Charles Spearman's 6 Core Competencies

Performance management starts by defining the skills and behaviors needed for an employee to succeed in a position. Employees who possess the skills and competencies to perform their work and can meet the expectations for their role are more engaged and satisfied (Nelson & Quick, 2017 p.92). Hiring and selecting the right talent requires identifying potential candidates who possess the abilities and behaviors required to perform the tasks for a specific position. Individuals are different in terms of personality, attitudes, skills, abilities, moods. However, a concept introduced about 100 years ago by Charles Spearman, states that General Mental Ability (GMA), which includes a person’s skills and abilities is the best way to predict
On Exhibit 1.1 the competencies are listed with descriptions of behaviors that exemplify a skilled worker for each one of them. · Compassion - Work with adults with mental health and/or various addiction issues
· Managing time - Display coping skills to deal with multiple duties and priorities; Manage time effectively to meet deadline and objectives
· Communication - communicate clearly verbally and in written form; communicates significant events or information to the treatment team. Documents critical information in patient records, and completes accident/incident reports as needed; Apply persuasive skills when interacting with patients and visitors; reads and understands instructions in written and verbal formats
· Interpersonal relationships – establish and maintain professional boundaries; Work with adults with mental health and/or various addiction issues
· Collectedness - Respond to emergency situations per protocol; Conducts safety checks on all patients throughout the shift and reports any abnormalities
A typical work shift is highly engaging with activities ranging from providing transportation services for patients to completing patient assessments. The complexity of this position comes into play with overlapping administrative and clinical responsibilities. Exhibit 1.3 depicts the Director of Clinical Services Team Org Chart at Santé. As shown, MHT’s report to the Director of Nursing. While on the job, MHT’s report to the Nurse on Duty however this person has limited assignment responsibility and no supervisory authority over the technicians. The lack of authority and supervision inherent in the Nursing role coupled with a lack of performance management, documented policies and procedures, and standardized training from the Director of Nursing has left MHT’s vulnerable to ambiguous job expectations, low morale, and decreased job satisfaction. Adding a Mental Health Tech Manager, as depicted in exhibit 1.4, will “fill the organizational gap” giving MHT’s increased visibility, advocacy, and support. This newly created role will need to develop an overall management plan that includes participation in the interview, selection, and hiring of MHT’s, development of comprehensive behavior management training, and implementation of performance management