Isn't it funny how we are all a little smarter than we can really demonstrate?
Lately I feel frustrated when people are upset at me because I didn't do something the way they wanted. Would the situation have changed if they had presumed that I was competent of doing the task? Who knows.
I find myself and others in my profession often telling people to presume competence in the little communicators we work with. But that comes with a large plate of other factors that make presuming competence a complex task.
To presume competence means that:
1) We must present a task that is at an appropriate level. Is it challenging enough? Is it too challenging?
2) We have to find the motivation hook. And this doesn't mean picking something that a person really likes even, but rather creating barrier that can only be overcome by communication. Although, you can bait with something that someone likes. And this piece takes planning ahead, and the ability to react in a moment.
3) We have to be willing to get a response we weren't expecting, and be able to react accordingly. Is the response completely off-base? How do we redirect. Is the response also appropriate, but not what we were expecting? Go with it!!
Just thoughts for now.
