PPP seeks to unravels the complex inter-relationships between the mental attributes, attitudes and behaviours that underpin performance. It also presents an easy to use framework that enables facilitators and assessors to make sense of, and subsequently make best use of, these inter-relationships. This article provides an overview.The Pathways:

An individual’s day to day behaviour results from interplays between mental attributes and attitudes. We call these mental attributes and attitudes ‘enablers’ of behaviour.

A highly simplified example is shown below:

Many behaviours are enabled by different combinations of mental attributes and attitudes. Some ‘core’ mental attributes (e.g. to be able to; listen, think logically, question, concentrate) underpin many behaviours.

Behaviours can be used in isolation, but when various behaviours are combined they produce complex behaviours. For example, when someone is ‘convincing’ he or she will be using a mix of some or all of the following behaviours; clarifying, questioning, expressing ideas, summarising, observing.

In the same way that behaviours can be combined to form complex behaviours, complex behaviours can be combined to create even more complex behaviours, e.g. when communicating people may use a combination of several complex behaviours including convincing, encouraging, being empathetic, assertive, critical etc.

There is no one word which encompasses all of these attitudes, attributes and behaviours so for simplicity we refer to them generically as ‘qualities’. (Some people use the word ‘competencies’ instead of ‘qualities’, but using this can be confusing as the term ‘competencies’ has a very specific and useful meaning which is explained below.)

Individuals and organisations often want to measure an individual’s performance, but there are no universally accepted measures or performance levels attached to mental attributes, attitudes or behaviours. Consequently many organisations have developed their own standards of performance by defining a measurable ‘competency framework’ which involves a combination of the behaviours in which they are interested.

Well defined competency frameworks describe ‘what will be required of an individual who is to perform a task to a required standard’ in a way that is appropriate to their organisational needs.

The inherent flexibility in the definition of a competency provides significant benefits for internal use but equally significant problems when working across organisations. (Effective leadership in organisations A and B might be very different in terms of emphasis and standard.)

MTa has addressed this problem by introducing the concept of Performancies®. A performancy® is a definable aspect of performance that involves an interplay between a broad spectrum of attitudes, mental attributes and behaviours together with interpersonal interactions over time, e.g. counselling, facilitating, leadership.

The concept of performancies® and their relationship with their constituent elements allows developers and assessors to focus their efforts: they know what the key enablers of each performancy® so can identify what for example a coach is doing well and what is hindering his / her performance.

All MTa’s defined performancies® have been linked through MTa’s interactive tool (PPP) with over 100 defined attitudes, mental attributes, behaviours. Access to the PPP is freely available at www.MTaLearning.com.

Working definitions:

Attitudes: descriptions of an individual’s state of mind or dispositions e.g. optimistic, trusting

Mental attributes: cognitive processes that enable individuals to function, e.g. logical thinking, remembering

Behaviours: observable actions taken by an individual e.g. encouraging, explaining

Qualities: a generic word which encompasses attitudes, attributes and behaviours

Enablers: qualities (attitudes, mental attributes, and behaviours) that are used to support more complex actions

Performancy®: a definable aspect of performance that involves complex interpersonal interactions over time, e.g. counselling, facilitating, team decision making, team working.

Performancies®:

• result from the interplay between an individual’s attitudes, attributes and behaviours
• are dynamic: they describe the results of what people are doing
• all involve interactions with other people
• can be assessed and evaluated over time. .

A person’s overall performance is a result of all of that individual’s performancies® combined with their technical skills, knowledge and abilities.

Competency: what is required of an individual if they are to perform a defined task to the required standard. Competencies are defined by a job or organisational need, not an individual’s abilities. Examples of competencies that are commonly defined by organisations include customer service skills, communication skills, people management, problem solving. Individuals meet competency requirements by using defined enablers to the required standard. These groupings of enablers are called competency frameworks. Making practical use of the PPP

MTa Learning have developed an interactive web-based tool which maps and links together over 100 defined attitudes, mental attributes, behaviours with each other and a further 40 plus performancies® and personal styles. By visiting www.mtalearning.com assessors and facilitators have instant access to our interactive tool that can:

• help with defining development needs / assessment criteria and their enablers
• show where each of these elements relate to each other; how does ‘x’ relate to ‘y’ and ‘z’
• plan the content and sequence of an assessment or development process
• direct users to activities that will provide opportunities for:
  o candidates to display, and therefore assessors to observe and assess, the defined criteria for assessment
  o delegates to focus on, learn about and practice the use of targeted development needs.

The Key Messages:

• An individual’s actions are based on a complex mix of qualities (mental attributes, attitudes and behaviours).
• Competencies can be relatively simple or highly complex frameworks of qualities but the definitions must include the required standard of performance.
• Organisations can define competencies and standards of performance in a way that suits their needs.
• Before attempting to assess or develop a competency it is important to understand its enablers (mental attributes, attitudes and associated behaviours).
• The concept of performancies® provides organisations with definitions of ‘common competencies’ (e.g. leadership) that are centred around the individual, not a specific role
• Only when a facilitator or assessor understands the makeup of complex behaviours and performancies® can he or she answer the critical question, “should this behaviour / performancy® be assessed or developed as a single entity or should its constituent enablers be identified and addressed independently?”
• PPP provides facilitators with easy access to the links that underpin individual performancies® i.e. the links that underpin over 100 defined metal attributes, behaviours and attitudes.

Author: Martin Thompson, Copyright^© MTa Learning 2009