Defining Competencies for High Performance

Competencies play a central role in driving individual performance, but they are also integral to the larger system that leads to desired outcomes. According to Laide Abe’s People as Assets: Building High Performance Organizations (2020,) the most effective way to define competencies is through behavioral language. This approach emphasizes observable actions that directly contribute to achieving job goals, fostering clarity, reducing misunderstandings, and preventing resistance.

For instance, when defining a skill like “excellence,” it is essential to describe it through specific actions rather than vague or abstract terms. What does excellence look like in practice? By observing individuals who demonstrate excellence and clearly outlining their behaviors, you establish clear and consistent expectations.

To assess and apply competencies effectively, there are three key steps:

1. Observe: Focus solely on what the person does or says, without making judgments at this stage.
2. Describe: Provide a clear and factual account of what was observed in relation to the performance skill. Ensure that your description is measurable and verifiable by others.
3. Infer: Based on the observations, make reasonable conclusions or predictions about the person’s behavior. Use rating scales when available, and test your inferences through further observations to confirm or challenge them.

These steps help prioritize observation and description over subjective perceptions or emotional responses, leading to a more objective and accurate understanding of performance. A strong performance skill is one that is grounded in observable actions, free from abstract concepts like “motivation” or “cognitive patterns.” By focusing on specific behaviors, you ensure greater clarity and fairness, reducing biases like stereotyping, which can arise when individuals are judged based on broad assumptions about a group.

Use a behavioral approach to define and assess competencies. It leads to more consistent and effective evaluations, fostering a high-performance culture while minimizing prejudice.