Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent from Within, Fourth Edition

88 Background Information About Succession Planning and Management

of one’s self-image, social role, or a body of knowledge) that results in effective and/

or superior performance in a job.’’

4

It is worth emphasizing that competencies are

about work performance and results. Competency identification is the process of dis-

covering these job competencies.

5

A competency model is the result of competency

identification.

6

Competency assessment is the process of comparing an individual to an

existing competency model,

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and that can be done by many means—including full-

circle, multirater assessment, assessment centers, or other ways.

Organizations have made extensive use of competency models in recent years,

which have been widely accepted.

8

One reason is that competency models can help

to clarify differences between outstanding (exemplary) and average performers—an

increasingly important issue in a fiercely competitive global business environment. A

second reason is that competency models are superior to work-based approaches,

which rely on job descriptions of work activities only, in pinpointing what people

need to be successful. Increasingly, knowledge is only part of what is needed to be a

successful performer. Also needed are appropriate attitudes, motivation, and interper-

sonal skills, none of which are well examined in traditional job descriptions or tradi-

tional performance appraisals.

How Are Competencies Used in Succession

Planning and Management?

Competency models are essential building blocks on which to base an SP&M effort.

Without them, it is difficult to:

' Link and align the organization’s core competencies (strategic strengths) to

job competencies.

' Define high potentials, high professionals, high performers, or other broad

categories of employees.

' Clarify exactly what present and future competencies are essential to success

in the organization and in its various departments, jobs, or occupations.

' Provide a basis for performance management by creating a work environment

that encourages high performance among all workers.

' Establish clear work expectations for the present and future.

' Create full-circle, multirater assessments that are tailor-made to the unique

requirements of one corporate culture.

' Devise competency menus that describe how individuals might be developed

for the future.

American Management Association

www.amanet.org