Define. Distill. Deploy: Adopting twenty-first century competencies for high-impact talent

Competency frameworks, which began as the best guesses of organizational psychologists thirty-plus years ago, today are becoming robust and science-driven tools that can unlock significant value from talent management.

More than a common language for talent management—including selection, onboarding, assessment, leadership development, succession management, and deployment—the newest generation of competency frameworks are statistically validated against psychometric assessments and job performance scores. That means they can be used to address human resources leaders’ most pressing questions:

• Can we distill which behaviors are core to the entire organization, and which are salient to specific functions, roles, or business strategies?
• Can we easily distinguish which competencies are associated with effective leaders at progressive levels of management?
• Do we know which competencies are rare enough that it’s preferable to seek a capable outside hire?
• Are we able to anticipate talent shortfalls that might trip up an individual or even derail a whole strategic initiative?

Modernizing a competency framework empowers organizations to measure the impact of their talent strategy, and build the kind of dynamic workforce that holds its value even when deluged by new challenges.