It is sometimes difficult to convey or understand what we mean by competency. Competency in what? How broad, deep or profound is the competency? How do we measure or gauge competency? Is it a binary yes/no; you have it or you don’t? Is competency tempered by our differing cultural values? Or is there a universal common currency aspect to it? Who judges competency? How do we know that they are competent to do so?
If you are reading this then you probably operate in the same universe as I; one filled with galaxies of environmental issues, social issues, health and safety, labor protection and human rights and stakeholder engagement. Within each galaxy there are a myriad of issues, policies, procedures and operating standards. Are you a ‘jack-of-all-trades and a master of none? Or are you competent in one particular area?
‘Competency’ first appeared in 1366 or 1594 (depending on who you believe) and there are many definitions.
‘The quality or state of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill or strength for a particular duty’ Merriam-Webster
‘The ability to do something well’. Cambridge Dictionary
In the workplace galaxy one often comes across the term ‘core competencies[1]’ which are a set of attributes and behaviors a worker is expected to exhibit. Someone working within an entity; whether it is a law firm, car sales garage, consultancy or a government line ministry; is expected to meet core competencies and technical or process competencies relevant to the persons job description.
Good job descriptions should define the competencies a worker is expected to meet within the workplace. They are important because they present us with an objective set of performance benchmarks to evaluate people during a hiring process or during performance assessments. Having a good job description, supported by a Terms of Reference for work to be performed represents ‘good industry practice’ in all aspects of work.
| areas of competency
So lets home in on the subject of competency in the world of environmental and social issues. Competency can be viewed from many angles:
- Policy Competency
The ability to formulate and interpret policy that meets an institutional mandate or political driver down to the working level such that it is implementable.
- Process Competency
The ability to formulate processes in a systematic way including through the use of decision-trees and by defining roles and responsibilities of all workers who are associated with the process. Competency incudes the ability to operate and navigate successfully within the defined process (such as an ESMS or due diligence process).
- Technical/Technological Competency
Understanding all necessary technical knowledge and information about a defined area of E and S issues, coupled with sufficient practical experience of having used the technical knowledge in a proficient manner to be able to operate to Good International Practice in the defined area of competency.
- Institutional Competency
The ability of an institution or entity to operate in a manner that meets its defined mandate and area of responsibility. The competency of consulting companies, line ministries, implementing agencies and technical institutes and the like requires (i) a defined mandate; (ii) operational procedures to implement/address the mandate; (iii) sufficiently qualified and experienced individuals and teams to operationalize the institutional mandate; (iv) sufficient resources to be able to function effectively (accommodation, transport etc.).
- National Competency
The complementarity of all relevant organizational and institutional elements within a country’s system of government which jointly contribute to implementing national policy, international obligations and development goals and strategies. In other words; how everything works in a coordinated and joined up manner. Conflicting, contradictory and overlapping institutional mandates compromise national competency.
| depth & breadth in competency
Depending on the mandate and role of an entity, its competency may be required in a broad general manner; such as for an environmental education centre; or very narrow and deeply technical; such as a line agency concerned with permitting of offshore oil production or a wildlife trafficking unit within a national border control and customs agency.
| assessing institutional & country competency
It sounds a daunting prospect; especially when evaluating institutional or country competencies; and yet the common approach is for one to look at the basic building blocks and linkages in the fabric/matrix of any entity. We can begin from the top or the bottom of the entity but usually it is better to obtain the helicopter first.
In King-Sustainability we use questionnaires that probe into all aspects of company, institutional and country competencies. At the end of the day though, we still have to analyze the results and identify gaps or deficiencies that need to addressed if the company, institution or country wants to attain competency in defined areas. And to carry out the assessment and evaluation, we need to be competent!
| assessing an individual’s competency
The weakest link in any system is either within a process or when there is an individual operating in a role for which he/she is not competent (don’t use the term ‘incompetent; its not nice!). There is no surefire way of seeing into people and knowing their competency but here are some ways to gain insight into competency.
- Qualifications and relevant experience
- Resume or CV
- Reviewing technical work
- Focused Interviewing
- Speaking to colleagues, clients or counterparts in another entity
- Competency testing: setting a written task
We use these when helping our clients to:
- Select consultants
- Hire specialists
- Assess and evaluate the competency of a potential Borrower, Investee company
- Understand the risk environment surrounding their business.
[1] Accountability, Adaptability, Communication, Customer Care, Inclusiveness, Leadership, Team Play and…Occupational or Technological Knowledge.