Leaving Stage One, Arriving at Stage Two

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• August 2004 Issue
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From the August 2004 Issue&

My friend Jim Barry was a classic “stage one” guy. Now I fully realize that there are many, many “stage ones” in life, and I’m sure you agree. But right now you’re probably just wondering, “To what exactly is he referring?”

In this case, I’m referring to the “Conscious Competence” model — the classic teachers’ view of the world. Many people compare the Conscious Competence model with Ingham and Luft’s Johari Window, which is a similarly elegant 2x2 matrix. Johari deals with self-awareness; Conscious Competence deals with learning stages. The stages are constant and consistent. And everyone goes through every stage with each learned skill.

1. Unconscious Incompetence or “Huh, WHAT problem?”
• the person is not aware of the existence or relevance of the skill
• the person is not aware that they have a deficiency in the area
• the person might deny the relevance or usefulness of the new skill

2. Conscious Incompetence or “Uh, oh – I’m in trouble!”
• the person becomes aware of the existence and relevance of the skill
• the person is therefore aware of their deficiency in this area, ideally by attempting or trying to use the skill
• the person realizes that by improving their skill or ability in this area, their effectiveness will improve