Blue Helmets’ Core Values and Core Competencies

When discussing the matter of Core Values and Competencies with other former UN staff, I have been noticing that there some confusion between Values and Competencies.

A Value is something everybody in the same organization shares, a common belief that guides de different actions and attitudes of all its members, regardless their individual technical skills, in consonance with the United Nations Charter. It is something abstracted and not a product that be measured; but the Peacekeeper can be accountable for.

The UN Core Values are: – “integrity”, “respect for diversity/gender” and “professionalism”. The question is: – What does that mean? How do you define it?

In acting with Integrity, the Peacekeeper:  – upholds the principles of the United Nations Charter; demonstrates the managerial principles of the United Nations, including impartiality, fairness, honesty and truthfulness, in daily activities and behavior; acts without consideration of personal gain; resists undue political pressure in decision-making; does not abuse power or authority; stands by decisions that are in the Organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; and takes prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behavior.

Behaving with Professionalism, the Peacekeeper will: Show pride in work and in achievements; demonstrate skillful competence and mastery of subject matter; have a conscientious and efficient attitude in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; be motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; show persistency when faced with difficult problems or challenges; and will remain calm in stressful situations.

Respect for Diversity and Gender is reflected in: – Working effectively with people from all backgrounds; treating all people with dignity and respect; treating men and women equally; showing respect for, and understanding of, diverse points of view and demonstrating this understanding in daily work and decision-making; examining own biases and behaviors to avoid stereotypical responses; not discriminating against any individual or group.

What are UN Competencies?

The term “Competency” refers to a combination of skills, attributes and behaviors that are directly related to successful accomplishments of each and every UN staff member´s Job Description.

There two major types of Competencies: Core Competencies and Managerial Competencies.

The Core competencies (applicable to everybody) are: Communication; Teamwork; Planning & Organizing; Accountability; Client Orientation; Creativity; Technological Awareness; and Commitment to Continuous Learning.

The Managerial Competencies (for leaders) are: Vision; Leadership; Empowering Others; Managing Performance; Building Trust; and Judgement / Decision Making.

Let’s focus on the Core Competencies – applicable to all peacekeepers – and the way they should and shouldn’t behave, in order to assure a good image for themselves, their own countries and the United Nations Organization.

Core Competencies are not specific to any occupation, but rather to the overall staff. Specific technical or functional Skills are not included, because this Communication Plan concerns to the image of the Centre and not the individual Peacekeeper.

The matrix bellow portrays what is normally evaluated when accessing the Peacekeeper’s Competencies. Basically, it’s the DO(s) and DON´T(s) each blue helmet should consider.

Communication

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Speak and write clear and effectively	Lack of confidence when talking
Listen to others, interpret messages from others and respond appropriately	Produce writing that is vague or wordy
Ask questions to clarify, show interest in having two-way communication	Use of inappropriate language
Tailor language, tone, style and format to match the audience	Lack of expression during an interview
Openness in sharing information (within OPSEC) and keeping the audience informed	Lost the attention of the audience at times
Drift from one subject to another
Limited positive feedback from others on communication effectiveness
Withholds information without justification

Teamwork

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve the goal	Rarely offers support to colleagues
Request inputs and genuinely value others´ ideas and expertise, willing to learn from others	Prefers to work and act alone
Place the Team agenda before personal agenda	Emphasizes achieving personal goals
Build consensus within the Team	Is prepared to ignore/disrupt majority decisions
Support and act in accordance with Team decisions, even when such decisions may not reflect own position	Shows limited consideration of the ideas and inputs from others
Share credit for Team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings	Takes the credit for Team accomplishments; passes on responsibility for Team limitations

Planning and Organizing

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Develop clear goals consistent with agreed strategies	No clear system of priorities
Identify priority activities and assign/adjust priorities as required	Disorganized and unsystematic (impractical work schedules)
Allocate appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work	Unrealistic about timelines, deadlines not met, tasks not complete
Foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning	Efforts get sidetracked
Monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary	No checks on activities
Use time efficiently	Unwilling to change plans to meet new demands

Accountability

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Takes ownership for all responsibilities and honors commitments	Defers responsibility
Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards	Does not deliver on commitments, compromises standards easily, cuts corners
Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules	Produces poor quality work and/or takes longer than is efficient to achieve quality
Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments	Unaware of standards that need to be achieved
Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable	Unconcerned with the standards of other people’s work once it has been delegated

“Client” Orientation

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Consider all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and, although maintaining and independent and impartial posture, seek to see things from the clients´ point of view	Limited awareness of clients´ point of view
Establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect	Only moderately concerned about helping others
Keep the clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects	Takes time to warm to people and establish relationships
Meet time for delivery of the projects to the clients	Does not work as hard as colleagues to meet client needs
——————————-	Little evidence of receiving client feedback
——————————	Laz in keeping clients informed

Creativity

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Actively seek to improve programs or services	Slow to produce new ideas
Offer new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs	View problems in a conventional manner and thinks in a traditional way
Promote and persuade others to consider new ideas	Accepts the status quo
Take calculate risks on new and unusual ideas; think “outside the box”	Problem-solving lacks creativity
Take interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things	Produces few alternatives
Not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches	Little experience of creativity at work

Technological Awareness

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Keep abreast of available technology	Limited knowledge about technologies
Understand applicability and limitations of technology to the work	Little interest in finding out about technologies
Actively seek to apply technology to appropriate tasks	Lack of proactivity in applying technology to work
Show willingness to learn new technologies	Limited understanding of the applicability of technology to work

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Positive indicators	Negative indicators
Keep abreast of new developments in NATO operations, exercises and experiments	Limited knowledge about NATO matters beyond the assigned projects
Actively seek to develop oneself professionally and personally	Struggle to keep up to date
Contribute to the learning of colleagues	Not proactive in undertaking development tasks
Show willingness to learn from others	Reluctant to help others to learn
Seek feedback to learn and improve	Defensive with feedback from others