Signs of Incompetence

Tony,
Are you familiar with the peter principle?
"The Peter Principle is the principle that "in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence""

There is another similar principle, which seems relevant here, goes something like this..
one can only recognize incompetence if it is below the level of the perceiver's competence..

Thus if you asked the people that work for this company "are you incompetent?", they would probably say no..
They would say things like, PPE is for pussies, and "shit happens" about the roof and the lamp post.. The climber probably thinks he's pretty good for just learning..

Just as this guy is likely totally unaware of his level of incompetence, so in all probability are many of the people here, that feel so puffy in the chest to criticize this guy's work...
You all are likely slightly less incompetent, and yet just as clueless as to your own level of incompetence, as he is..
 
Daniel said:
Tony,
Are you familiar with the peter principle?
"The Peter Principle is the principle that "in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence""

There is another similar principle, which seems relevant here, goes something like this..
one can only recognize incompetence if it is below the level of the perceiver's competence..

Thus if you asked the people that work for this company "are you incompetent?", they would probably say no..
They would say things like, PPE is for pussies, and "shit happens" about the roof and the lamp post.. The climber probably thinks he's pretty good for just learning..

Just as this guy is likely totally unaware of his level of incompetence, so in all probability are many of the people here, that feel so puffy in the chest to criticize this guy's work...
You all are likely slightly less incompetent, and yet just as clueless as to your own level of incompetence, as he is..
Click to expand...

Tony's Degree in philosophy shines.
 
Daniel, I'd like to get the opinions of the utility company and the homeowner.

Certainly, there are degrees of incompetency but there is a level of proficiency that sets the standard of what makes a professional. We watch pro sports and criticize their mistakes but, if any of us actually played against them we'd be overwhelmed by their competence and our see our own ineptitude in the sport. Does that make their mistakes in their arena any less?

Shit happens, but when it comes to smacking multiple objects at one site then there's a bit more to it, by any objective standard.
 
Daniel said:
There is another similar principle, which seems relevant here, goes something like this..
one can only recognize incompetence if it is below the level of the perceiver's competence.
Click to expand...
The organisation I belong to twice monthly publishes reports on disiplinary actions taken against members.... They fall into two categories: (
1) What a dumb arse, and (2) Cripes, I thought that was o.k.

When I was younger there were lots in category (2), now though - not so much. Live and learn is a two part process...
 
I think that if we are going to try and apply theory to this situation, we would be best served by the "four stages of learning theory" Sometims this is attributed to Abraham Maslow, but there is some dispute in circles I care not to travel in!

The stages are thus:

  1. Unconscious incompetence- You just don't know that you just don't know. This may happen for many reason. Most likely you have never been asked to do a certain task, hence you do not know you don't know how to do it.
  2. Conscious incompetence - you do not know how to do something, but you recognize your ignorance. You also recognize the value of learning a new skill to accomplish what you do not know how to do. Many times I refuse to take this step. If my truck needs fixed I know I am incompetent and take it to the garage!
  3. Conscious competence - You know how to do something, but it is new and requires concentration. I think many of our daily skills as climbers and riggers fall in this stage
  4. Unconscious competence - You know a skill so well that it becomes "second nature" Conscious though is not required. I think many or our safety habits and the "things that keep us alive ad productive" fall in this stage.

The critical step in the scenario we are discussing in crossing from stage one to two. This takes a will to learn and improve on the part of the person asked to do the task to say, "hey I have no idea how to do this, but I can learn."

Then going from stage 2 to stage three requires actively learning, seeking knowledge and improving These are the main breakdowns I see so often in tree work. People that are unconsciously incompetent performing work they cannot safely, efficiently complete. Or people who know there are better, safer, more effective ways that continue to forge ahead, incompetent.

I have not yet developed a solution. Crossing from one stage to the next can rarely be forced in tree work.

In all fairness to the "crew" performing this job, and I use that term loosely. Not in jest, but because I do not know if they are a tree company, friends/family of the homeowner or if the same guys completed all phases of the job. What I do know is they are not competent to do the work. I do not know if they are excellent mechanics, wonderful musicians, or talented sculptors. It is entirely possible they are all those and more, but they are not competent tree workers. I can make this judgement, I have the skills, the knowledge. I was not born with this knowledge I went trough all four stages like anybody else. I freely admit I have much to learn about tree work, but I actively do this. I also admit I have learned much, from many and I actively continue this as well. I have made my mistakes and will undoubtedly make more.

My reasons for the post were not to make fun or point fingers, although I will say again that stuff like this makes me laugh. Sorry if anyone finds that offensive, but it is my defense mechanism. Laugh is all I can do because the sympathy for work like this and the people who perform it is long gone. I can have empathy, but that must be earned in my world. Empathy is earned in this scenario by learning, getting better, working to best practices and industry standards.

Mostly I just wanted to share with you all an all too common sight that we all see all too often. Take it and use it as you will.

Tony
 
I've often referred to this model with students. There's now a fifth stage: taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence

"Another definition refers to the fifth stage as 'enlightened competence' described as "the person has not only mastered the physical skill to a highly efficient and accurate level which does not anymore require of him conscious, deliberate and careful execution of the skill but instead done instinctively and reflexively, requiring minimum efforts with maximum quality output, and is able to understand the very dynamics and scientific explanation of his own physical skills. In other words, he comprehends fully and accurately the what, when, how and why of his own skill and possibly those of others on the same skill he has. In addition to this, he is able to transcend and reflect on the physical skill itself and be able to improve on how it is acquired and learned at even greater efficiency with lower energy investment. Having fully understood all necessary steps and components of the skill to be learned and the manner how they are dynamically integrated to produce the desired level of overall competence, he is thereby able to teach the skill to others in a manner that is effective and expedient." (Lorgene A Mata, PhD, December 2004)[2]
 
Nope, know. The deeper into any subject you become so much more knowledgeable about the real extent and depth of it thus, just how little you really know!
 
When I've made the transition from 'I don't know I don't know' to 'I know I don't know' I'm learning to be more ready for the next transition.

I'm learning a lot of new things in my new job. Not much related to arborculture though. More related to how the work system functions. Fortunately, in this situation there are few things that will get me killed or injured either because I don't know about them or how do perform some part of my job. This is much different than being in the field doing production work. There, what you don't know CAN kill you. By not being in the 'I know I don't know state' a person is more likely to be more aware...and more competent.
 
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