Align - competency models

 If objectives are the “what,” competencies define the “how.”
At Leadership Variations, we help organizations build clear, behaviorally specific leadership standards—rooted in your business goals, culture, and how work actually gets done.

Competency models shouldn’t be generic or aspirational. Done well, they become the backbone of talent decisions—used to hire, promote, develop, and coach more effectively across the full talent lifecycle.

We don’t just build competency models—we build tools that work.

Our approach is:

• Business-Aligned: Grounded in your strategy and tied to real performance outcomes 
• Inclusive: Co-created with your team to reflect your culture, not impose someone else’s 
• Flexible: Designed from scratch or reshaped from what you already use—no reinvention for reinvention’s sake 
• Field-Tested: Backed by 25+ years of practical, cross-industry experience and academic rigor

Whether you need full-model design or targeted upgrades, we offer tailored support that fits where you are:

• Custom Model Development
  Build core, functional, or technical leadership competency models that define what “great” looks like in your business
   
• Model Expansion or Validation
  Refine what you have—ensure your competency framework is complete, current, and aligned to strategy
   
• Behavioral Leveling
  Define clear, observable behaviors by level (from entry to executive) to support coaching, development, and performance management
   
• Competency-Based Tools & Applications
  Turn your model into action—interview guides, 360s, performance systems, and development tools built to drive decisions