OPM launches online management competency tool

The Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday unveiled a Web-based instrument for assessing the skill levels of federal managers, supervisors, team leaders, and others in key areas of leadership and performance management.

The launch comes exactly one week after OPM released the agency-specific results of its Federal Human Capital Survey which assessed federal employees' perceptions of their jobs and views on management challenges.

OPM officials briefed agencies on Tuesday about the benefits of using the management system. The personnel agency's goal is to help agencies that currently do not have leadership competency models or assessment instruments to assess their proficiency in leadership management.

The online tool is designed to support human capital efforts in succession management, leadership competency gap closure, leadership development, and recruitment and retention. Additionally, OPM officials said the tool will assess agencies' readiness to manage in a pay-for-performance environment.

The new tool is based on a five-level scale going from awareness to expert, allowing managers to conduct a self assessment based on 28 leadership and six performance management competencies. It also allows supervisors to look over the results to determine strengths and areas for improvement.

OPM expects the system to serve as a roadmap of the qualification requirements employees should follow to progress to senior executive jobs.

The system is not mandatory, but will be available to all agencies wishing to participate. Agencies choosing to use the system will meet with OPM over the next couple of months.