Good and precisely defined competencies for each position are a strong foundation and a defined framework for employees’ developmental paths, but they are, of course, insufficient for targeted and valid development.

Just as in other areas of business management, development must also be controlled, i.e. there has to be a reliable and valid way to measure the need for development. Without doubt, one of the most concrete indicators of a need for development is an individual’s professional result. An unsatisfactory performance, one lasting for a period of time, certainly indicates a need for development unless a significant error in selection was made or the poor performance was caused by a significant decline in motivation. A result of insufficient quality is also a basis for recognizing areas in which progress/development is required, or rather room for improving an already good result. Besides business results, especially at an organizational...