The 4 stages of Skill Development

These are the “four stages of competence” and they describe the psychological states involved in progressing from incompetence to competence in a given skill. Applied in sports of course but all skill learning goes through these stages.

This consept goes back to the ’70’s and it is used to help us understand the process of learning a new skill and eventually mastering it. The four stages suggest that individuals are initially unaware of how little they know, or unconscious of their incompetence. As they recognize their incompetence, they consciously acquire a skill, then consciously use it. Eventually, the skill can be utilized without it being consciously thought through: the individual is said to have then acquired unconscious competence.
Mastery comes after applying dedication, work and passion after level 2 and in order to reach levels 3&4. This process is what sports coaches and players use in any given sport and it is applied in all areas of live, from hobbies, to the business world.

It is a hierarchical model where every step leads to the next one. It provides a simple and practical framework for the learning process. Let’s break down the steps.

STEP ONE

Unconscious incompetence
It is the starting point, the ignorant stage. When you don’t know that you don’t know a certain skill and you start exploring. It is when one doesn’t know even how to assess the skill, and that can cause doubts to come into being, doubts about the usefulness of a particular skill or the value of it. At this stage the individual should understan both their level of incompetence and that the skill can be developed, in order to move to the next stage. This is where coaches are of crucial importance. One cannot simply do it on their own, guidance is important. The length of time an individual spends in this stage depends on the strength of the stimulus to learn and by the quality of guidance they receive.

STEP TWO

Conscious incompetence
The “ignorance is bliss” stage. The making of mistakes can be integral to the learning process at this stage. At this stage, the individual is aware of their deficiency and has an idea of what needs to be done and changed in order to further develop. This step is where the coaching is most valuable in order for the right fundamentals of the skill to be established. Mayde the individual still does not know how to do something, but they understand that shortcoming and the value of the new skill for their progress. The basis for training is put here.

After this step, you reach a threshold. Things change in understanding and now you decide to pursue the new skill willfully and even become passionate about it.

STEP THREE

Conscious competence
The individual understands or knows how to do something. It is the step of actively building a skill. This step requires strong focus,concentration and detailed practice of every component of the skill. It may be broken down into steps, and there is heavy conscious involvement in executing the new skill, there are new understanding of all the ways a skill works and how it can be done the best possible way. It is understanding the mechanics of the skill in order for it to become a part of you. The stage where all we say is practice, practice,practice.

STEP FOUR

Unconscious competence
And here you become the expert on autopilot! The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it has become “second nature” and can be performed easily. As a result, the skill can be performed while executing another task. There is no separation between the individual and the skill. Thing flow like normal without even blinking. There is no longer need to devote much conscious effort to performing the new skill. It is the “in the zone”feeling, and that tells you that you are most definitely at stage four of that skill area.
Now you need to be on the lookout for any changes that the skill requires, no settling for what you have because the slightest change and off you go to step one all over again!

ENJOY THE RIDE!