Friday, June 21, 2024

Competence

 

Wednesday Jun 19th 2024

There have been several deep conversations that bring me to today’s word: COMPETENCE.

First, there have been conversations about graduates – they are out looking for jobs and trying to get “the dream job”. Yet they are finding that employers want them to start at the bottom – which is, by the way, where (IMHO) one should start. Learn all the things and the stuff and gain competency and experience along the way.

Then there are conversations about those of us on the other end of the journey. We need to share our competency – our knowledge and experience – with those who have not yet traveled as far. What good is all this accumulated knowledge if we keep it to ourselves? It is meant for sharing!

Most importantly have been conversations about faith. Is it meant for sharing? Or to “keep it personal”? (Here’s a hint – share it!) And in sharing, does one (do I) need to know absolutely everything? (Another hint – the answer is “no”.) By studying, by praying, and by listening to the stories and experiences of those who have traveled farther we gain competence.

In all of these instances, we gain competence by being a student and we share competence by being an example. And with competence comes confidence!

A few stumbles along the way, a fair number of boring classes and meetings, and more than a few course corrections are all expected on the journey to competence in whatever area of your life. Yet there is no substitute for experience – trying, doing, falling, failing, starting again, watching the example of those ahead, reaching back to help those following - to achieve competence (and confidence).

Begin the journey!

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