The Hindu Business Line : Competence that endures

We took it for granted ten years ago. Perhaps the sheer time people spent on the job ensured they built expertise in an area. Organisations encouraged it and invested in helping employees gain expertise. It was well nigh inconceivable that an organisation went out into the market and bought the skills it needed; it had to be home-grown. With the economy opening up and opportunities burgeoning, organisations are indulging in their newfound ability to go to the market and hire the skills needed. There is neither the patience nor the inclination in most cases to grow the skill internally.

The onus for developing core competence lies squarely on the employee. Compounding the issue is the fact that business exigencies are today compelling even older organisations in traditional businesses to differentiate far more sharply in the way they treat their employees. Loyalty is no longer the only criterion. Skills and contribution weigh heavier. Organisations and employees never had it so good in terms of opportunities. And yet, the employee is also beginning to feel the pinch. With a job change every two years, it is becoming difficult to define what exactly he or she is good at. A senior manager who has worked for over the last 12 years in an FMCG Company, a BPO, a software firm and a retail organisation does not still know what he is good at since he has done so many different things!

Why develop core competence? Because, at the end of the day, building on a core competence is, finally, generating stickiness for oneself. Being known for competence in a particular area, especially if it is a hot skill today and is likely to remain so for some time, endears you to both your own organisation as well as other organisations. It also ensures that your career endures.

The first few years on any job has to be focused on building competitive edge, or as Jim Collins puts it, finding your own hedgehog.It comes back to the point of ensuring that you remain employable, albeit, a difficult proposition given that there are enough temptations to stray. One question that often raises itself is the question of whether core competence should be aligned to one's function or to an industry. Would a finance manager of an insurance company prefer to be known as insurance professional or as a finance professional? Of course, some functions are industry specific and do not pose this challenge. For example, jobs in the hospitality industry or even healthcare. However, for the vast majority, this is an important consideration. There is no ready answer either, although generally when one is starting one's career, functional competence is more critical than industry specialisation.

he other question is: specialise to what extent?. In HR, we often hear people ask: Should I, in the first few years, acquire special expertise in a specialised area such as compensation management, learning or staffing or should I acquire general skills? You must follow your interest, though it is always good to have in-depth knowledge and expertise in at least one specialist area.

And then of course, once one has settled this debate, the next question is: How do I keep my competence alive? But that's another story! The point is, therefore, that to endear oneself to organisations and to ensure an enduring career, one needs to build core competence in a suitable area early in the career.

(The writer is a Principal Consultant at Totus Consulting.)

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