According to this model, competencies resemble an iceberg. Above the waterline – visible and easily observed – are . These surface competencies are relatively easy to develop through training and education.
The Spencer and Spencer Competency Dictionary is available in PDF format, making it easily accessible to organizations and individuals. There are several ways to access the PDF:
The ability to adapt to and work effectively within a variety of situations, individuals, or groups.
This approach allows you to probe for specific evidence of past behavior, which is the best predictor of future performance. This methodology is legally defensible and significantly improves the quality of hire. Spencer And Spencer Competency Dictionary Pdf
A scanning behavior that goes beyond standard questions to gather deep data. 2. Helping and Human Service Cluster
The , originally published in the 1993 book Competence at Work: Models for Superior Performance by Lyle and Signe Spencer, is a foundational HR framework for defining and measuring workplace success. It defines a "competency" as an underlying individual characteristic (like a motive, trait, or skill) that causally relates to superior job performance. Core Concepts
No model is perfect. While the is powerful, be aware of its limits: According to this model, competencies resemble an iceberg
▲ [ Knowledge ] Visible (Easy to develop) ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ [ Skills ] ═════════════════════════════════ Water Line ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ [ Social Role ] Hidden (Harder to change, ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ [ Self-Concept] but drive long-term ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ [ Traits ] superior performance) ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ [ Motives ]
Some critics argue that Spencer’s competencies are better understood as . People with high analytical thinking, for example, habitually break problems into parts – but this cognitive orientation may not manifest in easily observable behaviors.
Searching for the is a sign that you are serious about moving beyond guesswork in HR. While you should obtain the original text legally, the true value of the Spencer and Spencer model is not just the PDF file—it is the methodology . The Spencer and Spencer Competency Dictionary is available
The dictionary is the direct product of the seminal book published by Lyle M. Spencer Jr. and Signe M. Spencer in 1993. This work is rooted in the pioneering research of David McClelland, who in the 1970s challenged traditional aptitude and intelligence tests, arguing that they were poor predictors of job success. Instead, he proposed that a person's underlying characteristics, or "competencies," were the true determinants of high performance.
To understand the dictionary, you must first understand the "Iceberg Model" (or the "Competency Model"). Spencer and Spencer divided competencies into two categories:
What the “competency dictionary” means
Using the behavioral indicators as benchmarks, evaluate current performance levels. A typical scale ranges from 1 (low) to 5 (high), corresponding to the behavioral descriptions.