1. Competencies and Career Development for the General HR Community
Success Through HR Professionals
February 2007

2. Objectives
Explain the HR competency framework and the new HR behavioral competencies.
Learn about the career management process in government.
Identify the steps in creating a career development plan
Review how to prepare for a career discussion with your manager
Review what happens after the workshop

3. Agenda Competency – what does that mean?
New HR Competencies – what are these?
Career Development – how does this link to competencies?
Next Steps - after the workshop

4. Objective #1: What is the HR competency framework and the new HR behavioral competencies?

5. Why Competencies? Promote a more open and transparent culture
Improve the way an organization selects and develops employees
Identify and encourage corporate behaviours
Provide a common framework and language to integrate HR processes
Support organizational change
Encourage employees take more ownership for their own career development

6. What Is a Competency?
A competency is any observable and/or measurable knowledge, skill, ability, or behaviour that contributes to successful job performance.
Values
Traits
Motives
Skills
Knowledge
Necessary for
top performance
but not sufficient
Characteristics
that lead to
longer-term
success

7. Components of a Competency
Definition
Explains what the competency means
Provides common language that everyone can understand in the same way
Scale
Lays out a behaviour pattern for each level—begins with passive behaviour and gradually increases
Incremental and additive—any one level is inclusive of all preceding levels

8. Example of a Scaled Competency
A. Takes a Single Action to Persuade
D. Uses Indirect Influence
Target Level
C. Calculates Impact of Words or Actions
B. Takes Multiple Actions to Persuade
Impact and Influence
The ability to persuade, convince, influence or impress others in order to get them to go along with or to support the organization’s direction
E. Uses Complex Influence Strategies
(MCP 6-19)
Complexity
More Complex
Less Complex
Success Through HR Professionals

9. Types of Competencies Behavioural competencies Technical competencies
Refer to motives, traits and attributes that shape behaviour and reflect “how” you apply your knowledge and skills to achieve results.
Technical competencies
Refer to the specific knowledge and skills required to be effective in the job and reflect the “what” you know and what you can do technically.

10. Now that we understand competencies, what are the new competencies for the HR Community?

11. New HR Competencies Leadership Competencies for the AS group:
HR Competencies for the Community:
Client Orientation
Relationship Building
New HR
Competencies
Change Leadership
Decisiveness
Self Confidence /Courage of Convictions
Effective Interactive Communication

12. Client Orientation is…
…developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients. Focuses one’s efforts on discovering and meeting the client’s needs, while balancing against the government’s key business and strategic priorities. Clients may be broadly defined, including internal “customers” or “clients”, as well as the public.

13. Change Leadership is…
…the ability to energize and alert groups to the need for specific changes in the way things are done. People with this competency willingly embrace and champion change. They take advantage of every opportunity to explain their vision of the future to others and gain their buy-in.

14. Effective Interactive Communication is…
…the ability to transmit and receive information clearly and communicate effectively to others by considering their points of view in order to respond appropriately. It includes using tact and diplomacy in all communications as well as the ability to convey ideas and information, both orally and in writing, in a way that brings understanding to the target audience.

15. Competency Framework for the HR Community
Competencies that apply to the entire HR Community to enable HR professionals
in government to utilize their skills and knowledge more effectively.
Leadership qualities can
be demonstrated by all
members of the
HR Community.
Leadership qualities
can be demonstrated
by all members of the
HR Community.
3 HR competencies required by all members of the HR Community
8 leadership competencies for MCP employees
3 leadership competencies for AS employees

16. Target Levels of Proficiency
Competency
Leadership
Management
Consultant
Developmental
Support
Client Orientation E D C
Change Leadership B
Effective Interactive Communication
Decisiveness --
Self-Confidence
Relationship Building

17. Competency Activity

18. Vision The HR Community will strive to make the
Competencies will help the HR Community work towards its Vision:
The HR Community will strive to make the
Government of Nova Scotia a “preferred employer”.
In Future:
Managers are able to manage their HR
Clients are coming to us as partners
We are a fully qualified HR Community that can deliver a full
range of services
Our HR Community has a high level of job
satisfaction and contentment

19. Objective #2: What’s the Career Development Planning process?

20. What is Career Development?
Career Development (or Management)
is a process where you work with your
manager to map out a realistic path to
achieving your career aspirations within
the context of the organization.
It is:
Employee owned
Manager facilitated
Organizationally supported

21. Win-Win-Win
Employees
Managers
Organization

22. Career Development Roles and Responsibilities
Employee
Owned
Take charge of their own development and career
Close skill gaps for current and future positions
Seize developmental opportunities
Remember there are no promises or guarantees
Manager
Facilitated
Take time with employees to discuss career aspirations
Listen and provide feedback, ideas and contacts
Make choices to support development
Organizationally
Supported
Communicate future direction and skill requirements
Provide information and tools
Post opportunities

23. Career Development Process
1. Discovery
Determine Where You
Want To Go
4. Preparation
Get closer to your goal
Management Support
and Coaching
2. Assessment
Identify strengths &
development areas
3. Planning
Make a Career
Development Plan

24. 1 Discovery Know yourself: Who are you?
What is your motivational type?
What is your personality type?
What are your career assets? 1

25. 2 Assessment Assess where you are in relation to where you want to be
Identify your strengths and developmental needs
Benchmark your goals 2

26. Planning and Preparation3
Planning: Create Your Career Development Plan 4
Preparation: Have a Career Discussion and be Competition Ready

27. Objective #3: What are the steps in creating a career development plan?

28. What is Development?
Development is a planned and systematic effort aimed at increasing your personal effectiveness in targeted skills and competencies.
Three key Factors:
Assessment (small ‘a’ assessment)
Challenge
Support

31. Planning: The Career Development Plan
Step 1
Complete Background Info
Step 2
Set your development goals
Step 3
Write your action steps
Step 4
List obstacles and solutions
Step 5
Evaluate progress/success
Assessment
Challenge
Support

32. Planning Step 2
Choose One or Two Areas for Change
To change means to “hard-wire” new behaviors—this activity is like building muscle
It is easiest to be successful when you focus on one or two things—practice developing these “muscles” for at least six months

33. Planning Step 3 - Write Action Steps
Purpose
Gives you an action plan that allows you to track your progress towards your development goals.
Link to PM
Major projects/activities should be included in your performance appraisal form as well as your career development plan.
How to… determine action steps
Identify actions/activities that will stretch your development areas.

34. Planning Step 3 –Example
Step 2 – Development Goal: Client Orientation
Offer more creative/innovative solutions to client problems and be able to explain why the solution will work for the client situation.
Step 3 – Action Steps:
Ask my manager about a challenging or difficult client problem she is currently involved with. Ask to work with her in helping to resolve the situation.
Look for opportunities to collaborate with people from other CSUs or depart on initiatives or programs that may help my clients.
Prepare and present a summary of my findings to clients.
Read: Customer Service From The Inside-Out Made Easy, by Paul Levesque (Entrepreneur Press, 2006).

35. Activity: Development Activities
Using the sample CDP, complete development activities for John by creating action steps (Step 3) for his development goal for Client Orientation.
Use the development activities resource guide.
Report back to large group on which activities you choose.

36. Objective #4: How do I prepare for a career discussion with my manager?

37. Preparation: The Career Discussion
Ask for a time to meet.
Make a list of the things you wish to discuss. Be organized.
Bring anything you think would help your discussion – updated resume, competency assessment, previous performance review and your draft CDP.
Seek feedback. Express an openness to hearing frank feedback.
Be willing to modify your plan after receiving
feedback. 4

38. Preparation: Competition Ready
Understand government’s hiring policy.
Update your resume and cover letter.
Practice your interview skills.
Look for opportunities – career and/or development 4

39. Next Steps
Discovery and Assessment: Do any self assessments that you want to do using the various tools and resources available to you (Career Explorer Workbook, 360, informational meetings, etc.)
Planning: Draft your career development plan
Preparation: Schedule a meeting with your manager and have your career discussion
Incorporate any changes into your career development plan and provide to your manager by end of April 2007.

40. Objective #5: What happens after the workshop?

41. Competency Dictionary
Comprehensive listing of competencies with a definition and target levels of proficiency
Provides a common tool for engaging in competency modeling activities and a common language around behaviours and performance

42. 360 Leadership Assessment?
A 360⁰ Leadership Assessment is a process that enables you to gather confidential feedback about your performance as a leader from individuals you work with:
Manager
Peers
Direct Reports
Others

43. Change Management Workshops
Focus is on change management education, to support the new Change Leadership competency and building capacity within the HR Community
Available to the HR community in April
Register on LearnNet
Free!

44. HR Practitioner section
For more information…
Go to
Check out
HR Practitioner section

45. Questions or Comments?
Thank you! .