Competence Vs Trust

COMPETENCE Vs TRUST

All the Organizations in the World have this debate regularly as to who is better for an organization; a person with high Competence or a Person with High Trust Factor. The debate is even more pronounced in the Armed Forces where there is no chance for error, an error in judgement or inaction by a team member could result in success or failure of an operation with serious consequences.

What is Competence

Definition- It is the quality or state of being competent: such as. a the quality or state of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill, or strength. Condition or quality of being competent are; ability; fitness; legal capability, power, or jurisdiction. ... An example of competence is when a pianist has the ability to play the piano well. An example of competence is when people are tested to determine whether they have sufficient skills to perform a specific job.

Some scholars see "competence" as a combination of practical and theoretical knowledge, cognitive skills, behaviour and values used to improve performance; or as the state or quality of being adequately or well qualified, having the ability to perform a specific role. For instance, management competency might include systems thinking and emotional intelligence, and skills in influence and negotiation.

Studies on competency indicate that competency covers a very complicated and extensive concept, and different scientists have different definitions of competency. In 1982, Zemek conducted a study on the definition of competence. He interviewed several specialists in the field of training to evaluate carefully what makes competence. After the interviews, he concluded: "There is no clear and unique agreement about what makes competency."

Here are several definitions of competency by various researchers:

·      Hayes (1979): Competences generally include knowledge, motivation, social characteristic and roles, or skills of one person in accordance with the demands of organizations of their clerks.

·      Boyatzis (1982): Competence lies in the individual's capacity which superposes the person's behavior with needed parameters as the results of this adaptation make the organization to hire him.

·      Albanese (1989): Competences are individual's characteristics which are used to effect on the organization's management.

·      Woodruff (1991): Competence is a combination of two topics of personal competence and merit at work. Personal merit is a concept which refers to the dimensions of artificial behavior in order to show the competence performance and merit at work depends on the competences of the person in his field.

·      Mansfield (1997): The personal specifications which effect on a better performance are called competence.

·      Standard (2001) ICB (IPMA Competence Baseline): Competence is a group of knowledge, personal attitudes, skills and related experiences which are needed for the person's success.

·      Rankin (2002): A collection of behaviors and skills which people are expected to show in their organization.

·      Unido (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) (2002): Competence is defined as knowledge, skill and specifications which can cause one person to act better, not considering his special proficiency in that job.

·      Industrial Development Organization of United States (2002): Competences are a collection of personal skills related to knowledge and personal specifications which can make competence in people without having practices and related specialized knowledge.

·      CRNBC (College Of Registered Nurses Of British Columbia) (2009): Competences are a collection of knowledge, skills, behavior and power of judging which can cause competence in people without having enough practice and specialized knowledge.

·      Hay group (2012): Measurable characteristics of a person which are related to efficient actions at work, organization and special culture.

·      The ARZESH Competency Model (2018): Competency is a series of knowledge, abilities, skills, experiences and behaviors, which leads to the effective performance of individual's activities. Competency is measurable and could be developed through training. It is also breakable into the smaller criteria.[1]

Competency is also used as a more general description of the requirements of human beings in organizations and communities. If someone is able to do required tasks at the target level of proficiency, they are "competent" in that area. Competency is sometimes thought of as being shown in action in a situation and context that might be different the next time a person has to act. In emergencies, competent people may react to a situation following behaviors they have previously found to succeed. To be competent a person would need to be able to interpret the situation in the context and to have a repertoire of possible actions to take and have trained in the possible actions in the repertoire, if this is relevant. Regardless of training, competency would grow through experience and the extent of an individual's capacity to learn and adapt.

What is Trust

Trust is defined as, “To have confidence, faith or hope in someone or something.”

Trust,” according to Google, is defined as: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Trust is an important and tender aspect of all relationships because it requires us to choose to be vulnerable and courageous. When we have learned to distrust someone, it's usually because we've come to understand that what we share with them or what's important to us is not safe with that person.

1.    Tell the truth.

2.    Admit when you don't know something.

3.    Admit when you're wrong.

4.    If you say you'll do it, do it.

5.    If you're meant to do it, do it.

Trust Vs Competence

High Competence, low Trust- Don’t Want Him

High Competence Low Medium Trust – Avoidable.

High Competence Medium Trust- Can become a good team member

High Competence and High Trust- Ideal Team Member

Medium High Competence, low Trust- Avoid

Medium High Competence, low Medium Trust- Avoidable

Medium High Competence, Medium Trust- Acceptable

Medium High Competence, High Trust- Can become a good Team Member

Low Medium Competence, Low trust- Strict NO

Low Medium Competence, Low Medium trust- NO

Low Medium Competence, Medium trust- Avoidable

Low Medium Competence, High trust- Acceptable

Low Competence, Low Trust- Strict NO NO

Low Competence, Low Medium Trust- NO

Low Competence, Medium Trust- Not acceptable

Low Competence, High Trust- Can be avoided

Competence Vs Trust in the Armed Forces

In the armed forces there is always an argument on who makes a better Soldier- One who is competent or one Who is Trust Worthy?

Unfortunately in peace time Competence gets demonstrated in number of areas like Course gradings, presentations, Sand Models, sports activities and even Golf Courses. Such activities which do not test the character of a person, as they are all performed in relative less pressure environment with limited fall outs, if things go wrong.

In war it is totally different, with my personal experience. In IPKF Operations the best of the Tank Crews who performed par excellence and were the back bone in the operation were those under dogs who in the previous few years in peace duties, were not even recognized in the Regiment, they were working parties only fit for mundane duties. While when the chips were down and we were under heavy fire these crew members rose to the occasion performed and delivered. The best sports men, the best students on courses were not even willing to go ahead in the tank. When one tank caught a minor fire due to RPG action of LTTE, the Regt’s best crew (this crew had won the Tiger Troop Competition just a few months ago on the Field Firing ranges) abandoned the tank and ran away.

If you speak to a Special Forces persons anywhere in the world, they will be willing to go into operations with those persons who are high lighted in Yellow but will avoid taking any team member even in their squad or Team, -let alone go into operations- with those who fall in the Red or Orange Box. At the end of day Trust will define who is a team member who will go that extra mile for a Buddy, team and Unit. There are no Rambos’ in real life, most forces operate in teams with each member covering each other’s back.

From above, it is evident there are number of definitions and ways to measure competence but hardly anyone has delved into the Trust side. While in my view Trust is singular one factor which should be valued most in the Forces. A soldier makes the supreme sacrifice on a word of mouth in form of a verbal command which has no written record as he trusts his commander. Trust is one singular factor which will differentiate good soldier to an Arm Chair soldier.