The girl that I teach next to is also taking graduate classes and sometimes we talk about what we're doing in our courses (and by talk I mean complain about the work we have to do). The other day, when we actually did some talking, she was telling me about a learning theory her course discussed, the "Four Stages of Competence". It's been days later, and I'm still fascinated by this learning theory.
According to the theory, you basically fall into one of these four stages of competence as it relates to something you are doing:
Unconsciously Incompetent (or unskilled)- You are no good at something, and you are also unaware you are no good at it.
Consciously Incompetent (or unskilled)- You are no good at something, but at least you know you're not good.
Consciously Competent (or skilled)- You are pretty good at something, but it takes some work. It doesn't come naturally to you.
Unconsciously Competent (or skilled)- You are good at something, and you don't even have to think about it when you do it.
My teacher friend paid me a great compliment by saying I was "unconsciously competent" in the field of teaching. She said that my interactions with kids, my teaching style, and my organization just seem to come naturally, almost second nature. It was a very nice compliment which made my day.
But now I've been categorizing everything that I do and seeing where I fall. Here's some random things I've classified:
Euchre- Consciously Incompetent (sorry Kev, it's true)
Cooking- Consciously Competent (I have to follow recipes, or I will feel uneasy, but things turn out well when they're cooked)
Saving Money- Unconsciously Competent (I just do it. I don't spend extravagantly, so when there's extra money, I just put it into the savings account.)
It's hard to classify yourself as "unconsciously incompetent" at something. Is it possible to think of something that you're unskilled at, but don't know you're unskilled at? I can think of things that other people might classify me as unconsciously incompetent, like maybe driving a car (I think I'm good). Or maybe sex.....Nawwwwwww, that can't be right...
It is easy, however, to classify others as unconsciously incompetent, like Kwame Brown and playing basketball. The dude doesn't know how much he sucks.
Anyway, the next time you go to work, try and classify the people you work with. My teacher friend was able to find a different classification for everyone on our floor. It's kind of interesting where everyone falls, I think, and says a lot about the success (or lack there of) of the place where you work.
~Mikey D
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6 comments:
I'm unconsciously incompetent about a lot of things. Like, for example, playing the violin. I've never even held a violin, so I have no idea if I'm good at it or not....but probably not....
Maybe I'm not understanding the definition.
I find it interesting to apply this to philosophy.
The activity in question most in philosophy is life itself, and how to live well. For most of history, humanity has been unconsciously incompetent. But then came Socrates, who was the first person (or at least the first recorded person) to be consciously incompetent. He was the wisest man in ancient Greece, because he understood that he knew nothing. And he went around proving to the people around him that they didn't know anything either, despite their claims of perfect knowledge.
This is regarded as the birth of philosophy. And the entire history of philosophy has been, basically, trying to move from consciously incompetent to consciously competent. (As well as to try to move humanity from unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent.)
And "unconsciously competent at living well" would be a pretty decent definition of Zen enlightenment.
I thought you would have something to say when I posted this, haha.
I was right!
I don't think the violin is a good example. You have to think of it as something you are actually doing, perhaps working at or learning to get better at (hence the labeling of it as "learning theory").
Like there is a teacher on my floor who is god-awful. She can't relate to the students, she gets poor observations, and parents complain about her. Yet she doesn't see anything wrong with her teaching style and the way she conducts herself. Therefore she is incompentent and completely doesn't realize it.
Ignorance is bliss, yes?
So it has to be something you are doing (or at least trying to do) Gotcha.
Ignorance is the illusion of bliss.
Is there anything I'm unconsciously incompetent at? (and don't say euchre...) Everything that I can think of that I suck at, I already know I suck at.
But what is the line between competent and incompetent? For example, Kwame Brown could be considered incompetent at basketball compared to other professional basketball players, but compared to the average joe-schmoe, he would be considered very competent. (Perhaps the fact that he is unconciously competent compared to average is why he is unconsciously INcompetent compared to professionals?)
Here's mine:
basketball - Consciously incompetent - It was never fair because Mike is tall, Kevin is fast, and I just suck. That's why I trash talk so much. It makes it entertaining for me.
office gossip - unconsciously competent - I'm just good.
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