Comic Insight: Competence is Circumstantial

Copyright © 2004 by Don Blohowiak
Don@LeadWell.com www.LeadWell.com

One of my guilty pleasures is the irreverent weekly comedy series Scrubs on the U.S.'s NBC television network.

Set in a teaching hospital, the show follows young doctors through their vital on-the-job training in matters of life and death. (As well as featuring some provocative off-the-job escapades of intensely-driven young people, but that is decidedly off-topic here.)

In a recent episode, one of the many recurring subplots features Doug, a most inept intern—a one-man accidental death squad—who has "bumbling dork" written all over his pubescent face.

After yet another of his many disastrous foul-ups, one of his supervising colleagues—with maybe two years more experience—finally, after much consternation, breaks a hard collective silence. "Maybe," she blurts out, "you're just not cut out to be a doctor."

Dr. Doug then follows his latest mistake to the morgue, and, voila!, his natural gift erupts. He miraculously begins detecting and correctly diagnosing the medical mishaps that caused the deaths of many hapless patients. Dark comedy to be sure. But true as well.

Competence is much more a matter of when innate talent meets need and circumstance than education and certification.

As a manager, strive to find the work that suits your strengths, and do the same for everyone you supervise. The better a matchmaker you are, the better the results you'll produce.

When you lead your staff with a keen eye for aligning talents with tasks, you and your colleagues will enjoy a healthier working environment—and need to do far fewer post mortems on sad, unnecessary failures.

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Copyright © 2005, Don Blohowiak, Lead Well Institute

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