“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” ~Aristotle
According to The Four Stages of Learning Theory, also referred to as The Conscious Competence Model of Learning or The Four Stages of Competency, all change occurs in four stages. The four stages are: unconscious incompetent, conscious incompetent, conscious competent, and unconscious competent. Each and every one of us go through these levels of self-development regardless of the skill you aim to acquire.
Source: How to Assess Where Analysts Are on the Learning Curve (thinkhdi.com)
The theory behind The Four Stages of Competency was initially established by Martin M. Broadwell in 1969. Later in the 1970’s, Noel Burch from Gordon Training International developed this theory further, known as “the four phases for learning new skills”. Abraham Maslow is often erroneously credited with this work. The four stages of competence do not appear in any of Maslow’s major works.[1][2]
Unconscious Incompetent
Stage 1 is where everyone begins, regardless of what skill you are learning. At this stage, you are in a state of unconscious incompetence when you are ineffective at performing a certain task, and don’t realize it. You are unaware of the problem at hand and don’t know that you need something else to do better. People become stuck in this stage when they fail to recognise where they sit and the results of their actions. Often, a person remains in the unconscious incompetence stage until some outside force pushes him or her to look at things differently. This could be a teacher, a coach, etc.
Conscious Incompetent
Stage 2 is when you become aware of what you don’t know or can’t do. This stage can be uncomfortable because you must acknowledge your shortcomings in order to grow. However, recognizing your shortcomings also motivates you to move forward and learn the skill so you can move beyond this stage as quickly as possible.
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” ~Pablo Picasso
Conscious Competent
Stage 3 is when you can perform the task that you need to, but must make a constant, determined effort to do so. After dedicating yourself to the improvement of a skill through formal training, repeated practice and participation, competence grows and starts to show. At this stage, you have learned and practiced enough to perform a task with a degree of quality and independence. But, if you lose your focus, your ability to perform the task may suffer.
Unconscious Competent
Stage 4 is seen as the ultimate goal within the Four Stages of Learning Theory. In this final stage, you have now internalized the knowledge you need to perform a task and perfected your practical skills. You also no longer require concentration or active thought. You can complete the required tasks with ease and speed. You are also capable of mentoring team members who are in an earlier stage of the learning model.
Why is it important to consider where you sit on this continuum?
Being aware of what stage you are in allows you to seek the proper guidance, training, and education to internalize information in a way that will help you advance to the next stage of development and ultimately allow you to attain proficiency in a skill. We may move along this continuum quickly for some skills. For others, we may require self-awareness to help kick-start grow.
Are there any areas you may be “Unconscious Incompetent”? If you are not sure, friends, colleagues and coaches may be a reliable source of feedback.
[1] Conscious Competence Model of Learning – Discourses on Learning in Education (learningdiscourses.com)
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