U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250
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DEPARTMENTAL
REGULATION
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Number: 4040-412-001 |
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SUBJECT: |
DATE: December 12, 2006 |
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OPI: |
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This directive establishes Departmental policy and assigns responsibilities for the administration of a competency framework for leadership positions below the Senior Executive Service (SES) level in USDA. The Leadership Competency Framework set forth in this directive supports leadership development and performance, and ultimately mission accomplishment throughout the Department. The Framework utilizes the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Executive Qualifications Competencies (ECQ) as a foundation for leadership development at USDA.
2 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/CANCELLATIONS
None.
3 ABBREVIATIONS
ECQ: Executive Core Qualification
FWS: Federal Wage System
GS: General Schedule
HRM: Human Resources Management
OHCM: Office of Human Capital Management
OMB: Office of Management and Budget
OPM: Office of Personnel Management
PMA: President’s Management Agenda
SES: Senior Executive Service
Competency is a measurable pattern of knowledges, skills, abilities, behaviors, and other characteristics that an individual needs to successfully perform work roles or discharge occupational functions.
Executive Core Qualifications are the specific set of competencies needed to build a federal corporate culture that is results driven, serves customers, and builds successful teams and coalitions within and outside the organization. The ECQs are established by OPM and are used to evaluate the qualifications of applicants for entry into the SES ranks.
General Competency is a competency that is not particular to any specific occupation. The ability to read and the ability to write at the level of a high school graduate are examples of general competencies.
Leadership Competency is a competency that is characteristic of positions having leadership responsibilities (e.g., supervisors, managers, and team leaders). Leadership competencies are distinguishable from general and technical competencies.
Technical Competency is a competency that is specific to a given occupation. The ability to accurately diagnose animal diseases is an example of a technical competency for veterinarians.
Skills Gap Analysis is a quantitative assessment of the degree to which a group of employees possesses or lacks key competencies. The results of a skills gap analysis are useful for targeting developmental resources to better achieve organizational goals.
Supervisor/Manager Positions are GS and FWS positions that meet the OPM classification standard definitions for supervisors as set forth in the General Schedule Supervisory Guide and the Federal Wage System Job Grading Standard for Supervisors.
Team
Leader Positions are GS positions that meet the OPM classification standard
definitions for leaders as set forth in the General
Schedule Leader Grade Evaluation Guide.
5 BACKGROUND
The Leadership Competency Framework outlined in this Departmental Regulation (DR) is a corporate competency framework to guide USDA leadership development and performance in positions below the SES level.
The ECQs which comprise the Leadership
Competency Framework are groupings of
28 competencies across six areas (see charts below) that will guide the
development of USDA employees for leadership positions. This standard set of OPM competencies serves
as the foundation for a number of critical HRM activities including
recruitment, assessment and selection of leaders, performance evaluation, and
succession planning within USDA. The
ECQs and their descriptions will be updated, as necessary, as a result of any
revisions made by OPM.
The following charts detail the USDA Leadership Competency Framework.
USDA
Leadership Competency Framework
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ECQ #1 - Leading
Change |
ECQ #2 - Leading
People |
ECQ #3 - Results
Driven |
ECQ #4 -
Business Acumen |
ECQ #5 -Building
Coalitions |
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Creativity and Innovation External Awareness Flexibility Resilience Strategic Thinking Vision |
Conflict Management Leveraging Diversity Developing Others Team Building |
Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Entrepreneurship Problem Solving Technical Credibility |
Financial Management Human Capital Management Technology Management |
Partnering Political Savvy Influencing/ Negotiating |
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ECQ - Fundamental Competencies |
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Interpersonal Skills Oral Communication Continual Learning Written Communication Integrity/Honesty Public Service Motivation |
Appendix A provides descriptions of each ECQ competency.
When implementing this Framework, Mission Areas, Agencies, and Staff Offices may tailor it to meet their particular organizational requirements. For example, a Mission Area may need to emphasize the competency of Conflict Management under ECQ #2 - Leading People among its first level supervisors, but may not need to emphasize Entrepreneurship under ECQ #3 - Results Driven. Mission Areas, Agencies, and Staff Offices are free to make these determinations; however, they may not add competencies to the Framework without the express written approval of OHCM.
The Framework supports the strategic management of USDA’s human capital resources. Both OMB and OPM recommend the use of competency-based frameworks to drive the skills gap analyses needed to achieve the goals of the PMA which include (1) improved workforce and succession planning practices to analyze and close skills gaps; (2) the sustainment of workforce diversity and reductions in under representation; (3) more effective recruitment, selection, and placement practices for new hires; (4) more efficient career development practices; (5) the creation of larger and more skilled leadership talent pools; and (6) the development of improved performance management programs.
6 POLICY
Mission Areas, Agencies, and Staff Offices will adopt and apply the Leadership Competency Framework described in this DR and place initial emphasis on incorporating the leadership competencies into training and employee development activities related to supervisory, managerial, and team leader positions. The competencies may also be used for other HRM purposes with the approval of OHCM.
7 RESPONSIBILITIES
a OHCM will:
(1) Provide guidance, encourage agency sharing of information and resources, and oversee implementation of the Leadership Competency Framework; and
(2) Evaluate compliance through periodic accountability evaluations and assessments.
b Mission Areas, Agencies, and Staff Offices will:
(1) Implement this DR by establishing a plan for application of leadership competencies using the Leadership Competency Framework as a foundation;
(2) Base skills gap analyses on the Leadership Competency Framework;
(3) Explore and share new information, technology, and best practices for the assessment, gap analysis, and gap closure of leadership competencies;
(4) Integrate the assessment and gap analysis of leadership competencies into applicable training and development programs and activities; and
(5) Submit human capital or leadership competency reports as requested by OHCM or external agencies such as OPM and OMB.
-END-
APPENDIX A
ECQ AND COMPETENCY
DEFINITIONS
Competencies are the personal and professional attributes that
are critical to successful performance in leadership positions.
ECQ #1: Leading Change - This core
qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within
and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this
ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in
a continuously changing environment.
·
Creativity and Innovation: Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional
approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or
cutting edge programs/processes.
·
External Awareness: Understands and keeps
up-to-date on local, national, and international policies and trends that
affect the organization and shape stakeholders' views; is aware of the
organization's impact on the external environment.
·
Flexibility: Is open to change and new information; rapidly adapts to new
information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.
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Resilience: Deals effectively with
pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers
quickly from setbacks.
·
Strategic Thinking: Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans
consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global
environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.
·
Vision: Takes a long-term view and builds a shared
vision with others; acts as a catalyst for organizational change. Influences
others to translate vision into action.
ECQ #2: Leading People - This core
qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the
organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability
to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others,
facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of
conflicts.
·
Conflict Management: Encourages creative
tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent
counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and
disagreements in a constructive manner.
·
Leveraging Diversity: Fosters an inclusive
workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and leveraged
to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.
·
Developing Others: Develops the ability
of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing
feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal
methods.
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Team Building: Inspires and fosters
team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust. Facilitates cooperation and
motivates team members to accomplish group goals.
ECQ #3: Results Driven - This core
qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer
expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that
produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing
problems, and calculating risks.
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Accountability: Holds self and others
accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts
responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and
rules.
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Customer Service: Anticipates and meets
the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality
products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
·
Decisiveness: Makes well-informed,
effective, and timely decisions, even when data are limited or solutions
produce unpleasant consequences; perceives the impact and implications of
decisions.
·
Entrepreneurship: Positions the
organization for future success by identifying new opportunities; builds the
organization by developing or improving products or services. Takes calculated
risks to accomplish organizational objectives.
·
Problem Solving: Identifies and
analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and
evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
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Technical Credibility: Understands and
appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and
policies related to specialized expertise.
ECQ #4: Business Acumen - This
core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and
information resources strategically.
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Financial Management: Understands the
organization's financial processes. Prepares, justifies, and administers the
program budget. Oversees procurement
and contracting to achieve desired results.
Monitors expenditures and uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities.
·
Human Capital Management: Builds and manages
workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing
needs. Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised,
and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems. Manages a
multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations.
·
Technology Management: Keeps up-to-date on
technological developments. Makes effective use of technology to achieve
results. Ensures access to and security
of technology systems.
ECQ #5: Building Coalitions -
This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and
with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private
sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to
achieve common goals.
·
Partnering: Develops networks and
builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic
relationships and achieve common goals.
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Political Savvy: Identifies the
internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization.
Perceives organizational and political reality and acts accordingly.
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Influencing/Negotiating: Persuades others;
builds consensus through give and take; gains cooperation from others to obtain
information and accomplish goals.
Fundamental Competencies - The fundamental competencies are the
attributes that serve as the foundation for success in each of the ECQs.
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Interpersonal Skills: Treats others with
courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the
needs and feelings of different people in different situations.
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Oral Communication: Makes clear and
convincing oral presentations. Listens
effectively; clarifies information as needed.
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Continual Learning: Assesses and
recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self-development.
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Written Communication: Writes in a clear,
concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
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Integrity/Honesty: Behaves in an honest,
fair, and ethical manner. Shows
consistency in words and actions.
Models high standards of ethics.
·
Public Service Motivation: Shows a commitment to
serve the public. Ensures that actions meet public needs; aligns organizational
objectives and practices with public interests.