Competencias

Using Competencies to Identify High Performers: An Overview of the Basics
Outstanding performance can be achieved by selecting the right people for key roles

Selecting managers and executives on the basis of their technical skills or experience alone often yields poor results. Competencies are to performance what DNA is to people. The underlying elements of competencies are less visible butlargely direct and control “surface behavior.” Organizations that apply competencies to select and develop individuals for key roles reduce the potential of the collateral damage associated with a bad hire.

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Using Competencies to Identify High Performers: An Overview of the Basics
Organizations can achieve outstanding performance by selecting the right people for key rolesI n t ro d u ction Wh at I s a C om pe t e nc y ? Wh y U se a C om pe t e nc y - ba s e d A ppr oa c h? S t ag es o f C om pe t e nc y D e f init ion 1. P erf or m a nc e C r it e r ia 2. C rit e r ion Sa m ple 3. D at a C olle c t ion 4. C o m pe t e nc y M ode l D e v e lopm e nt 5. V al ida t ion 6. A p plic a t ion I n n o vat i ve A pplic a t ions of C om pe t e nc ie s C o n cl u si on1 2 4 5 6 6 6 8 8 9 10 11

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a star performer, achieving outstanding results with apparent ease. The other struggles just to achieve the minimal level of success, frustrating both him and others. Why, we ask, was one so much more successful than the other? It’s a good question, one that continues to challenge organizationstoday. If
Mc Cle lla n d co n f i rm ed t h at t r a d it io n a l p red i ct o rs o f pe r f o r m a n c e s u ch as ap t i t u d e t e s t s , e x a m in at i o n resu l t s, an d r e f e r e n c e s d i d n o t i n f act p r e d ic t jo b p erf o rm an ce.

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e’ve all seen it happen: Two motivated individuals with similar education, experience, and skills are promoted into new roles. Onequickly turns into

the brightest and even most experienced do not always succeed in the workplace, then what can businesses do to identify their potential star performers? They can begin by throwing out the IQ tests and other proxies that measure intellect. Renowned Harvard University Psychologist David McClelland confirmed this in an article he published in 1973 entitled “Testing forcompetence rather than for intelligence.” McClelland summarized a number of studies that showed that aptitude tests, which had traditionally been used by psychologists to predict performance, did not in-fact predict job performance. Additionally, the tests were often culturally based and therefore prone to bias. He also discovered that other traditional measures used in the hiring process, such asexamination results and references, were equally poor at predicting success on the job. McClelland set out to find an alternative to the traditional aptitude and intelligence testing, which yielded a deeper measure that he labeled “competencies.” A competency is defined as an underlying characteristic of a person which enables them to deliver superior performance in a given job, role, or situation. In theprocess of his research on competencies, McClelland established two key tools—criterion samples and behavioral event interviews—to help enable his approach. Criterion Samples By studying two distinct (criterion) groups—star and average performers— McClelland sought to understand what really differentiated performance and created success in a job. This method, which proved to be highly successfulin predicting the future success of individuals, formed the foundation for Hay Group’s approach to assessment, selection, and development. It is elegant in its conceptual simplicity and application.

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Behavioral Event Interviews (BEI) To understand what makes the best people successful, McClelland sought to understand not just what they do, but the thoughts and...