<Li> Provides focus for gaining information about a person's behavior on the job </Li> <Li> Facilitates effectiveness goal - setting around required development efforts and performance outcomes </Li> <P> Career paths: Development of stepping stones necessary for promotion and long term career - growth </P> <Ul> <Li> Clarifies the skills, knowledge, and characteristics required for the job or role in question and for the follow - on jobs </Li> <Li> Identifies necessary levels of proficiency for follow - on jobs </Li> <Li> Allows for the identification of clear, valid, legally defensible and achievable benchmarks for employees to progress upward </Li> <Li> Takes the guesswork out of career progression discussions </Li> </Ul>

A competency refers to a skill or knowledge that leads to superior performance