Operational
Overseeing the functioning and activities of teams, departments or divisions. The total employee life cycle is examined, assessed and nurtured.
Each competency within the Building Capabilities area can aid in achieving:
- professional and personal bests
- stakeholder buy-in, acceptance and value
- team, institution and community results
At any given time, proficiency for each competency will fall at some point along the outer ring of the framework: Awareness, Application, Mastery, Influence.
The following competency definitions are offered as a guide and are to be used in conjunction with your institution’s interpretation of how these competencies can be applied on your campus.
Competency Definitions
Identify, Recruit and Onboard Talent
Definition
Knowledge of methods, strategies and best practices utilized in understanding organizational talent needs, attracting candidates for employment and acclimating newly hired employees to the organization.
In Action
- Maintaining awareness of talent gaps and needs throughout the organization
- Understanding and communicating organizational values, benefits and culture to potential candidates and new employees
- Attracting qualified candidates with different backgrounds and experiences that help meet current needs and position the organization for future success
- Ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations throughout the hiring process
- Assessing potential candidates’ fit within the organization
- Supporting the orientation of new employees to the organization
- Familiarity with the various records, documents and mandatory training programs needed to successfully onboard a new employee
Assessment Questions
- What experience do you have with the recruiting process?
- How do you assess your organization’s talent needs?
- Are you comfortable leading employees through the orientation and onboarding process?
- What specific methods of outreach do you commonly use to source candidates?
- Are you comfortable with the conversational aspects of interviewing a candidate?
- Are you comfortable with the regulatory and non-discrimination aspects of interviewing a candidate?
- How confident are you in your ability to assess a candidate’s fit within the organization?
- Are you comfortable or willing to suggesting new strategies for sourcing and acclimating talent?
Definition
The process of evaluating work and other related activities by measuring outcomes against stated goals. Performance management can be applied to individual employees, teams, departments and specific processes.
In Action
- Identifying goals for individuals or groups
- Tracking outcomes of stated goals or improvement plans
- Providing structured feedback and opportunities for development
- Helping employees identify their professional challenges and successes
- Assisting in the creation, administration and tracking of performance improvement plans, individual development plans, disciplines and reviews
- Coaching supervisors on performance management best practices, tools and techniques
Assessment Questions
- What experience do you have with delivering performance reviews?
- What methods of performance review are you familiar with?
- What is your preferred performance review method? Why?
- Are you confident in your ability to give constructive feedback?
- When are you most likely to give positive feedback?
- What about negative feedback?
- How comfortable are you with difficult conversations?
Definition
The process of identifying and developing skilled employees as potential successors for leadership or other key roles within the organization.
In Action
- Participating in performance review activities
- Maintaining awareness of roles with high potential for vacancy
- Supporting employee development, especially for specific skills and roles
- Identifying and communicating the critical skills necessary for success in a position
- Identifying internal candidates or potential candidates for key positions
- Anticipating future skill gaps and organizational talent needs
- Communicating succession plans and decisions to stakeholders
Assessment Questions
- Have you had the opportunity to participate in succession planning before?
- What data, metrics or other information do you take into account when considering succession plans?
- When do you begin looking for candidates to fill a future role?
- How do you secure buy-in for succession planning from hesitant or disinterested stakeholders?
Cultural Architect and Steward
Definition
The facilitation and ongoing support of the changes needed to align with institutional values, goals, mission and strategy.
In Action
- Administering performance reviews, disciplinary actions and coaching activities
- Aiding in conflict resolution and problem-solving
- Guiding employees based on organizational policies and best practices
- Creating and distributing flyers, posters, handbooks and other communication items to support employee understanding and commitment to desired change
- Advising managers and supervisors on best practices, policy interpretation and strategies to encourage employee buy-in to organizational changes
- Proposing and developing policies, training programs, systems and processes that support desired change
Assessment Questions
- Do you consider yourself to be adaptable?
- Are you familiar with your organization’s current values, mission and goals?
- How does or how could your work support these institutional values, mission and goals?
- How do you communicate these institutional values, mission and goals to employees?
- What methods or strategies do you or would you use to secure buy-in from hesitant or resistant stakeholders?
- What experience do you have with mediating conflict?
Definition
The ability to both initiate and sustain organizational change through a variety of methods, including (but not limited to) communication, stakeholder engagement, continual learning and performance management.
In Action
- Administering performance reviews, disciplinary actions and coaching activities
- Coaching others on new policies, practices and processes
- Aiding in conflict resolution and problem-solving activities
- Being adaptable, as well as encouraging adaptability in others
- Facilitating communication between stakeholders, especially to secure buy-in
- Anticipating and proactively addressing potential challenges and concerns
- Proposing new ideas and processes or improvements to existing processes
- Giving and receiving constructive feedback
Assessment Questions
- Do you consider yourself to be adaptable?
- What experience do you have with managing change?
- What steps would you take to implement an immediate change?
- What steps would you take to implement a long-term change?
- How might you secure buy-in from hesitant or resistant stakeholders?
Definition
The performance of routine HR tasks that are both basic and essential.
In Action
- Recordkeeping and documentation activities
- Interviewing candidates for employment
- Performing audits or investigations
- Participating in strategic inter-departmental meetings
- Maintaining HRIS systems and data
- Serving as a first point of contact for employees needing assistance
Assessment Questions
- What tasks are a part of your everyday role?
- Are you comfortable meeting the operational expectations of your role?
- How do your routine tasks intersect with other departments?
- How do your routine tasks support the institution as a whole?
- What methods or strategies do you use to ensure the quality of your work?
