The Design and Application of
Competencies in the United States Civil
Service System
Dr Matthew Stafford
Dean of Faculty
Federal Executive Institute
VII Astana Economic Forum
Global Conference “Civil Service Personnel Management:
Current Issues and Prospects”
Competencies in US Civil Service
• Definition
• The US Road to Competency-Based
Human-Resource Manage
• Selection
• Development
• Assessment
• The “Competency Debate”
• Leveraging a Competency-Based Management
System to Effect Transformational Leadership
Competencies Defined
A competency is a measurable pattern of
knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and
other characteristics that an individual needs
to perform work roles or occupational
functions successfully.
• Key components of this definition:
• Measurable
• Includes knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors
and more
• Specifically related to work to be performed
US Road to Competency-Based HumanResource Management
• 1991: Office of Personnel Management (OPM):
• Initiated interagency discussion
• Competencies nominated, reviewed, coordinated, selected
• Spirited debate: specific competencies generally applicable
• Personnel Resources and Development Center validated
• 1992: OPM Published “Leadership Effectiveness
Framework”
• 22 Competencies
• Subsequent validation work: benchmarking, research
and collaboration; both public and private sector
• 1997: Framework revised to address future needs
• Extended far beyond knowledge and skills to include:
•
•
•
•
Attitudes
Values
Behaviors
Mindset
Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)
• 1997: OPM assessed attributes of public and
private-sector leaders, creating five ECQs
• 1997-2008: ECQs became the baseline for
selection to Senior Executive Service
• 2012: ECQs became the baseline for SES
assessment
Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)
and Leadership Competencies
ECQs and the Leadership Competencies
Leading
Change
Leading
People
Results
Driven
Business
Acumen
Building
Coalitions
Creativity and
Innovation
Conflict
Management
Accountability
Financial
Management
Partnering
External
Awareness
Leveraging
Diversity
Customer
Service
Human Capital
Management
Political Savvy
Flexibility
Developing
Others
Decisiveness
Technology
Management
Influencing /
Negotiating
Resilience
Team Building
Entrepreneurship
Strategic
Thinking
Problem Solving
Vision
Technical
Credibility
Fundamental Competencies
Interpersonal Skills
Continual Learning
Oral Communication
Written Communication
Integrity/Honesty
Public-Service
Selection
• “Best Qualified” for non-SES positions
• For SES selection, mastery of ECQs a precondition
• Three methods
• ECQ Narrative – ten-page explanation
• Accomplishment Record – documentation of success
• Resume-Based Application – supporting competencies
explicated in traditional resume format
• One 9-Step Process: The agency…
1. Selects Method
2. Advertises vacancy
3. Accepts applications
4. Reviews candidates
5. Interviews candidates
6. Has its Executive Resources Board recommend
7. Has its Appointing Authority review and approve
8. Submits candidates to OPM Review Board
9. Hires certified candidate
Development
• Three parts
• Training
• Education
• Experience
• Correlated to the…
• Competencies for most civil servants
• ECQs for SES members
Strategic Thinking - Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent
with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on
opportunities and manages risks.
Proficiency
Level
Proficiency Level
Definition
Proficiency Level Illustrations
Level 5 - Expert
• Applies the competency in
exceptionally difficult situations
• Serves as a key resource and
advises others
• Anticipates a demographic change in society and
establishes a vision to effect change through formulation
and implementation of objectives and priorities
• Designs approaches and procedures to develop a
strategic plan supporting key national goals and
objectives
Level 4 Advanced
• Applies the competency in
considerably difficult situations
• Generally requires little or no
guidance
• Leads and directs a strategic planning team to address
and outline the future direction of an organization
• Establishes strategic performance measures to allow the
organization to continually assess and adjust program
direction
Level 1 Awareness
• Applies the competency in the
simplest situations
• Requires close and extensive
guidance
• Develops project teams and staffing plans based on
consideration of strategic objectives
• Ensures team objectives are consistent with strategic
plan
Training
• Agency-specific Training – primarily aimed at
“skills”
 Job skill-specific training
o Schools
o On-the-job Training
 General training
o Schools
o Online
• OPM: “Trainer for the US Government” – primarily
focused beyond skills
 In-house: The Center for Leadership Development
o Eastern Management Development Center
o Western Management Development Center
o Federal Executive Institute
 External Market – Vendor Management Branch
Education and Experience
• Education
 Most educational needs met through recruitment
 No equivalent to US military colleges; however…
o Cooperative programs with educational institutions
o Center for Leadership Development (OPM)
– Federal Executive Institute
– Eastern Management Development Center
– Western Management Development Center
• Experience
 Senior Executive Service (SES) – Interagency (OPM
Provides policy oversight)
 Below SES – Within single agency
Assessment
• For non-SES employees, performance
assessment based on negotiated performance
standards
• For SES members, performance based on ECQs
Critical Element 5. Results Driven
(Minimum Weight 20%)
Weight: _____
Agency Goals/Objectives for current FY: Must have at least 1 result (may have more than 5)
This critical element includes specific performance requirements expected of the executive during the
appraisal period, focusing on measurable outcomes from the strategic plan or other measurable
outputs and outcomes clearly aligned to organizational goals and objectives. At a minimum, the
performance plan will include performance requirements(including measures, targets, timelines, or
quality descriptors, as appropriate) describing the range of performance a tLevel 3 for each result
specified. It is recommended to also establish the threshold measures/targets for Levels 5 and 2.
Alignment--cite relevant goals/objectives, page numbers, from the Strategic Plan, Congressional
Budget Justification/Annual Performance Plan, or other organizational planning document in the
designated section for each performance requirement specified.
Performance Requirement 1:
Strategic Alignment:
The Competency Debate
“As we begin the 21st century, evidence abounds that
executive & leadership development has failed to
meet expectations. … The “competency model” of
the executive, proposing as it does a single set of
competencies that account for success, must be
supplemented with a development model based on
leadership challenges rather than executive traits &
competencies. Executive performance must focus
on ‘what gets done’ rather than on one way of
doing it or on what competencies executives
have.”
Competence, Not Competencies:
Making Global Executive Development Work
George P. Hollenbeck & Morgan W. McCall, 2003
An Analogy
Leveraging a Management System to
Effect Transformational Leadership
Transactional Behaviors
(Traditional Management)
 Monitoring and Controlling
 Discipline and Punishment
 Rewards and Incentives
• Pay
• Promotion
• Required development
Transformational Behaviors
(Leadership)
 Selection for Special
Developmental Opportunities
 Inclusion in Creative, Innovative
and Problem-Solving Activities
 Mentoring and Coaching
 Better Communication
• External Awareness
• Contact with Stakeholders
• Inspiration; Visioning
 Modifying Job Characteristics
• Job Enlargement – Broader
Responsibilities
• Job Rotation – New Tasks
• Job Enrichment – More
Independence
Review:
Competencies in US Civil Service
• Definition
• The US Road to Competency-Based
Human-Resource Manage
• Selection
• Development
• Assessment
• The “Competency Debate”
• Leveraging a Competency-Based Management
System to Effect Transformational Leadership
Thank you
Dr Matthew Stafford
Dean of Faculty
Federal Executive Institute