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All-In-One - Leadership and Navigation

The document discusses nine behavioral competencies that are tested on the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams. It focuses on the first competency, leadership and navigation, outlining its subcompetencies and key concepts. It provides SHRM's definition and discusses indicators and expectations for demonstrating this competency as an HR professional.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
448 views8 pages

All-In-One - Leadership and Navigation

The document discusses nine behavioral competencies that are tested on the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams. It focuses on the first competency, leadership and navigation, outlining its subcompetencies and key concepts. It provides SHRM's definition and discusses indicators and expectations for demonstrating this competency as an HR professional.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 7

Behavioral Competencies

The SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and the SHRM Senior


Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) identify and detail nine behavioral
competencies that will be tested on both exams. They make up 50 percent
of the scored questions. The nine behavior competencies are segregated by
SHRM into three clusters: Leadership, Interpersonal, and Business.

A competency is a cluster of interrelated attributes, including knowledge,


skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs), that lead to behaviors
identified as being needed to perform a specific job effectively.
Competencies can be either technical (the knowledge required to perform a
specific job) or behavioral in nature. A behavioral competency is the
application of knowledge to job-related behavior. Thus, technical
competencies for HR professionals reflect what knowledge they are
expected to apply to their jobs, and a behavioral competency is about how
they apply the knowledge. You can find more in-depth information about
some of the behaviors within the knowledge topics in Chapters 4 through 6.
In each of the nine behavioral competencies, we have included the
outline of SHRM’s Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge (BASK) key
concepts1 (foundational knowledge), which are descriptions of what HR
professionals are expected to know to perform their job. It is important to
understand SHRM’s definitions as they may differ from definitions used in
your workplace.

Leadership Cluster
The Leadership cluster represents 17 percent of both exams’ scores. Three
competencies fall within the Leadership cluster:

• Behavioral competency 1: Leadership and Navigation


• Behavioral competency 2: Ethical Practice
• Behavioral competency 3: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I)

Regardless of experience level or job title, all HR professionals need to


demonstrate and display strong leadership skills and ability, keeping in
mind the focus of a strategic mindset.

Behavioral Competency 1: Leadership and


Navigation
The first competency in the SHRM-identified behavioral competency
model is Leadership and Navigation. This competency focuses on
understanding leadership plus the knowledge and skills needed to be an
effective HR leader, along with being an HR business partner in your
organization and contributing to initiatives and processes for the
organization. Additionally, an effective HR professional builds trust,
influences, motivates, and has the required level of emotional intelligence
to demonstrate those behaviors.
Four subcompetencies comprise the Leadership and Navigation
competency. They are defined by SHRM2 as follows:

• Navigating the organization Working within the parameters of the


organization’s hierarchy, processes, systems, and policies
• Vision Defining and supporting a coherent vision and long-term
goals for HR that support the strategic direction of the organization
• Managing HR initiatives Implementing and supporting HR projects
that align with HR and organizational objectives
• Influence Inspiring colleagues to understand and pursue the strategic
vision and goals of HR and the organization

Key Concepts
• Leadership theories (for example, situational leadership,
transformational leadership, participative leadership, inclusive
leadership, leader-member exchange theory, servant leadership,
transactional leadership, trait theory, contingency theory)
• People management techniques (for example, directing, coaching,
supporting, delegating, mentoring)
• Motivation theories (for example, goal-setting theory, expectancy
theory, attribution theory, self-determination theory, Herzberg’s two-
factor theory)
• Influence and persuasion techniques (for example, personal appeal,
forming coalitions, leading by example, rational persuasion)
• Personal leadership qualities (for example, vision, self-motivation,
self-discipline, risk-taking, commitment to continuous learning,
growth mindset)

Definition
According to SHRM, “Leadership and Navigation is defined as the
knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) needed to
create a compelling vision and mission for HR that align with the strategic
direction and culture of the organization, accomplish HR and organizational
goals, lead and promote organizational change, navigate the organization,
and manage the implementation and execution of HR initiatives.”3
Proficiency Indicators for All HR Professionals
The Leadership and Navigation competency for all HR professionals
focuses on understanding leadership and the skills and knowledge needed to
be a leader: influencing, building trust, emotional intelligence, and
motivation. Yet, first there needs to be an understanding as to the difference
between managing and leading. Both are needed to get work done through
people. Knowing when and how to lead, setting the vision and strategy for
the future, understanding when to manage, and tending to the day-to-day
operational details are the keys to effective leadership and navigation. All
HR professionals are expected to conduct themselves according to these
expectations.
Conforming to Organizational Culture
Organizations develop their own models of leadership, creating a set of
expected behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that become the leadership norm
for the organization to complement the organization’s mission and
strategies. The result is a leadership culture. Managers and leaders are then
expected to conform to that identified model, a norm, to guide their
interactions in managing people.
Organizations desire to identify the type of leadership that is most
effective in their workplaces. This self-awareness can then be used to
identify individuals with leadership potential and to create leadership
development programs. The identified norms ought to be used when
sourcing new hires to stay consistent with the desired leadership culture.
Collaborating with Stakeholders
There are five steps to collaborating with stakeholders:
1. Know the stakeholders. The first step toward any collaboration
process is identifying stakeholders and their roles. Understanding
who you are working with is critical to collaborating effectively.
2. Identify what is at stake. Every stakeholder is involved for a specific
reason. Use their role and motivation to your advantage. For
example, if you are working on an office reconfiguration for HR,
consider including the IT and facilities managers in every
conversation that relates to the new room design, not just those
explicitly regarding the movement of PCs. Why? Because they may
be affected by the decisions made in those conversations pertaining
to the location of cables, connectivity, and other associated matters
such as overtime for IT or facilities personnel.
3. Understand each stakeholder’s issues and language. Communicating
effectively with stakeholders is linked to their motivation. For
example, for decision-makers, every project is an investment
because they are normally responsible for their share of the
resources. To collaborate effectively, you should discuss plans in
relation to the planned outcomes or return on investment (ROI).
4. Set the specific expectations. Once you know who stakeholders are,
what their challenges and issues are, and how to talk to them, you
can better express your expectations for their involvement, such as
when they are expected to provide input for the project and how to
provide feedback.
5. Value their input. One reason stakeholders can become frustrated is
they do not feel “heard.” Helping stakeholders to see how their input
was incorporated or even why it was not used is essential. It makes
them an active part of decision-making without abdicating the
decision to them.

Accomplishing Tasks
Leaders get things done through people, which means managing people and
their tasks to produce desired outcomes. Chapter 4 discusses in detail the
techniques, skills, and theories to manage and motivate people to
accomplish tasks.
Managers do the following with groups:

• Plan activities
• Organize and identify resources required, including people
• Direct work in a way that ensures the best use of resources
• Coordinate to achieve efficiency
• Control resources and activities through monitoring, measuring, and
correcting as needed

Leaders perform the following roles with groups:

• They model desired values in all their actions.


• They challenge the status quo and harness the talent in the
organization to solve problems, accept change, and move in new
directions when needed.
• They inspire and influence people toward achieving a common vision
and goals.
• They maintain employees’ motivation and focus.
• They foster growth and develop people to their full potential.

If an organization has ineffective management, it will fail to meet its


goals. On the other hand, if organizations lack leadership, they often lack
innovation and the ability to adapt to change.
Demonstrating Agility and Expertise
Although the concept of learning agility is not new, it is gaining
momentum. There is a clear message from the mounting research around
demonstrating agility: you should either be hiring for it, developing it, or
perhaps doing both. The traits to look for are simple: self-driven motivation
to learn, seeking out and using feedback, and an openness to try something
new and different (to welcome discomfort). It is not easy, yet having
developmental experiences is what leads to a new level of expertise and
innovation. Success as a leader depends on a willingness and ability to learn
because it enables leaders to acquire new behaviors quickly and effectively,
which enables adaptability and resilience. While this overarching concept
of learning agility may have always been important, it seems even more so
now given the constant turmoil of today’s business environment. This can
explain why some of the world-renowned management experts are saying
now is the time to put your bets on learners.
Setting the Vision
Leaders create energy. They inspire, empower, and support others. Most
importantly, they set the vision. Setting a vision of what can be serves as a
powerful inspiration—a North Star for a leader—to move everyone in an
organization in the same direction toward that vision’s achievement. That
vision needs to be clear and achievable—something that inspires others to
want to be a part of it. Leaders must continually point to this North Star and
remind everyone that this is where we are all headed. The behavior that is
most essential with this leadership ability is going to involve inspiring and
motivating others.
Leading the Organization Through Adversity
“The best developer of a leader is failure,” said Richard Branson, chair of
Virgin Airlines. Business history is full of examples of leaders whose
organizations ran into adversity and bounced back to become more
successful than before. A fitting example is Steve Jobs, who was fired from
Apple Computer and then rehired when it was on the brink of despair.
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he had a new view of the market that
caused him to lead Apple into introducing products like the iPod, which
ended up redefining the industry. This was all through his vision and ability
as a leader to paint a picture of what could be, design the strategy, and send
in the resources. The rest is history.
Promoting Consensus
Getting people to move together as a unified team toward a common goal
has always been challenging. However, with consensus building,
management can ensure they have the support of the entire team as they
steer the organization in the chosen direction.
This concept is known as consensus management. It is not a new concept
(Native Americans have been utilizing it for hundreds of years), and now
organizations like Starbucks have successfully incorporated it into their
management processes. Consensus management is the process where team
members work as a group to develop a solution and agree to support
whatever decision is made in the best interests of the whole. It requires
asking for input from each person on the team, carefully considering that
feedback, and making an earnest effort to address any concerns that are
raised. This is most commonly accomplished by holding a consensus
meeting, where staff members are empowered to voice their support and
concerns. The key to success here is that everyone agrees to support the
consensus decision once it is made, regardless of their personal feelings.
Serving as a Transformational Leader
Leadership today is associated with a group role, placing value on
behaviors characterized as authentic leadership or transformational
leadership.
The following are key elements of this type of approach to leadership:

• Power Leaders can be recognized as formal or informal in their style.


They often empower other team members giving greater autonomy,
act as their champion, and support their efforts.
• Orientation Transformational leaders think in terms of long-range
vision, strategy, and values rather than short-term objectives. They
believe in challenging, developing, and investing for the long term.
• Emotional intelligence Their knowledge and skills allow
transformational leaders to be self-aware, to control their actions and
emotions, and to understand others’ perspectives and the drivers of
other people’s behavior.
• Ethical grounding Transformational leaders walk the talk of the
organization’s values, encourage others, and will sacrifice for those
values.

Proficiency Indicators for Senior HR Professionals

Senior HR professionals are expected to possess the following skills over


and above the basic behaviors already reviewed.
Leading HR Staff
Leading the HR staff to become a true business partner is one of the most
important leadership roles for HR professionals. Demonstrating the
behaviors to be a strong HR leader is one of the best training tools for the
HR leader. In their book The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good
Managers into Great Leaders,4 Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman studied
the strengths and weaknesses of HR leaders and concluded the following:
Strong HR leaders demonstrate the following behaviors:

• Develop and coach others


• Build positive relationships
• Model their values and fulfill their promises and commitments
• Have functional expertise

Weak HR leaders display these behaviors:

• Focus internally rather than externally, failing to look outside the HR


function to the organization’s internal and external stakeholders
• Lack strategic perspective, focusing on short-term objectives and
daily tasks
• Do not anticipate or react well to change

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