What is Competency?
Applied Competency is task specific. This means that you acquire competency to perform specific tasks.
Competency is having the right combination of knowledge, skill, understanding and behaviour to perform a task or set of activities to a required standard, consistently, repeatedly and without outside assistance.
Competency consists of four elements: Foundational, Practical, Reflexive and Behavioural. Competency requires knowledge, skill, understanding and attitude.
Foundational Competency
The foundation of all competency is knowledge. Before you can hope to become competent you need knowledge which you acquire through learning about ideas, concepts and theories.
Practical Competency
The second component, Practical Competency, is your ability to do. Simply knowing about something in theory is not enough to make you competent. You need to be able to physically do a task or carry out an activity to the required performance standard. You need to develop a skill.
Reflexive Competency
Reflexive Competency is the ability to reflect or think deeply about what you are doing, and why you are doing it. When you think deeply you gain insight, understanding and wisdom.
Reflexive Competency means understanding not only what you have to do and having the skill to do it, but also understanding why you are performing the task in the first place. It refers to your ability to apply your knowledge and skill to deal with unfamiliar situations. It is also your ability to solve unique and challenging problems.
Behavioural Competency
The last and possibly the most important component of the applied competency model is Behavioural Competency. This is your attitude. You may have the required knowledge and skill. You may understand how to apply that knowledge and skill to the task at hand. But, if you don’t have the right attitude, you will not be competent.
Applied Competency Model
Strive to be competent in everything you do. Gain knowledge. Develop the necessary skills to do the task. Think deeply to gain understanding, insight and wisdom. Adopt the right attitude, and you will achieve competence.
Contact me
If you want more information on how you can become competent and future-proof your career, email me at info@dsrconsulting.co.za.