Competence development: it’s time to let go

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

If you’ve read my previous posts in this series, you’ll understand my belief that learning should move at the pace of the person not at the pace of the programme.

But how?

Let go.

Let go of the ways you have always done everything. Now believe that there is another way. If you can’t then don’t bother trying, because you will simply set out to prove that no other way can work.

If you can let go, then we can begin.

1. Set the highest standards for your company and the people in it and invite those who don’t want to reach and maintain those standards to leave.
2. Tell those that stay that they will prove what can be achieved and that they will be the standard.
3. Describe in detail what needs to be done, how, and why, for every aspect of every job, in plain english, in writing.
4. Then ask staff to audit themselves against that standard and be audited by others. Those others can be peers — they do not always need to be their managers (hint: they don’t do it anyway).
5. Then ask those staff to prove by demonstration that they can do what is written down. If they can, then great. If they can’t, they now know what they need to work on.
6. Ask each person to set their own timetable for developing their understanding, skills and confidence so that they are able to demonstrate their competence. Accept that everyone is different and that people move at different paces.
7. Accept that learning may be organic not linear; opportunistic not scheduled. That someone may learn how to change a tyre before they learn about the structure and mechanics of a wheel, that unloading a van of stock may teach them about stock rotation even before they understand the products in detail.
8. The next time the tyre needs changing or the van needs unloading, ask them to tell you what they are going to do, how they are going to do it and why, and then demonstrate that they can do it.
9. If they can do it correctly two more times you can be confident that they are competent.
10. Spread the load of learning support across the team not just one manager or supervisor.
11. Encourage the learner at every stage to ask for help when they need it and then make damn sure they get it. There is nothing better at shutting down enthusiasm than someone being too busy to help.
12. Celebrate the important things and don’t belittle the little things (I know a brick layer who cannot spell, a writer who is almost innumerate and many musicians who cannot compose —it only matters if it matters).
13. Give constructive, honest, regular feedback and encourage learners to ask for it.
14. Never ever lower your standards. If the description of what the demonstration of competence is accurate, then it should be obvious whether they are demonstrating it or not. Do not accept nearly right or good enough or OK as satisfactory, because it isn’t.
15. And above all get the mindset set:
    Everyone is the company.
    Everyone is the standard.
    You stand together and fall together.
    Each individual is responsible for their own performance, contribution, standards and competence development. No one else.
    Curiosity is key.
    Provide the tools, the time, and the support to enable individuals to be brilliant and to stay brilliant.
    Urgency is a fuel that motivates. It’s time to rev the engine.