The reasons for competency models are compelling. Without criteria for hiring, promotion, placement, performance management and training, managers are left on their own to develop their own models, and HR systems don’t always offer optimal options. Quality hires, DEI goals, productivity, and a host of other HR metrics are in jeopardy without a common language for talent management.

After a two year COVID pause for the return of face-to-face training, we recently restarted delivery of our Paper Nation simulation for a large Midwest retailer. The OSI Paper Nation experience assigns nine or 10 participants to teams representing the highest roles of a global B2B paper manufacturer. They must grow the business over a five year period with aggressive goals in finance, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and clarity and communication of strategy.

I’m often asked which of the 41 Polaris® competencies are most important. In my opinion, the winners would be Influence Skills and Problem Solving & Decision-Making. Having a powerful voice and consistently making good choices are both vital to work, and perhaps life success. But other competencies play an important role in one’s leadership ability too.

The Polaris® Competency Change Agility relies on a subset of competencies that are especially relevant in our current volatile, uncertain and ambiguous world. As you do a personal inventory of your readiness for change, consider these supporting competencies and reevaluate your knowledge and skills in each area.

After 50+ years in the world of work, plus four decades of organizational consulting, I have concluded that the basics of good leadership do persist across time. My first, and best, experience with an everlasting leader was as a young officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. Here’s my story.

With much face-to-face training and coaching still on hold, leader training has faced a challenge. But one technique has not missed a beat during the pandemic: survey guided leadership development, using a 360° survey to diagnose a leader’s strengths and opportunities. OSI continues to support a number of coaches and organizations involved in 360°s. Here’s a consensus from them on best practice for this methodology.

Our abrupt shift in 2020 to remote work seems likely to stay to some degree for countless individuals. This has come with personal and social costs for many. This raises the questions, what are the differences, if any, in what remote teams need from their leaders? How does/should leadership change in a remote environment?

During the pandemic we’ve been fortunate enough at OSI to be able to shift much of our work to remote, safer locations. In my case, I’ve set up shop in our comfortable home library, which we affectionately call the Jumanji Room as it contains mementos of our 40+ years of travel.

We noticed that for many of us this time quarantined at home has provided found time to devote to personal growth. But COVID-19, recession, and social unrest have certainly presented a host of challenges to clear thinking and thoughtful plans. To help reflect on best practice, and compose this article we’ve enlisted the aid of coach, colleague, and friend, Laurel Marshall. We would also like to thank our Canadian comrade and strategic partner, Bob Power, for his read and review. Our complete article is included as an attachment but here are the elements we agreed were absolutely essential to any good professional development plan.

The current global pandemic has resulted in an extraordinary need for strong leaders. Citizens in every city, state, and country are desperate for direction and hope. Those of us in the leadership business find ourselves immersed in a remarkable living leadership laboratory.