What Are Behavioral Competencies?
Behavioral competencies are personality traits or aptitudes that form the patterns responsible for our attitudes. To explain it better, let’s go back a step and talk about the concept of competence, present in studies on organizational culture and human resources since the 1970s.
The most widespread definition for the word competence was cited in the book “The quest for competencies”, published in 1996.
In the work, author Scott B. Parry states that competence corresponds to one:
“ A set of knowledge, Competencies and attitudes that affect most of a person’s work, and that relate to job performance; Competence can be measured against established standards and developed through training.”
From this line of thinking, a competent individual at work is one who has the knowledge, Competencies and attitudes necessary to perform his position effectively.
These three pillars of competence form a concept called CHA, the basis of several theories on the subject.
In summary, we can say that:
- Knowledge refers to the knowledge that can be acquired, whether through courses , lectures, workshops, seminars, workshops, reading materials and other forms of learning.
- Skill is the ability to perform practical activities, applying knowledge and experience to produce something.
- Attitude describes the decision to be or do something, controlled by consciousness and emotions, which causes a person to move and react in the face of facts, objects or other individuals.
In the professional area, Knowledge and Ability are used to measure the technical attributes of a professional, while behavioral competences have to do with Attitude.
What Are Behavioral Competencies For?
Developing behavioral Competencies is essential to achieving goals .
After all, they are the ones behind the behavioral profile of each one, influencing the choices and the way we react in different conditions.
When we invest in self-knowledge, it is easy to see that our behavior patterns motivate attitudes, exerting control over the course of our lives .
Often, why we don’t complete a task necessary to conquer a desire or dream is in these patterns.
Imagine, for example, that you’ve always dreamed of buying a car.
Since childhood, he noticed the way his parents drove and idealized himself behind the wheel on a road, traveling to a paradise place.
For that, it will be useful to buy your car, right?
However, the years go by and you can’t buy the car, because you don’t have enough self -motivation to save money and start buying the good.
Or because he didn’t develop the attribute of organization and planning, necessary to draw up a plan that allows him to buy the car.
Or, still, for not having the courage to dare , making the decision to prioritize this dream.
All these reasons are rooted in behavioral Competencies that, if improved, will help pave the way for you to achieve your goal.
Difference Between Technical And Behavioral Competencies
The main difference is that technical competence can be assessed through the curriculum , while behavioral competence requires an observation of conduct , preferably in person.
We say this because the technical attributes (hard Competencies) are normally acquired through academic training, formal education and experience in the job market .
In other words, as we mentioned above, technical competence is made up of knowledge and skill , the simplest parts to measure and analyze.
You can also talk about this topic or take a test.
His ability to teach can also be verified with a practical test , asking him to present content to the evaluators.
At the discretion of the person responsible for the hiring, knowledge and skill can be confirmed, at first, from excerpts from the resume of this professional.
However, a document or report does not show whether the educator is capable of managing conflicts or working in a team.
To develop these soft Competencies, it will be necessary to value self-knowledge and invest in effective training.
Importance Of Behavioral Competencies For Work
Remember the phrase we used at the beginning of this article?
Let’s remember: many professionals are hired for their technical Competencies and turned off for their lack of soft Competencies.
In your experiences, you must have met an extremely intelligent and well-informed person, but arrogant, with great difficulty in expressing themselves and relating or resistance to changes.
She probably stood out during the selection process tests , however, that doesn’t prevent her from being fired if her position requires communication Competencies or resilience.
Hence the importance of behavioral Competencies for work and career .
We live in a connected and dynamic world, where it is necessary to develop strategic attributes to increase professional performance.
According to the study, it is essential to improve the following characteristics:
- Leadership
- Self motivation
- Team work
- effective communication
- negotiation capacity
- Creativity
- Adaptability
- Search for knowledge
- Good mood
- Interpersonal relationship.
Candidates who do not pay attention to soft Competencies are at a disadvantage, even in selection processes, as observed by Human Resources coordinator Fernanda Colombo Poli.
In an article on this subject, the expert recalls that:
“In selection processes, it is quite common for managers to give up some technical competence to the detriment of a profile with well-developed behavioral Competencies. There is a consensus that it is much simpler to develop someone technically , than to change old habits and behaviors.”
How To Better Develop Behavioral Competencies?
There are two main tools that help develop behavioral Competencies.
In fact, there are also two Competencies: self-awareness and emotional intelligence .
Knowing yourself is the first step to understanding your strengths and weaknesses and understanding which stimuli provoke certain responses or attitudes.
While perfection cannot be achieved, all of this material can be improved by reinforcing strengths and working on those that need development.
Those who invest in self-knowledge on an ongoing basis are able to trace patterns and modify harmful behaviors for themselves and for the people around them, whether in their professional or personal life.
Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, provides greater understanding of mechanisms managed by our unconscious – emotions.
These automatic responses to stimuli or triggers have a great influence on our behavior, especially when not managed by our “I” (will).
Daniel Goleman , a reference in research and books on emotional intelligence, describes the term as:
“The ability to feel, understand, value and effectively apply the power of emotions as a source of energy, information, trust, creativity and human influence.”
That is, by understanding the functioning of emotions, we can increase self -control , avoiding impulsive attitudes and unnecessary conflicts.
More than that, emotional intelligence teaches us to deal with stimuli, intentionally provoking emotional states to support, for example, a change in posture in the work environment.
Both self-knowledge and emotional intelligence can be worked on in courses, consulting, coaching , mentoring and management training.
What Are The Main Behavioral Competencies Of A Manager?
Occupying positions that require a leadership stance , managers need to develop deep communication Competencies so that they can clearly guide their team or department.
In this text published by Forbes, expert Denise Trudeau-Poskas lists 8 fundamental competencies for leaders in the corporate world , which we commented below.
Intrapersonal Competence
To be a good manager , you need to start with self-knowledge to identify your inner motivation and the best ways to get energy.
After all, the leader must be the first to push and animate the team, and there is no way to do that without being excited himself.
Self-efficacy, responsibility, awareness and autonomy of thought are indicators that the intrapersonal attribute is being successfully improved.
Interpersonal Competence
It is related to the ability to build and maintain healthy relationships with those being led.
When this attribute is well developed, relationships between team members also become lighter and closer, as there is trust in themselves and in colleagues.
Interpersonal competence implies improving communication, including adapting language to different processes and projects.
Adaptability
It unites the qualities that underpin problem solving and critical thinking .
Competent leaders are able to see the same situation from several angles, and can adopt a broader or detail-focused perspective.
With adaptability, they are able to assess the scenario and decide what is the best approach at that time.
When composing a technical report, it is more interesting to do a thorough analysis, while a conflict between subordinates calls for a broad view.
Engagement
If self-knowledge is essential for the leader to maintain his inner motivation, engagement is important for him to infect those he leads in a positive way.
Thus, the team creates synergy, working in a well-adjusted way to achieve common goals.
When they become engaged, the team also improves resilience – a quality that allows them to adapt to overcome challenges, without losing values or essence.
Strategic Competence
A manager needs to be an efficient strategist, trained to get the best out of the team and ensure its progress towards the goal.
But having strategic competence goes beyond that, implying the combination of vision, lessons inspired by successful cases and evaluation.
This ability gives the manager a keen eye , which sees future developments, promising opportunities and possible innovative paths.
Greater Intention
It is nothing more than the purpose, something noble that should guide the team.
When there is a greater intention in each project or action , the leader starts from a solid base to guide and motivate those being led.
This competence awakens collaboration, team spirit and social responsibility , resulting in actions that contribute to different communities.
Neuro management
It can be defined as the ability to use the brain to face situations and find the best solutions.
To develop neuro management, you need to understand how the mind works and how to direct energy to problem solving.
Curious Intent
A manager must dedicate himself to the knowledge of those he leads, maintaining interest in their profile in order to use the appropriate tools for their improvement.
This is because a true leader works for the development of the team’s talents, as he knows that they contribute to achieving the expected result.
What Are The Main Behavioral Competencies Of An Entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurial behavior , by itself, is seen as an interesting competence not only for those who want to open their own business , but also for companies.
And no wonder, as professionals with this competence are often proactive, determined, self-motivated, optimistic and planners – qualities that are useful in any organization and position.
Check out, below, the 13 main characteristics of entrepreneurial behavior, according to Sebrae .
- sets goals
- Has initiative and proactivity
- accept the risks
- Works well under pressure
- Has motivation and enthusiasm
- Seeks to ensure quality
- Has creativity and inventiveness
- Keep the customer focused
- Seek to be updated
- invest in organization
- Form your network of contacts
- results oriented
- Has relationship Competencies.
What Are The Main Behavioral Competencies Of A CEO?
Executives who occupy the highest positions in several companies have behavioral competencies in common.
This was one of the conclusions drawn from a 17-year follow-up conducted by the consultancy Arquitetura Humana, which evaluated 207 presidents of organizations.
The result was a profile formed by 6 outstanding attributes , detailed below.
Power Of Influence And Impact On The Environment
Charisma and strong personality are prominent characteristics, present in 92% of the analyzed CEOs.
They also have great persuasion Competencies, used to motivate teamwork and give the necessary directions.
Energy
This quality is present in 91% of top executives, as their position often requires overtime and the ability to deal with stress .
Most CEOs have shown resistance to putting aside rest when necessary and working under pressure.
Speed
Agility in reasoning and decisions are essential to lead a company, especially in a market as competitive as the current one.
Therefore, 89% of the presidents showed speed and a sense of urgency in their activities.
Ability To Take Risks
As the leader of the company, the CEO must lead the team to exceed expectations, taking risks to increase earnings and the business itself.
Therefore, he is usually independent, competitive and has initiative , taking the lead in any situation.
Extroversion
High communication Competencies can be observed in 61% of CEOs, who value their professional relationships , encourage collaboration and a pleasant organizational climate .
Senior executives also know how to identify the right moment to pass on information and guidance, avoiding unnecessary exposure.
Ability To Make Decisions Under Pressure
This attribute is all about speed, being applied in times of pressure and stress that can impact the future of the business.
The ability to make decisions in adverse scenarios or in the face of short deadlines was seen in 66% of presidents, who adopt an informal posture, less attached to data and details to deliberate.
This boldness makes CEOs good negotiators.
Examples Of Behavioral Competencies
Throughout this article, we cite several important behavioral Competencies to build a successful career .
Finally, we bring characteristics explained in this behavioral inventory focused on the administrative area.
They are a good option to start improving your conduct at work.
Decision Making
It adds security in decisions, courage to take on challenges and dare.
Organization And Planning
It brings together agility, practicality, planning of expenses, expenses, investments and time, culminating in a constant work rhythm .
Communication
Provides the ability to explain tasks in detail, give consistent feedback , and be clear and objective when presenting your ideas.
Team Work
Teaches how to respond to requests from colleagues whenever possible, in addition to solving different demands as a team.
Conflict Management
It refers to the ability to manage responses to hurtful comments and personal feelings at work.
