BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY

Competency Profile for Federal Public Service 
Evaluation Professionals 

January 2002

Prepared by 

Research and Development Division
Personnel Psychology Centre

For

The Centre of Excellence for Evaluation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments	  1

Introduction	  4
	Key Elements of the Development Process	  4
	Overview of the Evaluation Profile	 5
	Importance of Competencies by Level	  6
	Human Resource Applications	  7

The Competency Profile	  8

Intellectual Competencies	  8
Future Building Competencies	  11
Management Competencies	  13
Relationship Competencies	  18
Personal Competencies	  21

Contact Information	  27
End Notes	  27

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This competency profile represents the efforts of a large number of evaluation professionals, senior managers in the evaluation community, members of the Centre of Excellence for the evaluation community (CEE) and of the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS). The Centres of Excellence for Internal Audit and Evaluation share common goals with respect to building community capacity, thus where feasible, aspects of the competency profile development process were conducted simultaneously (e.g., the competency survey) to enhance efficiency. The success of this initiative would not have been possible were it not for the substantial contributions of hundreds of professionals across the evaluation community. In all, 355 professionals across the evaluation and audit communities took part in the survey, representing a response rate of 61%. Participants represented 59 different departments and agencies across the federal public service.
The following individuals participated in interviews at the outset of the competency development process, providing information concerning departmental objectives, priorities and challenges as well as the context and culture of evaluation work in the federal Public Service.

Marion Clark, 
A/Executive Director, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)	
Roy Maddocks, 
Director, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)	

Myra Conway, 
Director General, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)	
Deborah McCorkell-Hoy, 
Director, Justice (JUS)	

Bram Deurloo, 
Director General, Correctional Services Canada (CSC)	
Lee McCormack,
Executive Director, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)	

Jonathan Fisher, 
Director General, Transport Canada (TC)	
Owen Taylor, 
Director General, Industry Canada (IC)	

Bob Lahey, 
Senior Director, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)	
Caroline Weber, 
A/Director General, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)	

Information obtained from the interviews, as well as information from other sources (e.g., departmental competency profiles) was used in the development of a preliminary version of a community-wide survey. The following individuals contributed their time to reviewing and commenting on the preliminary version of this survey.

Martin Dompierre, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)	
Christine Lau, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)	

Behrooz Ghorbani, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)	
Brigitte Marois, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)	

Benoît-Paul Hébert, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)	
Paul Prieur, Natural Resources Canada (NRC)	

Alain Larivière, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)	
Gail Young, Transport Canada (TC)	

Information obtained from the survey, as well as information collected during previous stages of the development process, were used to construct a preliminary version of the Evaluation Profile. Evaluation professionals working at the junior, intermediate, and senior levels were asked to provide feedback on this provisional profile - collected in writing and in interactive discussion sessions. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the following people to this feedback phase of the development process:

Johanne Ascoli, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)	
Ibolya Galambos, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)	
Dennis Moore, National Defense (DND)	

Nicole Asselin, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)	
Mel Glustien, National Defense (DND)	
Suzanne Roussel, Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency (ACOA)	

Salah Bendaoud, Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
	
Marie-Thérèse Hokayem, Correctional Services (CSC)	
Marjolaine Schaan, Heritage Canada (PCH)	

André Bernier, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)	
Robert Jones, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)	
Eric Seraphim, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)	

Lynn Bougard, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)	
Gordon Lenjosek, Finance (FIN)	
Stéphane Sirard, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)

Ann-Marie Cooper, National Resources Canada (NRCan)	
Dianne Lepa, Heritage Canada (PCH)	
Peggy Smyth, Canadian Heritage (PCH)

Jack Cramer, National Resources Canada (NRCan)	
Donald MacDonald, Finance (FIN)	
Brenda St. Marseille, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) 	

Huguette Croteau, Health Canada (HC)	
Maurice Mandale, Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency (ACOA)	
Unnati Vasavada, Transport Canada (TC)	

Veronica Doyle, Justice (JUS)	
Kevin McKenzie, Health Canada (HC)	
Christopher Wilson, Public Service Commission (PSC)	

Lorraine Gabor, Heritage Canada PCH	
Paula McLenaghan, Justice (JUS)	
Valerie Young, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)	

Finally, we gratefully acknowledge the direction, vision, and support of the members of the Joint Evaluation and Internal Audit Steering Committee:

Mario Bot, Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Myra Conway, Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
Janet Harrison, Dev Loyola-Nazareth and Robin Strang, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)
Heather Hopwood, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Robert Lahey, Nancy McMahon and Yolande Andrews, Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)

INTRODUCTION
This document contains the competency profile developed for evaluation professionals across the federal Public Service. The Evaluation Profile describes generic characteristics deemed important for successful performance of evaluation work at the junior, intermediate and senior professional levels, up to but not including positions at the executive or equivalent levels. It was produced for the Evaluation Community to help departments rebuild their human resource capacity. The profile is not prescriptive in nature, rather departments may choose to use the entire profile, parts of the profile or to adapt the profile to meet specific departmental needs. How a department or group of departments sees fit to use the profile may also vary as a function of particular Human Resource Management (HRM) applications. Departments or groups of departments could use the profile as is for recruitment and subsequent training and development plans, while at the same time using elements of the profile in succession planning. However, in keeping with the objective of its development, the profile is not intended for use in performance assessment. 
Key Elements of the Development Process
The Evaluation Profile was modeled on the fourteen competencies contained in the Profile of Public Service Leadership Competencies and provides an overview of the individual that extends beyond skills and abilities to include attitudes, values, styles and personality. The leadership competencies have been adapted to reflect the specific culture, values, needs, and future goals and challenges of the federal Public Service Evaluation Community. 
Adaptation of the profile was conducted in collaboration with evaluation professionals and managers representing 59 federal departments and agencies, and with the support of the Centre of Excellence for Evaluation (TBS).  Input from the community was gathered using multiple methods, including the review of proffered departmental documentation (e.g., departmental profiles), one-on-one interviews, a community-wide survey, joint working sessions, written feedback, and interactive group sessions. Those consulted shared with us their views on the community as a whole, the specific challenges faced by evaluation professionals, current and future community objectives, and the characteristics and behaviours deemed essential for successful performance as an evaluation professional.
Figure 1 lists the key goals of the development process including: the identification of characteristics related to successful performance; core competencies required across departments, rather than specific competencies required in some departments but not others; and characteristics linked to achieving organizational (e.g., implementation of the Evaluation Policy) and government-wide (e.g., representativeness) initiatives. 

figure 1.
five key development objectives
Competencies must: 
 be related to the successful performance of evaluation work, 
 be core (i.e., required across departments), 			
 be inclusive (i.e., represent the domain of effective job-related behaviours),
 not constitute work-irrelevant barrier(s), and
 be linked to current and future organizational objectives.

figure 2. 
intellectual

Cognitive Capacity
Creativity

future building 

Visioning

management

Action Management 
Organizational Awareness
Teamwork
Partnering

relationship

Interpersonal Relations
Communication

personal

Stamina and Stress Resistance
Ethics and Values
Personality
Behavioural Flexibility
Self-confidence

Overview of the Evaluation Profile
The 14 evaluation competencies are organized into the five clusters illustrated in Figure 2: (1) Intellectual Competencies, (2) Future Building Competencies, (3) Management Competencies, (4) Relationship Competencies, and (5) Personal Competencies.  For each competency within a cluster, there is a generic description of the competency as well as a set of three to five behavioural indicators tailored specifically to each of the three evaluation levels (i.e., junior, intermediate, and senior). The definition reflects the general meaning of a competency for evaluation professionals, while the behavioural indicators are examples of how a particular competency may manifest itself in concrete behavioural terms.
A single behavioural indicator may take different forms as a function of level. For example, "valuing effective two-way communication” (an indicator of good communication skills) manifests itself differently in the work of junior evaluators than it does for intermediate and senior evaluators. Further, a behavioural indicator expressed at the junior level may also apply at subsequent levels of responsibility, even where not expressly stated. For example, “solicits and is responsive to input from others” is an important indicator of effective interpersonal relations at all levels. It is expressly stated at the junior professional level, but is also a requirement for effective interpersonal functioning at all subsequent levels of responsibility (i.e., for intermediate and senior level evaluators).

The needs of evaluators in both small and large departments were explicitly considered in the development of the narratives and behavioural indicators. Differences in the responsibilities of senior, and to a lesser extent intermediate, evaluators were particularly salient in the area of people management. The terminology used in the profile attempts to account for the differences in the scope, breadth and depth of responsibilities at these levels. Senior evaluators in some departments may be responsible for the management of internal project teams while the responsibilities of those in smaller departments may meet their objectives by leading intra-departmental project teams. The profile reflects this diversity of responsibility to the extent possible, but may require some adaptation in specific cases depending on the application.

figure 3. 

key competencies across all levels

Cognitive Capacity 
Communication 

additional competencies deemed important across all levels 

Organizational Awareness
Interpersonal Relations
Personality
Action Management
Teamwork
Self-confidence
Behavioural Flexibility
Ethics & Values

competencies deemed important at the senior level

Creativity
Visioning
Stamina & Stress Resistance
Partnering

Importance of Competencies by Level
The information collected during the development of the Evaluation Profile permits us to comment to some extent on the relative importance of each competency across the three levels profiled. We recommend that this information be used as a guide, augmented by the consideration of specific position and departmental needs. For example, some departments may find that given current and future priorities, a competency that is deemed important at one point in time or for one specific position, is less important at another point in time or for another position. 
The competencies fell into the three groupings illustrated in Figure 3. The first grouping is comprised of two competencies that were identified by participants at all three levels as essential to success on-the-job.  The second grouping of competencies were deemed at least moderately important by participants at all three levels to success on-the-job. The third grouping of competencies emerged for senior level professionals primarily, with the competencies either linked to future organizational objectives (e.g., partnering) or deemed at least moderately related to success on-the job. 

Human Resource Management Applications
figure 4. 

recruitment
				
The profile is valuable for use in recruitment initiatives, both centralized and de-centralized. A systematic community-wide application of the profile in recruitment can augment other initiatives by helping to ensure that newly recruited evaluators meet a set of common standards required by evaluators across the federal Public Service.  When used in conjunction with pre-qualified pools this approach can help to meet broader community goals (e.g., mobility needs) as well as specific departmental needs.

training and development
 
The profile may be used to help identify work-related competencies in need of development, either at the organizational or individual levels.  When systematically applied across a wider federal Public Service community, this maximizes the use of resources in the development and delivery of training programs that target common areas in need of development (e.g., ethics and values in evaluation work, presentation & facilitation skills).

team building 
 
The profile and knowledge of individual strengths and developmental needs may be used by managers to help build strong teams with the necessary competencies required to meet project objectives, while at the same time balancing team strengths with an individual’s need for development. 
The Evaluation Profile is intended as a tool for use by departments and managers in helping to rebuild human resource capacity. The profile is generic in nature and as such departments may choose to use the complete profile, parts of the profile, or to tailor the profile as required for specific departmental needs. Its content should continue to evolve with the community and as such should be reviewed periodically to ensure ongoing significance to the community. As already noted, in keeping with the objective of its development, the profile is not to be used in performance assessment. 
Figure 4 lists and briefly describes a variety of potential Human Resources Management applications (HRM). Underlying each application listed is the need to assess an individual or organization on targeted competencies.2 Depending on the application, the rigor of the assessment process may vary. For example, for entry-level recruitment assessment must be sufficiently rigorous so as to ensure that the selection process is fair and meritorious. When applied in a training and development setting or for the purposes of  team-building, assessment may be somewhat less comprehensive and can include assessment techniques such as 360o assessment, personal reflection and self-assessment, etc.
The impact of competency profiles in general can be maximized by systematically integrating competencies across multiple HRM areas. For example, use of the profile for selection of evaluators, training and development, and performance management provides continuity in building capacity to meet organizational objectives in core areas linked to success 
on-the-job. 

INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES

     Cognitive Capacity     

   Creativity     

Cognitive Capacity

Evaluation professionals plan, design and implement sound evaluation methodologies to assess and inform organizational programs, polices, and initiatives. They quickly comprehend the objectives of new programs, policies, and initiatives to which they are exposed and the context in which they operate. They are adept at systematically collecting and assimilating substantial quantities and types of information. Evaluation professionals use their strong cognitive skills in critically evaluating and interpreting research findings and in identifying gaps in, and limitations of, the evidence. They formulate plausible hypotheses, consider alternatives, and draw appropriate conclusions from research findings.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	identifies, assembles, and effectively uses information from multiple sources

•	applies appropriate data gathering and analysis techniques in evaluating aspects of programs and polices

•	rigorously analyzes information, extracts critical elements and identifies relevant links

•	draws sound conclusions from available data and recognizes limitations of the data	

•	identifies and applies sound methodologies to effectively evaluate program and policy effectiveness

•	analyzes evaluation results, extracts key elements, and formulates appropriate hypotheses 

•	proposes recommendations and results-based options that are feasible and useful to management, appropriately weighing the implications on programs and policies

•	anticipates day-to-day problems related to evaluation activities, and proposes viable solutions 	

•	recognizes strategic uses of evaluation methods in supporting policy, organizational objectives and decision-making

•	extracts key results and draws linkages with organizational priorities and government-wide objectives 

•	detects obstacles to project successes and develops solutions, balancing the risks and implications across multiple projects

•	analyzes and reconciles the multiple concerns of project and/or people management

Creativity

Evaluation professionals work in applied settings that at times present unique challenges to the sound implementation of investigative methodologies. They view programs and policies from diverse perspectives and when necessary propose innovative ways of assessing outcomes. Evaluation professionals explore and develop new ways of helping to enhance program and policy effectiveness and meeting client needs, despite working under tight deadlines or shortages in resources. They remain current in their areas of expertise and seek out novel opportunities for learning and professional development.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	views issues and problems from diverse perspectives

•	proposes innovative ideas and new solutions to problems 

•	pursues learning opportunities and ongoing professional development in evaluation	
•	promotes creativity, innovation, and an openness to new ideas 

•	challenges conventional methodologies and develops sound alternatives

•	models commitment to ongoing professional development and keeps abreast of new developments in professional field

•	generates alternative ways of improving or meeting expected program or policy results
	
•	cultivates a work setting  that fosters creativity, innovation, and an openness to diverse perspectives

•	questions current work approaches and develops others to optimize outcomes

•	analyses staff and/or organizational needs, and recommends appropriate mechanisms that facilitate ongoing professional development  

•	capitalizes on creative,  innovative ideas and approaches to better meet overall organizational objective	

FUTURE BUILDING COMPETENCIES

    Visioning     

Visioning

Evaluation professionals understand the vision of their organization and the broader evaluation community, using them to orient and guide their own work. They are committed role models in communicating the need for continuous efforts aimed at improving program and policy effectiveness. They effectively engage and help clients, managers, and stakeholders design, evaluate and align programs and policies with organizational and government-wide priorities. They align their work with organizational priorities and are guided by the vision, creating opportunities to further integrate results-based management into their organizational culture.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	demonstrates understanding of the role of evaluation in own organization

•	aligns own work with project, team and/or unit objectives 

•	adjusts own work to reflect new project or team directions	
•	demonstrates sound understanding of the role of evaluation in own organization and the broader Public Service

•	aligns work activities with the mandate of the organization and with relevant evaluation policies

•	adjusts project activities to reflect new organizational directions

•	keeps abreast of, and shares with team members and clients, changes in policies related to evaluation and results-based management
	
•	demonstrates sound understanding of the role and capacity of evaluation across the Public Service 

•	strategically aligns evaluation projects with  organizational mandate, objectives and priorities related to improving program and policy effectiveness  

•	models commitment to change, embracing new directions and facilitating achievement of new organizational and government-wide objectives

•	facilitates management efforts in  implementing evaluation and results-based management techniques

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

     Action Management     

     Organizational Awareness     

     Teamwork     

     Partnering     

Action Management

Evaluation professionals provide timely findings to management and stakeholders for use in planning and management decision-making. They work efficiently in both independent and group settings, often juggling multiple tasks or projects simultaneously. They manage their own time and individual work activities, securing all the resources at their disposal to accomplish multiple objectives in an effective, efficient manner. They set challenging goals and track the progress of their undertakings to ensure that they have the necessary resources to achieve desired results in a timely manner. When their responsibilities include managing teams, they delegate appropriately, guiding and mentoring less experienced colleagues.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	effectively manages multiple tasks or assignments 

•	organizes own work and consistently completes assigned work on time   

•	recognizes when additional help or information is needed to complete own work assignments
	
•	effectively manages evaluation projects, including coordinating team activities

•	sets goals and tracks progress to ensure that project objectives are achieved within established time frames

•	delegates work appropriately, maximizing team productivity by taking into account individual strengths

•	foresees potential obstacles and develops and acts on contingency plans when appropriate

•	moves multiple projects forward, ensuring that objectives are met and results are useful to clients and management

•	establishes and ensures that goals related to  quality, productivity and timeliness are achieved 

•	identifies and manages operational requirements for financial and human resources

•	guides, mentors and/or coaches less experienced colleagues 

Organizational Awareness

Evaluation professionals have a solid understanding of their organization and the role played by evaluation. They understand the challenges faced by managers in designing and monitoring the outcomes of programs, policies and initiatives and know who the key players are for any given project. They comprehend the complexities of internal and external organizational relationships, procedures, and relationships with key stakeholders. Evaluation professionals actively keep abreast of new organizational developments and upcoming initiatives related to evaluation work. 
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	develops understanding of own directorate, including its structure, mandate, vision and key priorities

•	develops formal and informal contacts within and outside immediate work team(s)

•	develops an understanding of client organization(s)

•	places one’s own work activities within a larger context	

•	knows own department, including its structure, mandate, vision and key priorities 

•	builds and effectively uses informal and formal networks within own department and client organizations

•	knows key clients, managers and recipients of evaluation services

•	places project activities within a broader context	

•	formulates persuasive arguments for evaluation initiatives based on knowledge of department’s mandate, vision and key priorities

•	develops and capitalizes on informal and formal networks with key stakeholders and groups within and outside own department

•	understands and keeps abreast of organizational and client needs in the area of evaluation

•	monitors pending and future initiatives and their implications for evaluation projects, policies and initiatives

Teamwork

Evaluation professionals are team oriented, working alongside clients, managers and stakeholders in facilitating increased effectiveness. They contribute fully to team and client initiatives. They develop and maintain respectful, collaborative, and positive relations with team members, clients and managers. Evaluation professionals seek input, share their own expertise, and consult openly, capitalizing on the diversity of experience, knowledge, expertise and backgrounds of others. They are at ease collaborating with individuals holding different professional viewpoints and work towards achieving consensus when differences arise.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	works collaboratively and productively with individuals from varied backgrounds (e.g., occupational groups, expertise, cultural backgrounds)

•	actively  contributes to team activities 

•	seeks input from others to help ensure that team or project objectives are successfully achieved

•	openly shares knowledge and expertise with team members	
•	facilitates collaboration, and maximizes team output, functioning, and morale

•	actively contributes to team activities and develops the foundation for positive relations with clients

•	consults openly with others to ensure that evaluation objectives are successfully achieved

•	actively and openly shares knowledge and expertise with colleagues, clients and management	
•	builds strong teams that capitalize on individual differences in expertise, competencies, and backgrounds

•	contributes fully to cross-functional and inter-organizational teams representing and promoting the evaluation perspective 

•	collaborates, and consults openly and transparently with colleagues, senior managers, and stakeholders

•	promotes cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and expertise 

Partnering

Evaluation professionals work within a complex environment which may include partnerships with other federal departments and agencies, levels of government, and non-governmental organizations. In this context, evaluators build and maintain formal and informal networks outside their own organizations to better achieve organizational objectives. They work collaboratively with partners to reconcile objectives and to achieve win-win solutions for the good of the Canadian public. They are adept at sharing resources and responsibilities, reducing inefficiency, and redundancies.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	works collaboratively with employees from other departments or organizations (e.g., shares expertise)

•	understands the role played by partners
	
•	forms and maintains  smooth working relationships with partners

•	recognizes opportunities to meet organizational objectives through partnerships

•	monitors working relationships with partners and proposes to superiors adjustments when necessary

•	identifies and capitalizes on opportunities to meet organizational objectives through partnerships

•	perceives when adjustments, fine tuning or termination of partnerships is necessary and takes appropriate action

•	establishes parameters for partnerships and determines how expertise will be shared with partners

RELATIONSHIP COMPETENCIES

     Interpersonal Relations     

     Communication     

Interpersonal Relations

Evaluation professionals interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds, occupational groups, specialty areas, and programs. They understand the unique contributions offered by others and the importance of developing and maintaining positive working relationships. They approach each interpersonal situation with sensitivity and diplomacy, possessing a genuine respect and concern for others and their situations. Evaluation professionals are skilled at recognizing and defusing potential conflict, using open and honest interactions. They use their facilitative skills in guiding clients, managers, and organizations, working collaboratively and openly.  
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	solicits and is responsive to input from others

•	demonstrates sensitivity, tact, and empathy for others and their situations, including individuals from diverse backgrounds, occupational groups, programs, etc.  
	•	demonstrates sensitivity and empathy for others and models respect for diversity
	•	manages group dynamics and interpersonal relationships within and across projects	

•	attempts to resolve personal and professional disagreements constructively with individual(s) involved 	•	delivers difficult or unpopular findings, recommendations, and messages with sensitivity and tact	•	recognizes and diffuses potentially confrontational situations using a variety of techniques (e.g.,  consensus building)
	
•	participates in evaluations in a manner that fosters strong working relationships and client trust
	•	manages evaluation projects in a manner that fosters strong relationships and client trust	•	promotes commitment to maintaining and building client trust	
		•	models understanding of and respect for diversity and its relation to enhanced organizational effectiveness 

Communication

An essential part of an evaluation professional’s role is communication. Evaluation professionals are dedicated to communicating clearly, transparently, and concisely, translating technical information into comprehensible forms that suit the needs of the audience. They communicate unpopular findings with tact, diplomacy and transparency, and use sound judgement when communicating sensitive material. They possess the communication skills required to identify and transmit the level of information required to permit timely, accurate decision-making. Evaluation professionals are active listeners and persistently seek a comprehensive understanding of the issue under discussion. 
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	
•	presents information logically, clearly and concisely, orally and in writing
			
•	actively seeks an understanding of information communicated, listening and seeking clarification when needed 
			
•	tailors communication style to suit the audience	•	adapts the style and content of communications to promote understanding of key concepts and usefulness of information to management
	•	keeps organization informed of broad project and evaluation issues and of emerging developments in the evaluation community 	
•	participates in maintaining effective two-way communication with team members and superiors 	•	fosters and maintains effective two-way communication with team members, superiors and clients  	•	cultivates and maintains effective two-way communication between teams members, clients and management

	•	communicates key messages persuasively to clients and management	•	promotes and delivers open, clear and  transparent messages across the organization

PERSONAL COMPETENCIES

     Stamina and Stress Resistance     

     Ethics and Values     

     Personality     

     Behavioural Flexibility     

     Self-confidence     

Stamina/Stress Resistance

Evaluation professionals may from time to time find themselves faced with work that has a high potential for stress. In such circumstances, evaluators have the ability to manage stress, remain energized and maintain a positive outlook. They regard difficult situations as challenging, remaining committed to professional principles, organizational objectives and priorities. Evaluation professionals are realistic about their own limits, using and expanding support mechanism as needed. They are proactive in maintaining an appropriate work/life balance and in taking steps to ensure that their energy reserves remain high over the long term. 
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	maintains professionalism, standards, and a  positive outlook during periods of stress and/or heavy workload
	
•	fosters a positive outlook during stressful situations or periods of heavy workload 		
•	uses personally effective strategies to cope with stressful situations
	•	maintains composure with colleagues, clients and management in difficult or stressful situations  (e.g., when delivering high impact results)
	•	maintains composure with colleagues, senior management and stakeholders in difficult or stressful situations

	•	recognizes personal limits and reactions to stress and develops strategies to maintain energy and productivity over the long term 
	•	develops and implements mechanisms that minimize stressors present in the work environment	
	•	balances work load and personal commitments to maintain energy over the long term
	•	takes responsibility for  fostering an environment that supports work-life balance	

Ethics and Values

Evaluation professionals hold themselves to high ethical and professional standards. They are objective, fair, and balanced when evaluating programs, policies and initiatives and strive to ensure that the information they gather is factual and complete. They thoroughly evaluate the potential for conflict of interest, and continually monitor the objectivity of the evaluation process. They consistently meet their commitments and obligations, and maintain an appropriate professional distance and credibility even in difficult, high pressure situations. Evaluation professionals treat others fairly, contributing to a climate of trust, acceptance and respect for others’ principles, values and beliefs.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	consistently strives to gather factual information and to ensure the accuracy of facts and findings	
•	models and reinforces the need for ethical and professional standards	
•	ensures that project objectives/goals are consistent with organizational and public service values and priorities
	
•	maintains objectivity when conducting and reporting on analyses
	•	maintains objectivity when conducting and reporting on evaluation outcomes, including those that may be perceived as unfavourable	•	maintains objective, fair and impartial human resource practices aligned with Public Service values (e.g., representativeness, and transparency)
	
•	recognizes and is open about limitations of own expertise and knowledge	•	recognizes ethical dilemmas and seeks advice or support to resolve them	•	minimizes potential for ethical dilemmas and/or conflict of interest

		•	maintains consistent performance standards across projects and people	

Personality

Evaluation professionals are energized by challenging goals and enthusiastically accept responsibility for their work activities. They pursue a high standard of excellence in their work and persevere when faced with setbacks or obstacles. They embrace diversity and capitalize on the value of individual differences in meeting project objectives.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	accepts challenging work activities
	
•	accepts and encourages others to take on challenging assignments as appropriate

	
•	perseveres despite obstacles	•	maintains optimism and perseveres in the face of setbacks	•	pursues persistently evaluation activities that further organizational objectives
	
•	accepts ownership of and responsibility for work assignments	•	pursues a high standard of excellence in one’s work and the work of team(s)	•	motivates others to achieve a high standard of excellence in their work 
	
•	responds to difficult situations in a professional manner	•	demonstrates positive and consistent workplace behaviour

	•	capitalizes on the diversity of personalities when managing projects	•	capitalizes on the diversity of personalities when establishing project teams

Behavioural Flexibility

Evaluation professionals adjust their behaviour to the demands of a changing work environment in order to remain productive. They adapt to the characteristics of particular situations and function effectively within a broad range of situations, people and groups. They look for and acquire new and more effective behaviours, discarding others when no longer effective. Their flexibility enables them to remain focussed and productive during periods of transition and uncertainty. Evaluation professionals are receptive to new ideas and alternative approaches, and are open to switching focus to meet new challenges.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	
•	handles ambiguous or incomplete information effectively
			
•	demonstrates an openness and receptivity to new ideas and approaches
	•	encourages and supports flexibility and its development 	•	creates an atmosphere which encourages flexibility, new ideas and approaches	
•	adapts behaviour to accommodate the needs of individuals or groups with different backgrounds 
	•	adapts behaviour to accommodate the needs of team members and clients with different backgrounds	•	maintains operational effectiveness in changing circumstances and environments	
•	switches focus between tasks when changes in priorities or other factors require it	•	switches focus between projects when changes in priorities or other factors require it
	•	shifts operational focus to reflect changes in organizational priorities 	

Self-confidence

Evaluation professionals are independent and self-reliant. They are confident in their own skills and abilities, but are comfortable seeking the assistance of others when necessary. They convey a realistic confidence in their own abilities, appropriately gauging the likely success of their own actions. Evaluation professionals are able to stand their ground when facing criticism or opposition. They are adept at evaluating and learning from their successes and failures. They are able to interact confidently and with credibility when dealing with a wide range of people, including colleagues, clients, management, and key stakeholders.
	
Junior	Intermediate	Senior	

•	accepts constructive feedback			

•	learns from mistakes and successes	
•	learns from mistakes and successes of self and of evaluation teams	
•	integrates lessons learned into the future work of project teams
	
•	demonstrates professional credibility	•	demonstrates trust in others to respond appropriately and with professional credibility
	•	stands behind and defends the outputs of project teams	

	•	maintains composure and professional credibility when responding to “on the spot” questioning 	•	demonstrates confidence and credibility when presenting results and recommendations to senior management

contact information

For information regarding the Centre of Excellence for Evaluation, 
TBS:

Nancy McMahon, 
Manager, Capacity Building
(613) 941-7194
email: McMahon.Nancy@tbs-sct.gc.ca	
For general information regarding assessment services:  

Personnel Psychology Centre,
Client Services, 
(613) 992-9741
www.psc‑cfp.gc.ca/ppc/coverpg_e.htm	

endnotes