Background: In 1991, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Personnel Resources and Development Center (PRDC) identified and validated individual and organizational competencies that are important for the effective performance of supervisors, managers, and executives. A multi-method approach was used, beginning with a comprehensive literature review of leadership and managerial behaviors. This review documented critical individual and organizational competencies related to high performance of leaders. Following this review, a survey instrument was developed and administered to a representative sample of supervisors, managers, and executives across the federal government. In addition, focus groups were held with executives. The information collected was used to define a model of 22 leadership competencies, called the Leadership Effectiveness Framework (OPM 1992).

Update: In following years, the PRDC conducted several projects to revalidate and update the original model. These projects involved extensive benchmarking, research, and collaboration. The research and investigation included the review of competency models utilized by leading private sector companies. As a result of all the data collected and analyzed by the PRDC, the leadership effectiveness framework was revised in 1997 to include additional competencies. Also, competency labels and definitions were changed to reflect new, strategic, future-oriented workplace requirements. These competencies go beyond knowledge, skills and abilities to include many other characteristics required of a leader, such as attitudes, values, behaviors and mindset.