a key competency

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a key competency" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing essential skills or abilities that are important for a particular role or task. Example: "Communication is a key competency for success in any leadership position."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

In an era of global changes, flexible thinking is a key competency, necessary for learning in technology-enhanced environments.

Computers & Education

This paper is therefore an expedition to unpack constructs underpinning players' situated and embodied problem-solving trajectory, a key competency for STEM learning.

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

Creativity is a key competency within different frameworks for twenty-first century education (Dede, 2010; Voogt & Roblin, 2012) and is considered a competency-enabling way to succeed in an increasingly complex world (Rogers, 1954; Wang, Schneider, & Valacich, 2015).

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Recently, Stoller et al. [ 20] recommended teaching EI as part of the medical training curriculum because EI is a key competency for physician leaders.

BMC Medical Education

This respondent also pointed out a key omission: in the top three levels of the system, providing feedback on HIS tasks should be included as a key competency.

Human Resources for Health

Detailed knowledge on BCMs is generally not a key competency of veterinarians in large animal clinical practice as they only face these disorders sporadically.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

In their recent update of the CanMEDS framework, the RCPSC gave increased emphasis to QI/PS by integrating these concepts throughout the framework and by adding a QI/PS key competency to the core role of Medical Expert.

Academic Medicine

Nevertheless, the PBL curriculum is associated with a strong positive effect on all key competencies, which are highly required in the job of physicians.

BMC Medical Education

In a high-tech operation, getting rid of people can lose a company key competencies, which are sometimes hidden, not written down anywhere," he says, explaining the French view.

Forbes

Figure 3 illustrates the persistence key competency as an example of one of these models, whereby its three associated behaviors are input into the model.

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The CAM-D consisted of 6 items, in which participants were asked to rate their confidence in key competency domains on a 4-point likert scale.

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a key competency", clearly define what specific skills or abilities the competency encompasses within the given context. For example, instead of just saying "leadership is a key competency", specify which aspects of leadership are crucial, such as delegation, conflict resolution, or strategic thinking.

Common error

Avoid listing competencies without providing context or specific examples. Simply stating that "communication" is a key competency is vague. Instead, specify the type of communication skills required, such as "written communication for report writing" or "verbal communication for client presentations".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a key competency" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a crucial skill, ability, or characteristic. It serves to highlight the importance of a particular attribute for success or effectiveness, as Ludwig AI shows across numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

22%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a key competency" is a noun phrase used to emphasize the importance of a particular skill or ability. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts, including science, news media, and formal business settings. While alternatives like "a core skill" or "an essential capability" exist, it's crucial to clearly define the specific skills the competency encompasses and avoid overgeneralization. Remember to provide context and examples to enhance clarity when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a core skill

Replaces competency with skill, emphasizing the fundamental nature of the ability.

an essential capability

Substitutes "key" with "essential" and "competency" with "capability", highlighting the necessity of the ability.

a vital attribute

Uses "vital" instead of "key" and "attribute" instead of "competency", shifting the focus to inherent qualities.

a critical aptitude

Replaces "key" with "critical" and "competency" with "aptitude", emphasizing the crucial nature of the talent.

a fundamental expertise

Uses "fundamental" and "expertise" to underline the basic and specialized nature of the ability.

a primary strength

Replaces "competency" with "strength", focusing on the positive attribute that contributes to success.

a crucial proficiency

Similar to the original phrase, highlighting the expertise needed. Proficiency has more of a connotation of something that is learned than a more innate ability.

a basic requirement

Focuses more on a mandatory element or condition, broadening the term 'competency'.

an important qualification

Highlights a criterion or condition that allows someone to achieve an end or quality for work. The phrase refers to both innate and acquired traits.

a significant advantage

Highlights the benefits that competency brings in context, it’s more of a broader reference.

FAQs

How can I use "a key competency" in a sentence?

You can use "a key competency" to highlight an essential skill or ability needed for a specific role or task. For example, "Adaptability is "a key competency" in today's rapidly changing work environment".

What are some alternatives to saying "a key competency"?

Some alternatives include "a core skill", "an essential capability", or "a vital attribute", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What makes a competency "key"?

A competency is considered "key" when it is crucial or fundamental for achieving success in a particular role, task, or context. It signifies that the competency is of high importance and has a significant impact on outcomes.

Is it better to use "key competency" or "core competency"?

Both "key competency" and "a core competency" are valid and often used interchangeably. However, "core competency" often refers to a fundamental skill or ability that is central to an organization's identity or success, while "key competency" may refer to a skill that is essential for a specific role or project.