Competence Navigator™

an internet tool supporting organizational development

The discussion about competence started in management at the beginning of the 1970s. In 1973 McClelland identified competence as the key criterion used to forecast future results at work. The author most quoted with respect to the definition of the term “competence” is McClelland’s colleague, Richard E. Boyatzis. According to Boyatzis, “competence is the sum of overall knowledge, motivation, characteristics, one’s own image of oneself, social roles, and skills that are needed to perform work”. Meanwhile Claude Levy-Leboyer’s definition of 1996 states that “competence relates to integrated application of talents, features of personality, and obtained know-how and skills in order to bring out successful completion of a complex mission during a venture”. (Levy-Leboyer, 1997).

Despite the passing of time the controversial aspects of defining the term “competence” are still pointed out in literature. Researchers say that there is no uniform approach to this issue. Following interviews with experts in this field, Zemke concluded that: “Competence, competences, models for competence or training based on competence are terms that might mean what the person using them has in mind at that particular time" (Zemke, 1982). In Advisio’s view a problem that is larger than the ambiguity of the term is however (after all, is there any term in the language of management that is unambiguous?) the illusion of objectivism created by the competence management systems popular today. These systems create the impression that competence is an organization’s palpable resource, which can be weighed, measured, counted and reshuffled, but this promise is never completely fulfilled. The expected level of competence is set by the HR manager or consultant in an entirely arbitrary manner. The questionnaire used never passes thorough validation. Despite this the illusion of objectivism (together with the conviction that the adopted solution is not methodologically perfect) remains. We can propose the only sensible solution: become reconciled to the subjectivity of all the statements collected from employees in the organization and discover the virtues of competent diagnosis conducted using the 360 degree method in an intersubjective way.

The Competence Navigator methodology

The Competence Navigator methodology is based on a systemic understanding of an organization and the effects of development intervention that, within the client’s organizational system evoke the circular questions put to employees. Diagnosis of competence of any number of employees in the organization conducted in line with the Competence Navigator methodology highlights the differences in perspectives, enhances the habit of strategic thinking in the name of the entire organization in employees and facilitates the dialogue nature of the 360 assessment. The persons performing the assessment comment on the competence of a colleague in respect of his/her needs as he/she sees them when working with that colleague. As a result of diagnosis of competence the assessed employee is not informed of the objective level of his/her own competence, but of whether the competence he/she demonstrates is perceived by those around him/her as adequate to perform the tasks currently entrusted to him/her.

In the extensive report giving the findings of the diagnosis the employee receives information in visual form showing the areas of competence which in his/her “here and now” can be interpreted as the critical points lacking in his/her competence, blind points, areas in which there is a risk of stagnation and areas in which there is visible potential for excellence. He/she is also told the name of the employee who has turned out to be his/her competence double and competence opposite. By observing the work of those persons they will be able to find our more about themselves. This formula for presenting findings fortifies employees in self-leadership roles, managing their own resources and development.

The focus of attention of participants in the diagnosis process on an organization’s current business needs, possible due to application of the Advisio Contextual Scale©, brings results in the form of much more adequate diagnosis of development needs of employees than in the case of typical competence management systems and evaluation of the results of activity in the area of “soft” HRM.

Competence Navigator internet tool

With the methodology that Advisio provides to organizational development consultants for conducting competence diagnosis comes the Competence Navigator internet tool. Like all Advisio tools, the Competence Navigator is an exceptionally user-friendly set comprising internet questionnaires and reports allowing consultants to carry out competence diagnoses on any number of employees in a manner which is quick and friendly for all involved in the process. The Advisio Competence Navigator, available on the self-service Advisio Platform leads the consultant through the entire process step-by-step: from importing of employee data, through setting up the 360 degree (8 perspectives) ratio among them, applying the competence model, distributing the questionnaires online, and observing the course of the diagnosis, to generating transparent and aesthetic final Reports in PDF format. The Competence Navigator tool enables any competence model adapted to the Advisio Contextual Scale© structure to be used. The final default competence model available in the tool is the competence model for the manager of the future devised by Advisio.

Use of the Competence Navigator methodology and tool

Only certified organizational development consultants have access to the Competence Navigator methodology and tool. If you interested in conducting strategic dialogue in the organization you run, you are welcome to do business with a selected consultancy and training firm licensed to use the Synergia tool. If you are a consultant, you can obtain access to the Synergia tool by taking part in one of Advisio’s certification programs.