Competency Assessment

Assessing project managers' ability to perform critical management and leadership skills is a difficult proposition. However, assessment techniques have emerged in recent years that are quite useful. Tailored survey assessment instruments can be created and given to the project manager's supervisor, peers, and subordinates asking for their assessment of both past performance and future potential in selected competency areas. This "360 feedback" (from above, at the same level, and below in the organization) has rapidly gained momentum in both US public and private sector organizations. Several commercially developed multi-rater instruments are now available. Most feature computer scoring, automated feedback (report) generation, and even tailoring of items to fit the individuals and organization using the instruments.

Another useful method is the critical incident interview process used in DSMC's competency research. Here, the project manager is asked to recount several significant prior job situations of their own choosing. In each situation, the interviewer listens and probes for detail, seeking to identify which competencies the individual has used (and not used) in the past. Such discussions often cut through generic statements of capability and accomplishment to what project manager actually did in real-life situations.

Experiential exercises and behavioral simulations are ideally suited to assess leadership and management competencies. These exercises vary from short role-playing scenarios requiring minimal preparation, to more elaborate behavioral simulations with several participants, each provided with a detailed in-basket of background information. Project managers can be put into these realistic situations and asked to respond, not by stating what they would do in the situations, but by actually doing it. Participants then step aside and become students of their own behavior through follow-up discussions including feedback from trainers and other participants. Assessment instruments and behavioral checklists can also be used to augment the personal feedback provided.

Clearly, no project manager career development model is complete without a credible competency assessment process.