How to Define Leadership Competencies in Your Organization (03/03/2026)

Happy Tuesday!

Our team is gathering in Indianapolis this week. As you read this, we are planning and building the future of the Kevin Eikenberry Group. You will see and notice the fruits of our labors in small and big ways coming soon. I promise to highlight the parts that will make a difference in your life and work.

I’m writing about competencies and perspectives today – both are important for us individually and organizationally.

I hope both give you a new perspective for your week. If they do, forward this it someone (and encourage them to subscribe) so they can see what you now see.

Thanks for reading.

You are Remarkable!

Kevin 😊

The Perspective Gap

My daughter Kelsey starts a new job today. This isn’t just a new employer, but will provide her with a new set of experiences, including:

• Working in the office four days a week

• Commuting!

• Being a new leader

Her first job out of college was during Covid, so she started remotely, and her now previous employer allowed for nearly complete remote work ever since.

I’m proud of and excited for her. We had a recent conversation about the importance of getting in-office work experience. She’s excited and not-surprisingly a bit apprehensive too.

I’m not writing this as a proud Dad. I’m writing it to remind us of an imperative and a principle.

If you are over thirty, you need to remember that you may have peers or lead team members who have a very different work background and experiences than you. If your experience is “in-office then remote”, and their experience is either “all remote” or “remote then office,” both parties have a perspective gap due to your differences in experiences.

It is our job as a leader to recognize this perspective gap and close it through conversation and listening. If this is your situation, make sure you make time for intentional conversations about how people are experiencing work and clarifying expectations (that might seem obvious to you based on your experience) to help them succeed.

In general, we must remember that assuming serves no one. The problems we’ve all experienced with assumptions are rooted in a perspective gap. We believe other people have the same experience we have, and therefore, the same perspective.

Look to share and understand the perspective of others. When you close the perspective gap you will make better decisions and have better relationships too.

How to Define Leadership Competencies in Your Organization

If you want to develop your leaders, you must know what you want those leaders to look like. For many organizations, that means defining leadership competencies as the desired outcome of those efforts. Whether you hire a partner to bring an external perspective and process to help you, or do it internally, there are six criteria that must exist if you want competencies that are clear and that support your organizational objectives.

KEEP READING

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