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Here are five elements to consider when measuring your MSD skill.
1. Know the difference between Knowledge and skill.
Your education and professional development courses would have equipped you with knowledge and the ability to apply the knowledge is skill. In economic development, we learn the principles of market systems development from courses and the application of those principles in programmes we work in. Consider how many of these principles have you applied.
2. Know that skill is one of the three elements of competence.
If you have the knowledge, you have repeatedly applied the knowledge and you have demonstrated results (right outcome) – you are considered competent. It means you have been able to efficiently combine the three elements of competence, knowledge, skill and behaviour/attitude (inputs).
3. Know where you are in the four stages of competence.
Be sure if you are unconsciously incompetent, consciously incompetent, consciously competent or unconsciously competent. These are the stages you go through when acquiring any skill. Clarity on the stage we are enable us to answer the questions and form the basis of professional development.
4. Know your score
You must know the number of times you have successfully applied the knowledge, the conditions and lessons learnt from the application. You have to be aware of how these experiences have changed the way you apply the knowledge.
5. Know your blind spot
At whatever level of competence you have, it is important to recognise that you have a blind spot. This will inform your ability to answer the question.
In conclusion, if you know the difference between knowledge and skill, know the three elements of competence, know the four stages of competence, know how well you have been able to apply your knowledge and know your blind spot, you should be able to answer the question.
An important question to ask yourself as you enter the new year, it will help focus your mind on the areas you need to work on. But more importantly, you will confidently declare that you are skilled.
