What is technical readiness?

Have you got all of the knowledge and skills you need to do your job?

Technical performance is about knowledge and skills.

Readiness in this part of the pie is about having the knowledge and skills you need to do your job.

 

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Technical Readiness

For those interested in being world class at what they do and for those helping others to be the best they can be, then this is a constant area of focus.

This will probably mean developing new knowledge and skills whilst working on what’s there already. Consider the way a top performer will constantly work on refining the basics of what they do whilst also looking to innovate.

Technical performance sits alongside – and is influenced by – other performance factors. Sustained technical competence needs things such as mental discipline, energy to concentrate and support to keep going.

Guarding against complacency might be as important as developing in new areas. Asking if knowledge and skills are up to date and relevant helps maintain performance at a top level.

Attitude towards technical expertise

High performance attitudes will help here. Having a mindset that talent is just a starting point will ensure that hard work takes place to exploit it.

Having a desire to improve will ensure that even basic development activity is done and that there’s an appetite to learn.

Embracing change will ensure that new knowledge and skills – and new ways of using existing knowledge and skills – are sought and tested.

Ask yourself – Have I got the knowledge and skills I need?

Sustained technical readiness means checking what new technical knowledge skills need developing. Are the technical knowledge and skills still relevant and how is that tested? You could do this yourself by asking others, using industry benchmarks and paying attention to those coming up around you.

Asking “have I got the skills and knowledge that I need” as accurately as possible. This might be most critical for people who have acquired great technical skills and knowledge, but have got complacent about checking to see if they really do still have the up-to-date technical package.

Brilliant basics

Knowledge and skills are just one part of the of the performance pie. But they are fundamental.

They can be improved through learning and refined through practice. World class performers have invested time and effort in becoming brilliant at the basics. And they continue to focus on these basics because they understand their importance.

  • What score would you give yourself out of 10 for how ready you are in this part of the pie?
  • Is it a priority area for you to focus on to maintain or improve your score?
  • Which brilliant basic will you seek to improve next?