The Competence Ladder

In psychology, there exists a concept known as the “four stages of competence.”

At the base is “unconscious incompetence” — this is where you lack the knowledge to perform a task and are unaware of your shortcomings. You might even dismiss the importance of acquiring this new skill.

Next is “conscious incompetence” — at this stage, you become aware of your lack of knowledge and recognize the value of learning the skill. This is where genuine learning begins.

Once you acquire some skills, you reach “conscious competence” — you understand that you can execute the skill, yet it requires focus and you may still make errors.

Ultimately, with time and practice, you achieve “unconscious competence” — the ability to perform the skill intuitively, fully engaged in the task. At this point, mastery becomes second nature.

The Risk of Misjudgment

A significant risk in software engineering is the assumption that you’ve reached the “unconscious competence” stage when, in fact, you might still be in “unconscious incompetence.”

Many novice programmers encounter a learning plateau and mistakenly believe they are exceptionally talented. They may hold an inflated self-image, convinced they have attained expertise.

In reality, they often lack awareness of how much more there is to learn and are experiencing unconscious incompetence. Those who fail to recognize this are what I refer to as “professional incompetents.”

Such engineers can be challenging collaborators as they are firmly convinced of their brilliance. From my observations, many so-called “10x engineers” fall into this trap of unconscious incompetence.

Revitalizing Your Passion for Learning

So, how can we combat these learning plateaus? What insights does the competence hierarchy offer us?

To foster ongoing growth as a developer, the first step is to acknowledge that there are likely many skills you still haven’t mastered. The realm of software development is incredibly vast, filled with countless skills to discover and refine. It is simply impossible for one individual to know everything.

If you find yourself feeling disinterested or apathetic, start engaging with fellow developers!

Begin with your immediate team; learn from your colleagues, engage in pair programming, and inquire about their knowledge and practices. Then, expand your reach to the broader community—contribute to open-source projects, mentor newcomers, and participate in conferences.

Soon enough, you’ll realize just how much more there is to learn.

The Upside of Incompetence

Embracing your incompetence is a positive thing! Yes, I too have my own gaps in knowledge!

There’s an entire world of learning, exploration, and curiosity waiting for you. You don’t have to remain stagnant or bored. There’s so much more to uncover.

Recognizing your incompetence signifies that you’re moving from “unconscious incompetence” to “conscious incompetence.” You’re already progressing on your path!

Unlike the professional incompetents, your willingness to admit your limitations indicates that you’re likely a valuable team player and contributor, rather than being self-absorbed.

Additional Resources

• Building a meaningful developer career — An email course on shaping a tech career with purpose.
• Be a 1x engineer — Understanding why striving to be a 10x engineer can be misleading.
• Think software engineers just write code? — Exploring the myriad responsibilities that distinguish exceptional engineers.