Unconscious Competence - danger ahead?
Grace Thomas
???????????????????????? | leadership effectiveness | coaching - executive leaders, leadership teams and executive transition | personal branding strategy | PCC
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." ~ C.G. Jung
Came across this quote and it spoke to me. It took me to my on and off pondering that the much touted notion of "unconscious competence" may be flawed.
The Four Stages of Learning assert learning or change happens along the spectrum from "unconscious incompetence" to "conscious incompetence" to "conscious competence" with the final destination being "unconscious competence".
I wonder if this is better thought of as a virtuous circle or another way. My worry is that when we reach into "unconscious competence" we may be lulled into a comfort zone and that unconscious state can easily tip us from from competence to incompetence! No longer alert to why we respond or act a certain way, assuming this is the right way because it worked for us without consciousness that "what got you here won't get you there".
For me, it begs the question:
"What's the risk that unconscious competence results in stuckness?"
We acquire many learned behaviours, mindsets and habits that help us succeed. So unconscious are these learned behaviours, mindsets, habits that they are accepted "that is just the way I am". Change from this vantage becomes really difficult!
If we are all retain a good level of consciousness in our choices in how we feel, think and act, would that not mean we are more open to change from a position of choice rather than from a position of stuckness.
What do you think?
How can we stay conscious enough to not let the unconscious take over? If we are able to do this, would that not enable stay open and be choiceful in the moment? Hang on to the conscious competence. DO NOT PASS GO!
Grace Thomas, PCC, works with senior executive leaders and leadership teams to explore deeply, experiment with something new, extend what works, embed new mindsets and habits to succeed at what matters most to them and, in turn, empower people around them (in their work, their life and their world) to flourish. She does this as an executive leadership coach, leadership team effectiveness adviser and a personal brand master strategist, all with 'heat and heart'.
#heatandheart #professionalcoaching #coachingexcellence #consciouschoice