Interpretive Guide
Strategic Orientation is the ability to link long-range visions and concepts to daily work, ranging from
a simple understanding to a sophisticated awareness of the impact of the world at large on strategies and on
choices.
Behavioural Level
1. Understands Strategies:
- Able to analyze and comprehend
organizational goals and strategies
developed by others.
2. Aligns Current Actions with External
Strategic Goals:
-
Prioritizes work in alignment with business
goals, acts in accordance with externally
set strategies, objectives, or goals.
3. Thinks in Strategic (Future-Oriented)
Terms:
-
Develops long-term objectives, strategies,
goals.
-
O r i e n t s t o l o n g e r t e r ms t h a n d a y - t o - d a y
a c t i vi t i e s ; d e t e r m i n e s l o n g - t e r m i s s u e s ,
p r o b l e ms o r o p p o r t u n i t i e s .
-
Develops and establishes broad scale,
longer-term objectives, goals, or projects
(e.g., affecting a business, department,
several departments or a large
organization).
-
Develops a business strategy.
4. Links Current Action or Daily Tasks
to Strategies (Own or External), or a
Long-term Perspective:
-
A s s e s s e s a n d l i n k s s h o r t - t e r m, d a y - t o - d a y
tasks in the context of long -term business
strategies or a long-term perspective;
considers whether short -term goals will
meet long-term objectives.
-
Reviews own actions against the
organization’s strategic plan; considers the
big picture (e.g., quality assurance
initiative) when considering possible
opportunit ies or projects or thinks about
long-term applications of current
a c t i vi t i e s .
-
Anticipates all possible responses to
different initiatives.
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BC Public Service Agency
Interpretive Guide
Level
Observed
Did the candidate demonstrate understanding of the
goals of the organization? Was the candidate able to
demonstrate a basic understanding of business in
solving immediate problems?
Did the candidate set daily work goals that were clearly
matched with organizational goals, departmental or
other externally set goals? Was work prioritized to
meet these goals?
Did the candidate demonstrate that he/she set their own
strategy (for a business, department, or several
departments)? Was the candidate thinking further
down the road than just daily or weekly? Were goals or
objectives set with a broad view of the organization
and/or other departments?
Did the candidate provide evidence for having assessed
their activities with regard to the organization’s
strategic plan? Did the candidate demonstrate an
ability to assess the links between shorter-term projects
and long-term business strategies? To score at this
level, the candidate set long term goals and objectives
that were consistent with the strategic direction of the
organization, and anticipated responses and reactions
to the initiatives created.
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Interpretive Guide
5. Understands External Impact on
Internal Strategy:
-
Is aware of the projected directions of
trends (e.g., social, technological, etc.) and
h o w c h a n g e s mi g h t i mp a c t t h e
organization; considers how present
policies, processes, and methods (not
c u r r e n t a c t i o n s , b u t o n g o i n g i s s u e s ) mi g h t
be affected by future developments and
trends.
6. Plans Actions to Fit Strategy (Own
and Outside) and Meet External
Events:
-
Ensures contingency plans exist for
p r o b l e ms a n d s i t u a t i o n s t h a t m i g h t o c c u r ;
r e d e s i g n s t h e d e p a r t me n t a n d / o r
organization to better meet long-term
objectives; establishes a course of action
t o a c c o mp l i s h a l o n g - t e r m g o a l o r v i s i o n ,
and/or shares own view of the desirable
future state of the business, department or
organization.
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BC Public Service Agency
Was the candidate aware of what was going on in the
appropriate industry? Did the candidate identify the
opportunities and threats in order to anticipate their
impact on policies, processes and methods? Was the
candidate able to react to projected directions of trends?
To score at this level, the candidate was aware of the
changes that would have an impact on the government
(e.g., demographics, and new technologies, etc).
Did the candidate use his or her knowledge/ expertise to
analyze business issues? Did the candidate establish
and recommend a course of action of short term and
long term goals for the organization which related to
current and business issues? To score at this level, the
candidate developed business strategies that would be
instrumental in achieving results across departments
and the organization.
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