Competency Framework & Assessment Centres: Competitive Advantage. Realized

C O M P E T I T I V E A D V A N T A G E. R E A L I Z E D.
Competency Framework
&
Assessment Centres
Presented By:
D Rajiv Krishnan
1 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.
Managing Director
Agenda
• Introduction to DDI
• Case Study -1
• Competencies
• What is an “Assessment Center”?
• A Brief History of Assessment Centres (video)
• Design and Implementing an Assessment Center
• Seeing is Believing!
• Using Assessment Center Data
• The Future of Assessment Centres
• Case Study-2
• Question & Answers

Introduction to DDI
• Founded 1970
• 1,000 associates in 77 offices, 27
countries
• Our expertise
– Hiring & Promoting The Best
– Developing Extraordinary Leaders
– Unleashing Executive Talent
• Revenue: $160 million
• Invest twice the industry average in R&D
Team Member Success Profile:
A Best Practice Model
What I know: What I can do:
• Technical Skills • Learning Ability
• Safety Awareness
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork/Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
What I have done: Who I am:

• Basic Qualifications • Adaptability
• Work • Work Quality
Accomplishments • Initiative
• Skills • Motivation

Competencies &

Competencies
• Types of Competencies:
– Organizational Competencies
– Job/Role Competencies
• Core Competencies
• Specific Competencies
– Personal Competencies
Dimension/
Organizational Need Name
Competency Focus
Career planning, organizational, planning, Several job levels, a
compensation, Performance appraisal*, broad band Of jobs,
Core competencies
allocation to teams, Temporary the Entire organization,
Assignments Talent
Selection, promotion, training, Role,

performance appraisal*, Development job, job level Specific competencies
systems for a specific job or role

Dimension/Competency by Team Table
Visionary Leadership
Long-Range Planning Corporate
Strategic Leadership Team Business
Strategic Decision Making Dimensions Team
Leading Through Vision, CSFs, and Values Dimensions
Resource
Building Business Partnerships
Team
Planning & Organizing/Work Management
Dimensions
Coaching/Team Leadership
Operational Decision Making
Analysis/Problem Assessment
Process
Judgment/Problem Solving
Prerequisite Dimensions Team
Communication
Dimensions
Safety Awareness
Work Standards
Quality/Continuous Improvement
Customer Service Orientation
Teamwork/Cooperation
Core Dimensions
Championing Empowerment
Initiative
Integrity, Trust, and Respect
Two views of Competencies
CLINICAL APPROACH
Dimensions / Competencies including motivation = Job Performance
BEHAVIORAL APPROACH
Behavioural Competencies
+
Knowledge Competencies
+ Job Performance
Motivational Competencies
 Job Fit
 Organizational Fit (Value Fit)
 Location Fit

Identifying Competencies
Source Information
Incumbents, supervisors Current job/role activities,

behaviours
Middle management, technical Anticipated job changes (e.g.,

specialists, design committees new technology, type of
working on changes in the customers, level of
organization empowerment, teams)
Top management Organization’s vision, values,
and strategy (might include
changes in the level of
empowerment and teams)
Defining Competencies
• Importance of Clear Definations
– Evaluate for selection or promotions
– Diagnose training & development needs
– Provide guidance for career planning decisions
– Design training and development programs
– Link dimensions/competencies to compensation
– Provide feedback
• Problem Related of Clarity

– Overlap of competencies; not independent
– Very broad
– Not Clearly defined
Approach to Defining Competencies
• Paragraph Definition
• Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale
• Comprehensive Three-Part Definition

Sample: Three-part competency definition

Leadership Competencies
• BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL TALENT
– Attracting, developing, and retaining talented individuals; creating a learning environment that ensures
associates realize their highest potential, allowing the organization as a whole to meet future challenges
• CHANGE LEADERSHIP
– Continuously seeking (or encouraging others to seek) opportunities for different and innovative approaches to
addressing organizational problems and opportunities.
• COACHING/TEACHING
– Providing timely coaching, guidance, and feedback to help others excel on the job and meet key
accountabilities.
• EMPOWERMENT/DELEGATION
– Using appropriate delegation to create a sense of ownership of higher-level organizational issues and
encouraging individuals to stretch beyond their current capabilities.
• INFLUENCING OTHERS
– Using appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s
own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved.
• SELLING THE VISION
– Passionately selling an organizational strategy; creating a clear view of the future state by helping others
understand and feel how things will be different when the future vision is achieved.
• TEAM DEVELOPMENT
– Using appropriate methods and interpersonal styles to develop, motivate, and guide a team toward successful
outcomes and attainment of business objectives.

Assessment Centres

Origins of the Assessment Center
• German Army Officer Selection

(1920s – 1942)
• British War Officer Selection
Boards (1942)
• US Office of Strategic Services
(1943)
• AT&T Management Progress
Study (1956)

The Pioneers
Dr. Douglas Bray Dr. William Byham

Assessment Centres Go To Work
• Slow expansion in the United States

– Informal Sharing among professionals
– Bray and Grant (1966) article in
Psychological Monographs
– Adopted by 12 large organizations by
1969
– 1969 Conferences

Assessment Center Usage Expands
Rapidly
• Explosion of AC interest in 1970s:

– Byham’s Harvard Business Review article (1970)
– First ICACM (1973)
– Several consulting firms established
– First AC “Standards and Ethical Considerations”
published
– Assessment Centres adopted by over 1000 firms
by 1980
– Significant international expansion

Assessment Center in the Mainstream
• Maturation and Evolution (1980-2000)
– Significant research and training related to AC

method
– Statistical integration of data
– Growth of AC outsourcing
– Expansion of business purposes served by AC
(e.g., executive coaching, succession planning)
– Expansion of employee populations included as
participants
– Virtual simulations
– Web-enabled assessment Centres
Professional Assessment
An Assessment provides a way to look at

candidates in action as they respond to
challenges that reflect the job & organization:
• Partnering with peers and colleagues
• Planning and prioritizing
• Making decisions and responding to urgent
issues

A Few Assessment Principles
• Predicting human behavior is complex
– Assessment tools remove variability
– No one tool is perfect or comprehensive
• Multiple assessment tools increase accuracy
– However, predictions are never 100% accurate
– Objective is to reduce decision errors

An Assessment Center . . .
. . . an integrated system of simulations

designed to generate behaviors similar to
those required for success in a target job.

More precisely . . .
An assessment center consists of a standardized

evaluation of behavior based on multiple inputs.
Several trained observers and techniques are
used. Judgments about behavior are made, in
major part, from specifically developed
assessments simulations. These judgments are
pooled in a meeting among the assessors or by a
statistical integration process.
Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations
Public Personnel Management Journal, 18, 4, 1989

An “Assessment Center” . . .
. . . must contain the following elements:
• Relevant behaviors defined by job analysis
• Behavioral observations classified into relevant categories (e.g.,
dimensions, competencies)
• Assessment techniques that provide data relevant to target dimensions
• Multiple assessment techniques that include stimuli that resemble the
work situation
• Multiple observations for each relevant dimension
• Multiple, trained assessors observe each participant
• Systematic recording and documentation of behavioral observations
• Data integration (can be “clinical” or “statistical” integration)
(From: Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations)

An “Assessment Center” . . .
. . . is not:
• A series of panel interviews

• A process that relies on a single technique
• A battery of tests that are pooled together to make judgments
• A single assessor assessment (e.g., individual assessment),
even if this assessment relies on multiple techniques
• A process that uses multiple techniques and assessors but
does not include integration of data
• A physical location
(From: Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations)

Why use Assessment Centres?
To predict performance on the current job, or

some future job, based on performance during
simulations. This can be very useful for:
– Selection
– Placement
– Development Planning
– Promotion/Succession Planning

Other AC Considerations
• Effective predictor (often r >= .40)

• Legally credible
• Reliable
• High “face validity”
• Produces actionable developmental
feedback

Examples of exercises used in an
assessment centre
• In-basket exercises
• Interaction simulations
• Group discussion exercises
• Analysis exercises
• Paper-and-Pencil Tests and Inventories
– Cognitive ability tests
– Knowledge tests
– Personality tests
– Behavioural knowledge tests
– Motivation assessment tests
– Motivation assessment inventories
Multiple Assessment Strategies
60
50
40
Predictive
30
Power
20
10
0
Interview Only Interview and Interview, Testing,
Testing and Assessment
Assessment Strategy

Assessment Centres

Assessment Centre vs.
Development Centre
Assessment centres Development centres
• have a pass/fail criteria • do not have a pass/fail criteria
• are geared towards filing a job vacancy • are geared towards developing the individual
• address an immediate organisational need
• have fewer assessors and more participants
• address a longer term need
• involve line managers as assessors • have a 1:1 ratio of assessor to participant
• have less emphasis placed on self-assessment • do not have line managers as assessors
• focus on what the candidate can do now • have a greater emphasis placed on self-assessment
• are geared to meet the needs of the organisation • focus on potential
• assign the role of judge to assessors
• place emphasis on selection with little or no
• are geared to meet needs of the individual as well as
developmental feedback and the organisation
• follow up • assign the role of facilitator to assessors
• give feedback at a later date • place emphasis on developmental feedback and
• involve the organisation having control over the follow up with little or no
information obtained
• have very little pre-centre briefing
• selection function
• tend to be used with external candidates • give feedback immediately
• involve the individual having control over the
information obtained
• have a substantial pre-centre briefing
• tend to be used with internal candidates

Designing and
Implementing an
Assessment Center

Job Analysis
The goal of job analysis is to define the behaviors
that are required to successfully perform the
target job. Job analysis techniques include:
– Direct observation
– Documentary research
– Interviews
– Questionnaires
– Focus Groups

Behavioral Dimensions
A cluster, or grouping, of behaviors that are
related to job success and that support reliable
classification. (see also “competency”) For
example:
• Adaptability • Oral Communication
• Coaching • Planning and Organizing
• Customer Orientation • Sales Ability / Persuasion
• Initiative • Teamwork / Collaboration
• Judgment • Visionary Leadership

Defining Critical Dimensions
INITIATIVE
B+
B- B+
B+
B - B+ B+ PLANNING
B- B- B-
B- B+
B-
B+
B+ B+B-
B- B-B-
B- B+
B-
ORAL SENSITIVITY
COMMUNICATION B-
B+ B+
B- B-
LEADERSHIP
Sample Dimension Definition
Dimension Specification
Label INITIATIVE
Taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is
Definition required; being proactive.
KEYACTIONS
Responds quickly—Takes immediate action when confronted with a problem or when

made aware of a situation.
Takes independent action—Implements new ideas or potential solutions within

Key Actions limits/boundaries of authority without prompting; does not wait for others to take action
or to request action.
Escalates issues—Identifies issues, problems, or situations that require immediate

action(s) beyond one’s own limits of authority; communicates these issues to responsible
parties (e.g., one’s manager, associates in other functions) so prompt action can be taken.
JOB ACTIVITIES
Job Activities  Seeks new learning opportunities

 Recognizes a problem and immediately takes action to resolve.
 Proactively seeks out the satisfaction level of own patient or patient’s family.

Sample Leadership Competency
Model
• ALIGNING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCCESS
Leadership • BUILDING SUCCESSFUL TEAMS
• COACHING
• DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING

Business • CUSTOMER ORIENTATION
• PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
• BUILDING POSTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Interpersonal • COMMUNICATION
• BUILDING TRUST
Individual • ADAPTABILITY
Attributes • INITIATING ACTION
• RESULTS ORIENTATION

Design
Identify/develop exercises that allow for
observation of relevant behaviors/ dimensions.
Be sure to incorporate:
– Multiple techniques
– Multiple observations for each dimension
A design matrix, or grid, is a typical “design”

output.

Assessment Center Design Matrix
In- Analysis Group Subordinate Peer Scheduling Behavioral
DIMENSION Basket Exercise Discussion Interaction Interaction Exercise Interview Test
Adaptability X X
Analysis X X X
Coaching X X
Customer X X
Orientation
Facilitating X X
Change
Initiative X X
Judgment X X X X X
Oral X X X X
Communication
Planning & X X
Organizing
Persuasiveness X X
Teamwork X X
Written X X X
Communication

Assessment Center Exercises
Simulation – a set of job related tasks that
generate behavior related to dimensions.
– In-basket (administrative simulation)

– Analysis exercise
– Group Discussion (leaderless or assigned role)
– Interaction Exercise (e.g., peer, customer, subordinate)
– Scheduling Task
– Sales Call
– Production Task
– Formal Presentation

Design Considerations
• Number of dimensions requiring coverage
• Availability of exercises (build vs. buy)
• Allowable time
• Use of assessment results
• Requirement for reporting and feedback
• Difficulty level of exercises
• Availability of assessors, role-players, and
administrators
• Facilities constraints
Implementation
Key Implementation Steps:
1. Reconfirm rationale and strategy

2. Deploy communication strategy
3. Develop administration procedures
4. Identify and equip personnel
5. Pilot testing and “fine tuning”
6. Operational deployment
7. Audit and analysis

AC Activities
• Observe
• Record
• Classify
• Evaluate
• Report
• Feedback

Key AC Roles
• Administrator – overall process manager,

often functions in other roles in addition to
admin role
• Assessor – trained to observe and

evaluate participants
• Role-player – supports administration of

exercises, but does not score exercises

AC Administrator
Administrator:
• Typically possesses an advanced degree in
behavioral science discipline
• Assessment center “expert” – can function as
assessor or role-player
• Responsible for all aspects of implementation and
scoring of assessment center
• Trouble-shooter and assessor coach
• Coordinates and leads integration process (manual
or statistical)

AC Assessor
Assessor:
• Highly trained, with expert knowledge of target
dimensions and exercise content
• May have advance degree and/or direct experience
with jobs that are the target of the process (e.g.,
manager)
• Observes, records, classifies, and evaluates
participant behavior
• Writes reports
• Provides feedback (as required)

AC Role-player
Role-player:
• Highly trained and knowledgeable regarding specific
exercises
• Advanced degree and/or direct experience with
target job(s) not generally required
• May provide comments, or impressions, of some
behaviors after conclusion of role-play exercise

Typical AC Schedule
Orientation 20 min
In-basket exercise 150 min
Subordinate Interaction exercise 30 min
Peer Interaction exercise 30 min
Analysis exercise 90 min
Presentation exercise 20 min
Group Discussion 45 min
Debrief 20 min
Paper and pencil testing may be done as “pre-work” or integrated into the
assessment exercises.

Seeing is Believing

In-Basket Exercise
The In-basket exercise is a partial simulation of
administrative tasks common to a manager’s job. It
usually includes a variety of materials that might be
found on a person’s desktop (actual or virtual), including
memos, correspondence, and reports. Materials are
usually tailored to the issues and context of the target
role or job.
Participants respond to these materials by:

– Sending e-mails, memos, or letters
– Scheduling meetings and events
– Assigning tasks

Interaction Exercise
Interaction exercises require participants to
engage in one-on-one, or one-on-several,
discussions to address one or more issues or
concerns. These exercises generally
“simulate” critical job activities like:
– Coaching
– Collaborative problem solving
– Customer service
– Performance management

Group Discussion Exercises
Group Discussion exercises usually include
4-8 participants who work together to solve
a problem, allocate resources, or offer
recommendations. No leader is assigned,
but various roles and/or goals may be
assigned to individual participants.
Group Discussion exercises are commonly

used to measure problem solving,
persuasion, and collaboration behaviors.

Using Assessment
Center Data

Historical Uses for AC Data
• Personnel Selection
– Senior Leaders
– Manager
– Professionals
– Non-exempt Associates
• Individual Development
• Assessment of Potential

Additional Uses for AC Data
• Executive Succession Management
• Organizational Assessment
– Talent Inventory/Bench Strength
– Strategic Agility
• Organizational Restructuring
• Team Performance Enhancement

Aligning AC Design to Intended
Purpose
Intended use(s) of AC data will have design
implications, such as . . .
– Rigor of the job analysis

– Choice of dimensions (which ones and how many)
– Work “sample” or “sign” approach
– Duration of the center
– Difficulty level of the exercises
– Scoring complexity
– Reporting format
– Feedback to participants?
– Research foundation and follow-up

The Future of
Assessment Centres

Recent AC Trends
• Expansion of ACs into non-traditional
populations
• Increasing use of web technology
– On-line stimulus materials
– On-line response capture
– Automated, real-time exercise scoring
• Team-focused assessment
• Automated scoring
• Virtual data integration sessions
The Future of Assessment
Centres
• Resurgence in use as costs go down
• Technology evolves to support:
– Solo participants
– High-fidelity remote assessment
– Simplified scoring
– Wider variety of simulations/exercises
• Linkage of Executive Assessment to

Executive Coaching
• “Not just of I/O Psychologists anymore”
What are Business Drivers?
Represent those 3-4 mission critical
challenges that senior leaders must
overcome to successfully execute the
strategic and cultural priorities of the
organization…
Examples
• Integrate New Organizational Structures
• Drive Process Efficiency
• Enhance Organizational Talent
• Enter New Global Markets
Mapping Competencies and
Personality to Business Drivers
Business Driver Leadership Competencies Personality Patterns
Integrate New • Developing Strategic Relations
Organizational • Communicating with Impact
Structure
Drive Process • Change Leadership • Strong
Efficiency • Build Organizational Talent Interpersonal
Relationships
• Team Development
• Empowerment/Delegation
Enhance • Establish Strategic Direction • Strategic, Creative
Organizational • Operational Decision Making
Talent
• Execution
• Entrepreneurship
• Global Acumen
Enter New Global • Executive Disposition
Markets • Valuing Diversity

Mapping Competencies and
Personality to Business Drivers
Business Driver Leadership Competencies Personality Patterns
Integrate New • Developing Strategic Relations
Organizational • Communicating with Impact
Structure
Drive Process • Change Leadership
Efficiency • Build Organizational Talent • Strong
• Team Development Interpersonal
• Empowerment/Delegation Relations
Enhance • Establish Strategic Direction
Organizational • Operational Decision Making • Pragmatic,
Talent process focused
• Execution
• Entrepreneurship • Energetic / drives
• Global Acumen self and others
Enter New Global • Executive Disposition
Markets • Valuing Diversity

Discussion Matrix
Ganesh
Rita
Rajesh
Paresh
Imran
Priya
Frank Brian Asha
Vijay
Satish
Tejas
Rogers
Beroz

Traffic light analysis of sample
company – not Holcim
Integrate
new Enter new Drive
organization global process Enhance
structure markets efficiency orgnl talent
D. Rajiv
L. Mark
D. Asha
C. Priya
J. Frank
B. Satish
D. Paul
S. Vijay
L. Paresh
Strength Ready Development Needed Not Ready

Questions
&
Answers

Thank You!!!
Presented By:
D Rajiv Krishnan
Managing Director
Development Dimensions International, India

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C O M P E T I T I V E A D V A N T A G E. R E A L I Z E D.

2 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

What I have done: Who I am:

4 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

5 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

Selection, promotion, training, Role,

6 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

8 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

Incumbents, supervisors Current job/role activities,

Middle management, technical Anticipated job changes (e.g.,

• Problem Related of Clarity

11 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

12 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

13 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

14 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• German Army Officer Selection

15 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

Dr. Douglas Bray Dr. William Byham

16 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• Slow expansion in the United States

17 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• Explosion of AC interest in 1970s:

18 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

– Significant research and training related to AC

An Assessment provides a way to look at

20 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

21 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

. . . an integrated system of simulations

22 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

An assessment center consists of a standardized

23 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

24 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• A series of panel interviews

(From: Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations)

25 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

To predict performance on the current job, or

26 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• Effective predictor (often r >= .40)

27 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

29 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

30 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

31 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

32 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

33 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

34 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

Responds quickly—Takes immediate action when confronted with a problem or when

Takes independent action—Implements new ideas or potential solutions within

Escalates issues—Identifies issues, problems, or situations that require immediate

Job Activities  Seeks new learning opportunities

36 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

• DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING

• BUILDING POSTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

37 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

A design matrix, or grid, is a typical “design”

38 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

39 © Development Dimensions Int’l, Inc., MMVI. All rights reserved.

– In-basket (administrative simulation)

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1. Reconfirm rationale and strategy