Read and understand the 4 key leadership assessment tools:

- the KOC leadership competency framework
- the Self / Boss Assessment Form
- the Individual Development Plan
- the Leadership Development Resources Guide

The competency framework is the tool you use to assess your current level of skills. You must know the framework well enough to make accurate judgments about yourself.

Take time to develop your understanding of these important tools.

If you want to develop and improve, the first step is gaining personal insight into who you are now - your strengths, your skill gaps, what you like doing, how motivated you are to develop yourself.

Gaining real insight takes honesty, determination and a willingness to receive constructive feedback from others who know you and how you work.

Using the competency framework is the first step to completing your self assessment. You will measure yourself by reading each competency and its definitions and deciding at what level you have reached in that competency.

If you are a Team Leader, you will pay special attention to the KOC target level of skill required for each competency - which is set at Level 3.

If you are a Manager, your target level of skill is set at Level 4. READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE LEVELS.

Use the Assessment Form to complete your self assessment. Save a copy and send a copy to your boss. He/she will complete their assessment of you using the same process.

This is a critical responsibility.

The manager reviews each self assessment and completes his/her own assessment of the person.

His scoring will also be based on an assessment of each persons current level of competency in each of the 12 competencies.

Managers will be required to justify their assessments using evidence - just as Team Leaders will need to demonstrate that their self assessment is based on facts and not just opinion.

Evidence includes:

- personal observations made by the manager of the person in a range of different work situations and challenges (using one or more of the competencies)

- history of performance in current role - major achievements, for example

- feedback you have received from other managers and employees about the person

Over time, it is important that this evidence is noted and you do not rely on your memory to recall it.

Effective Feedback Behaviours
• Showing real interest in the person and insight

• Being positive and enthusiastic

• Offering constructive challenge and advice

• Using interpersonal skills

• Giving information

• Giving honest feedback on skills and potential

• Share networks

• Managing the session

Ineffective Feedback Behaviours

• Appearing uninterested in the person asking for advice or failing to show empathy with their situation

• Misunderstanding the issue by failing to listen or to check with the individual

• Jumping in with a development suggestion or even a job offer without preparing the ground first

• ‘Toeing the organisation/party line’ rather than being frank and open

• Promising to do something during a discussion and then failing to follow it up

Effective Feedback Behaviours
• Being proactive in seeking out people to talk to

• Preparing by thinking about yourself and options

• Being willing to engage in self disclosure

• Being open-minded and able to look at yourself

• Starting to talk well before a job move and being flexible on timing and tactics of moves

• Thinking about your career as a business proposition

• Taking ownership and following up

Ineffective Feedback Behaviours

• Waiting for help to come to you rather than going out to find it

• Failing to prepare the advice ‘giver’ for the discussion

• Rejecting advice or feedback out of hand, failing to listen attentively, or getting aggressive or defensive

• Appearing interested only in yourself and not in the
organisation or other people

• Failing to tell the ‘giver’ your real career issues.

The best IDPs are living documents that can change during the course of their implementation. Good IDPs share some common characteristics:


1) they are created after a careful assessment by both employee and manager of the employee’s strengths and weaknesses;

2) they leverage an employee’s strengths and focus on improving one or two weaknesses;

3) they contain a plan for an employee to meet development goals with assistance from his/her manager;

4) they explain the standards upon which the achievement of these goals will be measured; and

5) they provide a timetable for revisiting and reassessing these goals.