Behavioural

Competency
Framework
The Behavioural Competency Framework (BCF) document is patented on the model
of Manchester City Academy and their methods of assessing their coaching staff.
The document provides coaches with a clear framework of what is expected of them
as a coach, as well as provides them with a guide on how to be reflective of their
own performance. From a management perspective, it helps them to work with the
coaches within clearly defined parameters.
Behavioural Competency Framework
Behaviours

1 Willing to learn and develop

2 Effective problem solver

HEAD
3 Thrives under pressure - manages self and responds positively

4 Adapts well to changing circumstances

5 Willing to be challenged and challenge others

6 Inspires, encourages and supports self and others

HEART
7 Demonstrates professionalism at all times

8 Committed to pushing self and others to succeed

9 Rises to a challenge

10 Effective communicator
STOMACH
11 Takes a positive approach to setbacks

12 Takes responsibility
Behaviour 1
Willing to learn
and develop Head
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Takes responsibility for own 1. Seeks guidance from line manager 1. Needs guidance and support to
development (seeks feedback and when required (asks questions) identify own areas of development
asks questions)
2. Engages with CPD opportunities 2. Seems disengaged with
2. Proactively identifies and seeks CPD that are offered CPD opportunities
opportunities

3. Will take constructive critisism 3. Reluctant to ask for guidance

3. Leads and delivers (playing an on board to develop or support - does not want to
active role) CPD activities both acknowledge the help they need
internally and externally
4. With assistance identifies
opportunitites for development 4. Poor attendance and minimal
4. Reflects and reviews their own contribution to organised CPD events
and others performances
Behaviour 2
Effective
problem-solver Head
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Uses own initiative to find and 1. Will work with others and contributes 1. Does not actively contribute or
suggest solutions to presenting ideas to solving problems collaborate to solving problems
problem and finding solutions

2. Shows elements of creativity but may

2. Is able to think laterally, creatively be reluctant to try new things 2. Finds problems without offering
and try alternative solutions to a solution
achieve the desired outcome
3. Will accept individual responsibility
with direction and guidance 3. Avoids taking responsibility in finding
3. Collaborates well and takes solutions to presenting problems
responsibility of others when
solving problems 4. Remains focused but requires support
to solve more complex problems 4. Poor focus and requires supervision
and support with simple problems
4. Is able to maintain focus and
handle multiple challenges when
faced with complex problems
Behaviour 3
Thrives under
pressure Head
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Stays calm, thinks clearly and 1. Stays calm when working 1. Can become emotionally
manages others when working under pressure overwhelmed and creates added
under pressure stress to the team
2. Would prefer to work in comfort
2. Leads by example with positivity zone unless supported 2. Under pressure will divert
and authority from agreed plans, show
an inconsistent and/or
3. Would need support to channel unprofessional approach
3. Prepared to make and learn from emotions when working under
mistakes pressure
3. Reacts negatively to mistakes

4. Will approach high pressure 4. May need mentorship/support

situations in a consistent and to operate professionally under 4. Fails to learn from previous
professional manner pressure mistakes
Behaviour 4
Adapts well to changing
circumstances Head
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Would anticipate and strategically 1. Would adapt to changing 1. Slow and negative respond
plan for change circumstances effectively to change

2. Sees change as a challenge rather 2. Would show engagement with 2. May default back to old ways
than a threat and an expected part change, listening to and applying of doing things and what feels
of successfully operating in high what is now been asked comfortable
performance environments
3. Maintains consistent level of 3. Repeats the same mistakes over
3. Would seek opportunities to contribute performance despite change and over
and be actively involved in change
4. Will ask questions on proposed 4. Unwilling to adapt working
4. Likely to drive and lead the way on changes and want to know how practices
change within their department and/ this may affect them and their role
or in the wider academy
Behaviour 5
Willing to be challeged
and challenge others Heart
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Seeks and capitalises on opportunities 1. Will push themselves out of their 1. May appear unhappy in the
to push themselves out of their comfort comfort zone if presented with the environment and deters others from
zone, to better themselves oppotunity to do so challenge

2. Seeks opportunities for themselves 2. Put in solid effort to challenge 2. Avoids or dwells on challenge -
and others that present appropriate themselves and achieve their objectives struggling to perform as required
challenge

3. Demonstrates a willingness to be 3. Requires significant support when

3. Puts in maximum effort pushing challenged through opportunities faced with challenge
themselves and others to work to achieve presented to them
their ambitions and objectives
4. Responds poorly to constructive
4. May require advice on challenging critisism and show little willingness to
4. Happy to give and receive constructive others but will take on board personal raise the bar
critisism in order to continually raise the constructive critisism to improve
bar of their work/performance
Behaviour 6
Inspires, encourages and
supports self and others Heart
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Shows enthusiasm to support and 1. Encourages and drives staff and 1. Is rude or ignores others (e.g. misses
encourage others (including colleagues, players for short-term achievements arragements)
players & external stakeholders) (inconsistent)

2. Appears overly selfish and only

2. Inspires others through display of 2. Engages with and respects colleagues, concerned with themselves (e.g. not
enjoyment in their work (e.g. smiling, players, and external stakeholders (e.g. helping within the team environment)
positive body language) keeps to arrangements)

3. May mock colleagues for working hard

3. Engages with and respects others, 3. Considerate of the team environment or completing tasks
showing commitment to the working
environment, tema preparations, and
wider organization operations 4. Recognizes the contribution of 4. Undertakes tasks with no consideration
others adopting a selfless approach of the impact on others and the wider
to their duties organization
4. Recognizes the contribution of others,
in order to champion their work
Behaviour 7
Demonstrates professionalism Heart
at all times Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Always works by the Academy 1. Demonstrates Academy Values 1. Does not align with Academy
Values and assists others to and standards in their work and Values and standards
understand and align with them behaviours
2. Seen as a distraction to others -
2. Prepares thoroughly for all 2. Aware of the importance of unaware of the team environment
work duties - enabling impactful professional behaviours and seeks behaviours in interactions (e.g on
contributions in all interactions support if required phone during a meeting)

3. Prepares poorly for their duties

3. Uncompromising display of 3. Prepares for work duties and (e.g. meetings, session plans, match
professional behaviours, (e.g. punctual is aware on the impact on preparations) meaning they are unable to
to meetings, organized, polite, discrete other areas deliver as required
management of sensitive information
4. With support and 4. Fails to display professional behaviours
encouragement, will expect high on numerous occasions (e.g. late to
4. Expects high standards of others -
communicates this effectively standards of others meetings, disrespectful of others, not
organized, and doesn’t complete
responsible tasks)
Behaviour 8
Committed to pushing self
Heart
and others to succeed Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Adopts a positive approach to 1. Completes tasks/duties required 1. Appears comfortable with their
development opportunities and drives within their role current level and does not seek
projects/tasks that improves the further opportunities
organization, themselves, and others
2. Displays a good work ethic to
complete set tasks and achieve 2. Moans about what they are
2. Consistently delivers detailed quality personal goals expected to do
work that goes above and beyond the
bare minimum
3. Willing to put in effort and push 3. Loses sight of their goals and doesn’t
themselves. Will assist others see the bigger picture
3. Committed to working hard to achieve
their personal ambitions and meet
4. With guidance, will engage in 4. Has no intention to work for
Academy objectives
opportunities that are available to or with the team, working for
them to help them develop personal gain only
4. Displays healthy dissatisfaction,
resetting their ambitions to continually
raise the bar
Behaviour 9
Rises to a
challenge Stomach
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Welcomes a challenge, viewing 1. Will contribute to tasks as 1. Gives up easily and reduces
it as an opportunity to develop requested but may need guidance effort in certain tasks or
rather than a threat and support from others challenging situations

2. Displays positive body language, 2. Displays a positive approach to 2. Displays poor body language,
manner, and approach when completing difficult tasks and will manner, and approach in
presented with a difficult situation/task give it a go difficult situations

3. Shows relentless effort in challenging 3. Will stick to the task given and work 3. Will become passive in
tasks to be productive and focused to produce requested outcome challenging tasks seeming
unfocused/uninterested

4. When things go wrong, continues to 4. Will recognize when things go

wrong and ask for support to 4. Will look to blame others when
strive and push themselves and others
ensure the job gets done things go wrong
Behaviour 10
Effective
communicator Stomach
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Is happy to speak up, challenge 1. Will have an opinion and share 1. Rarely expresses their opinion yet
and voice their opinion within and when requested can be dismissive of others’ opinions
outside of their immediate team

2. Communicates the need to know 2. Can go quiet and display

2. Communicates both instruction and information to others they are negative body language in
ecouragement to others they are working with their communication
working with in a clear manner

3. With support and encouragement, 3. Lacks interest in communicating

3. Willing to deliver and address will deliver the necessary with others both generally and
positive and negative feedback feedback to others specifically
when necessary
4. Is aware of verbal and non-verbal 4. Lacks awareness of their verbal
4. Utilises both verbal and non-verbal communication towards others and non-verbal communication
communication effectively (knows
when to talk and when to listen)
Behaviour 11
Positive approach
to setbacks Stomach
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Views setbacks and part of 1. Responds to setbacks actively 1. Struggles to accept and
developing and performance and positively overcome setbacks
responding by adapting positively

2 Maintain their own standards 2 Will often complain about difficult

2 Works to maintain own and during difficult times situations, making excuses or
drive the standards of others blaming others
despite difficulties
3. Will learn from setbacks and
shows adaptation with the 3. Withdraws and is negative when
3. Shows evidence of learning from support of others faced with a setback
setbacks and positively adapting
for future tasks
4. Maintains motivation and work 4. Can dwell of things following a
rate following a setback difficult situation
4. Noticeably motivated to work
hard and support others
following a setback
Behaviour 12
Takes
responsibility Stomach
Descriptors

Star Performer Meeting Expectations Under Performing

1. Eager to show what they are capable 1. Takes responsibility and ownership for 1. Hides from responsibility showing
of taking on roles of responsibility for their own works/projects when asked reluctance to take ownership
themselves and others ( for things in
and outside of their job role - for the
greater good) 2. Makes the most of 2. Avoids risks and takes the
opportunities offered easy option

2. Continues to seek opportunities of

responsibility when things are hard or 3. Will seek reassurance on their 3. Makes poor decision in the execution
the pressure is on decisions and ideas but willing to put of tasks/projects/delivery
forward what they think

3. Shows commitment in their decision 4. Unwilling to take risks or try new things
making and professional choices 4. Demonstrates a willingness to try new - prefers to stay in their comfort zone
things but may seek support/guidance

4. Will take appropriate risks and try

new things