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Competence is the quality of being competent. We
can say a person is competent when we have proof of
them working over a period of time to a required
standard. The proof, or evidence, must show that
they can bring the many parts of a job together.
When the parts merge they take on a new form. Thus,
competence is an abstract thing: it's more than a
set of 'competencies' stacked on top of one
another.
Signs of competence
Competence only has meaning in the context of
the workplace. A person is competent not just
because of what they can do but because of how they
apply that ability in the workplace. Competence
emerges when a person exhibits a blend of technical
skills and other less easily defined traits. We can
think of the technical components as being 'hard'
(because they can be defined clearly) and the other
components as being 'soft' (because they are more
fuzzy to define). In spite of the difficulty in
defining the soft components, they are still
essential. They are typically the qualities that
can be observed only in the real-world conditions
of the workplace.
When competent behaviour occurs we can generally
observe several typical indicators. These are
listed below. See how the list begins with the
'hard' components but the remaining indicators are
all 'soft'.
The driver is skilful: he or she can perform the
physical and mental skills consistently to the
standard, with little conscious effort.
- The driver can transfer learning: he
or she can adapt quickly to new vehicles,
driving conditions and work environments.
- The driver can deal with problems: he
or she solves common problems, relying on a
'storehouse' of solutions. He or she has the
resourcefulness to work out answers to more
complex problems. Competent drivers are not
perfect drivers: they recognise when they make
mistakes and do things to improve.
- The driver does it in the 'real
world': he or she can deal with the
pressures and challenges of the work environment
while maintaining performance consistent with
the standard. Competent drivers have the 'people
skills' to work effectively with peers and the
public, conveying a professional image for the
service; and they do this without
supervision.
The indicators in the list above could not be
observed while a person is still undergoing
training. Even assessment in 'simulated conditions'
cannot be relied upon as valid indications of
competence. The whole point of making a judgement
about competence is that it must refer to the real
world of the workplace.
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