professional and experienced coaches.

Positional gaps
     Having mapped out the needed competencies and assessed the developmental level of each employee, you now know where the gaps exist that you need to address for optimal performance, and can establish a plan for filling those gaps.

     Also, as people leave your organization through turnover and retirement, you know exactly what competencies are required of potential candidates to fill their roles. This lets you begin to develop internal candidates to succeed them or focus on proactively recruiting externally.

CONCLUSION
     Your people hold the key to your organization's success. Learn what competencies are required to be a high performer for your organization, then determine where the gaps are in your personnel. By mapping out how you will realign and develop your human resources, you will be on track to enhance your organization's performance.

TOP TIP
     One easy way to interview for competencies is to use behavioral-based questions that require candidates to pull examples from their own experience. For example, if the ability to delegate is a required competency, you might ask for an example of how the applicant involved others in projects, and what role he or she played. With each question you will learn how prepared a candidate is for the requirements of the job.

Bibliography
Fitch & Associates. Fitch & Associates Competency & Career Compass Development Guide and Card Deck. San Diego: Organization Systems International.

Organization Systems International. Maximizing the Benefits of Your 360 Survey. San Diego: Organizational Systems International.

Williams DM. 2005 JEMS salary & workplace survey: What you earn, where you work, & what it all means. J Emerg Med Serv 30(10), 36–55, Oct. 2005.

David M. Williams, MS, is a senior associate at the international public safety/EMS consulting firm Fitch & Associates. He is certified to administer and interpret the Fitch Competency & Career Compass. For more information on competencies, go to www.fitchassoc.com/career.html. Dave can be contacted at 816/431-2600 or dwilliams@fitchassoc.com.