The Four Phases of Competency

As we learn our jobs, or any skill for that matter, we pass through different stages. Many times, some of us choose, either through ignorance or by choice, to stay in a certain "state". These stages are "Unconscious Incompetence"; "Conscious Incompetence"; "Unconscious Competence"; and, "Conscious Competence".

We start as an unconscious incompetent. This means we not only don't how to do something, but, we don't know we don't know how to do something. There may be a worker who doesn't know how do the right thing, but, they haven't been told they aren't dong things right. They are incompetent yet they don't know they are incompetent.

The next step in terms of growth is the conscious incompetent. This person is incompetent, but at least they know their incompetent. This "Aha" experience prevents people from continuing to do the wrong thing over and over. In aforementioned illustration, if the worker is finally told that the procedure they are using is not right, they are then aware that they are incompetent. However, this will usually prevent continued errors.

The next phase is the conscious incompetent. In this situation a person does the right thing, but, if they are asked how to repeat the correct procedure, or asked why it is the preferable act, they aren't able to explain it. The "natural athlete" might fall into this category. This person might be a salesperson who is successful but follows no particular method. In response to the question "How do you do that?" they more than likely will answer, "I don't know, it just happens". Many managers are content to leave a worker in this mode. The problem is; they might stay in this mode forever. That is why people in this phase, besides being called "prodigies", can also be called "Flash-in-the-pans". The manager owes it to the employee to move them to the final phase.