"Workitect brought a significant amount of practical expertise in Competency Model design to the table. This helped us decide on what the best approach would be early into the project, given our particular corporate culture and context. Workitect was able to present alternatives that felt right for us, without feeling like we were getting "off the shelf" products."

Ruben Decoud
Manager, International Human Resources
Mary Kay Inc.

"In an environment where everyone is quick to tell you the value of competency models, Workitect is one of the few organizations that actually teaches a repeatable process for building customized models. Working with the Workitect consultants was refreshingly different from the usual consultant experience. Not only did they demonstrate significant expertise in building competency models for our organization, they were dedicated to providing our internal staff with the skills needed to follow the process and build additional models ourselves. Their goal was to teach and guide us to be self sustaining, and they did this by providing training, allowing us to shadow them during the building process, and being available to address questions and concerns throughout the process. Overall, our relationship with Workitect has been invaluable, and we are quick to recommend them to anyone who is interested in creating customized competency models for their organization."

Performance Consultant
Insurance Company

Are your selection and development programs producing average performers or superior performers?

If your answer is "I don't know", consider this. In every job, some people perform more effectively than others, and superior performers do their jobs differently, and possess characteristics that are different from average performers. How can a talent management system produce superior performers and a superior performing organization without identifying these characteristics, also known as "competencies"?

The best way to identify these characteristics is to study your top performers in a job or job family. The findings of such an assessment are described in a "job competency model". In effect, a competency model is a "blueprint" for superior performance. Examples of competency models can be found in our Competency Portfolio [1.4mb PDF] and in an actual model for Project Managers [523kb PDF]

• Results are tied to performance... not just opinion
• Competencies are job-related... not theoretical
• Characteristics are behaviorally specific... so you can see and measure them
• It identifies job requirements and success... what success "looks like in action"

For Individuals

As an Individual, you can use a job competency model to guide your own career development. Coupled with an accurate assessment of your own competencies, you will be able to identify competencies needing development and identify other jobs or careers that make better use of the competencies you possess.

For Leaders

As a leader in your organization, competency models and systems will help:

• Improve the selection of people for jobs
• Develop skills and characteristics that lead to improved effectiveness and productivity
• Provide a consistent framework for Human Resource applications
• Build alignment with organizational values and strategy

Our Consulting Services

For over 40 years, Workitect consultants have helped organizations of all kinds and sizes to develop competency models and competency systems that have resulted in the selection, development, and retention of talented workforces - while significantly improving organizational performance.

Examples of Consulting Projects

• Customizing a competency dictionary/library and data gathering and data analysis tools
• Conceptualizing and defining a set of technical competencies
• Developing three-level competency models for leadership and individual contributor positions
• Revising an existing competency model based a non-Workitect approach into a simpler model identifying expected behaviors for each management level, and positive and negative indicators of each competency
• Training internal HR staff to introduce competency models into an organization and develop an approach to create a first model.
• Identifying and developing competency models that meet the unique needs and demands of a global organization.
• Creating a framework for baseline assessments of competencies of a population
• Identifying leadership competencies used in assessing middle and senior leaders, then developing and administering a 360° multi-rater feedback instrument. Providing feedback and executive coaching for leaders who have been assessed
• Developing a global competency framework (dictionary) used to create competency models for all jobs in a global organization. Customizing Workitect's Resource Guide to an organization's competencies.

A Sampling of Consulting Projects

For a large manufacturing company, Workitect identified a set of leadership competencies to be used in assessing middle and senior leaders. Based on the competencies, Workitect developed and administered a 360° multi-rater feedback instrument and held feedback sessions with leaders who had been assessed.

For a health insurance organization, Workitect trained internal resources to introduce competency models into the organization. Models were built for all manager levels within the claims and network departments.

Workitect trained 100+ employees of a large state government to build competency models for all scientific, technical, and professional jobs.

Provided an in-house workshop to train an engineering and construction company's HR staff in building competency models, and then provided guidance and assistance in developing the project plan to develop their first model.

For a large healthcare products firm, Workitect developed a customized competency dictionary for use in building competency models, several alternative approaches, and a customized set of data gathering and data analysis tools for use in building competency models.

Developed competency models for a credit card processing firm's call center supervisor and manager positions.

Revised a Fortune 100 manufacturing company's existing leadership competency model into a simpler model, which identified expected behaviors for each management level, as well as providing positive and negative indicators of each competency.

Developed a global competency framework (dictionary) for a large consumer products company, which was used to create competency models for all jobs in the company worldwide. Customized Workitect's Resource Guide to correspond to the organization's competencies.

Developed a three level management competency model for all leadership positions in a large engineering and construction company. Also worked with internal technical experts to identify the technical competencies applicable to all engineering positions. Identified core competencies for individual contributors and created a three level competency model for use with those positions throughout the company.

Worked with a diversified (5 industries) company's HR leadership to create a process for identifying and developing competency models that would meet its unique needs and organizational demands.

For a large agricultural products firm, Workitect worked with an internal resource to develop competency models for two management levels within the organization. The consultant coached and developed the staff person so that he could develop the remaining models without additional outside assistance.

Workitect trained internal HR professionals of an electronics manufacturing company on data collection and building competency models, and worked with them to scope out and develop an approach to create their first model.

Workitect helped the internal HR staff of a Fortune 100 conglomerate conceptualize and define a set of technical competencies to be used in Sales and Marketing areas.

Competencies 101

Competencies 101

PowerPoint presentation
[ PPT 234 kb ]

Structured, but flexible

"My organization uses the Workitect methodology for writing competency models because it's structured enough to give us direction, but the many tools provided also allow for flexibility. You're not forced into using a cookie-cutter approach when you're faced with time constraints or the complexities that often arise when you're trying to pinpoint success factors for highly technical or ever-evolving jobs. The models we designed using the Workitect approach helped our company revamp our entire performance development process."

Mary Kay LaBrie
SCC SoftComputer

Competency Framework

Workitect's Competency Dictionary or library consists of 34 competencies organized into three clusters, competencies dealing with People, Business, and Self Management (Competency Chart). Intellectual property licenses are available that enable you to use the content within your organization.

Competency Models

Consulting Services

For over 30 years, Workitect consultants have helped organizations of all kinds and sizes to develop competency models and competency systems that have resulted in the selection, development, and retention of talented workforces - while significantly improving organizational performance.

To Learn How to Build Competency Models:

We invite you to schedule an on-site program or attend a public session of:

Building Competency Models, a three-day workshop that prepares HR professionals to develop their own competency models without external assistance. As a result of attending this program, participants will be able to:

• Understand alternative methods for building single competency models:
• Understand approaches for building competency models for multiple jobs in an organization
• Plan and develop a focus group for competency modeling
• Conduct Key Event Interviews for competency modeling
• Use the probing strategy of Key Event Interviewing
• Analyze interview transcripts and write job models

Learn About:

Competencies & Competitiveness[459kb PDF] and the ROI of Competency Technology [158kb PDF], and explore the many other resources, tools, and programs available on our website. Or contact us directly for more information.

Competency-Based Applications

• Performance Management
• Succession Planning
• Assessment & Selection
• Training & Development