Competence is a resultant of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Competences developed in a proper way allow employees to realize professional tasks on required level.
A competency model is a set of competencies particularly relevant to the functioning of a particular company or organization that has developed and applies it. Competency models of different companies may differ in the selection of key competencies, but the principle of their operation remains the same.

Groups of competencies

The NCU Model of Professional Competences consists of six basic groups of competences, which are depicted in a diagram of the human figure, where individual parts have been assigned to specific groups of competences. There are four key descriptive competences in each group.

HEAD	CAPABILITY	Competences describing mainly the way of thinking - searching and collecting data, analyzing information, drawing conclusions and forwarding them to the surroundings. Creativity Analytical thinking Flexibility Communication skills
BOTTOM	RESISTANCE	Competences specifying one’s ability to work in difficult conditions under widely understood stress (connected with both internal and external indicators, including those referring to social relations). Persistence and consequence Assertiveness Resistance to stress Being responsible
RIGHT ARM	TASKS	Competences describing the way of tasks realization - orientation on achieving aims and quality of work effects. Aim orientation Scrupulousness and accuracy Self-independence Business orientation
LEFT ARM	PEOPLE	Group of competences describing how a particular person cooperates with others, builds and makes use of interpersonal relations during realization of business goals. Team work Building relations Teaching and training Client orientation
RIGHT LEG	MOTIVATION	Group of competences referring to indicators which motivate us to act in the first place and to the level of engagement in task realization, determining why and with what intensity a person is willing to work. Development pursuit Engagement Motivating others Professionalism and ethics
LEFT LEG	TOOLS	Bank of competences concentrated on the level of usage of particular methods and tools, aiming in increasing work efficiency (planning time, organizing work, coordinating tasks) as well as achieving complicated goals with a support of a team (delegation of duties, management). Planning and coordination Delegation of duties Team management Work organization

Key competencies

Inside the groups are four key competences each describing:

CAPABILITY – How do I make the analyses?

	Creativeness	using creative thinking in order to improve the existing solutions or initiate new solutions as well as propagate and realise new ideas
	Analitical thinking	perceiving of numerous aspects of reality, effective work with a lot of information, perceiving of relationships and drawing reliable conclusions from data available
	Flexibility	quick and prompt change of conduct in response to changing conditions as well as maintenance of the high level of a given tasks during changes
	Communicativeness	effective communicating by conveying one’s own thoughts in a manner comprehensible to other people as well as careful and active listening to other people’s statements, both oral and written

MOTIVATION - Why do I act?

	Aiming at development	constant acquisition of new knowledge and experience and willingness to improve on a continuous basis and implement positive changes in one’s own career
	Commitment	activeness and showing one’s initiative, determination to overcome difficulties and readiness to sacrifice, if necessary
	Motivating others	skilful motivating of colleagues to increase their efforts and achieve targets
	Professional attitude and ethics	building of one’s own and company’s reliability by undertaking activities, which comply with one’s own ethic standards and company’s ethic standards as well as accepted standards of work

RESISTANCE – How do I cope with difficulties?

	Persistence and consistency	timely and consistent realisation of tasks entrusted, including difficult and monotonous tasks
	Assertiveness	expressing of one’s own opinions and needs in a manner, which does not interfere with other people’s rights or feelings, including, in particular, the ability to defend one’s own interests and, at the same time, maintain good relations with colleagues, customers etc
	Stress tolerance	acting effectively in hard conditions (heavy workload, conflict, high requirements)
	Taking responsibility	readiness to take personal responsibility for realisation of tasks and duties entrusted as well as incur consequences of one’s own or a team’s work, including both positive and negative consequences

TOOLS – How do I act?

	Planning and coordination	clear setting of priorities and tasks for all team members and consistent coordination of the same by dividing complex tasks into stages, determining of needs as well as ensuring of adequate means and support in realisation
	Delegation	delegating responsibility for both routine and standard tasks to employees as well as information, means and authorisations necessary for realisation of the same
	Team management	creation and management of teams, understanding of their needs and motivating them for most effective activities
	Work organization	managing one’s own time and organising one’s own work in a planned and systematic manner, which makes it possible to achieve targets

TASKS – How do I realize tasks / goals?

	Focus on target	persistent aiming at a company’s targets by realisation of individual targets (title) and achieving best results by planning, constructive approach to problems and searching for opportunities to exceed targets
	Conscientiousness and precision	focusing on best performance of a given activity, taking care of details and high effects of work (products, services etc.)
	Self-reliance	ability to achieve agreed targets on one’s own, including, making necessary decisions
	Focus on business	searching for business opportunities and making decisions connected with risk and oriented on profitability of undertakings on the basis of the current knowledge about the market, competition and calculated risk

PEOPLE – How do I cooperate with others?

	Team work	establishing and maintaining of long-term and fruitful cooperation with other employees
	Building relations	establishment, shaping and maintaining of positive interpersonal relations satisfactory for all parties
	Learning and training	readiness and ability to convey one’s knowledge to others in an effective manner as well as share one’s experience with others
	Focus on customer	awareness and understanding of customers’ needs and fulfilling as well as exceeding of their expectations. If necessary, active searching for and acquisition of new customers for a company

Level of competence

A three-point scale can be used to describe the level of competence held and its impact on one's own or a team's work:

Level	Impact on own or team's work	Characteristics
1 good	Positive but limited – behaviours within the scope of a given competence partially affecting the achievement of objectives	acting in a correct direction however requiring support, stimulus, outside help; lack of independence in acting
2 optimal	Significant, unsupported – behaviours within the scope of a given competence enabling full achievement of objectives	independent usage of knowledge and skills, efficient and effective performance, pursuit and achievement of goals
3 expert	Improving – behaviours within the scope of a given competence aiming at improving the work or exceeding the set goals	helping, supporting, inspiring, crossing borders, improving work, creating new methods of performance

What does the competency model serve employers for?

The competence model is used to comprehensively assess the competences of job candidates. During the recruitment process, the professional competences of the candidates and their compatibility with the requirements of the position and with company policy are assessed.
Competency models are also used in many areas of management: e.g. team building, setting goals, defining requirements, planning promotions, inspiring and motivating, controlling, periodic evaluation, developing employees' skills.

What does the competency model serve job candidates for?

Knowledge of competency-based job descriptions enables potential job candidates to:

• find competency-matched jobs,
• analysing the requirements of employers concerning the desired competences, the demand for soft competences in various industries, professions, positions,
• preparation of a plan for development of competences desired by employers for specific positions,
• delineation of professional development paths taking into account the development of competences particularly useful in the labour market.