Measuring the actual output or results of an organisation against the goals or objectives set.
About the Competence Framework
Each of the five key stages is written in first person, to enable the individual to benchmark and assess their competence. The stages all align to one of the CMI Membership Grades, build on the competencies from the previous stage and underpin CMIs key products and services (including apprenticeships, qualifications, ManagementDirect content)
Stage 1
Aspiring Manager (CMI Membership Grade - Affiliate)
Relates to individuals that are just at the start of their management and leadership career. (Typical roles could include Team Leader, Front Line Worker, Generalist)
Stage 2
First Line Manager (CMI Membership Grade - Associate)
Relates to practising First Line Managers. They supervise and/or manage a team to achieve clearly defined outcomes. (Typical roles could include Team Leader, Supervisor, Project Officer)
Stage 3
Middle Manager (CMI Membership Grade - Member)
Relates to managers and leaders who manage staff and activities with a level of autonomy as part of the delivery of their organisational strategy. (Typical roles could include practising Operations Manager, Departmental Manager, Regional or Divisional Manager, aspiring Chartered Managers)
Stage 4
Senior Manager (CMI Membership Grade - Chartered Manager)
Relates to experienced managers and leaders that drive business activities in order to deliver long term organisational success. (Typical roles could include Professional Manager, Senior Manager or Director)
Stage 5
Executive (CMI Membership Grade - Fellow Or Chartered Fellow)
Relates to leaders and managers that formulate the strategic direction of the business in line with their organisation’s mission, vision and values. (Typical roles could include practising or aspiring CEO, Managing Director, Director)
Leading change and innovation
Requires managers and leaders to lead change and growth by clearly communicating the reason for that change and engaging people in the process.
| Competency | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 |
| Being Aware Of The External Environment
(inc. financial, geopolitical, business, demographic, industry sector, disruptive technologies) |
I am aware of external factors that affect my business area | I understand how and why the changing external environment affects me and my team | I use benchmarking to deliver good practice based on the changing external environment | I use my knowledge of the external environment to implement strategies that benchmark good practice | I make effective use of horizon scanning and conceptualisation to formulate high performance strategies that focus on future growth and sustainable outcomes |
| Being Innovative And Entrepreneurial | I encourage my team to be innovative and help them to generate new ideas | I help my team to be innovative and entrepreneurial by creating an open environment where ideas and experimentation are encouraged | I identify opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship where considered change, experimentation and risk can take place | I implement opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship, helping to turn individual knowledge into organisational knowledge | I encourage new ways of working across the organisational infrastructure by creating an open environment where considered change, experimentation and risk can take place in order to create new knowledge |
| Leading Change | I am able to support a team through a period of change | I am able to lead a team through a period of disruptive change, helping to overcome resistance to change | I am able to plan for a period of disruptive change and help to resolve situations including resistance to change | I implement and drive organisational strategy relating to disruptive change, including anticipating and managing resistance to change | I determine the strategy for, and pro-actively lead, the organisation through a period of disruptive change |
| Impact Of Change | I am aware of the impact of change on the team and provide feedback to my manager | I identify the impact of change on the team and use coaching techniques to support them | I assess the impact of change on my stakeholder(s) and provide reports on my findings | I analyse and respond to the impact of change, recognising internal and external drivers and barriers to change. | I examine the impact of change on the organisation and its stakeholder(s). I communicate clearly, regularly and positively the reasons for change; ensuring people’s continued commitment to the process |
| Continuous Improvement | I am aware of processes used for continuous improvement | I use continuous improvement processes within my team | I embed the use of quality systems to ensure continuous improvement within my area | I implement and monitor the outcomes of organisational quality processes to drive a culture of continuous improvement | I advocate the use of responsive quality processes to enable a systemic culture of continuous improvement |
| Using Technologies
(Fourth Industrial Revolution) |
I use different and new technologies | I am able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different and new technologies | I am able to identify and apply the use of different, new and emergent technologies to achieve outcomes | I am able to recognise the opportunities and threats of new or emergent technologies, assessing impact on my business area | I consult experts regarding the opportunities and threats of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. I evaluate new and emergent technologies to lead innovation and change within my organisation. |
Managing resource and risk
Requires managers and leaders to manage the knowledge and resources required to support the strategic aims of the organisation. They manage change and risk, and encourage innovation and creativity.
| Competency | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 |
| Managing Resources
(financial, people, premises, equipment, information, procurement, contracting) |
I know what resources my team needs and how to manage these effectively | I identify, manage, and plan the resources for my team | I am responsible for the budgeting, procurement and management of resources within my team | I establish operational effectiveness and efficiencies in allocating and managing resources within my business area | I ensure that the organisation is
adequately resourced and its people are able to work successfully |
| Financial Awareness | I am aware of how the actions of my team affects the budget for the business area | I manage a budget for my area of responsibility | I monitor and report on budgets against financial forecasting, adjusting to ensure efficiencies | I set and report on budgets and contribute to financial decision making within the organisation | I am responsible for financial decision making within the organisation. I am able to challenge financial assumptions underpinning organisational strategies, appraising financial governance. |
| Developing Staff | I support the training of my team to fulfil day-to-day tasks | I help to identify and address training needs within my team | I support workforce planning and talent management, reviewing staffing needs against organisational objectives | I plan the development of the workforce and implement strategies for the management of talent | I create a culture where staff are supported during their adaptation and development, balancing the well-being of staff against the needs of the organisation |
| Managing Risk | I am aware of how to identify risk and communicate these to my team and manager | I understand different approaches to the identification and management of risk, implementing contingency plans | I identify potential risks and threats to my business area, supporting to contingency planning | I am responsible for the management and mitigation of risks and threats and the development of contingency plans for my business area | I am responsible for recognising, responding to and mitigating risks and threats to the organisation, including disaster recovery planning |
Achieving results
Requires managers and leaders to recognise, support and measure success efficiently and effectively for all stakeholders.
| Competency | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 |
| Organisational Purpose | I understand the purpose of the organisation and my role within it | I enable my team to make connections between organisational purpose and their role | I communicate the purpose of the organisation to stakeholders, ensuring they are kept well-informed and up-to-date | I influence and contribute to shaping organisational purpose, culture and values | I determine organisational purpose, vision, culture and values |
| Measuring Success | I understand how success is measured | I monitor success using given metrics | I measure and analyse success against defined metrics, and act accordingly to the outcomes | I decide and implement appropriate systems of success measurement | I build a performance culture in which systems of continuous performance measurement are used to improve efficiency, productivity, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction |
| Engaging Stakeholders | I know my stakeholder(s) | I know how to engage with and manage expectations of my stakeholder(s) | I engage with a range of stakeholders | I use stakeholder engagement to inform organisational improvement | I create strategic organisational partnerships with stakeholders |
| Driving Delivery | I support my team to deliver results | I drive teams/projects to achieve operational goals in order to deliver the organisation's strategy | I monitor results/outcomes in order to manage under-performance, to deliver a high performance culture | I recognise the relationship between strategic leadership and results; driving diverse teams to produce/execute excellent outputs and outcomes | I demonstrate relentless drive to build and sustain a high performance; delivering results in unpredictable circumstances |
| Financial Targets | I am aware of financial policies and operate within their boundaries | I monitor my budget(s) and control spending | I construct and manage my budget(s); analysing and forecasting performance | I execute a financial plan to deliver results | I contribute to the financial strategy |
| Commercially Aware | I am aware of the commercial area in which my organisation operates | I understand how commercial decisions affect me and my team and communicate these accordingly | I demonstrate commercial awareness; identifying opportunities for new business innovation in products/services | I implement competitive strategies and react to changes in the commercial area I work in | I take the lead on competitive strategies for the organisation; advocating benchmarking to deliver good practice |
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