ATD's ACCEL Management Framework & Skills Definitions
One of the crucial yet often unrecognized factors in determining success of a group or division is the frontline or senior manager’s ability to develop and fully enable the capacity of his or her team. Based on survey data and discussions with our corporate members, ATD has developed a new framework for to identify the skills that we believe contribute the most contribute to a manager’s success as a developer of talent. The framework is ACCEL (Accountability, Collaboration, Communication, Engagement and Listening/Assessing). The definitions of each we have listed below.
Accountability Definition: Accountability skills refer to performance management and the delegation of responsibility to direct reports. Managers who are adept at creating a culture of accountability encourage team members to be accountable for their responsibilities and goals, as well as for their own self-development.
Tags: Performance Management, Delegation, Responsibility, Responsiveness, Development Planning
Collaboration Definition: Collaboration is defined as creating an environment and culture of teamwork (in this case, the team comprises the manager and direct reports). Managers who excel in this skill foster trust and relationships between all team members, clarify team roles, and encourage cooperation toward achieving a common goal (OPM 1997). By encouraging trust and relationship-building between team members, direct reports are enabled to share knowledge with and learn from one another.
Tags: Teamwork, Collaboration, Trust, Knowledge-sharing, Culture
Communication Definition: Communication is defined as the exchange of information and feedback between managers and their direct reports. Communication also involves a willingness to engage in three types of conversations with employees: disciplinary, coaching, and praise. Managers who are adept at communication foster a transparent, open, and honest team atmosphere. At the individual level, effective communication—including targeted, actionable feedback—can build awareness and action toward better employee performance.
Tags: Change Communication, Translation (Interpreting Goals), Challenging Conversations, Actionable Feedback, Transparency
Engagement Definition: Engagement is defined as motivating, inspiring, and involving one’s direct reports. Engaged employees understand their specific role and its importance. By engaging team members, managers will have direct reports who are psychologically committed to their work and who make positive contributions to their own development and the company (Gallup 2013).
Tags: Leadership, Guidance, Coaching, Mentoring, Influence, Connection, Recognition
Listening & Assessing Definition: Listening and assessing involves the information-gathering, critical thinking, and processing skills of a manager during interactions with direct reports. Listening and assessing also encompasses emotional intelligence, which entails recognizing one’s own and others’ emotions and using emotional information to guide one’s behavior and assessments. Managers who are skilled at listening and assessing use these abilities to identify areas of improvement in direct reports as well as strengths.
Tags: Emotional Intelligence, Critical Thinking, Information Gathering, Evaluation, Mindfulness
