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In this post, we’ll take a tour of leadership competency models from business, the not-for-profit world, and the U.S. government.
Competencies are more than qualities; they’re behaviors. It matters little that you’re able or capable of certain behaviors if you don’t practice those behaviors, and if people don’t see you exhibit those behaviors. So, as you consider the kinds of behaviors that the competency models suggest you demonstrate, ask yourself not only whether you’re capable, but whether you regularly demonstrate these competencies to others. Better still, ask questions of those you work with and whether they observe those behaviors from you.
Remember the old saw that we evaluate ourselves on our intentions, but others evaluate us on our behaviors.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of leadership competencies apply to any organization, whether business, not-for-profit, or government.
There are hundreds of leadership competencies and competency models so, rather than go into detail for the major competency areas, we’ll leave it to you to explore the weblinks below to determine the kinds of competencies you’d like to develop in yourself or your team members.
Business competencies have a primary goal that sets it apart from not-for-profit and government organizations—that of making a profit. In times past, leadership was really more about carrots and sticks—rewards and punishments. Fortunately, in the past 70 years or so, businesses have realized that top-down, directive, authoritative, demanding leadership styles don’t really fit today’s work environment because real leadership is tapping into people’s intrinsic motivators of autonomy, mastery, and purpose, rather than extrinsic motivators like money and perks.
Daniel Pink, in his New York Times Best-Selling book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,” discusses in great detail the old ideas of carrots and sticks versus leadership styles that tap into workers’ autonomy, mastery, and purpose. For a quick overview of his research findings, take a look at his TED video. As he says, “There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does.”
Today’s employees want autonomy over their task, their team roles, the techniques they use to get their work done, and autonomy over how they spend their time. That doesn’t mean they don’t want or need oversight, suggestions, or, in some cases, direction. It simply means that the old top-down approach to getting things done (“Just get on with it”) seldom works anymore.
Mastery is not about perfection; it’s about the opportunity to learn how to continually get better. People want to be engaged, to grow, and to develop. Mastery is a mindset and a way of looking at learning as an opportunity rather than strictly as performance and task completion.
Purpose is working toward high levels of performance in pursuit of something beyond just the bottom line. A leader who can help keep people focused on the vision and mission of the business can engage workers more effectively. “Purpose provides activation energy for living,” according to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of the business classic, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
While all of these business competencies are also important in not-for-profits and government agencies, there are some major differences.
Not-for-profit (NFP) leadership competencies differ a bit from other kinds of organizations because, well, they’re not government and they’re not business. NFPs’ purpose is generally to support a cause or a purpose, not make a profit. Hence, not-for-profit. While NFPs can make a profit, the profit is to be invested back to further the purpose of the organization, not into the pockets of shareholders.
Some of the competencies that set NFPs apart:
The Center for Association Leadership (previously known as the American Society for Association Executives) is an organization that focuses on training and certifying executives and board members who work in the NFP sphere.
The OPM Executive Core Qualifications are the competencies used to vet those individuals seeking to be part of the Senior Executive Service. The SES is comprised of career senior leaders within the U.S. government who are not political appointees but, rather, are leaders who’ve proven their leadership competencies. Admission to the SES is a rigorous process because these are the individuals who occupy key positions within the executive branch of the U.S. government. (Political appointees to the SES are just that—they’re appointed based on their affiliations with the current Presidential administration. They’re appointed by the White House, and they don’t necessarily meet the Executive Core Qualifications noted above).
In the Executive Core Qualifications link above, be sure to look at the “Overview” tab as well as the “Fundamental Competencies” tab.
SES competencies apply to the rest of the work world, not just the federal government, and are a great place to begin exploring leadership competencies in depth.
Where to focus your energies
Think about your own current leadership qualities, your behaviors, and where you’d like to concentrate your efforts. There are many free assessments online that you can use to help you identify leadership areas you’d like to develop. When you have a better idea of where to spend your time and effort, you can begin the next steps in your leadership development journey.
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