Video Recap

1.1

Capability Queries Honeycomb

Defining the six query honeycombs

  • Understanding how to structure and categorise open ended business questions into focused capability queries.

1.2

Understanding Capability Domains

Defining the eight capability domains

  • Communication

  • Critical Thinking

  • Problem Solving

  • Adaptability and Flexibility

  • Teamwork

  • Creativity

  • Leadership

  • Emotional Judgment

1.3

Understanding Capability Levels

Defining the four capability indexes

  • Emerging

  • Competent

  • Proficient

  • Expert

1.4

Understanding Lumen Categories

Defining the general categories

  • Management

  • People

  • Structures

  • Accountability

  • Evaluation

  • Compliance

Lesson 1.1 The Capability Query Honeycomb

Lesson 1.1 The Capability Query Framework (Video Recap)

Introduction

Welcome to Lesson 1.1: The Capability Query Honeycomb. Today we'll explore how organisations can transform business questions into Capability Queries using the Capability Query Honeycomb.

Understanding Capability Query Dimensions

The honeycomb represents six interconnected dimensions of workforce processes and practices:

  • Performance Management

  • Employee Development

  • Recruitment

  • Internal Mobility

  • Succession Planning

  • M&A + Board Reviews

Each dimension represents a critical workforce function where human capabilities directly impact organisational success.

From Business Questions to Capability Queries

Organisations regularly face complex questions about their people. For example:

  • Who should we promote to lead our new division?

  • Why is Team A outperforming Team B despite similar resources?

  • How can we improve our customer satisfaction scores?

The Capability Query Honeycomb helps us to structure and categorise these open ended business questions into focused capability queries.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify the key elements within the capability query honeycomb 

  • Understand how open ended business questions can be turned into structured capability queries.

Creating Tangible Business Value

Structured capability queries unlock the power of Human Capability Indexing (HCIx), which enable:

  1. Better decision-making, through understanding precisely which human capabilities drive success in specific roles, making your people decisions more evidence-based.

  2. Targeted development, through specific capability gap analysis, enabling you to progress from generic training programmes to precise development of the capabilities that matter most for specific performance.

  3. Risk reduction, through the identification and implementation of minimum capability index thresholds.

  4. Optimised team building, through sophisticated analysis of how to match and complement capabilities so strengths are maximised.

Key Takeaways

  • The Capability Query Honeycomb helps to frame open ended business questions as clear capability queries.

  • Capability ensure that you are asking the right questions and collecting the right human capability data so to create tangible business value through effective data-led decisions and targeted actions.

Lesson 1.2: Capability Domains

Lesson 1.2: Capability Domains (Video Recap)

Introduction

Welcome to our fourth lesson on understanding the capability framework. Here we will focus on understanding the the eight core capability domains that provide the generic taxonomy for measuring and understanding human capability in organisational contexts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the nine core capability domains

  • Understand how each capability domain contributes to organisational effectiveness

  • Apply capability domain concepts to real-world organisational scenarios

Part 1: Understanding the Generic Capability Taxonomy

The capability taxonomy provides a structured framework for understanding human capability across eight distinct but interconnected domains.

Each domain represents a distinct aspect of human capability that contributes to effectiveness in different organisational contexts.

  1. Communication: The ability to effectively convey information, ideas, and emotions to others.

  2. Critical Thinking: The capacity to analyse information, evaluate evidence, and form reasoned judgements.

  3. Problem Solving: The capability to identify issues, analyse possible solutions, and implement effective actions.

  4. Adaptability and Flexibility: The skill to adjust one's approach, behaviour, and thinking in response to changing situations.

  5. Teamwork: The skill to work effectively and cooperatively with others to achieve shared objectives.

  6. Creativity: The ability to generate novel ideas, approaches, and solutions.

  7. Leadership: The ability to inspire, guide, and influence others towards achieving common goals.

  8. Emotional Judgement: The capacity to recognise, understand, and manage one's emotions and those of others.

Part 2: Exploring Each Capability Domain

Let's examine each capability domain in greater detail:

Communication

  • The ability to effectively convey information, ideas, and emotions to others

  • Includes both verbal and non-verbal skills, active listening, and empathy

  • Depends on understanding context, audience, and purpose

Critical Thinking

  • The capacity to analyse information, evaluate evidence, and form reasoned judgements

  • Involves questioning assumptions, recognising biases, and applying logic

  • Requires a foundation of knowledge and the ability to recall relevant information

Problem Solving

  • The capability to identify issues, analyse possible solutions, and implement effective actions

  • Requires logical reasoning, creativity, and sometimes collaboration

  • Relies heavily on prior knowledge of similar situations and strategies

Adaptability and Flexibility

  • The skill to adjust one's approach, behaviour, and thinking in response to changing situations

  • Involves openness to new ideas, learning from experience, and resilience

  • Dependent on recognising the demands of the situation and adjusting accordingly

Teamwork

  • The skill to work effectively and cooperatively with others to achieve shared objectives

  • Requires communication, empathy, flexibility, and conflict resolution

  • Dependent on understanding the roles, strengths, and needs of team members

Creativity

  • The ability to generate novel ideas, approaches, and solutions

  • Combines imagination with practical knowledge and contextual awareness

  • Relies on recalling diverse experiences and information to inspire innovation

Leadership

  • The ability to inspire, guide, and influence others towards achieving common goals

  • Involves decision-making, empathy, accountability, and communication

  • Draws upon understanding of team dynamics, situational context, and relevant experience

Emotional Judgement

  • The capacity to recognise, understand, and manage one's emotions and those of others

  • Involves self-regulation, empathy, and sensitivity to context

  • Essential for managing interpersonal relationships and understanding social cues

Part 3: Capability Domains in Organisational Context

Understanding these eight capability domains allows organisations to:

  • Map the capability requirements for specific roles and functions

  • Identify development priorities for individuals and teams

  • Create targeted interventions that address specific capability needs

  • Build balanced teams with complementary capabilities

  • Match individuals to roles where their capability strengths create the most value

Example: A product development team might require high levels of creativity and problem solving, while a customer service team might prioritise communication and emotional judgement.

Key Takeaways

  • The eight capability domains provide a comprehensive generic taxonomy for understanding human capability

  • Each domain represents a distinct aspect of effectiveness that manifests differently across roles

  • Understanding capabilities at this granular level enables precise development and deployment of transformation or intervention strategies

  • Different organisational contexts require different capability emphases.

Lesson 1.3: Understanding Capability Levels

Lesson 1.3: Understanding Capability Levels (Video Recap)

Introduction

Welcome to our third lesson on understanding the capability framework. We will explore the four levels of capability proficiency that provide a structured way to understand development progression within each of the capability domains we examined in our previous lesson.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the four capability levels (Emerging, Competent, Proficient, and Expert)

  • Understand how capability levels manifest across different capability domains

  • Apply capability level frameworks to assess development needs in real-world contexts

Understanding Capability Levels

The capability framework identifies four distinct levels of proficiency that apply across all capability domains:

  1. Emerging: The initial stage of capability development requiring guidance and supervision

  2. Competent: The stage of independent functioning in routine situations

  3. Proficient: The advanced stage of handling complex situations with minimal oversight

  4. Expert: The highest stage of capability, setting standards and innovating in the field.

These levels represent a development continuum that helps organisations understand where individuals are in their capability journey and what development paths are available to them.

Exploring Each Capability Level

Let's examine each capability level in greater detail:

Emerging

  • Requires consistent guidance and supervision to complete context-specific tasks

  • Still developing foundational knowledge and capabilities

  • Operates by following established procedures with support

  • Decision-making is heavily scaffolded, relying on clear instructions and frequent check-ins

  • Makes mistakes as part of the learning process

  • Contributions characterised by curiosity and a willingness to ask questions

Competent

  • Works independently on routine assignments with satisfactory results

  • Has acquired essential context-based knowledge and capabilities

  • Understands basic principles and procedures well enough to make straightforward decisions reliably

  • Needs guidance when facing complex challenges

  • Has developed sufficient judgement to recognise own limitations and seek appropriate input

  • Decision-making takes into account different workplace contexts

  • Can explain basic concepts to others and contribute meaningfully to team discussions

  • Balances autonomy in standard situations with consultation for more nuanced problems

Proficient

  • Handles complex situations effectively with minimal oversight

  • Demonstrates deep understanding across most aspects of their role

  • Works efficiently within established frameworks while adapting approaches based on context

  • Makes sound decisions in typical situations with confidence

  • Decision-making incorporates robust understanding of organisational priorities and industry standards

  • Requires only occasional guidance when facing novel or particularly challenging circumstances

  • Has developed enough expertise to teach fundamentals to others

  • Serves as a reliable resource for team members

  • Continues to refine capabilities through increasingly sophisticated assignments

Expert

  • Sets standards of excellence in their field

  • Innovates solutions to the most challenging problems

  • Serves as a recognised authority whose judgement is sought by others

  • Decision-making transcends established frameworks

  • Draws on deep contextual understanding and pattern recognition

  • Creates new approaches that advance organisational capabilities

  • Demonstrates mastery that extends beyond standard practices

  • Shapes how work in their domain is conceptualised and executed

  • Influences through mentoring and teaching advanced concepts

  • Elevates team performance through direct contributions and knowledge transfer

  • Provides critical insights that help organisations adapt during uncertainty or transformation

Capability Levels in Organisational Context

Understanding capability levels provides organisations with several practical benefits:

  1. Precise Development Planning: Targeting growth from one specific level to the next rather than generic skill development

  2. Clear Progression Pathways: Creating transparent gap analysis and frameworks for advancement and capability growth

  3. Effective Team Design: Building teams with complementary capability levels to balance expertise with fresh perspectives

  4. Strategic Talent Deployment: Matching individuals to challenges appropriate to their capability level

  5. Targeted Learning Experiences: Designing development activities specific to each capability level's needs.

Key Takeaways

  • The four capability levels provide a structured framework for understanding development progression

  • Each level represents a distinct stage in capability mastery with characteristic behaviours

  • Capability levels apply across all domains but manifest differently within each

  • Understanding capability levels enables more precise development planning and team design

  • Progression through capability levels typically requires both experience and deliberate development.

Lesson 1.4: Understanding Lumen Categories

Lesson 1.4: Understanding Lumen Categories (Video Recap)

Introduction

Welcome to our fourth lesson on understanding the capability framework. Today, we'll explore the six Lumen general categories that provide an organisational context for applying the capability domains we've examined in previous lessons. These categories help us understand how capabilities manifest in different organisational functions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the six Lumen categories

  • Understand how capability domains manifest within each Lumen category

  • Apply the Lumen category framework to organisational scenarios

Understanding the Lumen Category Framework

The Lumen framework identifies six general categories that represent key areas of organisational functioning:

  1. Management: How leadership and direction are provided across the organisation

  2. People: The human capability elements that drive organisational performance

  3. Structures: How the organisation is designed to enable effective operation

  4. Accountability: The mechanisms for responsibility, ownership, and delivery

  5. Evaluation: How performance and impact are measured and assessed

  6. Compliance: The governance frameworks that ensure appropriate operation

Each category provides a context where the capability domains we've explored manifest in specific ways relevant to that organisational function.

Exploring Capability Domains Within Lumen Categories and how these relate to Organisational Context

Let's examine how capability domains manifest within each Lumen category. Notice how capabilities change per Lumen category. View here

Understanding how capabilities manifest across Lumen categories provides several practical benefits:

  1. Role Design: Creating positions that require specific capability profiles appropriate to their primary category

  2. Targeted Development: Designing capability development interventions specific to category contexts

  3. Organisational Alignment: Ensuring capabilities are applied consistently within categories across the organisation

  4. Strategic Planning: Identifying capability requirements for different organisational functions

Key Takeaways

  • The six Lumen categories provide organisational context for applying capability domains

  • Capabilities manifest differently across categories based on functional requirements

  • Understanding category-specific capability patterns enables more precise development and deployment

  • Effective organisations require strong capabilities across all six categories, but with different emphases

  • The integration of capabilities across categories supports organisational cohesion.