Four stages of competence

The four stages of competence is a psychological learning model that describes how individuals progress from being unaware of their lack of skill to achieving unconscious mastery. The four stages are: unconscious incompetence (not knowing what you don't know), conscious incompetence (recognizing the skill gap), conscious competence (understanding and deliberately practicing the skill), and unconscious competence (performing the skill naturally and effortlessly). This framework is valuable for managers and leaders understanding how team members develop new skills and for individuals reflecting on their own learning journey.