Foolproof competency check

Poonamjot Sidhu

With the appraisal season on the most frequent complaint that one hears from colleagues is how they were not “assessed” fairly and how their appraisals have been seriously flawed and in contrast with their performance. Though absolute fairness in promotions and appraisals would be too much to ask for, yet it will also be unfair to assume that there is no proper methodology adopted to assess and reward an employee in accordance with his performance. Most managers, when confronted by disgruntled employees maintain that it is the Dunning Kruger Effect and conveniently take the plea that everyone rates his own performance and productivity much higher and better than the others and thus it is the prerogative of the seniors/managers to work out an objective assessment. But this Dunning Kruger Effect can seriously  impact the employee’s satisfaction, performance and eventually organisation culture and productivity. As a manager you can apply various measures to gauge and counter this effect. Some of these are: 

Competency mapping

It should be done at the time of recruitment and periodically by the human resource manager. Competency mapping enables the evaluation of an employee’s abilities and shortcomings. Periodic evaluations can be compared with previous ones to determine employee growth and development and also create a documentation basis to counter the  misplaced notions of competency and performance.

Self assessment

One of the significant reasons cited by the researchers for inaccurate self-evaluation is lack of metacognitive skill to evaluate one’s own performance. The study claims that the employees can be trained to correctly evaluate themselves. They should be made aware about the actual parameters related to various competencies. The managers should inculcate these  abilities in his team in order to keep heartburn and professional jealousies in check. 

Periodic feedback

The manager should periodically give feedback about an individual’s performance: be it positive or negative. It is of paramount importance that the employees understand his/her abilities as it will have two benefits; he/ she will know where to improve and will also not cry foul. It will help improve to employee satisfaction levels.

For the competent employees

Another by result of the study was that actual competent people underestimated their abilities and competencies. The above measures will not only help the incompetent to recognise their weaknesses, but will also make the competent more confident about their skills and remove self doubt. 

Adption of such practices on part of managers enable creation of a more conducive work environment; where people learn and improve their skills. The employees become more satisfied, enabling a constructive work culture. 

Quantitative performance measures

Performance measures  should be quantifiable and managers  should set measures like number of sales done, number of contracts locked, number of events done, revenue generated etc. Such standards are easy to communicate and evaluate. Employees afflicted by Dunning Kruger effect are so self-assured about their non-existent competencies that they can be convinced by quantifiable measures only. 

DECIPHERING THE DUNNING KRUGER EFFECT 

In 1999 David Dunning and Justin Kruger gave the concept of a cognitive bias which came to be known as the ‘Dunning Kruger Effect’. The Dunning Kruger Effect furnishes a notable perspective to people’s perception about their abilities and capabilities. 

They stated that people tend to overrate themselves in relation to their competencies and also in comparison with others. Some groups interpret it as lack of intelligence to judge one ‘s own competencies as depicted by the title of an article published in this regard, 'Stupid is so stupid, that he does not know he is stupid'. But there is more to it; the reason given cited by researchers for this illusory superiority is ignorance. 

The writer is Asst Prof, University Business School, Chandigarh University