SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework
Looking for a Systematic Approach to Identifying and Developing Leaders?
SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework organizes 50 evidence-based competencies into four categories: cognitive, interpersonal, personal, and senior leadership skills, built on more than 50 years of research and refined through work with over 8,500 organizations across North America. Because the framework connects directly to a validated assessment, organizations can measure where a leader actually stands on each competency rather than relying on guesswork. If your organization needs a structured way to select, identify, and develop talent while measuring performance consistently, this framework provides that foundation.
Assess 50 Leadership Competencies with the LSP-R
The Leadership Skills Profile – Revised® (LSP-R®) measures personality-based potential on all 50 competencies in SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework. In just 25 minutes you can get fast, reliable insight to support high-potential identification, leadership development, team building, succession planning, and more. New to the LSP-R? Take the free trial and see how data-driven insights can make a difference at your organization.
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What is a Competency?
A competency is a characteristic, skill, attitude, or behavior that enhances job performance. Competencies reflect what an employee does, feels, and knows about the job. A leadership competency, therefore, is a competency that enhances leadership performance. For more information about competencies and competency frameworks, explore SIGMA’s Competency Frameworks 101.
What is SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework?
SIGMA’s leadership competency framework was developed by experienced consultants and Industrial-Organizational (IO) psychologists. It is evidence-based, scientifically validated, and refined through years of real-world application. Our competencies have been used by Fortune 500 companies, public institutions, and nonprofits around the world to identify, select, and develop top talent. The framework includes 50 competencies grouped into four categories. Expand the boxes below to learn about each one.
Cognitive leadership skills emphasize decision-making and problem solving. Competencies in this category include strategic thinking, analytical problem solving, and technical proficiency, along with the ability to demonstrate creativity and objectivity in working through problems, decisions, and risks.
Interpersonal leadership skills include working effectively and cooperatively with people and maintaining positive interpersonal relationships. Behaviors in this category include communication and negotiation skills, emotional intelligence, sensitivity to others, openness to suggestions, and the ability to manage others’ impressions and lead through change.
Personal leadership qualities reflect the traits and personal characteristics that facilitate success in a leadership role. These qualities include demonstrating ambition, dependability, self-confidence, and the ability to adapt to new situations and remain composed under stress.
Senior leadership skills are crucial for day-to-day operations and steering the organization in a positive direction. These behaviors involve setting clear objectives, planning and initiating structure, communicating performance expectations and priorities, and monitoring employee and team progress toward long-term goals. Behaviors in this category also include coaching, mentoring, and delegating effectively, as well as the ability to attract, select, and retain top talent.
Figure 1. SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework
What are the Key Components of a Leadership Competency Framework?
A complete leadership competency framework has three key components:
- Competency Definitions state, in plain language, what each skill means. SIGMA, for example, defines Communication as keeping direct reports and leaders informed about decisions, events, and developments that affect them.
- Behavioral Indicators are the specific, observable actions that show a competency in practice. They give reviewers a consistent, objective standard to score against.
- Proficiency Levels sort those behaviors into a progression. For Communication, a leader might move from Acceptable (sharing relevant information in a timely manner) to Accomplished (communicating in effective, creative ways across the department) to Advanced (building information-sharing strategies between departments).
Defining competencies down to this level of detail is what makes a framework usable for hiring, performance reviews, and development planning, not just a list of leadership traits.
Why Use a Competency Framework?
SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework helps organizations define, assess, and develop the leadership skills needed to drive long-term business success. Most organizations have a set of values or other guiding principles. Competency frameworks are slightly different. Unlike mission, vision, and values statements, which function as an overall philosophy, competency frameworks are more skills-based, mapping out the tangible requirements needed for leaders to thrive in a particular position. That means anyone can benefit from implementing a competency framework — even if the organization has other models in place.
Benefits of a Leadership Competency Framework
Here are just a few additional advantages a robust competency framework can bring:
- Development opportunities for individuals at all levels of leadership potential.
- Common language for discussing performance and success.
- Enhanced organizational communication and teamwork.
- Systematic definition, evaluation, and development of leadership skills.
- Objective foundation for selection and promotion.
- Improved employee morale and job satisfaction.
- Greater consistency across hiring, onboarding, performance management, and leadership development.
How to Apply SIGMA’s Competency Framework
SIGMA’s competency-based approach ensures leaders receive practical, targeted development aligned with organizational priorities.
Assess
Use SIGMA’s flagship leadership assessment, the Leadership Skills Profile – Revised® (LSP-R®) to assess each of the 50 competencies in SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework.
Train
Bring practical, competency-based training to your team with SIGMA’s Leadership Development Workshops. Each session is 60-minutes long, delivered virtually by one of our expert consultants, and focuses on one of the 50 competencies in our framework.
Develop
Download SIGMA’s leadership development guides to access practical tips and tools for developing each competency. To talk through customized, competency-based coaching and development options, complete the form below.
How to Customize SIGMA’s Framework for Your Organization or Industry
SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework is designed to apply broadly, across industries and roles. The same 50 competencies are relevant whether you’re developing leaders in financial services, healthcare, technology, or the public sector. What changes is not the assessment itself, but which of those competencies matter most in a given context.
SIGMA’s benchmarking option lets you narrow a leader’s results to the specific competencies most relevant to a position, department, or industry, so the report reflects what leadership looks like in that context. Benchmarking is built with input from subject matter experts inside your organization: SIGMA works with you to identify people with direct experience in key roles, then uses their feedback to determine which competencies should be prioritized in the report.
The result is a leadership development or selection process that stays grounded in the same validated framework and assessment, while reporting on the competencies your organization cares about most. Learn more about customizing your results with benchmarking, or contact us to talk through how benchmarking could apply to your team.
Why Choose SIGMA?
SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework is both scientifically validated and proven across industries, offering a solid foundation for effective leadership development. Backed by a robust suite of tools and professional services, our framework empowers organizations to assess, identify, select, and develop top talent with confidence. Our competency framework helps organizations create consistent, objective, and scalable leadership development programs. When you implement SIGMA’s framework, you’re not just adopting a model — you’re unlocking a comprehensive, research-based system designed to support your leaders at every stage of their development journey. Contact us to learn more.
Ask Our Consultants
If you would like to speak with a consultant about SIGMA’s leadership competency framework, please contact us or schedule a call. Our team is available to answer any questions and discuss how SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework can help your organization build a stronger, more strategic talent development process.
Erica Sutherland, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant & Executive Coach
Erica completed her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational psychology at Western University. She is a Senior Consultant at SIGMA, where she delivers consulting services and Succession Planning solutions to clients. As a member of SIGMA’s executive coaching team, Erica works one-on-one with leaders to develop talent. She also brings her expertise in measurement and psychometrics to the R&D team, assisting with the development and validation of SIGMA’s many assessments.
Brittney Anderson, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant & Executive Coach
Brittney is a member of our coaching and consulting team. She brings her expertise in evidence-based practice to provide companies with leadership solutions that meet their needs. Primarily, Brittney helps her clients prepare for their future with succession planning and comprehensive leadership development programs. As an executive coach, she helps leaders hone their skills using a process-based approach to development.
Ready to Get Started?
Equip your leaders with the skills they need to thrive. Complete the form below to discover how SIGMA’s Leadership Competency Framework can help your organization maximize its people potential.
