Determining core competencies is the backbone of a business. Your values, skills, benefits, and mission drive customers and employees to support and champion your cause. Planning, feedback, and implementation can make your company’s core competencies shine through to your customers and your people.

Finding the Why, What, and How Behind Your Company

What is your mission as a company? The why behind what you do makes customers care for your services or products. Simon Sinek’s most watched Ted Talk dives into the concept of the why in what you are offering and how it is so important for the success of your business. You can start by answering questions about what matters most for your company. Why did you want to start this business, and what do you plan to accomplish by building it? What makes you different, and what do you excel at as a company? Asking yourself these questions and establishing your vision, direction, and goals for the company is the first step to developing your core competencies. Brainstorming sessions with your executive team and personal contacts can help you list everything out and determine your core focuses within that list. 

Develop Your Company Message

Once you know your objectives, your plan for accomplishing them, and your ideas for success, you can start developing your company message. It should be a concise message crafted around your why and how. It should inspire you and your team and make them feel that this company is somewhere they want to be. The company’s purpose within the message is what creates that feeling. Once crafted, you can test it with your employees to see if it resonates. Remember not to be afraid to change your message if it does not represent the company correctly. 

Using Your Developed Core Competencies

Now that you have your message and your core competencies set up for your company, it’s time to use them and grow! Your business is unique, and your skills are equally so. Make sure your core competencies are within every facet of your business and that they adhere to your values and message. Setting SMART goals for implementation can also help you in holding yourself and your people accountable to the core values and competencies. 

Remember that it can take months to develop and implement excellent core competencies and values, so try not to rush into the whole process. Take your time in determining core competencies in your business, and build something your company and employees support fully!