Bring Your Fascinating Competence to Work
What is Fascinating Competence?
“You know, like nun chuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!” — Napoleon Dynamite
While Napoleon Dynamite may not have won any best picture awards, the main character makes an important point: skills matter — and not just for impressing potential girlfriends. People are naturally drawn to others who possess abilities or knowledge they don’t have. This is what we call Fascinating Competence: the ability to capture and maintain attention through remarkable skills or expertise, often sparking curiosity and admiration in others.
What skills do you bring to your job? Recognizing and developing your unique competencies can provide personal satisfaction and confidence, setting you up for success. More importantly, your skills can have a significant impact on your team and organization.
Why competencies are important.
Whether it’s leading, mentoring, teaching, or keeping your team focused, or even having a sharp eye for detail, your skills are essential on the job. Identifying and refining these competencies can help you excel in your role and create value within your organization. Here are five key reasons why focusing on your skills matters:
- Drive Organizational Success Skills like long-term planning and an eye for detail enable you to anticipate challenges and seize opportunities, driving the organization forward. Research from Harvard Business Review found that strategic thinking—a skill often associated with long-term planning, which are among the most important leadership skills for success.
- Foster a Culture of Excellence When you demonstrate leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills, you set a standard for others to follow. Your example can inspire your team to raise their game and achieve higher levels of performance. This ripple effect fosters a culture where excellence becomes the norm.
- Empower and Grow Your Team Empowering people is more than a skill; it’s a mindset. By investing in the growth of your team through teaching and mentoring, you not only enhance their capabilities but also increase their confidence and job satisfaction. This creates a more engaged and resilient workforce.
- Adapt to Change In today’s fast-paced world, adaptability is key. Skills like problem-solving and decision-making help you navigate uncertainty and lead your team through change. These abilities ensure that your organization remains agile and competitive in the face of new challenges.
- Create Personal Fulfillment Developing your skills not only benefits your organization but also contributes to your personal growth and fulfillment. Knowing that your talents have influence can give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction in your work.
Investing in your skills is not a one-time effort; it’s a lifelong journey. As Napoleon Dynamite humorously implies, having “great skills” makes you stand out. But in the real world, those skills, or competencies, are what enable you to lead with confidence, inspire your team, and leave a lasting impact.
Become fascinated with your own development. Take the time to identify and hone your unique gifts—both for your benefit and the benefit of those you serve.
Jeff
