We often misprint skills and competencies. Competencies are value-based hence are not measurable. Competencies cannot be standardized. For example, decision making is a competency.  It refers to the ability of making better decisions among various available choices. This process cannot be standardized. It is deciding an action based on review of information. Business awareness, problem solving, teamwork, self-confidence, intuition, and resilience are competencies. I give here an example which will explain competency; in past fifteen years India saw rise of some surprising and budding young politicians. One of them is Smriti Irani. The former model – actress has literally broken stereotypes, she has shut down cynics and proved her mettle. When she got appointed as HRD Minister, people criticized her educational qualifications, they side-lined her victory over Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Bur few saw her prudence, her resilience, her leadership style. Leadership is closely related to emotional and social intelligence.

She is currently serving as the Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minister for Minority Affairs. She is competently handling her portfolio. Smriti proves that leaders can work efficiently only when get fully engaged with their colleagues, whether they are at the same level or as juniors; leaders must acknowledge the context in which everyone works and to understand and attend the system. She also proves that emotional intelligence is a competency. Educational qualifications do not make a leader excel in their job. I appreciate Smriti Irani’s confidence, passion and dedication towards her work which are her competencies.  

Successful organizations while hiring managers choose decision-making skills in employees so they can contribute more effectively to the company. Employees face many decisions and options throughout the workday, so an employee needs to make effective decisions. Competencies have long been used as a framework by focusing on employees’ behaviour competency which matters most to an organization.  Behaviour provides a common way to harmonize, select and develop talent. The benefits are clear for employees and managers, and ultimately, the organization. Competencies offer a description of the standards of excellence for the roles and responsibilities of the employees. Competencies can often depend on values and culture of an individual, they may be difficult to assess and standardise for example integrity is a competency it cannot be taught.

Sills are measurable. Skills can also be standardised positions wise; communication, language proficiency, computer skills, customer service, interpersonal skills are some common skills. For HR managers, they provide resources to help them select and develop employees.

Though competency and skill may seem similar, they have evident differences. HR managers must understand the difference between skills and competencies.

Adeptness

Skills are often agile; one can develop them with education and skill enhancement programmes. While competencies are developed over long period of time. A person may require months or even years to gain a specific competency. For example, a chef can be taught culinary skills in kitchen but after years of experience, he becomes competent to develop his signature dish.  A signature dish is a recipe that identifies an individual chef or restaurant. Ideally it is unique and difficult to copy. A signature dish allows an informed gastronome to name the chef in a blind tasting. It can be thought of as the culinary competency. Competency comes with adeptness.

Transferability

A set of skills help one to change organisations or roles, across jobs, projects, and tasks. Whereas competencies cannot be transferred across professions or collaborative projects. This is because characteristics, such as performance expectations, attitudes, and behaviours, make up competencies, which may differ from organisation to organisation, depending on their priorities and goals and culture. For example, you may learn a programming language and add it to your list of skills. These can be helpful when you change jobs in a similar field or role. The competency required for the role can vary based on the organisation and the responsibilities involved. For example, Sachin Tendulkar’s batting technique is clean and crisp, his movements as batsman are measured and precise. This is his competency. It has come to him with lot of detailing, regular practice, and observation. Sachin cannot transfer his batting technique. 

Detailing

Competencies are more detailed than skills. A person’s depth of knowledge, and his abilities determine his competencies. Skills can be adopted easily competencies cannot. Competencies help in connecting with right people, with the right role. Competencies help in preparing roadmap for personal and professional development. Empathy, integrity, loyalty, cannot be taught one needs to have them in their character. These are key components of customer service. Therefore, sincere, and good customer service employees are rare.  

Some most important competencies are self-awareness (it helps us to remain happy, to be better version of ourselves), social consciousness (helps in becoming more empathetic for others mindful of how our actions impact others) good emotional quotient (helps to identify and regulate our own emotions and understand the emotions the others), managing responsibilities (helps in becoming more accountable and what to expect from others) and last but the least decision making (helps in planning and implementing strategies).

Too much of flak is thrown at Narendra Modi’s cabinet selection; especially his decision of giving Smriti Irani the charge of HRD Ministry is stormed out of proportion. Congress leader Ajay Maken has condemned the selection with a series of tweets questioning educational qualifications of Smriti Irani. ‘Wondering how someone who has been made in charge of HRD falls short of educational qualifications she is not even a graduate’ Ajay Maken tweeted. BJP Party loyalist Madhu Kishwar also twitted that HRD is a crucial ministry deserving heavy weight who can deal with Chief Ministers, Vice Chancellors, Researchers and Research Institutions and that she hopes that Smriti Irani’s selction  will not saddle HRD ministry with lightweight who knows nothing about intellectual challenges facing education sector.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah criticized Mr Maken’s comment saying “To say that someone needs to be educated to be HRD Min is like saying one needs to be a pilot for Civil Aviation or a miner for Coal Min (sic).”

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) was established in 1985 dissolving the Ministry of Education. The MHRD has two departments: Department of School Education and Literacy, which oversees primary school education and literacy, and the Department of Higher Education, which oversees with secondary and post-secondary education. The Ministry’s function is to address the public and private education sector functioning by writing policies, programmes, schemes and legislation in coordination with other Ministries for the betterment of people’s education and literacy.

Some veterans in this trade believe that for running ministries such as HRD, Communications, Science and Technology, Finance it is essential for a minister to be formally studied these disciplines. On the other hand, if it is tourism ministry, child and women welfare, or the ministry of religious affairs, then educational qualifications should not matter much; the minister’s common sense should be sufficient.

Pakistan had a minister of railways who was a retired ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] general who didn’t know a bit of knowledge or inclination about engines or coaches: it seems, the ones he ordered from China were too big to fit the Pakistani railway platforms so the platforms had to be widened all the way from Karachi to Peshawar, and by then, most of the railway engines turned out to be junk. In India we have witnessed Lalu Prasad who’s famous for his rustic sense and logic. He kept his kin out of Rail Bhavan when he got complaints about them. He had the wisdom to appoint Sudhir Kumar as Officer on Special Duty and back him up fully in reforming the Railways; Lalu Prasadfor change will be remembered for bringing life back to Indian railways.

Haven’t we seen assembly’s in the world with only graduates and post graduates who have given shattering performances? I am of the opinion that a formal qualification will carry weight if it is from a genuine institution; and if it genuinely attended by the degree holder. So we have to think of better criterion other than qualifications. Knowledge without an ability of execution is worthless. Emphasis should be on the actual competence of the person than the glitterati.  When it comes to Ministers of this most diverse nation, a formal training in some disciplines is vital. Public at large is observing each action of the ministers and they would want to see a track record. Another point that begs a thought – Can a ministry be run like a corporate?  Why not? It is like a new government taking over from the older government.  The new government needs to realize realities, tackily all problems created by the older government, do a feasibility study, counter the deficits in budgets, complete the incomplete projects of previous government, put an end to the gaffes of the previous government, redesign the policies, redesign the mandates, redesign the strategies and reposition itself. In short, the government cannot be stuck in the past. And, for sure, Narendra Modi will act fast, make quick decisions, and implement effective policies.

A first time minister should be groomed; trained to read and digest policy matters, be given briefing on effectiveness, presentation and communication. Why can’t a good handbook of do’s and don’ts be prepared by veteran ministers in collaboration with expert academicians? A structural briefing is a must until the ministers are mastered and trained. So, let’s not condemn Smriti Irani’s qualifications, let’s give her some time, and let’s observe her style of decision making.  Credentials are good but they don’t entitle you to success. Many successful people, business leaders are school dropouts – they possess the uncommon prerequisite and that is “common sense.”