Written by Stella H. Kim
Published January 18, 2024
On Developing the 9 HRCap PRICELESS Core Competencies
Highly Sought-After Critical Talent over Natural-Born Geniuses
As we step into the new year, we all often make resolutions to grow and improve ourselves. Organizations also heavily focus on recruiting critical talent and investing in leadership development to achieve their business goals for the year.
U.S. conglomerates IBM and GE, tech giants Google and Amazon, and top Korean companies like LG, Samsung, and SK also heavily invest in identifying and developing critical talent (high performers).
According to McKinsey & Company, high performers were four times more productive than average employees, with 10% of the productivity coming from the top 1% of employees and 26% of output coming from the top 5%.
Samsung’s business proclamation, “One genius will feed 100,000 people,” also emphasizes the importance of high performers on corporate success.
Indeed, geniuses may certainly have the differentiated intelligence that easily leads to unmatched business performance, but not all geniuses are critical talent. If that’s the case, who are the critical talent, and how exactly are companies defining “critical” today?
Organizations strive to hire and develop the best-fit talents for their essential role and the company culture. However, in today’s quickly evolving market, it’s simply not enough to hire just based on best-fit credentials and intelligence. In fact, companies must hire critical talent that can embody the corporate brand, navigate the evolving landscape, and actively develop themselves to achieve business results and futureproof the organization. These critical talents have the core competency and the essential leadership to continuously positively transform and advance themselves, their teams, the organizations, and even the greater industry.
HRCap, a Top 10 Global Executive Search & HR Consulting firm, has identified 9 core competencies that a critical talent must embody. We thoroughly screen candidates for client recommendations and develop internal teams based on the following 9 HRCap PRICELESS Core Competency Model.
1. Passion: Intellectual Curiosity, Determination, Self-Motivation
2. Resourcefulness: Wisdom, Drive, Accountability
3. Integration: Collaboration, Synergy, Inclusion, Global Mindset
4. Communication: Delivery, Presentation, Persuasion
5. Ethics: Morals, Credibility, Positive Influence, Social Good
6. Learning agility: Adaptability, Flexibility, Willingness to Learn
7. Execution: Action, Application, Change Management, Leadership
8. Strategy: Business Acumen, Logic, Insight, Analytical Skills
9. Self-awareness: Self-Conscious, Self-Esteem, Humbleness, Responsibility
In other words, the nine HRCap core competencies are indeed priceless and invaluable for recruiting and developing critical talent. Futuristic companies are also heavily focused on identifying and strengthening these core competencies across their global workforce.
As such, we must invest in ourselves and consistently develop all nine competencies to excel and feel fulfilled at work. The speed and extent of one’s skills development will depend on one’s attitude and mindset. Ultimately, core competency must be coupled with a positive attitude to realize sustained success.
Not everyone is born a genius, but anyone can strive to become a highly sought-after critical talent.
Stella H. Kim, SPHR
HRCap – SVP, Head of Americas & Chief Marketing Office
