Situational Judgement Test (SJT) Preparation Guide
For candidates applying for Correctional Officer positions at the CX-01 level
Performing the duties of a Correctional Officer (CX) is demanding and requires sound judgement. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)’s Situational Judgement Test (SJT) for Correctional Officer applicants assesses your judgement in solving work-related problems similar to those you may encounter when performing CX duties. The SJT is accepted as one of the assessment measurement tools for the selection of recruits to attend the CSC National Training Academy Correctional Training Program (CTP), and upon graduation, embark on their careers as a CX.
In order to be well prepared to write the SJT, candidates should be generally familiar with the CSC information available on the website:
The Correctional Service of Canada, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.
The mission statement provides a wide, universal view of the organization’s reason for existence. It identifies the ultimate goal and responsibility of the organization. It also serves as the foundation for the values and culture of CSC.
CSC Role
What We Do
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is the federal government agency responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the court. CSC is responsible for managing institutions of various security levels and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community.
The protection of society is the paramount consideration for the Service in the corrections process.
CSC's involvement in the criminal justice process begins once an offender is sentenced to a term of incarceration of two years or more. Offenders given probation sentences or sentenced to incarceration of less than two years are the responsibility of the provinces/territories. Juvenile corrections, which are governed by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are also administered by the provinces/territories.
Decisions on the conditional release of offenders are the responsibility of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC). CSC is responsible, however, for preparing offenders for consideration by the PBC and for supervising federal offenders on conditional release in the community until the end of their sentences.
What We Do Not Do
CSC does not:
determine the guilt or innocence of persons charged under the Criminal Code or other related statutes;
set sentences for convicted offenders;
decide whether an offender should be granted a conditional release;
administer sentences of young offenders.
Correctional Officer Duties
Correctional Officers maintain the safety and security of federal penitentiaries and institutions. They:
supervise and interact with offenders while demonstrating respect for individual differences, such as race, culture, religious, gender identity;
regularly watch for signs that the safety of others or security of the institution might be at risk; and
take appropriate security measures when necessary.
Federal penitentiaries and institutions operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year. A CX must be able to work shifts, variable hours, weekends and statutory holidays. They may be required to work overtime.
Starting out as a Correctional Officer I (CX-01), you will:
conduct routine patrols and inmate counts;
supervise inmate movement and escort inmates both inside and outside the institution;
search cells, offenders, visitors, vehicles, living units, and surrounding areas;
conduct security checks and perform other duties as necessary;
verify safety equipment;
draft daily logs;
submit reports; and
brief visitors, volunteers, and other criminal justice professionals who enter the institution.
Standard pieces of issued clothing and equipment are provided to keep staff safe on the job. Some of these items are listed here:
Uniforms;
Stab-resistant vests;
Protective gloves;
Handcuffs;
Inflammatory spray;
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mask; and
Firearms.
Correctional Officer Competencies
Correctional Officers maintain the safety and security of Institutions. They primarily monitor, supervise and interact with offenders.
Correctional Officers are expected to demonstrate the following competencies and abilities:
Demonstrating integrity and respect, including the CSC values;
Thinking things through;
Working effectively with others;
Showing initiative and being action oriented; and
Ability to communicate effectively.
CX competencies and effective behaviours are further detailed at the end of this guide. The SJT formally assesses your judgement based upon your selection of possible scenario responses. Embedded within the test are the Correctional Officer competencies, and the mission, values and ethics of CSC and the Public Service.
CSC Mission, Values and Ethics Framework
Although the Mission was previously mentioned, this section shows how it falls within and contributes towards a larger CSC framework.
CSC Mission and Commitment
CSC Values and Ethics Framework provides a common understanding of CSC’s shared beliefs and expected standards of behaviour in achieving its Mission.
Our Mission: CSC, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to public safety by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.
Our Commitment: We, CSC employees and those working with us, recognize the importance of accomplishing our Mission within a framework of values, policy and legislation. We use shared, reciprocal values to guide our behaviour, decision-making, and discretionary judgement. These shared values are useful in day-to-day work within CSC and with all partners and stakeholders. In living these values, we demonstrate our commitment to personal and professional integrity and to working together to shape a harassment free organizational culture aligned with these same values.
We are proud of our work and accomplishments, and of the spirit of collegiality and cooperation in which we achieve them. We believe in the human capacity for positive change and recognize that relationships are at the core of our work. Through our relationships, we contribute in diverse and significant ways to Changing Lives and Protecting Canadians and Victims.
CSC Values Statement: The CSC Values Statement guides behaviour, decision making and discretionary judgement in the Service. CSC staff are expected to demonstrate the following shared, reciprocal values in all of their interactions with offenders, colleagues (peers, subordinates and superiors), partners, stakeholders and the public:
Respect: Respectful behaviours honour the rationality and dignity of persons – their ability to choose their own path, within lawful order, to a meaningful life. A good test of respectful behaviour is treating others as we would like to be treated.
Fairness: A complex value in both theory and practice, fairness involves balancing conflicting interests, and exercising impartiality, objectivity, equality, and equity in interpersonal relationships. Similar to respect, a good test for fairness is to treat others as you would like to be treated.
Professionalism: Professionalism is a commitment to abide by high ethical standards of behaviour as well as relevant group standards, and to develop and apply specialized knowledge for the public good. Professionalism is anchored in a commitment to integrity – a commitment to uphold our values in even the most difficult circumstances.
Inclusiveness: Inclusiveness is a commitment to welcoming, proactively accommodating and learning from cultural, spiritual, and generational differences, individual challenges, and novel points of view.
Accountability: Accountability involves the notion of being willing and able to explain, answer to and justify the appropriateness of actions and decisions. Accountability is applicable to everyone within CSC. Accountability is also about accepting and ensuring responsibility – providing necessary support, feedback, and oversight.
Additional information regarding the CSC Mission, Values and Ethics Framework is available at:
The CSC Values Statement aligns with, and supports the Public Sector values and ethics code. Acceptance of the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and adherence to the expected behaviours constitute a condition of employment for all CSC employees.
Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
CSC is committed to the recruitment and development of an inclusive and diverse workforce, representative of the population that it serves. In order to provide an accurate picture of our workforce, it is encouraged that all applicants and staff complete the Employment Equity (EE) Self-Identification Questionnaire, regardless of whether or not you fall within one of the four designated EE groups:
Women;
Indigenous peoples;
Visible minorities (sometimes referred to as racialized persons); and
Persons with disabilities.
Be assured that your information will be kept confidential and protected under the Privacy Act.
CSC recognizes that diversity goes beyond the EE groups as defined by the Employment Equity Act and thrives to be representative of all equity seeking groups. The current self-identification process is being modernized through the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to better reflect the diversity of the Canadian population.
Although voluntary, your participation is encouraged as it assists CSC in identifying areas of under-representation for the EE groups and in pursuing our efforts towards removing barriers that may exist regarding:
Recruitment;
Staffing;
Training;
Retention; and
Promotion practices.
Additional information regarding Diversity in the CSC workplace is available at:
The Situational Judgement Test assesses the judgement required for solving work-related problems similar to those encountered by Correctional Officers.
The following five functions capture the principal areas and expectations in CX-01 work performance, and form the scenario themes of the Situational Judgment Test:
Ensuring the security of the institution and the public;
Ensuring the security of staff, including when transporting inmates;
Ensuring the security of inmates, including when transporting them;
Responding to fire, environmental hazards and medical emergencies; and
Enhancing offender accountability.
There are 100 questions associated with the various scenarios (two marks per question), and your potential is evaluated based upon your chosen responses. Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 130/200 to pass and to be considered successful in this phase of the hiring process. The breakdown of SJT scenarios is not divided equally among the five functions. Some of the principal areas will have more questions than the other areas, and therefore have greater emphasis in evaluating your judgement choices.
During the SJT, you will be presented with situations each of which will be followed by one or more possible ways of responding. Your task will be to judge the effectiveness of the responses in solving the problem presented in each situation. Read each situation and the potential response carefully, and then rate the effectiveness of the responses using a scale ranging from A to E, where A is very ineffective and E is very effective.
General Preparation
The allowable time to complete the SJT is 90 minutes not including test administration time. Allocating sufficient time towards pre-test movements to arrive comfortably and be ready before the start time usually helps with mental preparedness.
The site and method for administering the SJT will depend upon your geographic location, and specific details will be provided to you in advance. Please read and follow the administrative directions carefully to ensure you arrive at the testing site on time and with the required documents. If you fail to follow the administrative directions, you will not be permitted to write the SJT.
Developing a preparation plan leading towards your scheduled test date is highly recommended. The plan should include becoming familiar with the expectations of a Correctional Officer in the performance of their duties. This guide and the Correctional Service of Canada website homepage contains valuable information that will assist in envisioning scenarios and the effective courses of action to be taken in those scenarios.
Following CSC on social media is another source of information to gain an appreciation of the nature of Correctional Officer work and the institutional environment.
Please note that this exam is different from the Public Service Commission’s Test of Judgement (TOJ) 375 as well as Situational Judgement Test (SJT) 318. Results from the TOJ-375 and SJT-318 cannot be used for this selection process.
This Preparation Guide is the only guide produced by the Correctional Service of Canada. Please be aware that any commercial study guide products usually have a disclaimer that CSC was not involved in their guide’s production, and CSC does not endorse commercial study guides.
Correctional Officer Competencies and Effective Behaviours
Demonstrating Integrity and Respect, including the CSC values
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Behaving consistently with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.
Exhibiting personal and professional behaviours that reflect the values of respect for democracy, respect for people, integrity, stewardship and excellence, as defined in the V&E Code for the Public Sector.
Exemplifying the reciprocal values of CSC’s Values Statement, and demonstrating the associated behaviours, that reflect the values of respect, fairness, professionalism, inclusiveness and accountability.
Adhering to legislation, policies and procedures in carrying out work related responsibilities and duties including implementing programs, making recommendations and acting in response to incidents.
Behaving inconsistently with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.
Showing disrespect for diverse opinions or beliefs of others, as defined in the V&E Code for the Public Sector.
Acting in a manner that goes against the values of CSC’s Values Statement, promoting disrespectful and unprofessional behaviours and avoiding all accountability for one’s actions.
Disregarding legislation, policies and procedures in carrying out work related responsibilities and duties.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Discussing ethical concerns with their supervisor or colleagues, and when necessary, seeking out and using appropriate disclosure procedures.
Seeking clarification and/or expressing concern when information and/or direction is unclear or inconsistent with law, policy or procedures.
Addressing respectfully and/or reporting inappropriate attitudes, language and behaviours that are discriminatory, offensive or demeaning.
Encouraging and engaging in dialogue on ethical issues with managers, peers, employees, and offenders to understand and address ethical concerns.
Undermining or ignoring ethical concerns and failing to disclosure them.
Ignoring or disregarding inconsistencies in information or direction with law, policy or procedures.
Condoning or encouraging inappropriate attitudes, language and behaviours that are discriminatory, offensive or demeaning.
Demonstrating a closed-minded attitude towards ethical issues or concerns.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Working in a manner that reflects a commitment to client service excellence.
Keeping promises, honouring commitments and striving to meet deadlines made to managers, peers, employees, and offenders.
Finding efficiencies while ensuring public safety and respecting client service excellence.
Developing and adhering to internal and external service standards, such as timeframes and deadlines as outlined in legislation, policy and procedure.
Working in a manner that demonstrates disengagement towards client service.
Place personal goals ahead of the needs of clients and goals of CSC.
Achieve results no matter what the cost to public safety or client service.
Showing complete disregard for timeframes, standards and deadlines outlined in legislation, policy and procedure.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Actively contributing to workplace well-being and a safe, healthy and respectful workplace.
Demonstrating respect for co-workers’ thoughts, showing empathy, being aware of the feelings of others and understanding their needs.
Communicating in a clear, concise and diplomatic manner, both orally and in writing, with co- workers, offenders and other clients/partners/volunteers.
Respecting confidentiality of information about colleagues, employees, and offenders.
Maintaining composure and respect for others when confronted with crisis and stressful situations.
Being punctual and using time wisely and efficiently.
Creating and contributing to a work environment where co-workers are valued and supported.
Promoting and supporting mental health initiatives to build a healthy, respectful and supportive work environment.
Setting clear, achievable work objectives, expected results for employees and taking into consideration individual strengths and team capacity.
Recognizing and supporting developmental opportunities.
Communicating and supporting a sense of purpose and direction for employees and co-workers.
Hindering workplace well-being and obstructing a safe, healthy and respectful workplace.
Demotivating or offending others through cynicism or aggression.
Using a disrespectful and/or offensive manner of communicating with co-workers, offenders and other clients/partners/volunteers.
Acting carelessly and without discretion with confidential information about colleagues, employees, and offenders.
Behaving in a disrespectful and erratic manner when confronted with crisis and stressful situations.
Working inconsistent hours and demonstrating poor time management skills.
Working independently and exclusionary without regard for co-workers.
Dismissing mental health initiatives and demonstrating little regard for a healthy, respectful and supportive work environment.
Setting unreasonable work objectives without consideration of an employee’s strengths and abilities.
Maintaining a status quo work environment and no emphasis on employee growth and development.
Unilaterally advancing one’s agenda without the inclusion of others.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Supporting and valuing diversity and bilingualism.
Contributing actively to creating a more inclusive workplace.
Communicating orally and in writing to partners, stakeholders and offenders in their preferred official language.
Collaborating within teams to respect official language choices and capacities of colleagues.
Making efforts to be aware of and accept the preferred work styles, strengths and capacities of co- workers, as well as internal and external partners and stakeholders.
Respecting religious, ethnic and/or cultural associations of others.
Conducting meetings in both official languages, in designated bilingual regions and wherever feasible.
Implementing necessary accommodation measures to allow employees to work to the best of their ability.
Demonstrating insensitivity or intolerance toward diversity and linguistic duality.
Operating independently thus creating an exclusionary environment in the workplace.
Disregarding the preferred language of choice when communicating with partners, stakeholders and offenders.
Unwilling to work as part of a team in order to respect official language choices and capacity of colleagues.
Intolerance of the working styles and strengths of co-workers, stakeholders and both internal and external partners.
Demonstrating insensitivity towards diversity.
Conducting meetings without respecting linguistic duality.
Neglecting the accommodation needs of others to work to the best of their abilities.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Acting with transparency and fairness.
Ensuring concerns expressed by co-workers, offenders and other clients are treated seriously and responded to in a timely and sensitive manner.
Delivering and explaining difficult messages and decisions accurately, sensitively, effectively, and honestly.
Encouraging and facilitating learning and development, as a manager, peer and employee, by providing clear direction, guidance, and accurate and constructive feedback on performance.
Acting ambiguously and arbitrarily.
Demonstrating insensitivity and a disregard for the expressed concerns of co-workers, offenders and other clients.
Delivering and explaining difficult messages and decisions inaccurately, insensitively, ineffectively and dishonestly.
Providing limited feedback and guidance and impeding the facilitation of learning and development.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Demonstrating respect for government assets and resources, and using them responsibly, including by understanding and applying relevant government policies.
Supporting managers, peers and employees in adapting to change, operating within budgets, and realistically prioritizing workload and deliverables.
Limiting socializing, surfing the Internet, making personal phone calls while at work.
Supporting a team based approach, as manager, peer and employee, in implementing policies, programs and achieving results.
Using a government credit card responsibly and appropriately, in line with policy and financial directives.
Taking all possible steps to recognize, prevent, report and resolve any situation that could result in a real, apparent or potential conflict of interest between official responsibilities and outside employment or activities.
Ensuring that any real, apparent, or potential conflict of interest that may arise between outside employment or activity and official responsibilities as a public servant is resolved in the public interest.
Demonstrating disrespect for government assets and resources, and using them irresponsibly, including by ignoring relevant government policies.
Being resistant to change and setting unrealistic workload priorities.
Regularly engaging in socializing activities such as surfing the internet or conducting personal phone calls while at work.
Attempting to implement policies, programs and achieving results without engaging staff.
Misappropriation of government funds with complete disregard of policies and financial directives.
Disregarding situations that could result in a conflict of interest between official responsibilities and outside employment or activities.
Demonstrating little regard for public interest in situations of conflict of interest between outside employment or activities and official responsibilities.
Working effectively with others
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Sharing information with work colleagues.
Sharing information broadly with work colleagues including superiors, peers, and subordinates while observing relevant policies.
Finding efficiencies while ensuring public safety and respecting client service excellence.
Providing all relevant information used to support recommendations and/or make decisions, in line with information sharing law, policies and procedures.
Withholding information from work colleagues.
Monopolizing information and not disseminating relevant practices while disregarding relevant policies.
Maintaining inefficient practices at the cost of public safety and client service.
Making recommendations and/or decisions with disregard of relevant information, policies and procedures.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Listening actively to the views of others, and respecting, considering and incorporating them.
Encouraging the contributions of others, including senior managers, supervisors, co-workers and clients, as appropriate.
Consulting broadly including with national, regional and local management, colleagues, internal and external stakeholders and partners, relevant sectors and/or teams outside the work unit as appropriate, and incorporating relevant comments.
Listening without judgement and showing curiosity and consideration for the views and perspectives of others.
Ignoring and excluding the views of others.
Refusing to consider and incorporate the views of others.
Limiting the scope of consultations to within the work group instead of utilizing broader resources or relevant comments.
Demonstrating judgmental attitudes towards the views and perspectives of others.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Actively contribute to creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace.
Actively supporting and assisting managers, colleagues, team members, and employees to reach individual and team objectives.
Actively assisting and supporting the efforts and successes of offenders in making positive changes to facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
Celebrating the success of co-workers and employees and recognizing the contributions of others through both formal and informal recognition.
Providing regular feedback on co-worker’s positive contributions to the team.
Fostering and supporting a positive and healthy work environment within the team by promoting values and ethics in the workplace.
Actively participating in activities and trainings that support a healthy work environment by being inclusive and respectful of diversity, including but not limited to individuals’ abilities, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Demonstrating understanding and openness for employees with mental health needs.
Pro-actively accommodating and learning from cultural, spiritual, gender and gender identity, linguistic and generational differences, individual challenges and novel points of view.
Pro-actively reporting any observed or known
Promoting a toxic work environment by displaying and/or condoning unethical behaviour.
Experience frequent conflict with co-workers, including as a result of favouritism or bias.
Discouraging and impeding offenders in making positive changes to facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
Ignoring the success of co-workers and employees.
Protesting the achievements of managers, co-workers, team members, and employees at team meetings.
Avoiding acknowledging co-worker’s positive contribution to the team.
Promoting a toxic work environment by displaying and/or condoning unethical behaviour.
Discouraging and/or conveying negative attitudes toward participating in activities and trainings which promote inclusivity and respect for diversity.
Being insensitive and not seeking to understand mental health needs in the workplace.
Displaying prejudicial attitudes and behaviours toward cultural, spiritual and generational differences, individual challenges, or points of view that are different than one’s own.
Ignoring or condoning observed or known behaviour that compromises dignity or well-being of a colleague.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Demonstrating an understanding of the roles, responsibilities and workloads of colleagues, and being willing to balance personal needs with those of other team members.
Offering support and assistance to managers, co-workers, and employees when urgent situations impact work duties, responsibilities and deadlines.
Helping diverse teams work together effectively through teamwork, networking and sharing collaboratively across work units.
Lack of regard to the roles, responsibilities and workloads of colleagues.
Showing little regard for the roles, responsibilities and workloads of colleagues.
Working in isolation without offering support or assistance to others in or across work units.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Eliciting trust, particularly by following through on commitments.
Taking responsibility for mistakes and correcting them.
Keeping your promises, honouring commitments and striving to meet deadlines made to managers, peers, employees, and offenders.
Eliciting doubt, particularly by deviating from commitments.
Attempting to cover up, obscure mistakes or avoiding taking responsibility for them.
Being perceived as unreliable and unlikely to deliver on commitments.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Dealing proactively with interpersonal or personal matters that could affect their performance.
Building positive, productive, and supportive relationships with managers, peers and employees.
Dealing with conflict and inappropriate behaviour both within and outside the workplace, as a manager, peer, and employee and working to resolve misunderstandings at the lowest level, using an informal process and at the earliest opportunity.
Making efforts, as a manager, peer, and employee, to engage in collaborative discussions on issues in the workplace and develop or negotiate fair, achievable solutions.
Demonstrating an “open door” attitude and responding to issues, as they arise, at the lowest level and in a timely manner.
Dealing reactively with interpersonal or personal matters that could affect their performance.
Preferring to work autonomously and avoiding working with others.
Avoiding conflict or addressing personal problems that may be affecting performance.
Limiting the amount of contact with others and resisting collaboration with the team.
Maintaining a distance with their team and avoiding dealing with issues as they arise, which can lead to escalation.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Managing their own work-life balance and respecting that of others.
Maintaining healthy boundaries in professional relationships with colleagues and/or offenders.
Setting an example of expected behaviours related to a healthy work-life balance, for example, respecting hours of work and exhibiting appropriate boundaries while off duty, as a manager, peer and employee.
Demonstrating empathy, seeking to understand individual circumstances and needs while respecting privacy.
Taking advantage of, supporting, or promoting wellness programs.
Encouraging and engaging in dialogue on stress management and effective strategies.
Neglecting their own work-life balance and disrespecting that of others.
Engaging in inappropriate behaviour and relationships with colleagues and/or offenders.
Exhibiting unhealthy habits and behaviours that create unrealistic expectations and practices in the workplace.
Demonstrating lack of compassion for others and their circumstances.
Not partaking or promoting wellness programs.
Avoiding conversations regarding stress management and effective strategies.
Thinking Things Through
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Planning and adjusting their work based on a thorough understanding of their unit’s business priorities and their own work objectives, and seeking clarification when uncertain or confused.
Ensuring awareness and understanding of unit’s and own objectives.
Planning work using available tools to meet objectives.
Demonstrating flexibility in planning and prioritizing work.
Confirming with their manager or supervisor any changes to established deliverables and timelines.
Ensuring their manager and supervisor is aware of challenges and barriers to completing assigned work.
Requesting useful, timely feedback, asking questions to clarify expectations and goals about the progression of assigned tasks/projects.
Reflecting on and raising reasonable options to overcome challenges and barriers to completing assigned work.
Ignoring or failing to notify a supervisor of new information or changing circumstances that may affect current work responsibilities.
Assuming that all members are aware of their work responsibilities and objectives.
Avoiding utilising resources and tools available to complete work tasks.
Resisting to change when it comes to the prioritization of work.
Neglecting to inform management when there are changes to established deliverables or timelines.
Ignoring or failing to notify a supervisor of new information or changing circumstances that may affect current work responsibilities.
Does not seek clarification or feedback when expectations or goals about assigned tasks/projects are unclear.
Unable to determine reasonable options in order to overcome challenge or barriers when they present themselves.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Considering multiple sources of information before formulating a view or opinion.
Considering the contributions of others, including senior managers, supervisors, co-workers and clients, as appropriate
Consulting broadly including with national, regional and local management, colleagues, internal and external stakeholders and partners, relevant sectors and/or teams outside the work unit as appropriate, and incorporating relevant comments
Researching issues through means at their disposal
Keeping an open mind when receiving information
Inviting all members of the team to share their ideas and perspectives during meetings
Considering the impacts of decisions on workplace wellbeing and productivity.
Avoiding to seek out new sources of information or knowledge that may challenge personal views or may impact work activities.
Unwilling to consider the opinions and contributions of others.
Avoiding seeking out new sources of information or knowledge that may challenge personal views or may impact work activities.
Not utilizing all of the resources at their disposal to perform research.
Unwilling to accept information when presented.
Not seeking the input or opinions of others during team meetings.
Making decisions with little regard of the impact these will have on workplace wellbeing and productivity.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Exercising sound judgement and obtaining relevant facts before making decisions.
Consulting broadly including with national, regional and local management, colleagues, internal and external stakeholders and partners, relevant sectors and/or teams outside the work unit as appropriate, and incorporating relevant comments.
Conducting thorough research on an issue through means at their disposal, beyond an internet search
Weighing all factors (ie. context, facts, experts, impact, pros and cons) carefully when analyzing information.
Demonstrating objectivity and keeping an open mind in analysis.
Seeking advice and information from subject matter experts, end users and those stakeholders involved in implementation.
Ensuring their manager or supervisor is kept informed of dissenting opinions, problems and obstacles.
Demonstrating openness and empathy in response to views that may be different than one’s own.
Exercising sound judgment and obtain facts before making decisions.
Demonstrating insensitivity to the unit's operating context or to client’s needs.
Ignoring the input of stakeholders and partners and incorporating solely their comments.
Utilizing only basic internet search resources to research issues.
Neglecting to consult multiple factors and sources when analyzing information.
Conducting analysis with a subjective point of view.
Avoiding seeking advice and information from subject matter experts.
Failing to alert management of possible issues which could impact deliverables.
Demonstrating a lack of openness and empathy in response to views that may be different than one’s own.
Avoiding information or knowledge that may challenge personal views.
Demonstrating poor judgment or bias in decision-making processes.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Analyzing setbacks and seeking feedback to learn from mistakes.
Engaging in open dialogue to seek feedback.
Keeping an open mind when receiving explanation or feedback.
Conducting research on issues to better understand mistakes and how to avoid them next time.
Accepting responsibility for mistakes and being accountable for minimizing negative impacts.
Engaging in self-reflection to identify opportunities for personal and professional development.
Seeking advice and feedback from a trusted mentor or coach.
Avoiding owning up to and analyzing mistakes and listening to constructive feedback.
Avoiding the input or assistance of others.
Taking all forms of explanations and feedback as a personal attack.
Avoiding personal responsibilities from mistakes or not making any attempt to gain a further understanding to avoid future incidences.
Avoiding owning up to and analyzing mistakes and listening to constructive feedback.
Demonstrating little interest in any opportunities for personal or professional growth.
Making little to no effort to seek out advice from a trusted mentor or coach.
Showing Initiative and Being Action-oriented
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Staying up to date on team goals, work processes and performance objectives.
Attending and contributing to regular team meetings.
Ensuring work is aligned with own and unit’s objectives by clarifying with supervisor.
Advising manager if work appears to no longer be aligned with objectives.
Ensuring that current and new processes are followed and respected.
Completing required training within reasonable timeframes (or in a timely manner).
Requesting useful, timely, concrete feedback, asking questions to clarify performance expectations and goals.
Being ill informed on team goals, work processes and performance objectives.
Avoiding participating or contributing in team meetings.
Focusing on ones work goals with little regard to those of the team.
Disengaging with manager and not advising if work is no longer aligned to specific objectives.
Disregarding the introduction of new processes and is satisfied with maintaining the status quo.
Demonstrating little initiative or effort to complete mandatory training in a reasonable timeframe.
Avoiding seeking feedback or clarifications regarding performance expectations and goals.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Translating direction into concrete work activities, making the most of available time and resources.
Seeking clarification and/or expressing concern when information and/or direction is unclear or inconsistent with objectives.
Understanding link between unit goal and work activities.
Seeking and recommending new approaches to streamline work and meet objectives.
Using accepted project management practices to develop comprehensive and realistic work plans with clear deliverables, activities, and timeframes.
Mismanaging time and resources and failing to translate direction into concrete work activities.
Avoiding seeking further clarification when unsure of a direction or objective.
Unable to make the connections between work objectives and the greater unit goals.
Disengaging in making efforts to advance work approach and is satisfied with simply maintaining the status quo.
Failing to set comprehensive and realistic goals when establishing work plans or following accepted practices.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Maintaining a constructive attitude in the face of change, setbacks or stressful situations, and remaining open to new solutions or approaches.
Keeping an open mind when listening to new ideas.
Using setbacks to learn and improve future actions.
Demonstrating flexibility in dealing with changing priorities.
Channeling stress into positive action using humour or other methods.
Collaborating to overcome setbacks, stressful situations.
Seeking constructive feedback to learn from setbacks, mistakes.
Demonstrating a negative attitude towards change, setbacks or stressful situations, and being closes to new solutions of approaches.
Resisting change and inclined to focus on why new solutions or approaches will not work instead of suggesting alternatives that work better.
Unwilling to accept ownership of unsuccessful endeavors and recognize such experiences as learning opportunities.
Resisting change in shifting priorities on evolving organizational objectives.
Becoming overwhelmed by workload and the effects of the stress is felt amongst the team.
Avoiding engaging the help of others to accomplish a goal, rather prefers to manage the situation themselves regardless of the work that is entailed.
Assigning blame to others for any setback experienced rather than seeking out advice on how to improve or grow.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Communicating ideas, views and concerns effectively and respectfully, and actively participating in exchanges of ideas with others.
Demonstrating respect for others and inclusiveness of others’ ideas.
Demonstrating empathy for others and considering what others value as important.
Communicating in a clear, concise and diplomatic manner.
Looking for solutions that are innovative and outside the box, and sharing ideas freely.
Listening actively to the ideas of others.
Communicating and supporting a sense of purpose and direction for employees and co-workers.
Withholding ideas, views and concerns and obstructing exchanges of ideas with others.
Discourteous with others and unwelcoming of others’ ideas.
Preoccupied with one’s own priorities and showing little appreciation or understanding for the values of others.
Resisting communicating ideas, views and concerns constructively, either due to fear of speaking up or have difficulty controlling emotions.
Maintaining a closed minded approach to problem solving and is reluctant to share ideas with others.
Dismissing the thoughts and opinions of others with little regard.
Demonstrating little effort to provide support or direction to staff.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Embracing change and actively looking for opportunities to learn and develop professionally and personally.
Taking charge of your own career and looking for learning opportunities.
Demonstrating leadership in understanding and promoting new approaches, processes, etc.
Reluctant to change and avoid opportunities to learn and develop professionally and personally.
Perceiving entitlement and looking for opportunities to be offered to you without self-resolve.
Resisting accepting and understanding new methods or approaches and failing to communicate new process with the team.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Contributing to and participating in process improvements and new approaches.
Making sound, well-thought out recommendations to streamline processes.
Seeking ideas to improve processes from others in the unit.
Sharing best practices and lessons learned with co-workers.
Refusing to contribute and participating in process improvements and new approaches.
Acting impulsively without fully thinking through the impact such changes would have on the process.
Avoiding seeking the input of others and solely focusing on one’s own priorities.
Resisting sharing information and best practices with others.
Effective behaviours
Ineffective behaviours
Pursuing operational efficiencies, demonstrating an appreciation of the importance of value for money, including by willingly adopting new and more efficient ways of working.
Demonstrating initiative in proposing options to increase efficiency (processes, travel, etc.).
