Specific Comptencies and Associated NISH Training Programs

The Academy offers a full array of courses that address building capacity and competency, and that support each of the standards. The following courses are aligned to support their corresponding standards.

AbilityOne Performance Excellence

• Courses

Leadership

• Competencies
• Courses

Front-Line Supervision

• Competencies
• Courses

Project/Contract Manager

• Competencies
• Courses

COMPETENCIES

Leadership Competencies

Successful leadership is vital to the NPA community. Listed below are the specific competencies that fulfill the leadership standard established by the AbilityOne Standards for Performance Excellence. Although there is significant overlap in leadership competencies regardless of career position, specific competencies are provided for executives and for those leaders working at all levels.

Leading at the Top

1. Creates vision and sets direction

• Envisions the future
• Inspires toward a shared vision

• Searches for “what might be” as opposed to “what is”
• Redefines markets
• Searches for new markets and new knowledge
• Looks for ways to satisfy customers and create added value
• Challenges the status quo
• Searches for opportunities and takes risks
• Masters (sometimes forces) change
• Fosters innovation and creativity

• Has insight and sees long term
• Positions the organization to respond to trends, possibilities and opportunities
• Uses intuition, creating and building on momentum and "working" priorities
• Takes advantage of the right timing to accomplish vision/goals

Leading at all Levels

• Inspires and motivates others toward a common vision, mission and purpose
• Instills a commitment through involvement and negotiating win-win strategies
• Possesses the magnetism, passion, credibility, integrity and competence that inspires others to follow

5. Acts decisively

• Makes decisions in a timely manner
• Makes good decisions based on a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgment
• Encourages debate and diverse opinions in a quest to improve decision quality
• Resolves conflicts, makes decisions and solves problems without abdicating authority or responsibility

6. Creates an environment that allows and cultivates the achievement of the vision and mission

• Empowers and creates the conditions that foster talent, potential and creativity
• Identifies, develops and manages resources (human, financial, technical, physical, processes) that ensure the achievement of organizational vision and goals
• Builds trust and mutual respect
• Maintains accountability, internal controls and integrity while developing a sense of ownership and pride in the organization
• Maintains positive relationships with others and a high morale in the organization
• Listens, creates and manages a free-flowing, interactive communication systems

7. Leads strategically and by best practice

• Practices strategies that lead to organizational success
• Understands the rehabilitation industry (e.g., current delivery and historical perspectives), disability rights and disability etiquette
• Possesses business acumen
• Maintains customer focus and a commitment to people with disabilities
• Manages through system
• Moves the organization forward through strategic planning, goal setting and budgeting
• Practices sound financial management, resource stewardship, effective organization and evaluation
• Manages technology, develops new programs, initiatives and businesses while assessing risks
• Maintains an external awareness and reaches outside for resources and support
• Works effectively with difficult people and situations
• Possesses political savvy
• Works effectively with advisory councils and boards of directors
• Stays current on industry, business and leadership practices and trends

8. Develops a competent, diverse and empowered organization

• Empowers and enables others to act
• Fosters mutual respect and trust
• Builds effective teams while strengthening individual performance
• Coaches, counsels, nurtures, mentors, strengthens and encourages the heart
• Adjusts style and approach to situation or person as needed
• Provides feedback establishing accountability and rewards
• Listens actively, communicates effectively and shares information
• Maintains positive relationships and high morale within organization
• Embraces diversity in people and ideas
• Attracts talent
• Invests in others
• Fosters succession planning and works to create other leaders within the organization

9. Models the way

• Leads by example
• Lives and leads by principles
• Displays trustworthiness and honors commitments
• Practices integrity, values and ethics in line with personal principles and organizational vision and mission
• Demonstrates passion and commitment to organization and mission

10. Possesses self-knowledge, accepts responsibility and exhibits emotional maturity

• Knows oneself and is willing to engage in personal change
• Self-motivated
• Takes responsibility for behaviors and actions
• Manages ones emotions and recognizes others' emotions; handles relationships effectively

Leading from Within

11. Translates vision, mission and strategy into action

• Understands and supports the vision and mission and incorporates them into daily practices
• Achieves "co-missioning" or instills the mission into workgroup practice
• Instills a sense of responsibility for fulfilling strategies in others
• Searches for "what might be" through innovative and entrepreneurial approaches
• Possesses a drive for results
• Interprets the vision and mission
• Develops action oriented strategies and plans that support the vision and mission

12. Aligns systems, structures and processes with strategy

• Aligns all parts and systems of the organization to facilitate achievement of desired results
• Understands systems theory and how system parts work together
• Ensures the critical organizational parts are designed properly and work together

13. Maintains customer focus

• Ensures vision and mission connect with what customers are passionate for
• Seeks ways to meet customer needs
• Ensures that the culture focuses on quality performance for the customer
• Focuses on "what might be"
• Strives to be a market leader
• Understands that customers continue to have increased choices
• Focuses on maintaining and building new customers
• Establishes trust with customers and understands customer requirements
• Possesses a passionate commitment to people with disabilities
• Works effectively with boards of directors and advisory councils

14. Possesses ability to follow as well as lead

• Accepts, masters and lives with change
• Demonstrates flexibility
• Supports decisions of leadership that may not represent personal views
• Practices core values of organization
• Demonstrates strong values and ethics consistent with organizational vision and mission
• Exhibits loyalty, trustworthiness and demonstrates followership
• Actively supports the vision and mission while helping the organization move forward and maintain a customer focus
• Possesses political savvy and organizational agility

Front-Line Supervision Competencies

Successful AbilityOne contracts require the success of front-line supervisors. NISH has formulated the following list of supervisory competencies.

A front-line supervisor:

1. Coaches and directs employees by demonstrating and teaching the skills needed to perform required tasks

• Can perform the tasks that the direct labor staff is given
• Anticipates staff needs and provides the required tools to do the job well
• Build teams and is prepared to mentor employees

2. Exhibits a customer service orientation

• Effectively communicates with internal and external customers and employees
• Responds appropriately to customers' needs
• Communicates effectively and maintains a professional demeanor, especially when dealing with difficult people
• Approaches problems systematically and creates workable solutions that incorporate customer service principles into everyday activities

3. Utilizes needed resources and staffing levels to meet customer expectations

• Meets deadlines without sacrificing profitability or quality
• Applies sound time management principles to his own activities and those of employees
• Schedules employees and resources effectively
• Forecasts budget needs and resource requirements
• Reacts successfully to changes in schedules or forecasted plans

4. Focuses on quality continuously in the performance of daily activities

• Conducts formal quality reviews to facilitate an environment of excellent customer service where employees perform at their best
• Adheres to quality assurance/control plans
• Communicates with quality inspectors or other customer representatives to resolve quality concerns
• Monitors quality daily, alerts colleagues and other NPA staff to quality concerns
• Coaches employees to support quality outcomes and fixes problems quickly to ensure consistency of service

5. Is safety-conscious at all times

• Maintains a working environment that reduces employee and customer risk
• Responds appropriately to emergencies
• Possesses first aid skills
• Safely uses and maintains on-the-job tools (e.g., as chemicals or equipment) and communicates their safe uses to employees
• Trains workers on safety requirements
• Performs safety plan reviews with employees
• Maintains material safety data sheets
• Manages workers' compensation claims
• Monitors interpersonal dynamics among employees to prevent workplace violence

6. Demonstrates leadership through stewardship, ethics and caring

• Embodies the mission of the organization
• Treats all employees, colleagues and customers with respect and dignity
• Understands and applies fair practices in personnel issues
• Demonstrates knowledge of the AbilityOne Program
• Understands and enacts the mission and vision of the employer
• Makes ethical decisions

7. Protects and maintains the customer relationship

• Balances a customer service orientation with contract performance requirements
• Follows contract and appropriate business processes to reduce business risk
• Supports opportunities for expansion by maintaining customer service and quality
• Understands all contract requirements and the processes necessary to conduct the tasks in the statement of work
• Demonstrates knowledge of AbilityOne Program
• Applies financial planning and budgeting skills
• Communicates effectively with all parties
• Supports customer expectations with appropriate methods for fulfilling them

Project/Contract Manager Competencies

To support the continued professional development of NPA project managers, NISH has formulated the following list of project management competencies. A project/contract manager:

1. Effectively and professionally communicates with others

• Maintains regular communication with customers, employees and colleagues
• Serves as a model of professionalism for others
• Responds to difficult employees and customers appropriately
• Approaches others with a positive attitude
• Identifies and establishes positive relationships with key stakeholders, employees and colleagues
• Provides regular feedback to others in a professional manner
• Can write and edit business documents

2. Implements systems to establish and monitor needed resources and appropriate budgets, staffing, and
supplies through short and long term work cycles

• Anticipates customer expectations and plans to consistently meet them
• Ensures all tasks are completed in a timely way without sacrificing profitability or quality
• Is organized and helps others create organized workspaces
• Applies time management principles to own activities and those of others
• Schedules resources and employees effectively
• Forecasting budget needs weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually
• Plans for potential changes in customers' needs over time
• Plans for shortfalls in resources or labor
• Understands all aspects of the Performance Work Statement
• Aligns processes and procedures to ensure that customers receive high quality performance

3. Exhibits a customer service orientation in all activities

• Maintains successful customer relationships with internal and external customers
• Creates appropriate solutions to changing customer requirements
• Incorporates customer service principles into both planning activities and everyday tasks
• Approaches problems systematically
• Uses creative ideas and feedback from others in crafting solutions
• Relies on appropriate procedures when solving customer problems

4. Focuses on quality as the key differentiator of contract performance

• Approaches all activities with a focus on improving quality as an outcome
• Implements quality assurance plans and aligns outcomes with customers' quality expectations
• Creates an environment in which the customer receives excellence and employees deliver a high-quality performance
• Establishes and follows a quality control plan that satisfies customer requirements; monitors quality performance
• Fixes problems immediately and shares solutions with others to prevent recurrence
• Communicates with employees and others about quality standards and desired outcomes

5. Creates an environment in which performing the business requirements of a contract is profitable

• Minimizes business risks by establishing appropriate employee processes and procedures
• Supports contract expansion opportunities
• Implements work processes appropriate for the line of business
• Establishes appropriate plans and strategies for each work cycle
• Documents processes and procedures for business continuity

6. Sustains a working environment in which all employees are valued

• Demonstrates respect and caring for others among diverse employees and customers
• Coaches and mentors
• Maintains a safe working environment and responds appropriately to emergencies
• Conducts employee relations according to legal and standard human resource practices
• Has an established safety plan
• Safely uses, maintains and monitors potentially hazardous on-the-job tools such as chemicals and equipment
• Build teams and establish rapport among employees and customers
• Documents all employee interactions and personnel actions completely and fairly (incident reports, workers compensation reports, performance reviews, etc.)

7. Demonstrates leadership, stewardship and ethical decision making

• Creates and sustains a working environment in which the mission of the organization flourishes
• Understands and enacts the mission and vision of the employer
• Implements a fair and transparent decision making process
• Shows leadership in all aspects of business and employee relations
• Demonstrates stewardship through seeking efficiencies and implementing industry-standard best practices