Jan 07, 2015

There are five stages of competence that every leader, change leader, manager and workplace coach must know. For my article today, I want share with you a terrific framework that will help you better understand these five stages of competence, where you can apply it in areas such as coaching, delegating, performance management, resolving conflict and feedback sessions. Stage 1 – Unconscious Incompetence or Unconsciously Unskilled The team member:

• Is not aware of the existence or relevance of the skill area,
• Is not aware that they have a particular deficiency in the skill area,
• Might deny the relevance or usefulness of the new skill area, and
• Must become ‘conscious’ of their incompetence before development of the new skill or learning can begin.

The aim of the ‘teacher’ is to move the person into the ‘conscious incompetence’ stage, by demonstrating the skills or ability and the benefit that it will bring to the person’s effectiveness. Stage 2 – Conscious Incompetence or Consciously Unskilled The team member:

• Becomes aware of the existence and relevance of the skill,
• Is therefore also aware of their deficiency in this area by trying to use the skill,
• Realises that by improving their skill or ability in this area, their effectiveness will improve,
• Ideally has a measure of the extent of their deficiency in the relevant skill and a measure of what level of skill is required for their own competence, and
• Ideally makes a commitment to learn and practice the new skill and to move to the ‘conscious competence’ stage.

Stage 3 – Conscious Competence or Consciously Skilled The team member:

• Achieves ‘conscious competence’ in a skill when they can perform it reliably at will,
• Will still need to concentrate and think in order to perform the skill,
• Can perform the skill without assistance,
• Will not reliably perform the skill unless thinking about it – the skill is not yet ‘second nature’ or ‘automatic,’
• Should be able to demonstrate the skill to another person but is unlikely to be able to teach it well to another person, and
• Should ideally continue to practice the new skill and if appropriate commit to becoming ‘unconsciously competent’ at the new skill.

Practice is the single most effective way to move from stage 3 to stage 4. Stage 4 – Unconscious Competence or Unconsciously Skilled The team member:

• Becomes so practiced in the skill that it enters the unconscious parts of their brain – it becomes ‘second nature,’
• Can perform certain skills while doing something else, and
• Might now be able to teach others in the skill concerned although after some time of being unconsciously competent the person might actually have difficulty in explaining exactly how they do it – the skill has become largely instinctual to them.

Stage 5 – Continuous Improvement or Complacency Now, this stage is interesting because there are a few different takes on it. The first view is the team member can become complacent and their performance slips. The second view is more positive, that is, the team member develops a continual improvement mindset to the task and just keeps improving on it.Another view, the view of Luannn Udell is the fifth stage is "being willing to be a beginner again…being very good at starting over." To learn more about workplace competence and other areas of workplace performance, take a look at New Horizons' Professional Development courses. Until next time, keep centered, keep cool, and live healthy.