A Case for Competence

One fascinating aspect of today’s society is the lack of competence on so many levels. In business there are far too many examples of rudderless ships steered by captains who couldn’t pilot a toy boat in a bathtub. Politicians and their minions regularly disappoint us with incoherent arguments, dull platitudes, and unimaginative solutions to nearly every problem they encounter. Our public educational system is often stifled by bureaucracy and tenured faculty who prefer guaranteed salaries, benefits, and lifetime pensions over student success. Even the simple task of efficient service at a fast food restaurant is often suspect.

One reason for incompetent behavior is a lack of accountability. If little Billy is never held to any standards of conduct, morally or socially, is it any wonder he grows up without an internal compass to guide him in the workplace? When political leaders can lie and cheat without fear of losing their office or suffering any legal consequences, why should they choose a different course of action? If special interest groups weld most of the power and influence in education, do standards of excellence and choice have any chance?

Accountability in a corporate environment is often viewed through a purely negative lens. If an employee fails to perform as expected there will be unpleasant consequences. This notion does nothing to inspire competence or excellence. When your only perspective about work is tied to completing a prescribed task then it is easy to succumb to mediocre performance. Consider the difference if that same employee understands how she is contributing to a greater company vision, like excellent patient care or superior customer service.

When the context or desired outcome is clearly in focus then accountability is easier to enforce and competence increases. As frontline employees become more engaged in day-to-day processes and have a voice in their improvement, accountability follows. If direct reports know their boss really expects them to say what they are thinking about policies, procedures, and product development, or better yet listens to their suggestions, competency grows.

Sometimes it feels like no one is in charge of our public and private institutions. Perhaps that is because image often trumps substance. We are so conditioned to telling the world how smart we are that we often don’t realize our own incompetence is on parade. Just because your iPhone can instantly tweet your whereabouts or what you had for breakfast doesn’t mean you should. Your dozens of Facebook friends doesn’t mean you understand intimacy and can carry on a real conversation.

Perhaps another way to measure competency is to lay claim to your body of work and invite others to judge for themselves. After all, our legacy is not what we tout about ourselves during our lifetimes but rather what people will remember and miss about us long after we are gone. Sadly, many of us may be leaving a shallow legacy at best for the next generation. It may not matter. Maybe there won’t be anyone who can competently write about it anyway.