Critical Competencies for Subject Matter Experts to Become Advisors, August 2016

Prioritizing Important Communications and Relationship Competencies

The purpose of this survey is to understand how leaders like you would prioritize a list of 20 competencies which enable technologists, scientists, and subject matter experts to develop the communications and relationship skills they need to become true consultants and advisors to their clients.

We believe that all of these competencies are important. That said, we are trying to prioritize their importance to you and your specific situation and experience. The question which follows will ask you to assign one of four priorities to each competency: Most important and critical, fourth or top quartile; Next most important, third quartile; Less important still, second quartile; Least important, first quartile.

As you complete the first pass of your responses, you will probably notice that the distribution of competency levels is not even across the four priority levels. Please go back and move individual levels up and down, so that the competencies are closely balanced (4-6 in each priority level) across the four priority levels.

When you are satisfied that you your rankings appropriately represent your judgment, submit your survey response by clicking Done.

This study is a collaborative effort of Partners International, Discovery Consulting, and Ascendent Leadership. Thanks for helping us with our research!

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* 1. Name and email address to receive a copy of the survey results

Name

Email Address

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* 2. Name of the person who sent you the survey:

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* 3. For each competency listed below, please rate its relative importance to you or consultants you manage. Distribute your responses evenly (no less than four and no more than six in any one quartile) across the four quartiles of Importance, from Fourth (Top) to First (bottom) quartile.

	Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Very Important, Third Quartile	Important, Second Quartile	Less Important, First Quartile
Stating and defending consultant beliefs without being aggressive	Stating and defending consultant beliefs without being aggressive Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Stating and defending consultant beliefs without being aggressive Very Important, Third Quartile	Stating and defending consultant beliefs without being aggressive Important, Second Quartile	Stating and defending consultant beliefs without being aggressive Less Important, First Quartile
Asking powerful questions	Asking powerful questions Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Asking powerful questions Very Important, Third Quartile	Asking powerful questions Important, Second Quartile	Asking powerful questions Less Important, First Quartile
Active listening	Active listening Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Active listening Very Important, Third Quartile	Active listening Important, Second Quartile	Active listening Less Important, First Quartile
Customer focus and presence	Customer focus and presence Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Customer focus and presence Very Important, Third Quartile	Customer focus and presence Important, Second Quartile	Customer focus and presence Less Important, First Quartile
Delivering difficult messages	Delivering difficult messages Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Delivering difficult messages Very Important, Third Quartile	Delivering difficult messages Important, Second Quartile	Delivering difficult messages Less Important, First Quartile
Aligning with the client’s vision	Aligning with the client’s vision Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Aligning with the client’s vision Very Important, Third Quartile	Aligning with the client’s vision Important, Second Quartile	Aligning with the client’s vision Less Important, First Quartile
Awareness of personal emotions	Awareness of personal emotions Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Awareness of personal emotions Very Important, Third Quartile	Awareness of personal emotions Important, Second Quartile	Awareness of personal emotions Less Important, First Quartile
Resolving conflict	Resolving conflict Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Resolving conflict Very Important, Third Quartile	Resolving conflict Important, Second Quartile	Resolving conflict Less Important, First Quartile
Business acumen – general	Business acumen – general Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Business acumen – general Very Important, Third Quartile	Business acumen – general Important, Second Quartile	Business acumen – general Less Important, First Quartile
Demonstrating confidence	Demonstrating confidence Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Demonstrating confidence Very Important, Third Quartile	Demonstrating confidence Important, Second Quartile	Demonstrating confidence Less Important, First Quartile
Identifying alternative strategies, choosing the best	Identifying alternative strategies, choosing the best Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Identifying alternative strategies, choosing the best Very Important, Third Quartile	Identifying alternative strategies, choosing the best Important, Second Quartile	Identifying alternative strategies, choosing the best Less Important, First Quartile
Identifying, validating client requirements	Identifying, validating client requirements Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Identifying, validating client requirements Very Important, Third Quartile	Identifying, validating client requirements Important, Second Quartile	Identifying, validating client requirements Less Important, First Quartile
Executive presence	Executive presence Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Executive presence Very Important, Third Quartile	Executive presence Important, Second Quartile	Executive presence Less Important, First Quartile
Asking relevant questions	Asking relevant questions Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Asking relevant questions Very Important, Third Quartile	Asking relevant questions Important, Second Quartile	Asking relevant questions Less Important, First Quartile
Identifying, managing barriers	Identifying, managing barriers Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Identifying, managing barriers Very Important, Third Quartile	Identifying, managing barriers Important, Second Quartile	Identifying, managing barriers Less Important, First Quartile
Reading others’ emotions	Reading others’ emotions Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Reading others’ emotions Very Important, Third Quartile	Reading others’ emotions Important, Second Quartile	Reading others’ emotions Less Important, First Quartile
Business acumen – specific to client firm or industry	Business acumen – specific to client firm or industry Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Business acumen – specific to client firm or industry Very Important, Third Quartile	Business acumen – specific to client firm or industry Important, Second Quartile	Business acumen – specific to client firm or industry Less Important, First Quartile
Telling relevant stories	Telling relevant stories Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Telling relevant stories Very Important, Third Quartile	Telling relevant stories Important, Second Quartile	Telling relevant stories Less Important, First Quartile
Understanding client relationship needs	Understanding client relationship needs Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Understanding client relationship needs Very Important, Third Quartile	Understanding client relationship needs Important, Second Quartile	Understanding client relationship needs Less Important, First Quartile
Describing a clear path to the client vision	Describing a clear path to the client vision Critically important, Fourth (Top) Quartile	Describing a clear path to the client vision Very Important, Third Quartile	Describing a clear path to the client vision Important, Second Quartile	Describing a clear path to the client vision Less Important, First Quartile

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* 4. Are there other competencies that you feel are quite important that you did not see listed above?

We very much appreciate your participation our survey. When the survey is complete, we will send you a copy of the results, if you have given us your permission to email material to you by filling in your email information above.