Walk into most large organisations today and you’ll find a leadership competency framework on the wall. Resilience. Empathy. Agility. Collaboration. The words are familiar, often remarkably similar across industries and sectors. Critics argue that when everyone is using the same framework, the result is a common language rather than genuinely differentiated leadership.
But is standardisation the real problem? Or does the challenge lie in how organisations bring these frameworks to life? Three HR leaders share their perspectives.
Preeti Ahuja, Global CHRO, Husk Power
Yes, they can become generic unless leaders bring them to life.
The world is moving faster and becoming more complex than ever before. No one leader has all the answers. And even if they did, by the time they persuaded others to change, the environment itself would have changed again.
This means leaders need the humility to admit they do not have all the answers and the courage to learn from others. Building a culture of collaboration and innovation energises employees, encourages fresh thinking and helps organisations remain relevant. When leaders invite different perspectives and allow people to learn from mistakes, they create the conditions for continuous improvement.
Leaders who acknowledge their own limitations build transparency, trust and stronger connections with their teams. Employees who feel heard and valued are more likely to contribute discretionary effort and remain committed to the organisation.
Resilience has also become a leadership necessity. Building resilient organisations requires leaders who are adaptable themselves. That journey begins with empathy. Empathy is not separate from business performance; it strengthens resilience, improves retention, fuels innovation and enables sustainable growth. Leaders who invest in empathy are positioning their organisations not only to navigate disruption but also to shape what comes next.
Takeaway: Leadership frameworks create value only when leaders practise humility, empathy and continuous learning in their everyday decisions.
Priyanka Mohanty, VP – HR & global head – talent management, Startek
No. The issue isn’t standardisation; it’s how organisations use the framework.
Leadership competency frameworks have evolved considerably over the years. While many competencies appear common across organisations, they reflect capabilities that have become essential for leading in an increasingly complex and fast-changing business environment.
There is some merit to concerns about standardisation. However, the real value of a competency framework lies not in the competencies themselves, but in how they are interpreted, contextualised and brought to life within an organisation.
Competencies provide a common language that creates consistency in leadership expectations, assessment and development. A leader operating in North America, managing teams across Asia Pacific or driving transformation in Latin America may demonstrate the same competency in very different ways. Leadership frameworks are designed to create consistency, not conformity.
The real risk arises when organisations treat competencies as checklists rather than behavioural indicators. Leadership itself is developed through experience, stretch assignments, coaching, feedback and reflection. Competency frameworks provide the foundation, but leadership ultimately takes shape through action.
Takeaway: Competency frameworks provide the language of leadership, but organisations create meaning through behaviour, coaching and experience.
Shourya Chakravarty, CHRO, Aptech
Not if they’re built around the organisation’s own ethos.
Leadership competency frameworks do not become generic when they are rooted in an organisation’s values, mission and culture.
At Aptech, our leadership competencies are built around our organisational ethos, which we define as SCUVA: Scalability, Complexity, Uncertainty, Volatility and Ambiguity. Each dimension represents a specific leadership behaviour. Scalability encourages leaders to think differently, evolve and deliver. Complexity demands that they redesign processes and products. Uncertainty requires rapid action and mobilisation. Volatility calls for the ability to anticipate and adapt to change. Ambiguity encourages leaders to embrace grey areas rather than avoid them.
This philosophy is embedded in our competency dictionary, which helps guide performance and behaviours towards organisational goals.
Competency frameworks create a common language by defining expected behaviours. They help align organisational effort towards desired outcomes. However, they do not develop leaders on their own. Leadership develops only when those competencies are demonstrated consistently through real work, real decisions and measurable outcomes.
Takeaway: Leadership frameworks become meaningful when they reflect an organisation’s values and translate into everyday behaviours and business results.