The rapidly changing world has had a dramatic impact on all businesses—print and promo industry included. But while some companies complain, others are taking advantage of these changes. There is great opportunity for companies to grow and gain market share. When consulting with companies in this sector, I like to ask the following question: What stage of competence is your organization in? The goal of this exercise is to define where an organization is today, in order to best determine where it desires to go in the future. The four stages of development are listed below.
The Unconsciously Incompetent Stage. In this stage, a company simply is not aware of what it knows. Many organizations think they know more than they do and tend to overestimate their overall knowledge, skills and abilities. This can be dangerous.
The Consciously Incompetent Stage. In this stage, an organization understands where it is lacking. Here, an organization realizes it needs to learn, grow and improve, and isn't overconfident.
The Consciously Competent Stage. This is a good place to be, a place where an organization is cognizant of its strengths, and is effective at what it does. An organization in this stage is committed to lifelong learning. The organization is faring well, but it must continue to think and grow in order to reach the highest level.
The Unconsciously Competent Stage. Organizations that have evolved to this stage are so competent that they no longer have to think about things in great detail. Their competence is second nature. This is where all organizations want to be, albeit with the understanding that nobody should ever stop learning.
Here is a good way to remember the four stages and apply them to your organization: Take a moment and reflect on different times in your life when you were driving a car. In your earliest stage, you were unconsciously incompetent. This means you did not realize how little you knew about driving—you were unaware of your lack of knowledge, skills and experience. After driving for a year, however, you became consciously incompetent. You realized, usually after a speeding ticket or fender bender, how much you did not know about driving and how much you needed to improve.
After driving for a few more years, you (hopefully) moved to the consciously competent stage. You became a better driver with experiences to draw from. But, you still had to consciously think about what you were doing. Finally, the fourth stage of being unconsciously competent occurred after having driven for decades. You could skillfully operate an automobile without even thinking about it.
The further your organization moves toward the fourth stage, the more developed you become. This means you'll be more successful, more efficient and more effective. Organizations should never stop developing—the journey is the destination.
So, what stage are you in? Unsure of the answer? The key is to apply time-tested theory and real-world experience to develop the method and strategy for your organization to become unconsciously competent. The time to change is now, and opportunities exist for companies willing to do this. The question, then, is not whether change is occurring or will continue to occur, but how you will react to that change. I challenge you to be proactive and push your organization to the next level.
By Ryan T. Sauers
Ryan T. Sauers is president/owner of Sauers Consulting Strategies, whose focus is growing the sales of printing- and promotional products-related businesses. Sauers ran such companies for nearly 20 years before launching the firm. The organization consults with MSP/printing/graphics/promotional product companies across the U.S. Sauers is working on his doctoral degree in organizational leadership. He is a certified Myers-Briggs (MBTI) and DiSC practitioner as well as a certified marketing executive. This article is covered in more detail in Sauers' best-selling book, "Everyone Is in Sales," which can be ordered through Amazon. For more information, visit www.ryansauers.com.
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