Personal and Social Workforce Competencies

The following list of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal competencies were derived from research
studies of performance competency and leadership in the workplace.
Much of the material that follows comes from Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (Bantam, 1998).

The LIST OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPETENCIES was derived and adapted from the online article ON
DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR EMOTIONAL COMPETENCY offered by the EIC Consortium.
Note: Some traits that appear with a * after the description were added to assist in scoring this self-report instrument.
Directions: Use this list of personal and social competencies for self-reflection.
Rate yourself on a five-point scale of how often you demonstrate these traits.
5 ALMOST ALWAYS (90-100% of time)
4 VERY OFTEN (80-90% of time)
3 OFTEN (70 - 80% of time)
2 SOMETIMES (40-60% of time)
1 SELDOM (0-40% of time)

PERSONAL COMPETENCE
Self-Awareness:
EMOTIONAL AWARENESS: Recognizing one’s emotions and their effects. People with this competence:

1. _____ Know which emotions they are feeling and why

2. _____ Realize the links between their feelings and what they think, do, and say
3. _____ Recognize how their feelings affect their performance
4. _____ Have a guiding awareness of their values and goals

ACCURATE SELF-ASSESSMENT: Knowing one’s strengths and limits. People with this competence are:

5. _____ Aware of their strengths and weaknesses

6. _____ Reflective, learning from experience
7. _____ Open to candid feedback, new perspectives, continuous learning, and self-development
8. _____ Able to show a sense of humor and perspective about themselves

SELF-CONFIDENCE: Sureness about one’s self-worth and capabilities. People with this competence:

9. _____ Present themselves with self-assurance; have "presence"

10. _____ Can voice views that are unpopular and go out on a limb for what is right
11. _____ Are decisive, able to make sound decisions despite uncertainties and pressures
12. _____ Are able to be assertive rather than submissive or aggressive in sharing thoughts, viewpoints*

SELF-REGULATION

SELF-CONTROL: Managing disruptive emotions and impulses. People with this competence:

1. _____ Manage their impulsive feelings and distressing emotions well

2. _____ Stay composed, positive, and unflappable even in trying moments
3. _____ Think clearly and stay focused under pressure
4. _____ Can recognize, manage and channel anger and strong negative feelings productively *

TRUSTWORTHINESS: Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity. People with this competence:

5. _____ Act ethically and are above reproach

6. _____ Build trust through their reliability and authenticity
7. _____ Admit their own mistakes and confront unethical actions in others
8. _____ Take tough, principled stands even if they are unpopular

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 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: Taking responsibility for personal performance. People with this competence:

9. _____ Meet commitments and keep promises

10. _____ Hold themselves accountable for meeting their objectives
11. _____ Are organized and careful in their work
12. _____ Are dependable and reliable in completing tasks *

ADAPTABILITY: Flexibility in handling change. People with this competence:

13. _____ Smoothly handle multiple demands, shifting priorities, and rapid change
14. _____ Adapt their responses and tactics to fit fluid circumstances
15. _____ Are flexible in how they see events
16. _____ See change as an opportunity to improve, grow or adapt successfully *

INNOVATIVENESS: Being comfortable with and open to novel ideas and new information. People with this
competence:

17. _____ Seek out fresh ideas from a wide variety of sources
18. _____ Entertain original solutions to problems
19. _____ Generate new ideas
20. _____ Take fresh perspectives and risks in their thinking

SELF-MOTIVATION
ACHIEVEMENT DRIVE: Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence. People with this competence:

1. _____ Are results-oriented, with a high drive to meet their objectives and standards
2. _____ Set challenging goals and take calculated risks
3. _____ Pursue information to reduce uncertainty and find ways to do better
4. _____ Learn how to improve their performance

COMMITMENT: Aligning with the goals of the group or organization. People with this competence:

5. _____ Readily make personal or group sacrifices to meet a larger organizational goal
6. _____ Find a sense of purpose in the larger mission
7. _____ Use the group’s core values in making decisions and clarifying choices
8. _____ Actively seek out opportunities to fulfill the group’s mission

INITIATIVE: Readiness to act on opportunities. People with this competence:

9. _____ Are ready to seize opportunities

10. _____ Pursue goals beyond what’s required or expected of them
11. _____ Cut through red tape and bend the rules when necessary to get the job done
12. _____ Mobilize others through unusual, enterprising efforts

OPTIMISM: Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks. People with this competence:

13. _____ Persist in seeking goals despite obstacles and setbacks

14. _____ Operate from hope of success rather than fear of failure
15. _____ See setbacks as due to manageable circumstance rather than a personal flaw
16. _____ Are positive and optimistic rather than negative and pessimistic *

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 SOCIAL COMPETENCE

Social Awareness

EMPATHY: Sensing others’ feelings and perspective, and taking an active interest in their concerns. People with
this competence:

1. _____ Are attentive to emotional cues and listen well

2. _____ Show sensitivity and understand others’ perspectives
3. _____ Help out based on understanding other people’s needs and feelings
4. _____ Respond with concern, understanding and compassion for others *

SERVICE, HELPING ORIENTATION: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting others' needs. People with this
competence:

5. _____ Understand the needs of others and actively respond to the needs of others *
6. _____ Seek ways to increase and add to the happiness and satisfaction of others *
7. _____ Gladly offer assistance and help when appropriate
8. _____ Understand and accept another person's perspective and personal needs *

DEVELOPING OTHERS: Sensing what others need in order to develop, and bolstering their abilities. People with
this competence:

9. _____ Acknowledge and reward people’s strengths, accomplishments, and development

10. _____ Offer useful feedback and identify people’s needs for development
11. _____ Mentor, give timely coaching, and offer assignments that challenge and grow a person’s skill
12. _____ See and respond to the best in people; openly recognize and reinforce positive characteristics in others *

LEVERAGING DIVERSITY: Cultivating opportunities through diverse people. People with this competence:

13. _____ Respect and relate well to people from varied backgrounds
14. _____ Understand diverse worldviews and are sensitive to group differences
15. _____ See diversity as opportunity, creating an environment where diverse people can thrive
16. _____ Challenge bias and intolerance

POLITICAL AWARENESS: Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships. People with this
competence:

17. _____ Accurately read key power relationships

18. _____ Detect crucial social networks
19. _____ Understand the forces that shape views and actions of clients, customers, or competitors
20. _____ Accurately read situations and organizational and external realities

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SOCIAL SKILLS
INFLUENCE: Wielding effective tactics for persuasion. People with this competence:

1. _____ Are skilled at persuasion

2. _____ Fine-tune presentations to appeal to the listener
3. _____ Use complex strategies like indirect influence to build consensus and support
4. _____ Orchestrate dramatic events to effectively make a point

COMMUNICATION: Sending clear and convincing messages. People with this competence:

5. _____ Are effective in give-and-take, registering emotional cues in attuning their message
6. _____ Deal with difficult issues straightforwardly
7. _____ Listen well, seek mutual understanding, and welcome sharing of information fully
8. _____ Foster open communication and stay receptive to bad news as well as good

LEADERSHIP: Inspiring and guiding groups and people. People with this competence:

9. _____ Articulate and arouse enthusiasm for a shared vision and mission
10. _____ Step forward to lead as needed, regardless of position
11. _____ Guide the performance of others while holding them accountable
12. _____ Lead by example, demonstrate positive productive inspiring behaviors*

CHANGE CATALYST: Initiating or managing change. People with this competence:

13. _____ Recognize the need for change and remove barriers
14. _____ Challenge the status quo to acknowledge the need for change
15. _____ Champion the change and enlist others in its pursuit
16. _____ Model the change expected of others

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: Negotiating and resolving disagreements. People with this competence:

17. _____ Handle difficult people and tense situations with diplomacy and tact
18. _____ Spot potential conflict, bring disagreements into the open, and help deescalate
19. _____ Encourage debate and open discussion
20. _____ Orchestrate win-win solutions

BUILDING BONDS: Nurturing instrumental relationships. People with this competence:

21. _____ Cultivate and maintain extensive informal networks

22. _____ Seek out relationships that are mutually beneficial
23. _____ Build rapport and keep others in the loop
24. _____ Make and maintain personal friendships among work associates

COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION: Working with others toward shared goals. People with this
competence:

25. _____ Balance a focus on task with attention to relationships

26. _____ Collaborate, sharing plans, information, and resources
27. _____ Promote a friendly, cooperative climate
28. _____ Spot and nurture opportunities for collaboration

TEAM CAPABILITIES: Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals. People with this competence:

29. _____ Model team qualities like respect, helpfulness, and cooperation
30. _____ Draw all members into active and enthusiastic participation
31. _____ Build team identity, esprit de corps, and commitment
32. _____ Protect the group and its reputation; share credit

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 Use the Scoring Sheet to assess your strengths and areas for potential improvement.
SKILL ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION SHEET:

Personal and Social Competencies

Use your Self-Report Inventory to Add Your Scores and Compute Subscores as Follows:
Place Subscores to Left of Personal/Social Competencies
The competencies are based on the work of the EIQ Consortium of Researchers as linked above.

PERSONAL COMPETENCE

Self-Awareness:
SUBSCORES
_____ EMOTIONAL AWARENESS: Recognizing one’s emotions and their effects.
_____ ACCURATE SELF-ASSESSMENT: Knowing one’s strengths and limits.
_____ SELF-CONFIDENCE: Sureness about one’s self-worth and capabilities.
Total Score: _____
TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 3 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SELF-AWARENESS SCORE ______

SELF-REGULATION

_____ SELF-CONTROL: Managing disruptive emotions and impulses.

_____ TRUSTWORTHINESS: Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity.
_____ CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: Taking responsibility for personal performance.
_____ ADAPTABILITY: Flexibility in handling change.
_____ INNOVATIVENESS: Being comfortable with and open to novel ideas and new information.

Total Score: _____TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 5 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SELF-REGULATION SCORE ______

SELF-MOTIVATION

_____ ACHIEVEMENT DRIVE: Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence.

_____ COMMITMENT: Aligning with the goals of the group or organization.
_____ INITIATIVE: Readiness to act on opportunities. People with this competence:
_____ OPTIMISM: Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks.
Total Score: _____ Divided by four = SUB-SCORE _____
TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 4 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SELF-MOTIVATION ______

SOCIAL COMPETENCE
Social Awareness
_____ EMPATHY: Sensing others’ feelings and perspective, and taking an active interest in their concerns.
_____ SERVICE, HELPING ORIENTATION: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting others' needs.
_____ DEVELOPING OTHERS: Sensing what others need in order to develop, and bolstering their abilities.
_____ LEVERAGING DIVERSITY: Cultivating opportunities through diverse people.
_____ POLITICAL AWARENESS: Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships.
Total Score: _____ Divided by four = SUB-SCORE _____

TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 5 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SOCIAL AWARENESS SCORE
______
SOCIAL SKILLS
Leadership

_____ INFLUENCE: Wielding effective tactics for persuasion.

_____ COMMUNICATION: Sending clear and convincing messages.
_____ LEADERSHIP: Inspiring and guiding groups and people.
_____ CHANGE CATALYST: Initiating or managing change.
Total Score: _____ Divided by four = SUB-SCORE _____

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TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 4 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SOCIAL SKILLS: LEADERSHIP SCORE ______

Team-Building

_____ CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: Negotiating and resolving disagreements.

_____ BUILDING BONDS: Nurturing instrumental relationships.
_____ COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION: Working with others toward shared goals.
_____ TEAM CAPABILITIES: Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals.
TOTAL SUBSCORES AND DIVIDE BY 4 ____ MULTIPLY BY 20 FOR SOCIAL-SKILLS: TEAM-
BUILDING SCORE ______

SKILL ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION Summary:

Personal Competencies

SELF-AWARENESS SCORE ______

SELF-REGULATION SCORE ______
SELF-MOTIVATION ______

Social Competencies/ Relationship Management

SOCIAL AWARENESS SCORE ______

SOCIAL SKILLS: LEADERSHIP SCORE ______
SOCIAL-SKILLS: TEAM-BUILDING SCORE ______

PERSONAL ENCOUNTER AND SELF-REFLECTIONS:

1. PERSONAL COMPETENCIES: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation and Self-Motivation Competencies

1a) What were your three highest individual personal competencies on your self-rating profile? Do you feel these
accurately reflect your
strengths? How will these help you to be successful in college, life and work?

1.

2.

3.

1b. What were your three lowest individual personal competencies in your profile? Do you feel the need to
increase your competencies in any of these areas?

1.

2.

3.

1c. What concrete plans for improvement will you offer to assist your personal growth? How can you evaluate or
measure these changes?

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 2. SOCIAL COMPETENCIES: SOCIAL SELF-AWARENESS, LEADERSHIP AND TEAM-BUILDING SKILLS

2a) What were your three highest individual Social Competencies on your self-rating profile? Do you feel these
accurately reflect your strengths? How will these help you to be successful in college, life and work?

1.

2.

3.

2b. What were your three lowest individual Social Competencies in your profile? Do you feel the need to increase
your competencies in any of these areas?

1.

2.

3.

2c. What concrete plans for improvement will you offer to assist your personal growth? How can you evaluate or
measure these changes?

3) OPTIONAL COMPETENCY: FEEDBACK

Ask a significant other to fill out the COMPETENCY RATING SHEET and rate your present skills.
Ask them to circle five outstanding competencies that you demonstrate clearly and five that they would like to see
you develop to a higher level.

List these ten competencies and respond to the feedback you were given by this significant other person who
knows you well.

As Daniel Goleman writes:

"As educators, we aspire to help our students acquire more than just knowledge. We strive to help them develop
into concerned citizens, active participants in their organizations and communities, and loving family members.
Emotional intelligence competencies enable a person to use their knowledge effectively toward building a better
society and becoming a better person."

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