One model I love of how we acquire competence in a skill has the following four stages:”
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“Unconscious incompetence: Unskilled and unaware of it”
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“Conscious incompetence: Unskilled and aware of it. This is where most people get stuck, as they don’t like feeling incompetent, so they go back to ignoring the skill. ”
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“Conscious competence: However, if we continue to practice the skill and pay close attention to the results, we will become better at the skill. Deliberate practice takes time and concentration, and requires ongoing iteration to try new things at the edge of our skill. ”
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“Unconscious competence: As we practice a skill more, our unconscious brain starts to take over so that what once required close attention becomes more automatic. I use the example of walking – a baby has to pay close attention when learning to walk, but when they get older, they just do it. ”
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“Being aware of this progression makes it easier to get through the dip of the conscious incompetence stage, and to continue practicing past conscious competence to make the skill automatic and unconscious. ”
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” #personaldevelopment #coaching #pausetoreflect #leadership