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Anyone viewing competency management from the perspective of values will observe a number of remarkable issues that require attention:

1. The fact that someone possesses the competence to carry out a specific task does not imply that they will also carry out that task, since there is a difference between able to and wanting to.
2. When coloring the competences the organization’s current values often play a greater role than the necessary changes in the culture.
3. The values and the associated diagnosis of the culture are a measure of the colors required for the competences, and an indication of the manner in which individuals and teams will respond.

For example: Most secondary-school leavers are able to organize their work. Consequently they possess the competence and are able to, but will they also want to? Individuals with an acceptance profile as shown in Figure 1 score low in organizing their work (Blue). Are they able to organize? They probably are. But do they also want to? The answer is: not really, and they will do so only when it is necessary for the achievement of their targets. This is due to the fact that the organizing drive is subservient to their other drives.

Many competency-management approaches result in managers devoting a great deal of attention to their staff’s lower-scoring competencies. However, when viewed from the drives perspective this is a remarkable and even contra-productive approach. Would it not be much wiser to begin with the individual’s high-scoring drives rather than concentrating on issues that would appear to be totally irrelevant to their drive? Managers able to tie in with their staff’s drives can generate a great deal of positive energy; denying those drives will result in a great deal of negative energy.

When viewed from a drives perspective competency management is one of the tools capable of achieving the desired change in culture. Unfortunately, all too often we observe that specifications of competencies that need to be developed either result in a further imbalance (a Green organization that makes even greater investments in consensus and communications) or reflect the values of the authors of those competences.

For example, a popular definition of management is as follows:

Motivating others, influencing them, and focusing them on the targets. Ensuring for collaboration, and the optimum use of individuals in achieving group targets.

This definition is extremely popular in the organization shown in Figure 2.

However, if this organization has problems with explicit leadership and time-framing then the management will need to focus more on the Blue and Red value profiles – i.e. setting an example, explicit assignments, management based on facts rather that standards, decision-making, and taking vigorous corrective measures when agreements are not fulfilled.

The MD profile of the manager of this group reveals how the manager will experience the necessary competences.

When the diagnosis of the culture of your team or organization reveals a profile as shown in Figure 3 then you will seek competences that reduce your organization’s emphasis on the social element (Green and Purple) and increase the emphasis on the rational and the power-oriented element (Yellow, Blue and Red) – i.e. inspiration based on content, organization, and decision-making.