The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Leadership LEAD

Guiding and influencing others, aligning actions with strategic objectives to drive positive change and team development.

SFIA 9 is in development

  • SFIA 9 planned for publication October 2024
  • This is subject to change before publication.

Guidance notes

Leadership in SFIA represents a progression from self-management to shaping organisational strategy. It involves:

  • demonstrating personal responsibility
  • taking ownership of work and development
  • guiding and influencing others
  • contributing to team capabilities
  • aligning actions with organisational objectives
  • inspiring and driving positive change.

Effective leadership encompasses self-awareness, influence, understanding and inspiring and motivating others. It also involves strategic thinking, risk management and the capacity to align actions with long-term objectives. As professionals advance, their leadership increasingly shapes organisational culture, drives innovation and enhances the organisation's ability to navigate complex challenges and act on opportunities.

Level 1 - Follow

  • Proactively increases their understanding of their work tasks and responsibilities. 

Level 2 - Assist

  • Takes ownership to develop their work experience. 

Level 3 - Apply

  • Provides basic guidance and support to less experienced team members as needed.

Level 4 - Enable

  • Leads, supports or guides team members.
  • Develops solutions for complex work activities related to assignments. 
  • Demonstrates an understanding of risk factors in their work.
  • Contributes specialist expertise to requirements definition in support of proposals.

Level 5 - Ensure, advise

  • Provides leadership at an operational level.
  • Implements and executes policies aligned to strategic plans.
  • Assesses and evaluates risk.  
  • Takes all requirements into account when considering proposals.

Level 6 - Initiate, influence

  • Provides leadership at an organisational level.
  • Contributes to the development and implementation of policy and strategy.
  • Understands and communicates industry developments, and the role and impact of technology. 
  • Manages and mitigates organisational risk.  
  • Balances the requirements of proposals with the broader needs of the organisation.

Level 7 - Set strategy, inspire, mobilise

  • Leads strategic management.
  • Applies the highest level of leadership to the formulation and implementation of strategy.
  • Communicates the potential impact of emerging practices and technologies on organisations and individuals and assesses the risks of using or not using such practices and technologies. 
  • Establishes governance to address business risk.
  • Ensures proposals align with the strategic direction of the organisation.