As organizations navigate the challenges of digital transformation, hybrid work models, and a workforce spanning five generations, one thing has become clear: skills alone are no longer enough. That’s where Competency Frameworks, supported by a complete and dynamic set of Behavioural Indicators, come into play. As a framework and a tool, it will facilitate to define what success looks like in a role—transforming abstract ideas into actionable, measurable behaviours that drive real results.

What Are Behavioural Indicators?

Behavioural indicators are the real-world expressions and extension of a certain competency. It describes a specific and observable actions that shows whether someone is effectively demonstrating a skill, instead of just claiming to have it.

We’ll take an example of someone saying, “I’m a great communicator,” and another person who is consistently facilitating clear interaction, inclusive team discussions, actively listening, and adapting their message to the audience. The latter person is an example of showing the indicators of an excellent communicator.

These indicators provide clarity and consistency across:

1. Managers – to coach effectively and assess performance.
2. Employees – to understand expectations and take ownership of growth.
3. HR teams – to make fair, data-driven, and future-ready talent decisions.

Recent Insights Show Why This Matters More Than Ever:

• Customized learning is key.
  Recent studies highlighted by Maslow emphasize the need for tailored leadership development. Behavioural indicators help decode how different generations express competencies such as adaptability, collaboration, or leadership.
• AI is raising the bar.
  Tech savvy organizations are leveraging AI to assess competencies and close skill gaps. But AI’s effectiveness depends on a robust competency framework—and that starts with well-defined behavioural indicators.
• There’s a reskilling gap.
  While 92% of organizations recognize reskilling as a competitive advantage, only 29% are making meaningful investments in competency frameworks. Embedding behavioural indicators helps close this gap by turning intent into scalable development strategies.

How Maslow Can Help

Whether you're building leadership pipelines, upskilling teams, or deploying AI-driven talent initiatives—behavioural indicators are the glue that connects strategy to action.