| How is it that newbies, with very limited P.K. can go | | | | up their promises. They "don't even know that they |
| out and make sales? Only this last week I heard | | | | don't even know what they are doing!" Hence it's |
| from one of my clients who has a brand new | | | | their energy and enthusiasm that carries them |
| territory manager, who has only been on board for 4 | | | | through many of those early sales successes. |
| weeks and yet has already opened up 3 new | | | | Unfortunately for so many salespeople, this |
| accounts as well as making some significant sales | | | | honeymoon phase doesn't last for too long and |
| from existing customers."Beginners luck" I hear you | | | | before you know it they hit the second level of their |
| say! Maybe....or maybe not. | | | | learning, 'conscious incompetence'. Now they have |
| The 4 levels of learning | | | | become aware that they don't know what they are |
| The Conscious Competence Ladder (A learning model | | | | doing! |
| that is attributed to many different possible | | | | At the 'conscious incompetence' level they discover |
| originators) explains the process and stages of | | | | that there is much knowledge and skill they need to |
| learning a new skill, behaviour, ability or technique. | | | | learn. The newbie observes others and discovers |
| This simple model also helps to explain why new | | | | how much more competent they are than |
| people often tend to kick goals so soon out of the | | | | themselves. Unfortunately for most of the newbies |
| induction box. In this learning model, the learner or | | | | this 'conscious incompetence' realisation of their |
| trainee begins at step 1, the base of the ladder. Level | | | | limited ability manifests itself in a lack of confidence, |
| 1 is called the 'unconscious incompetence' phase. | | | | and with a faltering in confidence comes a slowdown |
| Learning ends when a learner reaches the 4th Level | | | | in sales production! Often promising sales careers end |
| known as the 'unconscious competence' level. To get | | | | at this point. However if the individual is suitably |
| to the top rung of the learning ladder, the learner will | | | | motivated to push through the discomfort of being |
| need to pass through the middle levels - 'conscious | | | | consciously incompetent they will eventually reach |
| incompetence' and 'conscious competence'. | | | | the next learning level called 'Conscious Competence' |
| At level 1, the unconscious incompetence stage of | | | | At this level of 'conscious competence' the learner |
| the learning ladder, "you don't know that you don't | | | | has acquired the new skills and knowledge. They will |
| know"! In other words at this level as a beginner you | | | | put your learning into practice and the more they do, |
| are blissfully ignorant. In most instances you have a | | | | the greater their level of confidence. They can now |
| complete lack of knowledge and skills on the subject | | | | begin the task of refining their new skills and |
| in question. In addition, you are most likely even | | | | knowledge. At this level the learner is still |
| unaware of this lack of skill. The good news is that | | | | concentrating on their performance, but with |
| your confidence often far exceeds your abilities. | | | | continuous practice and ongoing use, the more |
| When my son first sat in the driver's seat, busting to | | | | experience they get, the more things start to |
| drive his brand new manual (stick-shift) motor car, he | | | | become automatic. |
| needed no motivation. What he lacked was skill. It | | | | When things become completely automatic, the |
| was only after repeated stalls and gear grinding that | | | | learner has now reached the 4th level of learning, the |
| he came to the realisation that in fact he was | | | | 'unconscious competence' level. At the level of |
| incompetent. He had now reached the second level | | | | unconscious competence one's new skills have |
| of learning, 'conscious incompetence'. | | | | become habitual. Here, the learner operates on auto |
| Now let's think about the newbie. In the majority of | | | | pilot and easily performs without any conscious |
| cases they are fired up and excited and can't wait to | | | | effort. It is at this point where the learner reaches |
| get out and sell. At this point of unconscious | | | | their peak of confidence and ability, until the |
| incompetence, they don't know all the customer | | | | company launches a new product line and the learning |
| objections and concerns. They are not yet jaded by | | | | process begins all over again. |
| the product/service or the company's ability to back | | | | |