Guidelines: Identify Competencies

In this Tool, youll use focus groups to identify and rank the competencies that the superior
performers in your targeted classification possess.

Identify facilitators to set up and run

focus group meetings.
Tip:
The facilitators identify Subject
Matter Experts (SMEs) who will
participate in the focus groups. The
SMEs are typically exemplary
employees in the target classification,
exemplary frontline supervisors, and
mid-level managers over the target
classification.
Use the Focus Group Meeting
Facilitator Guide to run the meetings
and record the results.
Assembling your Focus Groups
Have separate focus groups for the
employees and the supervisors/managers
to foster an environment of open
discussion.
Make the focus groups as diverse as
possible.
In large organizations, have three or four
focus groups for each classification (or
classification family).
Have two facilitators for each focus group
one to lead the discussion and one to
observe and take notes.
Limit the size of each focus group to eight
to twelve participants.
Schedule at least three hours for each
focus group meeting.

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 Focus Group Meeting Facilitator Guide

Identify and rank the competencies that the superior performers in the
Meeting Objective:
targeted job possess.

Targeted Job:

Meeting time, Location:

Participants:

Copies of the position description for each participant

Copies for each participant of the broad list of competencies and
Meeting Materials: definitions that are relevant to the targeted job.
Dry erase board or flip-chart; markers
Laptop and electronic forms to record data if available

Part 1 Review Targeted Job: Review and discuss the position description and discuss with
the group what it takes to do the job well.

The facilitator should lead a discussion by asking the SMEs:

What are the most important functions of the job?

What does it take to be successful in this job?

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 What characteristics distinguish the excellent from the average performers?

Why have people failed in the job?

Other observations about the job?

Part 2 Identify and Rank Competencies: Hand out to participants the list of competencies
and definitions. Explain that the objective is to identify from the broad list the ten competencies
most essential for successful job performance.

Use one of the methods below to help the focus group reach consensus on the ten
competencies.

Method 1

Lead a discussion by asking participants to identify which competencies should be

included in the list.
After the group identifies ten competencies, ask participants if there are any
competencies missing from the list of ten.

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 Once the list is complete, it will probably include more than ten competencies. Lead a
discussion about which competency/s to eliminate from the list. Sometimes it is helpful to
start by getting agreement on the competencies that are most important.
Once the list has been narrowed to ten, help the group rank order the ten in order of
importance, with 1 being the highest, or most important, competency.

Method 2

Ask participants to individually rank on their competency list the top ten in order of
importance, with 1 being the highest, or most important, competency.
Once completed, the group can break while
facilitators tabulate the scores. Tip:
In order for the scoring-method to work correctly,
convert the rankings to scores, as follows: Using Method 1 to rank the
competencies may require
more time, but it should
Ranking Score result in more in-depth
1 10 discussions.
2 9
3 8
4 7
5 6
6 5
7 4
8 3
9 2
10 1

Use the Competency Ranking Template to tabulate the scores. The Sample
Competency Ranking Template provides an example of a completed template showing
the competency scores of exemplary employees as assigned by supervisors.
After the break, share the results with the group. Discuss the results and make any
consensus adjustments to the scoring.

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 Sample: Competency Ranking Template

Participant Scores Exemplary Employees

Employee A B C D E F G H I J K L Total Score Average

Competency Titles
Adaptability 2 3 2 1 3 3 3 x x x 304 3
Building Trust 3 3 1 2 4 3 2 x x x 353 3.5
Collaboration 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 x x x 312 3.1
Communication 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 x x x 334 3.3
Conflict
3 4 2 3 4 4 4 x x x 393 3.9
Management
Continuous
2 3 2 3 4 3 3 x x x 314 3.1
Learning
Cultural
3 2 1 3 4 4 2 x x x 312 3.1
Competence
Customer/Client
3 4 2 3 4 2 2 x x x 294 2.9
Focus
Decision Making/
2 3 1 4 3 3 3 x x x 291 2.9
Problem Solving
Developing Others 4 3 2 4 4 3 3 x x x 402 4

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 Competency Ranking Template

Double-click the table below to activate Microsoft Excel and open the worksheet. Click outside the table to close the worksheet.