AFA’s Competency Model defines basic standards of practice in the fraternity/sorority profession and is intended to be utilized as a tool to assist in professional self-assessment, goal-setting, and professional development planning. The core competencies are relevant to all professionals who work with fraternal organizations, including those who work at campuses, headquarters, associations and trade groups, and educational partner organizations.

This page provides an overview of the Core Competencies, including resources and next steps for professionals who are interested in using the Core Competencies to guide their professional practice and development.

Core Competency Model

AFA’s Competency Model identifies two domains of competency, Foundational Knowledge and Professional Skills, across 11 competency areas, for a total of 48 competencies. Each competency area includes between three and seven competencies that operationally define good practice in the fraternity/sorority profession.

Planning Your Professional Development

The Core Competencies are a valuable tool that can assist you in creating a professional development plan. Use the following steps to guide yourself through the self-assessment and professional development planning process.

Additional resources and guidance can be found in the Core Competencies manual.

Complete the Self-Assessment

Identify the competencies that are essential, important, or peripheral to your current professional position. You can also complete this with reference to a position you desire in the future.

• • • • • • Essential competencies are necessary to the job as defined by the job duties and daily activities.
          • Important competencies are helpful and valuable to completing daily activities, but would not be minimum requirements.
          • Peripheral competencies might be valuable, but they are not regularly or directly used in daily activities to fulfill the responsibilities of the job.

Once you have identified the core competencies that are essential, important, or peripheral to the position, take time to complete the Core Competencies Self-Assessment. You can complete the self-assessment for all competencies, or for only those which are essential or important to a position.

Review the Results 

Invite a supervisor, peer, or colleague to review and discuss your results. Work together to reconcile which competencies are essential, important, and peripheral to the role, and then ask for feedback about areas where your ratings of competence differ.

Create a Professional Development Plan

Using the feedback from your supervisor, peer, or colleague, identify no more than three areas where you would like to develop. Find the description of this competency in the Core Competency manual, and review the Professional Development Opportunities section. You should also review the general examples on page 6 (Core Competency manual). Use these examples and opportunities to identify instruction, interactions, and experiences you can pursue in the next 6 months. Develop a plan and review it with your supervisor or mentor.