Competencies for Organizational Excellence

Shockley-Zalabak defines organizational excellence as the "ability of people to work together and utilize technology for the creative solving of increasingly complex problems." She argues that "excellence" requires communication competency on the part of the members of the organization. The definition of communication competency is subject to debate, but Shockley-Zalabak emphasizes that it centers on the ability of organizational members to work with diverse groups of people to develop creative solutions to shared problems. She follows other scholars who suggest that competency is composed of four elements: (1) understanding the process of communication, (2) interpersonal sensitivity, (3) communication skills, and (4) an ethical orientation toward communicative responsibility.

The Four Competencies for Organizational Excellence

Knowledge	The ability to understand the organizational communication environment. Knowledge competency involves understanding what organizational communication is, how it functions within one's organizational environment, and the major theories that ground its study.
Sensitivity	The ability to sense meanings and feelings within organizations. Sensitivity competency deals with recognizing and working to understand the behavioral tendencies and communication preferences of other organizational members.
Skills	The ability to analyze organizational situations as well as to send and receive messages. Skills competency comprises the ability to communicate effectively in many different organizational settings.
Values	A commitment to taking responsibility for effective communication. Values competency involves making ethical communication decisions in organizational life.