Career GPS from HRPAToronto-based Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) has just released an excellent new “Career GPS” tool. This online assessment is designed to help HR professionals pinpoint and track their professional development goals. But the first six of eight Domains provides a very useful summary and checklist of the critical “soft skills” everyone in a management position needs to build peak performing teams or organizations.

HRPA’s competency model covers 85 competencies that are grouped into these eight Domains:

  • Performance and Rewards
  • Learning and Talent Development
  • Employee Relations
  • Organization Design and Development
  • Leadership Development and Organizational Culture
  • Organizational Health and Safety
  • Function Management
  • HR Leadership

You can see the full model with all 85 competencies listed at HRPA’s 85 Competencies.

The tool provides a menu for HR professionals to build a profile, assess their current ability across all 85 competencies, pinpoint the level of competence they have now for their current job, identify what competencies they need to develop for their dream job, and develop a personal development plan. An especially useful feature of HRPA’s approach is the tiered competencies:

Level 1: Foundational: (early career level)

Level 2: Intermediate

Level 3: Advanced (senior level)

A big problem with many HR professionals is that they’re at an entry or intermediate level when the organization really needs them to be advanced. Leadership and culture development, organization design and development, performance management, and learning/talent development are vital today. When HR professionals operate at senior or advanced levels they become key executive team members in building leadership and organizational capacity. But, sadly, way too many HR professionals are intermediate at best. So the exponential “people power” of the organization remains dormant and underutilized. This is a huge tragedy for everyone — an all-around lose/lose.

If the HR function reports to you, HRPA’s competency model provides a solid framework for discussion of expectations, performance, and the future growth of your HR VP, director, or manager.

Currently this online tool is available for non HRPA members to register and use. Go to Career GPS to check it out.