A competency-based performance model for construction project managers

The role of competency-based performance management is growing in significance in many industries and sectors. Unlike functional competences, which measure performance against predetermined minimum occupational standards, competency-based systems are founded on the key behavioural competencies that underlie superior levels of performance. In order to identify the key behaviours leading to performance excellence amongst construction project managers, in-depth behavioural event interviews were used in which managers were asked to recount critical management incidents, decisions and actions from which their behavioural competencies could be identified. By delineating the sample according to their performance against a range of role-based criteria, the competencies defining superior management performance were determined. Statistical techniques were then used to develop a model that can be used to predict likely employee performance, which was subsequently validated on a second criterion sample. The research identifies 12 core behavioural competencies that underpin effective project management performance, of which two - 'composure' and 'team leadership' - were the most predictive. The paper explores the potential role and application of the framework in the drive for performance excellence within the industry, such as in selection, management development, succession planning, performance management and team deployment. It is argued that it offers an innovative alternative to normative micro-competence-based approaches that do little to engender performance excellence amongst the industry's key managers and professionals.