Competence is the ability to perform a task or handle a specific situation effectively. A competent person has the skills, knowledge and expertise in a specific area. The combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience often enables one to perform tasks and solve problems within a chosen field. To achieve success in whatever area of life, competence is a prerequisite.
Building competence in your career or business requires dedication and focus. Here are 5 steps that you can follow to build competence and be known as the go to person in your field.
1. Start with formal education. Theoretical knowledge is great first step. Depending on your chosen field, this can be acquired through various qualifications such as a degree, a diploma or any other type of certification. For example, a medical doctor is required to go to medical school for a certain number of years and also have practical experience as part of their training.
2. Practical experience. Practice is crucial for mastering skills. Theoretical knowledge isn’t very useful if you cannot apply it to real life situations. It is important for me to also mention that experience and skills can be transferred to a different field and function. Your theoretical knowledge in one field shouldn’t limit your advancement and growth. Obviously this excludes specialized fields like medicine, accounting and such. For those starting out in their careers, one way to gain practical experience is to volunteer or look internship opportunities.
3. Continously learn. Stay up to date with the developments in your field through courses, relevant industry research papers, events and trends.
4. Mentorship. Among many other benefits of mentorship is having your mentor help you identify skills and knowledge gaps and how best to close those gaps. Mentors also provide valuable feedback and insights crucial for your growth.
5. Continous self assessment. Regularly evaluate yourself versus the goals you had set and make adjustments as needed.
Competence building is a continuous process so patience and persistent are critical. Keep going!
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