When coaching leaders, it is common for one of them to talk to me about an individual on their team who “just does not get it” and is not “living up to the new expectations.” Furthermore, they will explain to me that the individual in question has not mastered “the new way of doing things.” As result, the leader does not know what to do.
At this point in the conversation, I often explain that there are four stages of adult learning, namely unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence and finally unconscious competence. In the 1970’s, psychologist Noel Burch outlined these four stages and called them the Conscious Competence Learning Model.
As Burch explained, when people are in unconscious incompetence, they don’t know what they don’t know. They lack awareness of the issues, habits or behaviors that are holding them back. They are in a blind spot and can not see the problems around them. Through effective feedback and education about the bigger picture driving the changes that need to take place, one can help these individuals move from unaware to aware.
Next, in the second stage, conscious incompetence, leaders need to help people learn and improve. Then, an individual can begin to test out new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking about the problems before them. At this point, we must remember that people can not consume vast amounts of information in a single setting, because it will result in cognitive overload. Instead, they need time to learn in a step by step manner so they can process the new material, practice the new method or way of working, and over time integrate it. They also need leaders who celebrate short term successes and who will reinforce their movement in the the right direction.
In stage three, conscious competence, Burch explains that adult learners may have acquired the new skill they sought out to learn and with a tremendous amount of concentration they can demonstrate it on a regular basis. The difficulty is that they have not mastered it. Leaders need to remember that mistakes will still be made at this point in the process, and that under pressure defaulting to old behaviors or patterns of thinking is common. The goal should be practice, not perfection.
Finally, in stage four, unconscious competence, the skill and the mindset that accompanies it is automatic. Furthermore, understanding is high and the combination of the two is a strength. However, the best leaders know that at this point on-going feedback in the form of positive attention must continue so that there is not any regression to previous stages of learning or ways of working. They also know that the best way to continue getting better at something is to teach it to others. And the best leaders know that this is critical to short and long term success.
Once I have pointed out this normal pattern of adult learning, leaders grasp the interconnection and the importance of continual improvement and continual learning. They realize that they themselves must role model this and embrace it fully at the team, department and organizational levels. Furthermore, it must become part of the cultural DNA of the organization and be included in each strategic plan.
This fall, I encourage you to prioritize your learning and help others do likewise. This will make a major difference in 2021 and 2022.
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