There are many models describing change. Here is one offered to us on the I-Coach masters programme. I used two pictures because the formal ‘four-box’ picture just does not get near to describing the confusion, frustration and despair that accompanied the learning process for me. I would like to have extended the ‘despair’ block right down to the floor, but that would have been an over-dramatisation.
I think the steps are fairly well known so perhaps I should consult my notes on this … (nah!).
In Unconscious incompetence we remain blissfully ignorant of what we don’t know. Our denial systems work hard to keep us here. But sometimes the situation demands our attention and we realise we are in..
Conscious incompetence. We become aware of that our competence or skills are inadequate to the situation or the task in hand. We may cling for as long as we can to what is not working anymore. But for learning to take place we have to engage reality, acknowledging that we really don’t know. At this point we are ready to haul out the books or call for help. The learning process begins. But learning requires ‘un-learning’ and this can be very difficult. We need to make conscious decisions not to work the old way, even though we still cannot do the new way, or we just don’t know how. In the learning process we may find ourselves double-guessing our ‘useful’ skills along with those we are working to change. This whole affair can be totally disorientating. Actually conscious incompetence feels more like the diagramme below:
As we work with our inputs we decide on new approaches. We apply these in the next phase of the process…
Conscious competence. In this phase we apply our new skills, testing them out in learning or real situations. This is where we make mistakes, we slip, staumbe and fall. It is better if we can do these in learning situations, where we have contracted with the others involved, or we are working on our own. But sometimes we find ourselves learning in the real world. And I think that is when we need a support structures and mechanisms. These may include a coach, mentor, good friend, our own reflective process, meditation and prayer. Even though I have called this ‘joyful labour’ it can be very tough here.
The model neatly shows the descrete boxes. Perhaps this is how it works with small areas of learning. But in larger, more complex areas I am certain that we move back and forth between conscious incompetence and competence. Eventually the skill takes root and we find our selves in…
Conscious Competence. We have the skills and we hone them here. We carry out the tasks with confidence, vigour and applomb, till the next learning opportunity comes along (not forgetting Hubris). Actually, with a solid reflective practice, I am certain we can become unconsciously competent at deconstruction.
So why is this called ‘deconstruction’? Well for real learning to take place, we have to literally take apart the constructs we hold about reality and reconstuct them including our new learning. Deconstruction is a non-trivial business.
mmm… I have never looked at it this way, but I can see the process;
I am big at the “conscious incompetence”: it seems I have to do everything wrong before I do it right ! I know it is not the right thing, but I want to do something and do not yet know the right one. But I do learn a lot that way…
I was first rebuted by your word “despair”. It is so strong that I thought “Oh I must not go through that phase”. Until I remembered being stuck on a clift wall while learning to climb, and being totally frustrated, upset from not knowing what to do to move on. The emotion really prevented me from finding a solution. Good thing was that I became conscious of what was happening, and started to go Qi Gong meditation (while hanging on a rope in the air). That calmed me down, and I was able to move again.
Otherwise, the “despair” for me is usually pretty mild. I am so excited to be learning something that it overpowers everything else.
I do love learning and will be a student all my life !!
OK – perhaps ‘despair’ is relative to the learning arena. That is certainly how it felt when I created the picture just over a year ago when I was in the thick of a massive learning experience. But your reaction is useful. I will reflect on this in the model.
I like your reflection on how you learn. We learned another model about that, by a guy called Kolb who identified four different learning styles. Perhaps I will do a note on that next.
I really liked your climbing example. Strong emotions like fear and anger have the effect of shutting down the logic centres in our brain. I shall do a read up about this too. Rock climbing is great material for metaphors isn’t it.
Thanks for your enthusiastic input here Isabelle.
[…] the adventurous. In any change, we move from the familiar to the new, from our comfortable unconscious competence to conscious incompetence. This is true for anyone who is moving from a daily, operational, problem-solving approach […]