Key Leadership Competencies

Figure 1: The Key Leadership Competency profile
The Key leadership competency profile. Text version below:
Figure 1 - Text version

This is an infographic that depicts the key leadership competencies for executives and senior leaders. Here, the six key leadership competencies are each depicted as small concentric circles embedded on a circular frame. Starting from the top of the image and moving in a clockwise direction these competencies are: Creating Vision and Strategy, Mobilize People, Uphold Integrity and Respect, Collaborate with Partners and Stakeholders, Achieve Results and Promote Innovation and Guide Change.

A caption under the infographic states: The Key Leadership Competencies define the behaviours expected of Canada's Public Service leaders. This competency profile informs executives how to lead—and serves as the fundamental basis for the selection, learning and development, and performance and talent management of executives

The Key Leadership Competencies define the behaviours expected of Canada's Public Service leaders. This competency profile informs executives how to lead–and serves as the fundamental basis for selection, learning and development, and performance and talent management of executives

The Key Leadership Competency profile for federal public service executives and senior leaders was revised in . The Key Leadership Competency profile is aligned with the Clerk's vision for a public service that is collaborative, innovative, streamlined, high performing, adaptable and diverse. It reflects the complexity and challenge of federal public service leadership roles. The new profile continues to underscore the classic leadership competencies of creating vision and strategy, mobilizing people, upholding integrity and respect, and achieving results. Two competencies, promoting innovation and guiding change, and collaborating with partners and stakeholders which are essential in the current context, are also part of the profile.

The Key Leadership Competencies are a mandatory component of the Executive (EX) Group Qualification Standard and the Directive on the Performance Management Program for Executives. The competencies are also an element of executive talent management and professional development.

The Key Leadership Competencies may serve as a tool to identify learning and development needs for career planning and as the basis for selection for managers, supervisors and employees.

The Key Leadership Competency profile contains:

  • A preamble that sets out the fundamental expectations of leadership within the federal public service context
  • Six competencies and accompanying definitions

The profile is complemented by examples of effective behaviours for specific leadership roles Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Minister, Director General and Director), and generic ineffective behaviours for each competency for all roles. Examples of effective behaviours for the Manager and Supervisor roles are included however there is no policy requirement for supervisors and managers to be assessed on the demonstration of the KLCs. Employees and aspiring executives may wish to refer to the KLCs as a tool to identify their learning and development needs and to inform career planning.

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