How Long Would You Manage?

[Katie Bear]

Imagine you stumbled into a job you knew you just didn't have the skills for.
How long do you think you would keep doing the job if you had to present your work at the end of each week and you dreaded it every week as you knew it was apparent to your colleagues and clients that you weren't competent enough?
Would you brass it out for as long as you could ..... keep the money coming or would your dignity kick in and urge you to remove yourself out of the weekly humiliation?

[rabuddies]

Dear God, you are speaking of almost every manager in the UK who has been promoted at least once in their career. The Peter Principle states that "every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence," and that "In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties." The more I rose in my chosen profession they were there to see at all levels, and I probably include myself at the end before I retired although I tend to think that apathy and incredulity at those I saw coming into the organisation played a part in my "who gives a shit" attitude.

[ALBIONSAINT]

Imagine you stumbled into a job you knew you just didn't have the skills for.

How long do you think you would keep doing the job if you had to present your work at the end of each week and you dreaded it every week as you knew it was apparent to your colleagues and clients that you weren't competent enough?

Would you brass it out for as long as you could ..... keep the money coming or would your dignity kick in and urge you to remove yourself out of the weekly humiliation?

It depends on the job, if it's something serious that could be dangerous to others i.e electrician , gas fitter, doctor , then you wouldn't last long, however if it's a post that you learn on the job then you could go on for years. Most people need time to learn there jobs and dont usually secure posts that they don't have the basic skills to accomplish.

[Stuart Dickson]

In one of my previous jobs I was involved in the training of new staff coming into our organisation and I was sent on a training course to "train the trainer". Anyway on there they showed that everyone eventually reaches a state of incompetence in their job, even if they were previously competent. I'm trying to remember the four states - and I might get the wording wrong but it was something like - you start out as consciously incompetent then become unconsciously competent to consciously competent and then finally unconsciously incompetent. I'd have to say the reason that stuck with me is because that's been generally the pattern I've seen in the places where I've worked. The logic was that those who become good at their job eventually will become complacent and untrainable and therefore incompetent.

[buddiecat]

It depends on the job, if it's something serious that could be dangerous to others i.e electrician , gas fitter, doctor , then you wouldn't last long, however if it's a post that you learn on the job then you could go on for years. Most people need time to learn there jobs and dont usually secure posts that they don't have the basic skills to accomplish.

here we have it i believe,there was no evidence of TC being anywhere near competent as a manager even after all his years being around football clubs,his appointment was wrong and i cant help wonder if someone else had the idea that TC could just do coaching and they could do the man management/recruiting,just that the coaching is obviously crap as is the man managing, admit your wrong BOD and clear out from top to bottom,if you haven;t made the decisions then whoever has needs his erse booted oot the door pronto.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

There is no way I could take a skilled job which I know nothing about it's just not in me to bluff my way along.

Was asked by my employer to do logistics and be a buyer ashore for a year in Nigeria. A position never held before. As a buyer would spend as much as $50,000 a month. Only took this job because I have to run a budget and make orders so in some respects it was not new. However it being Nigeria it as dealing in hard cash from the safe not credit.

[Hendo]

In one of my previous jobs I was involved in the training of new staff coming into our organisation and I was sent on a training course to "train the trainer". Anyway on there they showed that everyone eventually reaches a state of incompetence in their job, even if they were previously competent. I'm trying to remember the four states - and I might get the wording wrong but it was something like - you start out as consciously incompetent then become unconsciously competent to consciously competent and then finally unconsciously incompetent. I'd have to say the reason that stuck with me is because that's been generally the pattern I've seen in the places where I've worked. The logic was that those who become good at their job eventually will become complacent and untrainable and therefore incompetent.

The theory you're referring to isn't viewed as a linear process, with becoming unconsciously incompetent the end point. The aim is always to be consciously competent, but most people don't achieve this all of the time, you're doing well if you achieve is some of the time.

My boss has been unconsciously incompetent for the last 2 years, and she's still there, continuing to cause chaos.

[bluto]

Before this thread is also overwhelmed by Herr Dixon, I would like to offer my personal anser to the original question.

About 6 inches - given sufficient encouragement.