COMPETENCY WHEEL LIBRARY

Courage Results

Organizational
Skills
Strategic
Skills

Customer Focus Education

Individual
Excellence
Operating
Skills
 Competency Library
Action Oriented
Consistently maintains high levels of activity or productivity; sustains long working hours when
necessary, works with vigor, effectiveness and determination over a sustained period.
Adaptability (Do not use with Facilitating Change.)
Adapts well to changes in assignments and priorities; adapts behavior or work methods in
response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; approaches change
positively and adjusts behaviors accordingly.
Applied Learning (Do not use with Continuous Learning and Professional Development.)
Able to learn and properly apply new job-related information in a timely manner. Has the ability
to absorb and comprehend job-related information from formal training and other formal and
informal learning experiences.
Building Trust
Interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s motives and representations and
those of the organization. Is seen as direct and truthful; keeps confidences, promises, and
commitments.
Coaching
Providing timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen knowledge/skills areas needed
to accomplish a task or solve a problem.
Collaboration
Builds constructive working relationships with clients/customers, other work units, community
organizations and others to meet mutual goals and objectives. Behaves professionally and
supportively when working with individuals from a variety of ethnic, social and educational
backgrounds.
Communication
Clearly conveys and receives information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or
groups in a manner that engages the listener, helps them understand and retain the message, and
invites response and feedback. Keeps others informed as appropriate. Demonstrates good written,
oral, and listening skills
Conflict Management
Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to reduce tension and/or conflict between
two or more people; able to size up situations quickly; able to identify common interests;
facilitates resolution.
Continuous Learning and Professional Development (Do not use with Applied Learning)
Is committed to developing professionally, attends professional conferences, focuses on best
practices, values cutting-edge practices and approaches; takes advantage of a variety of learning
activities, introduces newly gained knowledge and skills on the job.
Cultural Competence
Cultivates opportunities through diverse people; respects and relates well to people from varied
backgrounds, understands diverse worldviews, and is sensitive to group differences; sees
diversity as an opportunity, challenges bias and intolerance.
Customer/Client Focus
Makes customers/clients and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions; shows interest in and
understanding of the needs and expectations of internal and external customers (including direct
reports); gains customer trust and respect; meets or exceeds customer expectations
Decision Making/Problem Solving
Breaks down problems into components and recognizes interrelationships; makes sound, well-
informed, and objective decisions. Compares data, information, and input from a variety of
sources to draw conclusions; takes action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and
probable consequences.
Delegating Responsibility
Comfortably delegates responsibilities, tasks, and decisions; appropriately trusts others to
perform; provides support without removing responsibility.
Developing Others (non-supervisory relationship; supervisors use Guiding and Developing Staff)
Helps plan and supports the development of individuals’ skills and abilities so that they can fulfill
current of future job/role responsibilities more effectively.
Facilitating Change (Do not use with Adaptability.)
Facilitates the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; encourages others
to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and
opportunities.
Follow-up
Monitors the work of direct reports to insure quality standards and thoroughness; considers the
knowledge, experience, and skill of staff members when determining extent of review.
Formal Presentation Skills
Effectively presents ideas, information and materials to individuals and groups. Effectively
prepares and provides structured delivery; facilitates workshops or meetings in a structured
manner, can facilitate and manage group process.
Guiding and Developing Staff (supervisory competency: non-supervisors use Developing Others)
Focuses and guiding others in accomplishing work objectives; rewards and recognizes others,
both formally and informally, in ways that motivate them. Sets high performance expectations for
team members; sets clear performance expectations and objectives; holds others accountable for
achieving results. Successfully finds resources, training, tools, etc. to support staff needs. Works
with staff to create developmental opportunities to expand knowledge and skill level; provides
effective feedback and guidance for career development.
Influence
Uses appropriate interpersonal skills and techniques to gain acceptance for ideas or solutions.
Uses influencing strategies to gain genuine agreements; Seeks to persuade rather than force
solutions or impose decisions or regulations.
Initiative
Takes action without being asked or required to; achieves goals beyond job requirements; being
proactive; taking prompt action to accomplish objectives.
Innovation
Uses creativity and imagination to develop new insights into situations and applies new solutions
to problems. Comes up with new and unique ideas.
Managing Work (supervisory competency: non-supervisors use Planning and Organizing)
Shows ability to plan, schedule, direct work of self and others; balances task requirements and
individual abilities; organizes materials to accomplish tasks; sets challenging yet achievable goals
for self and others.
Negotiation
Effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach agreements and solutions that gain the
support and acceptance of all parties.
Planning and Organizing (non-supervisory competency: supervisors use Managing Work)
Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resources requirements; determines necessary
sequence of activities needed to achieve goals.
Quality Orientation
Monitors and checks work to meet quality standards; demonstrates a high level of care and
thoroughness; checks work to ensure completeness and accuracy.
Risk Taking
Seeks opportunities and calculates risks to accomplish results that can lead to substantial benefit
knowing the real possibility of significant negative consequences.
Safety Awareness
Being aware of conditions and circumstances that affect one’s own safety or the safety of direct
reports.
Strategic Focus
Understands how an organization must change in light of internal and external trends and
influences; keeps the big, long range picture in mind; builds a shared long-range organizational
vision with others. Committed to course of action to achieve long-range goals and influences
others to translate vision into action.
Stress Tolerance
Maintains effective performance under pressure; handling stress in a manner that is acceptable to
others and to the organization.
Team Leadership (supervisory competency: non-supervisors use Teamwork)
Communicates a vision and inspires motivation; engages with others (direct-reports and peers) in
team process to solve problems; works to find a win/win resolution of differences; is aware of
how management style impacts staff productivity and development; modifies leadership style to
meet situational requirements; helps team stay focused on major goals while managing within a
context of multiple directives.
Teamwork (non-supervisory competency: supervisors use Team Leadership)
Participates as an active and contributing member of a team to achieve team goals. Works
cooperatively with other team members, involves others, shares information as appropriate, and
shares credit for team accomplishments.
Technical/Professional Knowledge and Skills
Possesses, acquires, and maintains the technical/professional expertise required to do the job
effectively and to create client/customer solutions. Technical/professional expertise is
demonstrated through problem solving, applying professional judgment, and competent
performance.
Visionary Leadership
Keeps the organization’s mission, vision, and values at the forefront of employee decision
making and actions; ensures alignment of organization’s strategic plan and agency practices with
vision, mission and values.
Work Standards
Sets high standards and well-defined, realistic goals for one’s self; displays a high level of effort
and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal
supervisor; is motivated to achieve.