Integrating a leadership competency framework

Remember that your leadership development strategy framework includes the following:

• Your organisation’s vision and strategy.
• Your people and culture systems.
• Training and development programs.
• Succession and performance management systems.

Your leadership competency framework is built from your organisation’s vision and strategy, and it’s integrated within your people and culture systems. Your training and development programs are purpose-built to nurture these skills in your leaders and future leaders, and your succession planning and performance management systems are designed to ensure the right people are learning the right skills at the right time.

If it wasn’t clear before, recognise now that your leadership competency framework weaves through every single element of your leadership development strategy. It provides the blueprint for identifying, developing, and nurturing your current and future leaders, and it needs to be seamlessly integrated into your organisation.

The following is a list of what you need to consider to do so effectively:

1: Consult broadly as you create your framework

I mention in one of the videos The Ikea Effect. This is a cognitive bias in which consumers place a disproportionately high value on products they partially created. If you consult well through the research phase for your framework, you’ll have greater buy-in, your stakeholders will already know what a competency framework is, and why it’s important, and they’ll be more likely to champion it for you once it’s live.

2: Make it simple and accessible

The quickest way to ensure your competency framework ends up being another document that gets stashed away in a drawer never to be seen again, is to overcomplicate it. Keep it simple and accessible enough that people see it as a quick reference guide. Something that’s genuinely useful as they go about their day.

3: Embed competencies within your recruitment systems

Revise job descriptions and hiring criteria to incorporate the identified leadership competencies. Ensure that new hires, especially those in leadership roles, align with the desired leadership behaviours and skills.

4: Integrate it into the culture

Your organsiational values should have been considered and integrated into your leadership competency framework. As a result, your competency framework should act as a guide as to how your leaders can actively role-model the behaviours associated with these values. Encourage discussions around them, celebrate when they are exemplified, and use them as a guide in decision-making.

5: Training and development Programs

Your training programs should be specifically designed to nurture and develop the identified core competencies among your leaders and potential future leaders. Introduce mentorship and coaching initiatives where seasoned leaders provide regular feedback and guidance, helping emerging leaders hone the necessary skills.

6: Succession planning

When considering future leadership positions, assess potential candidates against the competency framework. This ensures that the next generation of leaders embodies the competencies that align with your organisation’s vision and strategy.

7: Performance management

Modify performance review systems to incorporate assessments based on leadership competencies. This not only provides clarity on where leaders excel but also highlights areas that need further development.

8: Rewards and recognition

Incentivise the demonstration of core competencies through rewards and recognition. Leaders who exemplify the desired behaviours and skills should be celebrated, serving as role models for others.

A leadership competency framework is more than just a tool; it’s a strategic asset. When integrated thoughtfully into every facet of an organisation, it has the power to transform leadership, drive performance, and ensure an organisation’s longevity and success in the market. By laying a robust foundation, identifying core competencies, weaving them into the organisational culture, focusing on development, and aligning succession planning and performance management, you can really leverage all of your hard work, and experience the upside of effective and aligned leadership.

Share your thoughts

Consider the idea of the transformative potential of a well-integrated leadership competency framework in driving performance and ensuring long-term success in organisations. How can a robust foundation and alignment with succession planning and performance management maximise its impact?