1. The Particular Task(s)
This involves the specific functions of positions we have agreed to
fulfill, e.g., building management or maintenance, social worker, CEO,
board member, office support, financial development, church musician,
teacher, etc. Competence means using skills and knowledge that are
directly related to performing the task.
Commitment includes a work ethic that is interested in
accomplishing the task, taking initiative, follow through, etc. Some
people seem to view this one aspect of their involvement as being the
whole thing. The success of the organization depends on people seeing
their specific role in broad, inclusive terms.
2. The Organization’s Mission, Vision, Values and Leaders
This includes knowing and supporting the mission, vision, values
and leaders of the organization. Another way of expressing it is that
we are adequately comfortable with and willing to play a positive role
in the organization’s culture (e.g. the way things are done, how we
live and work together in this organization). Destructive or cynical
comments about the organization and its leaders are avoided. There is
active participation in organizational gatherings that build a sense
of purpose and community or processes that contribute to the
organization’s improvement.
Related competencies might include communication, presentation and
negotiation skills; large group participation, skills for planning and
envisioning, etc.
3. Those We Serve: Clients, Customers and Members
The core commitment in this area is to the satisfaction of the
people we are serving. A target is to exceed their expectations in the
quality of our service or product. We need a clear understanding of
who we are serving, both those external and internal to the
organization. Service is to be thorough, timely and respectful. We
need a way of receiving ideas and feedback. Delivering quality
services or products also requires us to take initiative to secure the
quality we need from those that serve us by supplying our organization
with services or products. It is in our interest to help them to
improve their service to us. Competence includes methods for planning
and delivering quality services or products, such as work flow,
process assessments, problem solving processes, time management tools,
communication skills, information gathering processes and tools, etc.
4. Work Teams
In our participation in organizational life most of us work in a
variety of permanent and short term teams. Team effectiveness depends
on our commitment to the people who make up the team and to the team’s
success. The competence areas involved include: group assessment and
decision making processes, communication skills, an understanding of
trust development in teams, how to establish team norms, facilitation
skills, managing disagreements and conflict, etc.
5. Self Care and Development
This is a commitment to emotional, physical, intellectual and
spiritual self care and development. This may include making adequate
time for solitude and relationship building; receiving training to
increase our work related skills or learning "centering"
methods. For many of us this area has to do with our striving to live
lives of integrity, balance and integration.
© Robert A. Gallagher, 1993
