G Behavioural competence HF-D2.1-004 transversal 8 skills
Listening and probing
Taking in the message of the other party fully, checking whether it is understood correctly and using targeted questions to surface underlying interests and assumptions.
How hrmforce measures this
- Assessment method
- 360-degree feedback
- hrmforce instrument
- Big Fifty, 360 Feedback
- Competency (50-framework)
- Listen
- Trainability
- medium
- Demand outlook 2026 to 2030
- rising
Multiple raters around the person rate behaviour against behavioural anchors.
This is a selection criterion, not a short-term development goal. Do not put a three-month development plan on it.
Behavioural anchors
| Level | Behaviour at this level |
|---|---|
| N1 Guided | Lets the other person finish speaking, takes notes and afterwards asks about anything that stayed unclear. works under supervision and follows instruction · routine, one variable at a time · own task |
| N3 Proficient | Summarises both the content and the feeling of the other party and probes until the real interest behind the request becomes visible. sets own approach and seeks input proactively · several variables, some ambiguity · own team or process |
| N5 Leading | Picks up sensitive signals in conversations with directors and supervisors and uses them to adjust organisational policy in good time. sets the standard and the policy · strategic, under high uncertainty · organisation, value chain or profession |
N2 and N4 are deliberately not anchored. Raters place them between the anchors, following the O*NET convention.
Underlying skills
These skills inherit the assessment route and the behavioural anchors of this construct.
| T | Skill | Definition | Demand outlook 2026 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | Active listening Active listening · Attentive listening | Shows through summarising, probing and nonverbal attention that the other person's message is received. | rising |
| G | Probing for underlying interests Probing interests · Interest based questioning | Probes until it is clear which interest or concern lies behind the other person's position. | rising |
| G | Paraphrasing Paraphrasing · Reflecting content | Repeats the other person's message in own words and checks whether that rendering is correct. | rising |
| G | Reflecting feeling Reflecting feelings · Emotion labelling | Names the feeling that comes through in the other person's words or posture and checks it. | rising |
| G | Using silence deliberately Using silence · Pausing in conversation | Allows a silence after a question or emotion so the other person has room to continue. | rising |
| G | Avoiding interruption Avoiding interruption · Letting others finish | Lets the other person finish and holds own reactions until there is room for them. | rising |
| G | Checking for understanding Checking understanding · Comprehension check | Asks explicitly whether the message came across as intended and repairs it where it did not. | rising |
| G | Checking assumptions in conversation Checking assumptions · Clarifying interpretation | Puts own interpretation of what the other said forward and asks whether that reading is right. | rising |