What Are the Four Stages of Competence?

For a long time, employers have looked for ways to raise the level of competence among their workforce. Learn about the four stages of competence that serve as a framework for learning in both small and large organizations.

What Is Competence?

The ability to perform one's job and complete tasks in a timely manner is referred to as competence. A skilled worker produces high-quality work without the need for ongoing oversight or reprimands from other team members. They are trusted by their co-workers to complete tasks on time and to a high standard.

A combination of innate knowledge and a deliberate effort to pick up new skills and knowledge can help you develop competence. This necessitates self-awareness of your current accomplishments as well as an acceptance of your areas of weakness. You can fill in any gaps through independent study or employee training, and you can develop expertise in new fields.

What Is Competence Training?

Competence training is used by businesses to strengthen employee skills and fill in knowledge gaps. Martin M. Broadwell, a management trainer, developed a conscious competence model in 1969 to describe the "four levels of teaching." Noel Burch of Gordon Training International modified the model over time and coined the phrase "four stages for learning any new skill." Although he did not concentrate on business competence specifically, social scientist Abraham Maslow similarly divided personal development into stages when he described what has come to be known as Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

What Are the Four Stages of Competence?

Modern management trainers have developed four learning stages that are linked to various psychological states using the work of Broadwell and Burch.

1. Unconscious incompetence stage: At this point in an employee's competence arc, they are unaware of their shortcomings and are unable to perform certain tasks. The employee must admit their own incompetence and comprehend the importance of the necessary skill in order to advance to the next stage.

2. Conscious incompetence stage: At this stage of the process, the employee is aware of their own incompetence and sees the value in learning new skills to compensate for their deficiencies. They do not, however, have the knowledge or abilities to close the competence gap. To advance beyond the second stage, employees must have a desire to improve as well as the resources to learn new skills.

3. Conscious competence stage: The employee actively learns new skills and knowledge during the conscious competence stage. They are gaining confidence and abilities, and their deliverables are improving, but task management still requires focus and effort. Top performance is still not second nature.

4. Unconscious competence stage: At this point in Burch's competency framework, a worker has gained enough confidence in his or her work that it becomes second nature. The employee can produce high-quality output with minimal effort and thrive in their job for an extended period of time.