Competencies for Managers at Hennepin

CUSTOMER FOCUS
INTEGRITY & TRUST
MANAGE VISION & PURPOSE
PEOPLE & RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
DECISION MAKING

Customer Focus – Meets the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it to improve services; engages and informs residents and the community to improve outcomes; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect; demonstrates respect for diversity of customers; treats all customers with dignity and respect. 

Examples:

• Sets a vision for service excellence for customers.
• Provides a creative and supportive environment that inspires supervisors and staff to give enhanced service delivery.
• Seeks and provides a method for internal/external customer input to address future needs.
• Implements methods of service improvement.
• Treats everyone equitably and sets aside personal biases.
• Creates, promotes, and maintains a work environment in which all are respected.
• Manages process of engaging community partners.           

Integrity & Trust – Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain; builds an atmosphere rich in diversity and approaches diversity with honesty and confidence. 

Examples:

• Takes responsibility for own actions.
• Shares information openly with staff and others while respecting confidentiality.
• Recognizes ethical dilemmas and takes appropriate action.

Manage Vision & Purpose – Communicates the department and county vision, strategic direction and purpose; rallies support behind the vision; inspires and motivates others to share the vision and works towards its achievement; creates a clear picture for integrating diversity in the workplace.

Manages For Results — Develops division and work unit goals in alignment with department strategies and objectives; is accountable for meeting and exceeding performance outcomes; is bottom line oriented; consistently pushes self and others for results.

Communicates Complex Information — Effectively communicates in both formal and informal settings, including one-on-one, small and large groups, with peers, and direct reports; can break complex information down into language people can understand in a variety of settings.

Creates & Manages Change - Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

Examples:

• Facilitates the setting of work goals and priorities that align with emerging and future department and county strategies and initiatives.
• Makes decisions based on the vision, strategic direction and purpose in setting priorities.
• Speaks directly and frequently to employees about the vision, strategic direction and purpose.
• Provides information people need to know to make accurate decisions as well as what people need to know to perform their jobs.
• Manages department strategies and objectives in alignment with County overarching goals.
• Communicates results and outcome expectations to employees.
• Ensures that individual performance objectives support the achievement of   department results.
• Engages stakeholders in decision making.
• Adjusts plans to deal with internal and external change.
• Implements change management strategies

People & Relationship Management – Directs and manages the work of staff by setting clear objectives and measures; monitors process, progress and results, and conducts meaningful performance appraisals; develops direct reports through coaching for performance improvement; understands what others value and uses that to motivate them; builds effective teams; steps up to conflicts and is able to resolve them; works effectively with peers as a team member; fosters collaboration across work units and departments;   creates an environment where the value of diversity is understood and practiced.

Dignity & Respect - Manages and maintains a work environment in which all are respected, valued and welcomed; treats others with dignity and respect; shows consideration through listening, empathy, patience and courtesy;  promotes cooperation within the organization;  ensures that disrespectful behaviors are promptly addressed.

Creates an Adaptive and Diverse Organization -- Manages all kinds and classes of people equitably; deals effectively with all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages and both sexes.

Manages & Measures work - Clearly assigns responsibility for tasks and decisions; sets clear objectives and measures; monitors process, progress and results; designs feedback loops into work.

Develops Direct Reports – Develops direct reports through coaching for performance improvement; provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each direct report’s career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes direct reports to accept developmental moves; will take direct reports who need work; is a people builder.

Engages & Motivates Others – Creates a climate in which people want to do their best; can motivate many kinds of direct reports and team and project members; can assess each person’s hot button and use it to get the best out of him or her; pushes tasks and decisions down; empowers others; invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility; makes each individual feel his/her work is important; is someone people like working for and with.

Directs Others – Is good at establishing clear directions; sets stretching objectives; distributes the workload appropriately; lays out work in a well-planned and organized manner; maintains two-way dialogue with others on work and results; brings out the best in people; is a clear communicator.

Builds Effective Teams – Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.

Conflict Management – Steps up to conflicts, seeing them as opportunities; reads situations quickly; is good at focused listening, can hammer out tough agreements and settle disputes equitably; can find common ground and get cooperation with minimum noise.

Understands Others – Understands why groups do what they do; picks up the sense of the group in terms of positions, intentions and needs, what they value and how to motivate them; can predict what groups will do across different situations.

Examples:

• Gives employees credit for achievements that others will see and acknowledge.
• Holds employees accountable and takes necessary corrective action.
• Manages by example.
• Works with employees to develop individual development plans.
• Sets expectations that are clear and specific.
• Provides developmental feedback regularly including timely performance reviews.
• Sets expectations for teamwork.
• Manages conflict effectively as situations arise.
• Provides meaningful involvement to labor organizations where appropriate.
• Maintains a diverse workforce.
• Engages in two-way communication with employees.
• Gathers employee input.

Resource Management – Sets objectives, goals; develops schedules and task/people assignments; anticipates and eliminates barriers; prioritizes work; effectively manages projects; emphasizes the importance of diverse resources.

Planning – Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects: sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into the process steps; develops schedules and task/people assignments; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; measures performance against goals; evaluates results.  

Priority Setting – Spends his/her time and the time of others on what’s important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus.

Delegation – Clearly and comfortably delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions; communicates clear expectations for delegated tasks, broadly shares both responsibility and accountability; tends to trust people to perform; lets direct reports finish their own work.

Knowledge & Innovation Management - Implements methods and processes that have been identified and created to leverage knowledge to enhance performance.

Human Resource & Financial Management – Manages human resources, projects and funds; understands contract administration, risk management and the audit process.  

Technical Knowledge — Has the knowledge and skills needed to meet position and    organizational needs.

Technology Management — Has the knowledge and skills needed to use and manage technology.

Examples:

• Clearly defines and communicates desired tasks and outcomes while
  allowing staff flexibility in determining method of accomplishment.
• Develops and monitors budget.
• Anticipates and eliminates roadblocks to the completion of tasks.
• Delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions.
• Seeks input about barriers to accomplishments.
• Provides adequate time and resources to complete tasks.
• Uses project management techniques.
• Meets contract administration standards.
• Make decisions which minimize risk to Hennepin County.
• Ensures records are in place for audit process.
• Manages staff to achieve organizational results.
• Adds value by using the department's intellectual capital.
• Reviews and shares information learned and changes that will take place as a result of that learning.
• Understands and can apply technology to work.
• Keeps current with changes in technology.

Decision Making – Makes good decisions based on analysis, experience, and judgment in a timely manner; takes responsibility for decisions; takes the opportunity to positively incorporate diversity. 

Examples:

• Analyzes and drives decision making based on data.
• Engages stakeholders in decision making. 
• Uses a decision-making method that includes: Identification of the problem and analysis of options, selection of a solution, implementation and evaluation.

Adapted from The CAREER ARCHITECT PORTFOLIO SORT TM  cards
LOMINGER LIMITED, INC©  1992, 1996