Success ProfileSM
It’s About the Whole Person
Success in a role takes more than the right knowledge and experience. It also depends on the behaviors, motivations, and personal attributes that influence how people perform on the job.
That's why we builds Success ProfilesSM, a holistic picture of what it takes to succeed in a specific role. Built around four dimensions of success—knowledge, experience, competencies, and personal attributes—Success Profiles help organizations define the complete picture of high performance, not just what's listed on a resume.
Backed by more than 50 years of research, DDI helps organizations identify the competencies and personal attributes that matter most so they can develop, accelerate, and promote people with greater confidence.
What’s a Success Profile?
A Success Profile is a holistic picture of what it takes to succeed in a role. At DDI, we've identified four dimensions of success:
- Knowledge—what people know.
- Experience—what people have done.
- Competencies—what people can do.
- Personal Attributes—what people are.
The key word is holistic. Organizations often focus on knowledge and experience because they're easy to see on a resume. But competencies and personal attributes often have the greatest impact on performance. That's why we help organizations build Success Profiles that define the complete picture of success for any role.
Start Success with Competencies
Based on DDI’s research, when competencies are the foundation of their HR processes, 91% of organizations report their selection and promotion systems are more fair and their training and development is more effective.
At DDI, we do competencies differently. How? We remove the guesswork. Thanks to well-defined, observable, and measurable key actions for each competency, everyone knows exactly what’s expected on the job.
Get Certified
We’re ready to help you become an expert in job analysis. We call our certification process Success Profiles: Card Sort, and it’s designed to help you quickly create the definition of success across your entire company.
Through this fast, efficient process, you can clearly link job requirements to competencies. And once you’re trained, you can repeat the process in-house as often as you need.
Have a Question?
Frequently Asked Questions About Success Profiles
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What is a success profile?
A Success Profile is DDI’s comprehensive framework that describes what it really takes to succeed in a given role. A Success Profile is not just a list of qualifications, but also the behaviors, competencies, and attributes that predict long-term performance. It goes beyond what someone knows or has done to include personal qualities and capabilities that are often overlooked yet critical for success.
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How do you create a success profile?
To build one, organizations define the four dimensions of success: knowledge, experience, competencies, and personal attributes. Then they use job analysis tools, structured input like Card Sort or facilitated workshops, and observable, measurable key actions tied to each competency.
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Why is a success profile important for organizations?
Using Success Profiles helps organizations hire more effectively, get people into roles faster, and see greater productivity and retention. According to DDI research, companies that define success in this holistic way tend to outperform competitors in leadership talent acquisition and leadership effectiveness.
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What elements should be included in a success profile?
A robust success profile includes four core dimensions: the knowledge needed for the job, relevant experience, role-specific competencies (with behavior-based, observable indicators), and personal attributes that align with the organization’s values and leadership culture.
