What's the Difference between Skills and Competencies?


What are Skills?

Skills define precisely discovered activities, and that they vary extensively in phrases of complexity. Skills are the talents or understanding you want so as to finish a particular task. We also can describe them as proficiencies you increase through education or experience. Basically, skills are the learned abilities you need in order to perform a specific task. Skills indicate what type of talents or abilities a person needs in order to perform a specific task.

For example, handling accounts, computer programming, and writing tenders are skills you can learn in a job.

Key types of skills are –

1. Active listening skills

Active listening involves the ability to pay full attention to the speaker, absorb their message, understand information, and respond appropriately. Active listeners use both verbal and non-verbal cues to express and maintain their focus on the speaker. Active listening skills can demonstrate that you are engaged and interested in the current task or project or assignment.

To hone your active listening skills, you can practice taking notes, being on time, and asking questions when necessary

2. Communication skills

Most jobs require communication skills. Communication skills are basically the talents you use to give and receive different types of information. Some examples include sharing thoughts, feelings, or information about what is going on around you. Listening, observing, speaking, and empathizing are all communication skills. Strong communication skills are essential in all businesses and at all career levels.

What are Competencies?

Competencies identify the observable behaviors that a successful performer reveals at the process. Those behaviors are the end result of various abilities, skills, knowledge, motivations, and traits an employee might also additionally possess. Competencies take "skills'' and comprise them into on-the-process behaviors. Those behaviors reveal the cap potential to carry out the process necessities competently.

Competency may be absolutely described because of the capacity to carry out a mission efficiently and successfully. It’s a broader idea than skills. Competencies contain skills, knowledge, and abilities and comprise them into behaviors that exhibit the capacity to meet an activity requirement competently. In other words, they provide an explanation for how a person efficiently plays the obligations of his or her activity or obtains the preferred goals.

1. Accountability

Also known as reliability or trustworthiness, accountability means getting things done, completing all necessary aspects of a project, and acting with honesty and integrity. You can work successfully without significant supervision or control and show management that they can rely on you to do your job independently. Personal responsibility shows your commitment to a set of beliefs.

2. Delegation

Many job initiatives require the participation of more than one team member. Delegation skills allow you to choose other colleagues to help you manage your workload and get the project done efficiently. This is an extremely important talent that you must demonstrate if you want to advance into a career where you lead people. Teamwork shows that you trust people and respect their contributions to the team. It can also encourage camaraderie and a spirit of cooperatio.

Difference between Skills and Competencies

There are many differences between competency and skills. Below, we have listed a few of them.

Competencies Skills
Competencies are the skills, knowledge, and abilities that make you successful in a work. Skills are the learned abilities you need in order to perform a specific task
Indicate how a task is performed efficiently and successfully Indicate what type of talents or abilities a person needs in order to perform a specific task.
Example: Problem-solving, negotiating and strategic planning are some examples of competencies Example: Handling accounts, computer programming, and writing tenders are skills you can learn in a job.
Competencies describe the styles of conduct which can be required to attain a purpose or entire undertaking Skills are an acquired functionality to perform a venture successfully
Competencies are the private developments that a character has that make one individual higher or worse than another. Skills may be categorized as hard abilities and soft abilities, with hard abilities being extra technical in nature and soft abilities being social
Competencies are the styles of conduct required that will help you apprehend how your activity suits into the grand scheme of factors and the way it impacts different jobs. Skills may be visible as a subset of competencies, that is why it’s every so often difficult to differentiate among the two.
Competencies are on occasion known as the ‘how’ to do something in place of the ‘what.’ Skills are also referred to as task-associated or technical behavior, and maximum often, they may be taught and discovered through education and practice

Conclusion

The main difference between competencies and skills is that skills are the talents and abilities you want so as to finish a selected challenge while skills talk to the capacity to carry out a challenge correctly and successfully. In brief, skills talk to the aggregate of capabilities, abilities, and knowledge.

Updated on: 25-Aug-2022

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