by Rajesh Bihani
It’s easy to talk about enhancing performance, improving efficiency and being a more influential leader. But what does it take to do that on a practical level? At Management 3.0 we don’t like to speak in abstracts, we speak in concretes. We play games to experiment with different approaches and we work with our community to decipher tangible ways to progress and to measure that growth. In this article we’ve laid out a few competencies worth considering in order to move your career and your life forward.
Skills:
A skill is defined by the Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “knowledge gained by actually doing or living through something” or “subtle or imaginative ability in inventing, devising, or executing something.” A skill, therefore, is something that you develop over the course of time through learning (specialized training) and practicing of what you learned. Skills are mostly combinations of both mental and physical proficiency although one usually outweighs the other. The execution of these acquired skills then subsequently lead to a successful and optimum performance.
Ability:
Ability is the skill to accomplish something. An employee’s ability is their power or aptitude to carry out a physical, mental or legal action that is related to their profession or trade. It is the skill that they possess which puts them in a position to accomplish and execute a particular project. For example, somebody skilled in the writing of computer software has the ability to develop an application to solve an issue while another person trained in civil engineering has the ability to construct a bridge. Many organizations are quite adept when it comes to the measurement of their employee’s skill levels, the results they get as well as their knowledge of their field, they are however negligent in the recognition of their abilities especially when those abilities lie outside of the employee’s job designation.
Personal attributes:
Attributes are characteristics and qualities that are peculiar to an individual. They are a reflection of the individual’s character and are acquired over time through the individual’s different experiences, attributes include the ability to withstand pressure, ability to manage time etc.
Knowledge:
This is information, understanding, principles, and skill acquired either through formal education or through experience. For an organization to be successful, there has to be a proper and efficient application of one’s knowledge when the need arises. There also has to be an interflow and exchange of knowledge and information amongst the employees of that organization.
Job knowledge:
This is a demonstration of the depth of knowledge an employee has about his or her field. This competency should be encouraged and enhanced in employees as it translates to increased productivity and growth in the organization. Seminars and training should be organized that will further an employee’s knowledge in his or her field. Sponsorship of professional training can also be done by the organization for their employees in a position of strategic and managerial importance as a way of enhancing their mastery of this particular competency.
Teamwork:
This competency demonstrates an ability to work in a group cooperatively and effectively without hassles or dissent in the pursuance of a common goal and/or objective. It involves the development and building of a group identity on the foundations of trust, commitment, and mutual respect. This skill can be enhanced by engendering trust in the organization through openness, projects should also be organized that puts people in groups in order to solve a particular problem. This is as a means of building team spirit and camaraderie among employees of the organization.
Time management:
This is a skill that must be developed by every employee in an organization, it cuts across all levels from the management and leadership of that organization to the rank and file employees. Time management is the ability of an employee to manage his or her time as well as that of the other employees. A good management of time requires self-discipline, a good control of interruptions that might occur, being time effective and being time efficient.
This competency can be developed by organizing seminars and training that will teach employees the importance of managing time, recognition should also be given to employees who properly manage their time, this serves as an encouragement for them as individuals. It also serves to showcase them before their fellow employees who can then approach in order to learn from them.
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Thanks for sharing this information with us, I am learning many things about developing competencies from you blog.