The CPRS 2008 Annual ConferenceLong Beach

Richard T. Houston, Ed.D., Peopleassets rth@att.net with Barry Weiss, San Carlos and Kevin Miller, Foster City

Taking Your Park Staff to the Next Level:

The CPRS Park Competency Model

Session GoalsUnderstand …• What a competency model is.• Why competency models make sense.• Why implementation methodology is

critically important.• How it has been used in pilot studies.• How to ensure it has a real payoff.

A Critical Time for Skilled Leadership

The BIG PICTURE is likely to include: Budget reductions and prioritization

of public safety needs result in funding cutbacks / challenges

Diversity of the “customer base” present new demands for services

Urgent need to wield political clout Coalitions and partnerships become

increasingly important

Are these themes familiar?• Pending retirements threaten a

significant loss of expertise and “know-how”

• We know the ‘high flyers’ from the average performers but we don’t know why, …nor how to “reproduce” them

• We support professional development but we don’t know if it has a tangible payoff

Why Competency Models?Competency models add value …

As a career development map As a structure to focus results-oriented

professional development programming As a framework for succession planning As a guide for making hiring decisions As a structure for making expertise an

organizational vs. a personal asset

A competency model looks at critical skills & behaviors. • Defines how high performing park

and recreation professionals are different from average performers

• Identifies those critical skills and behaviors that are essential for successful performance

• The medium is the message

Competencies of a Park Professional

Personal Attributes

Knowledge

Skills

Experience

Your competencies are a complex mix

of “built in” attributes as well as acquired skills and knowledge. What is missing is a tool to assess those & to

plan for their improvement.

Competencies: technical / managerial

Technical skills & competencies

Managerial skills & competencies

Increasing responsibility

• Building management, maintenance & repair, use of technology, irrigation, urban forestry, playground safety

• Planning, goal setting,coaching & motivating,influence, public relations,risk management, quality

Peninsula Pilot Study• 7 agencies selected 1 – 3 park operations

managers / supervisors• Participants reviewed competency model,

rated their own current proficiencies• Supervisors rated the importance of same

competencies• Discussions between two identified top

priority professional development goals based on agency’s needs

CPRS Park Competency Model

Seven competency domains for park professionals:

1. Planning and organizing work2. Park operations & stewardship3. Technical knowledge4. Coaching and motivating staff5. Customer service & public relations6. Performance improvement

management7. Self awareness

Planning & Organizing Work

• Has clear view of the "BIG Picture." Stays current with trends, analyzes relevant factors of the strategic landscape and maintains appropriate strategic priorities.

• Communicates "the vision" derived from understanding of the BIG picture.

• Defines and articulates clear goals, measurable outcomes and performance standards.

5 = Mastery; 3 = Somewhat proficient; 1 = Not proficient© CPRS & Peopleassets.

Customer Service; Public Relations

• Demonstrates political savvy• Builds support for agency through

coalitions, alliances and partnerships• Negotiates and facilitates solutions

to conflicts, …internally and externally

• Collects feedback continuously

Assessment, then action.• Individuals defined three specific

development goals that included observable outcomes, and…were clearly aligned with organizational priorities

• Discussed / consulted with supervisors; Peopleassets provided support

• Activities and critical incidents were documented best practices researched, documented and

shared

100% of Participants Agreed or Strongly Agreed that…

The project • helped them identify current skills

sets and strengths.• helped them identify specific

development goals to improve leadership effectiveness.

• was worth the investment of time and energy.

Outcomes of a well run competency model project

• Sends a clear message that the agency is willing to invest in the individual’s career and professional success

• Creates a structure to define specific leadership / professional development goals

• Promotes meaningful conversations between individual and supervisor about professional development

• Builds “bench strength” for the future