Page 179 - Global Project Management Handbook

COMPETENCIES OF PROJECT MANAGERS 8-5

individual that is causally related to criterion-referenced effective and/or superior perfor-
mance in a job or situation.” 2
3
Spencer and Spencer define five competency characteristics that they consider to be
causally related to criterion-referenced effective and/or superior performance in a job or
situation. Two of these competency characteristics are knowledge, the information a per-
son has in specific content areas, and skill, the ability to perform a certain physical or men-
tal task. These are considered to be surface competencies and the most readily developed
and assessed through training and experience.
In addition to these surface competencies, there are three core personality characteris-
tics that are considered to be difficult to assess and develop. These are
Motives. The things a person consistently thinks about or wants that cause action;
for example, achievement-motivated people consistently set challenging goals, take
personal responsibility for accomplishing them, and use feedback to do better.
Traits. Physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations or information; for
example, emotional self-control and initiative.
Self-concept. A person’s attitudes, values, or self-image.
This can be referred to an attribute-based approach to competence. According to this
approach, competence can be inferred from an analysis of personal characteristics and
knowledge that lead to behaviors and skills.
Inherent in the competency model approach is the concept of threshold and high per-
formance or differentiating competencies. A high-performance competency can be
defined as “a relatively stable set of behaviors which produces significantly superior
workgroup performance in more complex organizational environments.” 4
For this approach to be used effectively in selection, promotion, and development,
employers need to know what personal characteristics, knowledge, behaviors, and skills
are causally related to superior job performance in their organization. Many organiza-
tions have competency models that have been developed specifically for their environ-
ment and which are used across all job families in the organization.
The competency model approach is used in numerous organizational competency
development programs worldwide usually across all job families within an organization.
Competencies are seen as inputs, consisting of clusters of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and
in some cases, personality traits, values, and styles that affect an individual’s ability to

perform.

The Competency Standards Approach
While the competency model or attribute-based approach assumes that identifiable per-
sonal attributes will translate into competent performance in the workplace, the compe-
tency standards approach assumes that competence can be inferred from demonstrated
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performance at a predefined acceptable standard. The competency standards approach
has not attracted the same degree of support and interest in the United States as it has in
the United Kingdom, where it is the basis for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs),
and in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where it underpins the national qualifi-
cations frameworks. Competency standards have a specific format, which includes
Units and elements of competency. Describe what is done in the workplace, profession,
or role.
Performance criteria. The required standard of performance.
Range indicators. The context of performance.