1. SAMPLE Develop a Comprehensive Competency Framework
Leverage the single most important tool for driving key HR functions.
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2. Our understanding of the problem
Head of HR or Talent Management who is:
Creating a comprehensive competency framework for their organization which includes core, functional, and leadership competencies.
Learn the importance of competency frameworks.
Select and/or develop core, functional, and leadership competencies to create a comprehensive competency framework.
Implement and support your competency framework(s) across the organization.
All managers
All employees
Understand how they will be evaluated.
Know what knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to demonstrate.
Assess performance.
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3. Executive Summary SAMPLE
Competency frameworks are an integral part of many HR functions such as performance management, employee development, identification of future leaders, and recruiting.
Competencies help set performance standards and build consistency throughout the organization.
Workitect found that competency framework projects produce an ROI of at least 50%. This is because organizations that use them produce superior performers.
Most HR departments do not believe they have the expertise to build an effective competency framework.
McLean & Company’s Comprehensive Competency Library has over 70 well-defined core, functional, and leadership competencies that will meet most organizations’ needs.
Designing and implementing a competency framework can be extremely difficult and time consuming. Most HR departments are too busy with day-to-day operations and do not have time to create and build a competency framework.
In order to develop your comprehensive competency framework effectively, follow these steps:
Understand the difference between core competencies and function-specific competencies.
Plan your competency framework project and gain buy-in from stakeholders.
Select and modify your competencies from McLean & Company’s Comprehensive Competency Library.
Define competencies for your framework using behavior-based language if the pre-developed competencies do not align with organizational needs.
Implement your competency framework and integrate it throughout all HR functions.
Support your competency framework through annual reviews and appropriate resourcing.
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4. Guided Implementation
McLean & Company offers various levels of support to best suit your needs
Guided Implementation
“Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track.”
DIY Toolkit
“Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful.”
Workshop
“We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place.”
Consulting
“Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project.”
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options
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5. Follow McLean & Company’s process for developing and implementing an effective competency framework
Get ready to build a competency framework.
Before you go straight into planning, you have to prepare your organization by building your core competencies. This allows for a common language throughout your plan.
Select and modify pre-developed competencies.
This step uses McLean & Company’s competency library and guides you through modifying your selected competencies for your organization, saving time and money in the process.
Define your competencies.
This step helps you to define your own competencies from scratch. It can be used as the whole process or in tandem with the previous step.
Implement your competency framework.
Strategic implementation is important, and constant communication is its foundation. Plan your communication to ensure a smooth implementation.
Support your competency framework.
After implementation, support becomes a priority to ensure that the framework stays in place and changes as needed to continually serve its purpose in your organization.
Get Ready to Build a Competency Framework
Select and Modify Pre-Developed Competencies
Implement Your Competency Framework
Support Your Competency Framework
Define Your Competencies
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6. Sample Slides
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7. Leadership Competencies
Analyze McLean & Company’s competency framework to understand how the different competency levels fit together
Leadership competencies: Apply only to leaders in your organization, such as managers or executives. This is the final component for an employee’s comprehensive competency framework. 4
Leadership Competencies
Functional Competencies
Job Family/Function Specific
Department-level competencies:
These competencies only apply to employees working on particular tasks within the functional area, not to the entire functional area.
Common competencies:
These competencies apply to a functional area (often a division such as finance and accounting) and all employees working within that functional area.
Finance and Accounting
Marketing IT
Sales HR 3
Departmental
Common
Departmental
Common
Departmental
Common
Departmental
Common
Departmental
Common 2
Core competencies: The foundation of your comprehensive competency framework; apply to all employees in the organization. 1
Core Competencies
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8. Regardless of competency type, including proficiency levels makes competencies relevant for day-to-day performance
Proficiency levels define the degree to which a person in a given job is required to demonstrate the competency through observable behavior.
Every competency has three main parts (see a completed example in the Appendix).
Title: A word or phrase that sums up the competency (e.g. “Customer Focus”).
Short descriptor: A brief description that sets the general scope or boundaries of the competency, including key concepts (e.g. “Considers, prioritizes, and takes action on the needs of both internal and external customers.”).
Proficiency levels: Detailed statements describing what a competency looks like when it is performed by a person on the job. In essence, they describe observable behaviors or “behavior indicators.” This is the basis of the competency.
While the number of proficiency levels is ultimately up to you, four or five is typical.
McLean & Company recommends the following general proficiency levels to keep the competency framework specific, yet manageable.
Level
General competency behavior description (must be tailored to the individual competency)
Level 1
Foundational: Baseline behaviors.
Level 2
Capable: Practical application of the behaviors.
Level 3
Inspirational: Role models, coaches, and influences demonstration of the behaviors.
Level 4
Transformational: Envisions and innovates the next generation of the behaviors.
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9. McLean & Company Helps HR Professionals To:
Empower management to apply HR best practices
Develop effective talent acquisition & retention strategies
Build a high performance culture
Maintain a progressive set of HR policies & procedures
Demonstrate the business impact of HR
Stay abreast of HR trends & technologies 
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