Maturity Model
A maturity model is a structured way to assess how capable, consistent, and effective an organisation is today, and to map the clear steps needed to reach higher levels of performance. Thus a Maturity Model forms a core part of the framework, in that it allows organisations to consider in a structured fashion where they are currently, where they are targeting over what time frames, and identify the key gaps they need to address.
In turn, this then allows organisations to consider which parts of the Framework they would like to exploit to approach addressing these gaps, and in turn increase their maturity against the framework.
The following table forms a short summary of the maturity model.
| Level 1 Absent |
Level 2 Emerging |
Level 3 Intentional |
Level 4 Embedded |
Level 5 Strategic |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy Psychological safety as part of organisational strategy |
None | Local | Component | Foundation | Differentiator |
| Leadership and Management Behaviours Understanding, Modelling, Reinforcement & Accountability |
Individual dependant | Intent but inconsistent | Trained and Measured | Consistent Demonstration | Active Coaching |
| Operational Culture and Rhythms Processes, Rituals, Meetings, Decision Making, Conflict |
Not incorporated | Inconsistent, absent in conflict | Designed in, consistent applied | Integrated, reliable under pressure | Cultural expectation, source of learning |
| Organisation and People Training, Reinforcement, Individual Accountability, Individual Experience |
No formality, unpredictable environment | Basic, pockets of accountability | Structure, expectations, escalation paths | Consistent, reliable, high trust | Core organisational capability, culturally reinforcing. |
| Enablement Tools, Language, support |
No vernacular, tools, or support. | Language and awareness, but little support. | Shared understanding, tools and incorporates conflict. | Consistent, language norms, maintained in conflict. | Shared vernacular, continuous improvement, confident in all contexts, |
| Execution and Impact Enactment, Experience, Evidence |
Individual initiative, no structures for evidence | Positive pockets but absence of analysis or integrated decision making | Regular analysis, feedback influences practices. | Consistent enactment based on evidence. | Board level insight, feedback firmly embedded |
The full version of the maturity model expands each field and provides greater insight about what would be anticpated at each level.
This full version is available to download in either Excel (xlsx) or PDF.
The next page - Characteristics - explores descriptions for each of the maturity model levels, with the associated characteristics, behaviours, systems, and artefacts you would expect to observe.
Alternatively, explore the next section looking at the Foundation Processes that ensure that empathy, psychological safety, and clarity are not left to chance, but are enacted through consistent, reliable, and evidence based practice.
You can always return to the contents page by clicking the 'Structured Empathy Framework' title at the top of the page.