Executive’s Guide to Understanding People by Abraham Zaleznik

Author:Abraham Zaleznik
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2008-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

COMPETENCE

A third aspect of autonomy is individual competence. The development of competencies, whether in relation to nature or to people, is acquired through learning. The individual must master some combination of abstract knowledge, technical skills, and social skills in order to take care of himself or herself and ultimately to look after other people.

There is obviously more to competence than being able to care for one’s self and others. Competence begins with the discovery of one’s own talents; abilities and talents can then be cultivated through training and craftsmanship. No one has formulated a satisfactory explanation of talent, and it remains a mystery to this day, particularly in the case of exceptionally gifted people. But it seems consistent to observe that the more defined and unique the talents, the more dedication is required to cultivate and use them. It also appears that self-esteem has a direct link to the use of talents in gifted people. People with more ordinary abilities diversify their sources of self-esteem and are less single-minded than gifted people.

No matter how special or ordinary the individual’s talents, competence requires a substantial capacity for self-regulation and the control of impulses. When children, or adults, are impulse-ridden, they are frequently restless, hyperactive, and unable to concentrate. The consequent difficulty they encounter in learning severely limits their ability to acquire skills and master life tasks. This limitation leads to dependency and ultimately poor self-image.

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