For more than a decade, Shannon & Manch consultants have been on the leading edge of the competency-based performance management movement in law firms.

Building a High Performance Culture

A competency model is an invaluable tool for law firms seeking to improve their talent management programs and motivate associates. A competency based approach to performance management can be used to optimize lawyer development and build a firm-wide high performance culture. Trends show us more firms are moving to this model because it works.

What are Competency-Based Performance Models?

Competency-based performance management models in law firms include:

• Core competencies that represent the factors critical to success in the firm with performance criteria that define behavioral objectives.
• Practice-specific benchmarks or practice milestones that describe the activities and experiences associates should be accumulating.
• A recruiting process designed to hire individuals most likely to demonstrate the firm's core competencies and succeed at the firm.
• Performance assessments that measure progress on the development of the competencies and readiness to move to the next level.
• Training and professional development supports that build skill sets related to competence.
• An advancement process that rewards mastery of the core competencies.

Competency-Based Approach Advantages

Competency-based approaches differ from traditional law firm performance management practices in that they offer explicit definitions of performance criteria, describing "competence" or mastery for a core group of skills, behaviors, and personal qualities that are deemed necessary for success. While every firm is different, reported and observed advantages of the successful implementation of a competency-based approach to performance management include:

• Firms can identify a core set of performance factors critical to success and further refine those by practice areas.
• Associates and supervising lawyers have explicit definitions of what is expected.
• Defined expectations allow the Firm to target work assignment practices and training/developmental supports in ways likely to result in the development of the skill sets outlined within them.
• Benchmarks provide associates with tools to set developmental goals.
• Associates and supervisors can map progress using the competency definitions and benchmarks.
• Those charged with making advancement decisions have an additional tool to assess the extent to which lawyers have achieved a level of mastery required for promotion.

Our highly trained consultants offer expertise in assessing firm readiness for a move to a competency model, assistance in designing the appropriate performance framework, and support in integrating the model with other lawyer development processes in the firm such as assignment coordination, evaluations, and mentoring.