Relevant For:
- Project managers preparing for IPMA-D, IPMA-C, or IPMA-B certification
- Trainers who must convert competence theory into classroom practice
- Senior practitioners designing competence development curricula
Remarkable Points:
- Each chapter follows a replicable pedagogic scaffold: concept, actions, self-assessment, assignments
- Focus on actionable behaviors instead of abstract definitions
- Explicit alignment with the ICB version 4 competence structure
- Strong indexes and supplementary text boxes that make the book a workbench rather than mere reading material
- Assignments designed to convert reflection into practice
Most Liked (As-Is Statements):
"Actions that lead to competence development"
"Self-assessment"
"Practice competences, People competences and Perspective competences"
Key Themes:
Theme 1: Competence Mapping
Hermarij reduces the ICB taxonomy into portable maps: observable actions linked to competence outcomes. The book lets you trace a skill from behavior to assessment without slipping into jargon.
Theme 2: Learning by Doing
The assignments and action lists shift learning from passive intake to deliberate practice. Exercises are short, targeted, and calibrated to reveal gaps in application rather than knowledge.
Theme 3: Diagnostic Clarity
Self-assessments are diagnostic tools, not badges. They nudge practitioners to identify root causes of weak performance and to select specific developmental actions.
Theme 4: Cultural Agnosticism
The book deliberately frames competence behaviors in a way that survives cultural variation. It avoids prescribing culture specific tactics and instead highlights principles adaptable to context.
Final Remark:
Hermarij delivers a practical translation of the ICB framework into mental models you can use at work. The text privileges observable actions and iterative improvement over theoretical exposition. It is precise where many competence guides are vague, and scaffolds practice without micromanaging context. Use it as a diagnostic toolkit rather than a rulebook.
Read this book to convert competence language into repeated, inspectable actions.
Similar Books:
- IPMA Individual Competence Baseline (ICB) version 4
- PMBOK Guide (Project Management Institute)
- Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 (AXELOS)
- Handbook of Project-based Management (Rodney Turner)