False Competence at Work: The Uncomfortable Truth
- travismccaughey
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
The uncomfortable truth
Is it possible to make it through an entire career knowing only a very narrow slice of information?
Is it possible to always defer to others, avoid decisive action, and rely on stronger teammates to carry the operation forward? Is it possible to survive by appearing competent instead of becoming competent?
Yes. It is possible.
But it comes at a cost—to trust, to team performance, and to safety.
The real distinction
This isn’t about intelligence. It isn’t about experience. And it isn’t about making mistakes.
The difference is honesty. Competent people move toward saying:
“I don’t know—but I want to understand.”
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