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President's Message
This new year began for me with a stark reminder that COVID is still with us, as I contracted a breakthrough case of the omicron variant. With my immune system primed and boosted by the Pfizer vaccine, I'm only experiencing mild flu and cold symptoms. But it's still disruptive as I isolate and observe quarantine protocols. More evidence of our continuing common COVID concern!
As we begin our third year of pandemic (endemic?) and adjust to a new, turbulent normal, we're going to highlight the Polaris® competency Change Agility in this issue. It does look like white water ahead for the foreseeable future! So, revisiting how to manage and lead during times of change remains top of mind.
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Change Agility
Bruce Griffiths M.S.
"The only thing that is constant is change." This 2,500-year-old quote reminds us why Change Agility (and its variations Adaptability and Flexibility) has been a part of the leadership competence set for millennia. Indeed, it's often said that leadership is about change. This implies that leaders must do much more than adapt to differences. They must lead organizational change by modeling flexibility and curiosity, and by generating new strategies and tactics.
The Polaris® Competency Change Agility relies on a subset of competencies that are especially relevant in our current volatile, uncertain, and ambiguous world. As you do a personal inventory of your readiness for change, consider these supporting competencies and reevaluate your knowledge and skills in each area.
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Communicativeness: It's often said that you cannot over-communicate during times of change. Are you communicating the necessary agenda in the right medium often enough? How are you at Active Listening, Informal Communications, and Written Communications?
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Composure: As a leader your emotional reaction to change can become the emotional reaction for your team. Controlling your own emotions and inflecting the right emotion at the right time is important. That means resisting the stresses inherent in change. Be aware of the message you'r sending. Remember, as much as 70% of your message is non-verbal.
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Drive/Energy: This is the source of your personal positive presence. Do you motivate and inspire? Do you have grit? Are you hearty? Are you taking care of your emotional and physical health to stay balanced, present, and effective?
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Learning Agility: Are you curious and open-minded? The ideas needed to adjust to change will demand it.
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Positive Impact: Expectations can color outcomes, and your positive (or negative) attitude will signal what you expect from others. Are you optimistic? Do you have a win-win mindset?
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Relationship Building / Sensitivity: Leadership is primarily about relationships. Do you empathize with members on your team? Are you aware that your personal attention to followers is especially important during turbulent times? Are you committed to building authentic and trusted relationships throughout your organization?
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How your personality interacts with all these necessary skill sets is another factor to consider. For example, my (introverted) agreeable self has an easier time recharging in my new remote world, and I'm naturally a bit more empathetic to current circumstances, but I'm driven to seek structure and closure (I'm highly conscientious), and that may negatively impact my spontaneity and willingness to pivot after a decision is made.
Good leadership is so important right now. We hope we've helped move the needle a bit for you and your team.
For further questions on leadership and OSI's leadership competency models please contact Crystal Matsuura at OSI by email at cmatsuura@orgsysint.com or phone at 858.455.0923.
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Announcements
New Polaris® Licensee
We welcome our newest Polaris® Competency Model licensee, Coastline Community College to the Polaris® License community!
New Virtual Polaris® Certification Workshops
We are now offering the Polaris® Certification Workshops via webinar (Zoom) for individual coaches and/or HR professionals interested in the OSI Polaris® Competency Model and its supporting applications, especially the 360° developmental assessment. For more information, please contact Crystal Matsuura at cmatsuura@orgsysint.com or 858.455.0923.
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Book Links:
Competencies at Work: Providing a Common Language for Talent Management
Co-authored by our very own president/senior consultant, Bruce Griffiths, and our business partner, Enrique Washington. Competencies at Work is a thorough, yet digestible look at contemporary competency modeling. It will equip readers to understand, build, and implement competency models as a foundational and integrating element in talent management systems. Readers will understand how competency models have evolved to be the current best-practice in defining criteria for all talent management applications such as selection interviews, promotion panels, assessment centers, job descriptions, and learning objectives. The book also provides specific guidance in the steps needed to establish a sustainable model, with research results on universal competencies contained in most contemporary models.
Competencies at Work is available now through Business Expert Press or Amazon.
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Redefining Competency Based Education: Competence for Life
Co-authored by our very own president/senior consultant, Bruce Griffiths, and our business partner, Nina Jones Morel. Redefining Competency Based Education provides an expanded definition of career competence, based on actual employer hiring and promotion requirements, which enhances university curricula to better prepare students for work and life. Readers will learn how private sector competency models have evolved to define criteria for hiring, promoting, and training talent.
Redefining Competency Based Education is available now through Business Expert Press or Amazon.
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At Organization Systems International, we are celebrating more than 40 years of quality, service, and innovation. We deliver client success with a high-performance approach designed to enhance occupational relationships, improve operational efficiency, and sustain customer relationships.
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