From competence to capability

Competence

The term "competence" originates from the French word "competence" in 1632, meaning 'sufficient living in ease,' and further from the Latin word "competentia," meaning agreement or symmetry. It denotes the state or quality of an individual's work, with "satisfactory" performance being key to its evaluation. Competence encompasses proven abilities and enhanced capabilities, often comprising a blend of knowledge, essential prerequisites, skills, abilities, behaviour, and attitude.

Competence is integral to capability, often perceived as a tool enabling effective job performance. Competency is defined as possessing the skills, knowledge, and capacity to fulfil current needs. While competence is crucial, it alone isn't adequate for people to take effective and appropriate action. Competency involves attaining a certain skill level and being evaluated on past knowledge and abilities, delivering present outcomes based on past experiences.

Capability

"Capability" derives from the Middle French word 'capabilite' and late Latin word "capabili," first recorded in 1587. It represents an amalgamation of knowledge, skills, and personal qualities utilized effectively and appropriately in response to various circumstances, whether familiar or unfamiliar. Capability encompasses the qualities, abilities, capacity, and potential for development. Unlike competence, which focuses on the present state, capability emphasizes the ability to adapt and evolve to meet future needs.

Capable individuals surpass mere competence; they exhibit creativity, a capacity for learning, high self-efficacy, and the ability to apply competencies in both novel and familiar situations. They excel in teamwork and are adept at managing the turbulent environments they encounter. Capabilities are regarded as foundational to achieving desired outcomes, emphasizing individuals' adaptability to change, generation of new knowledge, and continuous performance improvement.

Recognizing capability may be easier than measuring it, but this doesn't absolve us from the responsibility of understanding its nature. Greater comprehension of capability enables its development in ourselves and others. It encompasses multiple facets of human nature and enables individuals to manage complex and non-linear challenges effectively. Knowing how to learn is a potent indicator of capability, surpassing mere technical knowledge. Capability is about envisioning the future and facilitating its realization, while competence deals with familiar problems in known contexts.

Conclusion

In summary, while competence addresses straightforward matters, excellence requires more than competence; it demands the capability to tackle complexity effectively. Considering life's intricacies, capability becomes indispensable.

References

Nagarajan, R., and R. Prabhu. "Competence and capability: A new look." International Journal of Management 6, no. 6 (2015): 7-11.

Hodges, Dave, and Noel Burchell. "Business graduate competencies: Employers' views on importance and performance." International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning 4, no. 2 (2003): 16.

Gardner, Anne, Stewart Hase, Glenn Gardner, Sandra V. Dunn, and Jenny Carryer. "From competence to capability: a study of nurse practitioners in clinical practice." Journal of clinical nursing 17, no. 2 (2008): 250-258.