In-training: The 4 Stages of Learning

Training and learning. There are ongoing opportunities to learn and grow in every job if you look for them. I believe in lifelong learning; it’s tremendously rewarding to continue growing throughout your life and career. I also think that active learning and growing have anti-aging benefits.

Naturally, training is most important at the start of a new job. It should be a standard part of every onboarding process. A new employee needs to learn specific things about the business and the job. But there’s one thing that’s universal: the learning process itself. Thinking about the four stages of learning can help you structure a training plan that’s right for your employees and help you understand your own learning process, too.

Training & Learning Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetent

When someone is in this stage of the learning process, they don’t know what they don’t know. They’re not competent in a specific area of skill or knowledge. But it goes further. They may not even know what it will take to become competent.

What to remember

If you’re training someone in stage one, anticipate blind spots. You’ve got to look at the training objectives with fresh eyes, a beginner’s mind. This is particularly important – and difficult – if you’re skilled and experienced in your training area. You’ve probably forgotten a lot of small, simple things. Things you do as naturally and unconsciously as breathing. If your trainee is in this stage of learning, shed light on these blind spots to provide a solid foundation for learning.

If you are in stage one and being trained, be aware that you have blind spots. Be a sponge and absorb everything. Ask questions. And, most importantly, be open to learning new things and new ways of doing things. This is not the time for “we did it this way at…”.

Training & Learning Stage 2: Conscious Incompetent

In this stage of learning, the trainee now has an appreciation of what they don’t know. They’re not skilled, but they know they’re not skilled.

What to remember

The trainee should have fewer blind spots, but in stage two, anticipate errors. Where it’s possible, have “guardrails” in place that limit how serious an error can be or the consequences of that error. Be ready to use mistakes as coaching opportunities; there’s no better way to learn. The human element is also an essential factor to consider here. Insecurity is common in stage two. New employees can feel a lot of anxiety and frustration with themselves when they’re aware of their mistakes. A coaching approach, rather than a disciplinary one, is much more effective here.

As a trainee in stage two, be open to coaching. Mistakes will happen, and the goal is to learn through them. Don’t beat yourself up! You’re still learning (or should be).

Training & Learning Stage 3: Conscious Competent

In stage three, a learner has developed the skill to perform the work well, but they still must think about it. This is like a relatively new driver who still must remind themselves that the turn signal lever goes up to turn right and down to turn left. Or a piano student who must think carefully about which finger goes on which key.

What to remember

In stage three, the blind spots are gone, and the errors should be fewer and further between. Learners in this stage should be fine-tuning, raising their effectiveness and efficiency at the tasks they’ve learned. This is a great time to start thinking about the next growth stage because there’s momentum. The trainee feels a sense of accomplishment and success. Instead of plateauing, what other skills could they learn?

As a learner in stage three, continue to focus on improvement. It’s also time to start thinking about what else you can learn. Continue to ask questions. Ask for more.

Training & Learning Stage 4: Unconscious Competent

If you’ve been driving for a decade or more, you know what stage four feels like. You don’t think about the minutiae anymore. You… drive like autopilot (although, hopefully, you keep your eyes on the road!). And, like driving, don’t fool yourself into thinking you can multitask. Multitasking is a myth. We don’t multitask… we shift our attention from one thing to another more quickly.

What to remember

Just like the driver who doesn’t need to keep their total concentration on the individual actions required to pilot the car, people in stage four can become complacent. In some cases, this can lead to a return to the kind of mistakes that happened in stage two. It can also lead to lower levels of engagement. Employees who are in stage four and aren’t learning new things can become a flight risk. Getting these people involved in training others can keep their skills fresh and reduce those “blind spots” that develop when we’re on autopilot.

As an employee in stage four, you must be proactive with your growth. Ask to learn new things and for new challenges. Volunteer to help train team members in earlier stages than you are.

Putting it all together

When you hire a new employee, based on their prior experience, they may be at any of these four stages of learning in various aspects of the role they’ll be playing. They may be at stage four in some respects and only stage one or two in others. Whatever the skills you need your employees to have, building a training plan that takes these stages of learning into account will ensure a solid foundation of knowledge and a pathway for continued learning.

As a new employee, ask for needed training. Because of your prior experience, there might be assumptions about your abilities that might not align with how things are done in your new position. You will be highly skilled in some areas but must gain experience in others. This is not the time to fake it ‘till you make it. Seek training and guidance to improve your overall performance.

Additional Resources

Business Daily News: Guide to Developing a Training Program for New Employees

Edgepoint Learning: How to Train Your New Employees Effectively

Indeed: How To Succeed in Your New Job: First Week, 30 and 90 Days

The Muse: Thrown Into the Deep End? 4 Ways to Survive Sink-or-Swim Training

JimNewcomb.com: Resources

Last week’s blog, in case you missed it: Interview Thank You Notes

[Jim Newcomb has been a Senior Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting since 2013, 2016 Partner of the Year, 2017 Ambassador of the Year, 2018 Extensive Support Coach of the Year, 2020 created Daily Positive Thoughts, and 2021 created JimNewcomb.com website for consistent contribution.]