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Beyond Identifying and Leveraging Your Core Competencies, Are You Using Them Strategically?

Photo showing a man with his hands around the words Core Competencies which is floating over a laptop with the Baldrige Framework Overview image.
Credit: Wright Studio/Shutterstock, Maria Maarbes/Shutterstock

Photo of Bob Hunt
Bob Hunt

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
A recent Quality Digest article “Getting the Most Out of Your Organization’s Core Competencies” outlines the what, why, and how to make the strategic application of core competencies a significant key to success. Baldrige Program’s social scientist Bob Hunt uses his 30 years of experience in the organizational development field to explore not only the benefits of identifying and leveraging an organization’s core competencies but using them strategically so as not to risk losing substantial ground to the competition.
 

Hunt aligns his discussion of defining and supporting core competencies with ways that the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, contained within the Baldrige framework, can help. He says that the Baldrige Criteria point to potential capabilities that work systematically with core competencies to improve results. For example, he says that in alignment with strategy development, the Baldrige Criteria propose a close relationship between core competencies and work systems when deciding whether related processes are to be accomplished internally or externally. According to Hunt,

“Research has shown a positive correlation between the strategic application of core competencies and competitive advantage leading to superior organizational performance. Many of today’s fastest growing and most profitable businesses show, whether by conscious design or serendipity, that successful application of core competencies to products and services achieves amazing results.”

He adds, “Properly identifying core competencies and those capabilities that support their application is a key strategic must-do. Then, ensuring that core competencies are integrated with the organization’s systems, structures, and processes is the way to get the most out of those core competencies in terms of sustained competitive advantage and organizational performance.”

Read the full article in Quality Digest.


2019-2020 Baldrige Excellence Framework cover photo

 

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The Baldrige Excellence Framework has empowered organizations to accomplish their missions, improve results, and become more competitive. It includes the Criteria for Performance Excellence, core values and concepts, and guidelines for evaluating your processes and results.

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About the author

Dawn Bailey

Dawn Bailey is a writer/editor for the Baldrige Program and involved in all aspects of communications, from leading the Baldrige Executive Fellows program to managing the direction of case studies, social media efforts, and assessment teams. She has more than 25 years of experience, 18 years at the Baldrige Program. Her background is in English and journalism, with degrees from the University of Connecticut and an advanced degree from George Mason University.

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