SMS Competency Based Modeling Progress Report

1
SMS Competency Based Modeling Progress
Report
30 May 2001
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PURPOSE

• To provide an update on the progress of the CBM
  project
• To present the draft SMS Competency Framework
  and
• To obtain the input of the Portfolio Committee on
  this Framework and its applications.

3
OVERVIEW
The presentation will focus on-

• The objectives of the SMS CBM Project
• The deliverables produced
• The competency based modelling methodology
• An overview of stakeholder involvement in the
  project
• Competency based modelling terminology
• The validation questionnaire exercise results
• The focus group session results
• The draft SMS Competency Framework
• The Competency Assessment Battery and
• The way forward.

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OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the CBM Project were-

• To develop a competency framework that will
  underpin all human resource processes for the SMS
  (e.g. recruitment and selection, performance
  management, training etc) and
• To develop a competency assessment battery that
  can be utilised to improve the quality of
  selection decisions for the SMS.

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OUTPUTS
The following deliverables have been produced for
the SMS CBM project (financial assistance
provided by DFID) -
Accenture
Lee Morrall

• Best Practice Research Document
• Key Requirements for the SMS Competency
  Framework
• SMS Competency Validation Questionnaire
• Validation Questionnaire Data Analysis Report
• Focus Group Session Reports and
• Draft SMS Competency Framework

• Methodology Position Paper
• Draft Competency Based Assessment Battery
• Draft Competency Based Recruitment and Selection
  Guide
• Competency Assessment Tender Document
• Competency Assessment Service Provider Manual
  and
• Final Competency Assessment Report

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COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK MODELLING METHODOLOGY
01 Dec 2000
23 Feb 2001
Timeline
Start Date
End Date
Consolidate research material and review desktop
research
Refine prototype competency model
Review and refine competency framework
Build competency validation questionnaire
Conduct focus groups to determine and confirm
behavioral Indicators

• Desktop studies (DPSA)
• Winsborough advice
• Best practice research and
• Legislative Regulatory Frameworks.

• Stakeholder review and
• Final presentation.

• Identify competencies
• Review of competency model
• Confirm competencies and
• Behavioural indicators

• Target 300 senior managers (validation
  questionnaires) and
• Identify top 15 critical competencies.

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COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
Timeline
01 Dec 2000
31 March 2001
Start Date
End Date
Position paper
Develop assessment battery
Pilot of assessment battery
Review and refine assessment battery
Development of assessment tender

• Validation assessment exercise with selected
  Senior Managers and
• Statistical analysis.

• Proposed methodology.

• Confirm tender board requirements
• Stakeholder review and
• Final Presentation.

• Develop recruitment and selection guideand
• Develop service provider manual.

• Analysis of draft competency framework and
• Interviews with selected Senior Managers.

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STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
Stakeholders played a critical role in the
development of the SMS Competency Framework.
Examples of stakeholder involvement include -

• The SMS Competency Framework Key Requirements
  workshop
• The Validation Questionnaire exercise
• Focus Group sessions
• Subject Matter Expert consultations
• Interviews with selected Senior Managers
• Key Stakeholder Competency Review workshop and
• Piloting of competency assessment battery.

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COMPETENCY
What is meant by the term competence?

• The blend of knowledge, skills, behaviour and
  aptitude (attributes) that a person can apply in
  the work environment, which indicates a persons
  ability to meet the requirements of a specific
  post. (PSR 2001, Chapter 1, B.2(b))

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BEHAVIOURAL INDICATORS
What are Behavioural Indicators?

• They are specific descriptions of behaviour which
  must be performed by and/or observed from Senior
  Managers within the Public Service, e.g.

Competency
Behavioural Indicators
Financial Management
a)
Demonstrates knowledge of general concepts of
financial planning, budgeting and forecasting and
how they interrelate
Must be able to compile and manage budgets,
control cash flow, institute risk management in
order to ensure the achievement of strategic
organisational objectives.
b)
Manages and monitors financial risk


c)
Prepares financial reports and guidelines based
on prescribed format


d)
Aligns expenditure to cash flow projections

e)
Ensures effective utilisation of financial
resources and

f)
Develops corrective measures/ actions to ensure
alignment of budget to financial resources.





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PROFICIENCY SCALES
What are Proficiency Scales?

• They describe the degree to which a person has
  mastered the criteria for a particular
  competency
• They list observable/measurable behaviours for a
  particular competency and
• They are built sequentially e.g.

Basic
Competent
Expert
3
2
4
1
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Validation Questionnaire Summary
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VALIDATION QUESTIONNAIRE POPULATION PER LEVEL
The Validation Questionnaire was targeted at
around 300 members of the Senior Management cadre
of the Public Service. A total of 320 Senior
Managers responded. The following graph
illustrates the sample research population per
level-
225
163
250
200
150
70
57
100
21
15
4
50
3
0
A
B
C
D
A Director B Chief Director C Deputy
Director-General D Director-General
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VALIDATION QUESTIONNAIRE POPULATION PER LOCATION
The following graph illustrates the sample
research population as a comparison between
Provincial and National Administrations-
Validation Population per Location
Not Specified
National Departments
Not Specified
National Departments
170
Provincial Administrations
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Focus Group Session Summary
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FOCUS GROUP SAMPLE
The SMS Competency Model validation Focus Groups
were conducted with the following Provinces and
National Departments -
Provinces
National Departments

• Foreign Affairs
• Healthand
• Land Affairs.

• Western Cape
• Northern Province and
• Kwazulu-Natal.

A total of 51 Senior Managers formed part of the
Focus Group Validation Exercise.
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STAKEHOLDER REVIEWS
The results of the focus groups and validation
questionnaire exercises were reviewed with a
number of stakeholders. The following Departments
were represented in the review workshops -

• Department of Public Service Administration
• Department of Health
• South African Management Development Institute
  (SAMDI)
• Office of the Public Service Commission
• Department of Land Affairs
• Department of Foreign Affairs
• National Treasury
• Gauteng Public Works Department
• Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
  and
• Department of Transport.

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SMS Competency Framework
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SMS COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
Honesty and Integrity
Strategic Capability and Leadership
Communication
Service Delivery Innovation
Client Orientation and Customer Focus
SMS Competency Framework
Emerging Competencies
Knowledge Management
People Management and Empowerment
Change Management
Programme and Project Management
Problem Solving and Analysis
The SMS Competency Framework contains a mix of
foundational and emerging competencies.
Financial Management
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SMS COMPETENCY DEFINITIONS

• Strategic Capability and Leadership
• - Must be able to provide a vision, set the
  direction for the organisation and inspire others
  in order to deliver on the organisations
  mandate.
• Programme and Project Management
• - Must be able to plan, manage, monitor and
  evaluate specific activities in order to deliver
  the desired outputs.
• Financial Management
• - Must be able to compile and manage
  budgets, control cash flow, institute risk
  management and administer tender procurement
  processes in accordance with generally recognised
  financial practices in order to ensure the
  achievement of strategic organisational
  objectives.

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SMS COMPETENCY DEFINITIONS CONT

• Change Management
• - Must be able to initiate and support
  organisational transformation and change in order
  to successfully implement new initiatives and
  deliver on service delivery commitments.
• Knowledge Management
• - Must be able to promote the generation and
  sharing of knowledge and learning in order to
  enhance the collective knowledge of the
  organisation.
• Service Delivery Innovation
• - Must be able to explore and implement new
  ways of delivering services that contribute to
  the improvement of organisational processes in
  order to achieve organisational goals.
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• - Must be able to systematically identify,
  analyse and resolve existing and anticipated
  problems in order to reach optimum solutions in a
  timely manner.
• People Management and Empowerment
• - Must be able to manage and encourage
  people, optimise their outputs and effectively
  manage relationships in order to achieve
  organisational goals.

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SMS COMPETENCY DEFINITIONS CONT

• Client Orientation and Customer Focus
• - Must be willing and able to deliver
  services effectively and efficiently in order to
  put the spirit of customer service (Batho Pele)
  into practice.
• Communication and
• - Must be able to exchange information and
  ideas in a clear and concise manner appropriate
  for the audience in order to convince others to
  achieve the desired outcomes.
• Honesty and Integrity.
• - Must be able to display and build the
  highest standards of ethical and moral conduct in
  order to promote confidence and trust in the
  Public Service.

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SMS COMPETENCY MODEL PROFICIENCY LEVEL GUIDE
The SMS Competency Framework uses a proficiency
scale that consists of specific behavioral
indicators. The SMS Proficiency Scale is
constructed as follows -
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PROCESS FOLLOWED IN DEVELOPING COMP ASSESSMENT
BATTERY

• Note that comp assessment exercises are not
  psychometric or psychological tests, i.e. they do
  not measure psychological constructs
• Less chance of bias because work-related
  exercises and role-plays are used
• Comp framework used as basis in developing the
  exercises/role-plays
• Interviews conducted by team of a sample of job
  incumbents to obtain deeper understanding of
  nature of a managers job in Public Service
• Number of focus groups also held to test
  assumptions and methodology

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ELEMENTS OF BATTERY

• Battery consists of five exercises all based on a
  common theme, i.e.
• Managerial skills exercise in-basket
• Managerial skills role play
• Project exercise
• Strategic skills exercise
• Strategic skills role play
• Note that battery does not measure
• Honesty Integrity
• Battery to be complemented by two personality
  questionnaires to provide info on candidates
  character traits behaviour style (strict
  requirements on types of questionnaires to be
  utilised)

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RECR SELECTION GUIDE

• Recr Selection Guide in SMS Handbook rewritten
  in order to simplify it ensure that comp focus
  is maintained throughout recr selection process
• Product was circulated for stakeholder comments
  refined

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RECRUITMENT SELECTION TENDER

• Idea is to establish a panel of approved service
  providers to operate in different regions
• Met with Office of Tender Board to establish
  their requirements i.t.o. outsourcing process
• Tender doc then developed, workshopped and
  refined
• Successful service providers to attend compulsory
  three day training workshop

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WAY FORWARD

• Educate stakeholders who will use the competency
  framework on how to make decisions (selection,
  training, performance etc)
• Ensure sustained ownership for the
  implementation/ application of the SMS Competency
  Framework
• Assist Departments in developing functional
  competencies
• Link competency framework to other HR processes
• Use information to drive recruitment and
  selection, performance management etc
• Identify gaps between current behaviour profile
  and required profile
• Assess current Managers performance / behaviour
  against proficiency levels and
• Continuously review and update the Competency
  Framework to ensure that it meets changing needs
  of the Public Service.

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QUESTIONS

• Do the competencies reflect the direction in
  which we want the Public Service to go?
• Is the application of the competency framework
  clear?
• Do members feel that the work around the
  competency framework will make a positive
  contribution in recruiting, retaining and
  developing quality managers?