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The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance

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In "The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance" Richard Boyatzis uses empirical data to define the competencies of effective leaders. While many of today's `leadership' books are overly generalized leadership philosophies or biographies of leader idiosyncrasies that worked in special situations, few books are specific in enumerating overarching leadership competencies. Boyatzis has been very disciplined in empirically measuring competencies that enable leadership success in earning business results. In light of Boyatzis's more recent work in Emotional Intelligence, one might anticipate that emotionally intelligent operational managers would evaluate and review their individual management competencies to identify their most relevant opportunities for either developing their deficient competencies or partnering with co-leaders who compliment their identified shortcomings. "The Competent Manager", though a difficult read, would be a valuable starting point for one's initial competency self-evaluation.
I recommend "The Competent Manager: A Model for Effective Performance" for anyone leading their organization's initiatives for leadership and management development.

Richard Boyatzis reports a large-scale study of the competencies that underlie superior managerial performance. Conducted before competency modeling became a common workplace practice, this study's methods had a great influence on the development of the field. It should sit next to Spencer and Spencer's Competence at Work on the shelf of anyone interested in the history of job analysis. Readers who want to learn more about Boyatzis's content analysis methods should also read his later work, Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code Development.

Following an introductory chapter on the general practice of competency modeling, the author's methods are summarized in the second chapter, including behavioral event interviewing and thematic content analysis. The core findings of this study are reported in chapters four through eight, which describe the major competency clusters identified: Goal and Action Management, Leadership, Human Resource Management, Directing Subordinates, and Focus on Others. An additional chapter describes the role of technical knowledge in managerial competence. The last three chapters discuss application of these findings in construction of competency models for different managerial roles.

Many competency modeling reports assume that all competencies are similar constructs, not differing in how easily they are learned. Boyatzis makes fundamental distinctions between skill, motive and trait competencies. These three types are acquired differently by employees and must be measured differently by researchers. Trait competencies, in particular, are often long-term, stable personality characteristics which are not easy to change through employee development efforts. Such competencies, if critical to an organizations success, must be targeted by hiring assessment procedures.

Readers will find much that is familiar and useful in Boyatzis's models of managerial excellence. If building their own current models of managerial competencies, they should also consult the more current FYI: For Your Improvement, A Guide for Development and Coaching by the Lominger Group.

Boyatzis offers a critical look at what makes up management competencies. It contains much more than just "what someone thinks," or "what looks right." This book's findings come from extensive research. It is an excellent book for someone serious about understanding what makes a manager competent.