The Long and The Short Of It 374. Competent or Complacent?
Nov 25, 2025
Pete grapples with the distinction between competence and complacency after running multiple workshops. They discuss how boredom can blur the lines between mastery and going through the motions. Jen highlights the importance of having a trusted coach for objective feedback. They explore keeping repeated performances fresh and the idea that effortless delivery can signal true competence. The duo emphasizes setting clear intentions for each session and defining success based on outcomes rather than novelty.
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Six Cohorts Spark An Existential Question
- Pete described running six cohorts of a 120-person leadership program and feeling like he repeated the same workshop six times.
- He questioned whether the repetition meant mastery or complacency and called it an existential crisis.
Mastery Often Feels Effortless
- Jen summarized the four stages of learning: unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence.
- Mastery can look like going through the motions because the work becomes less effortful.
Keep Outcomes, Vary Stories
- If your existing material still achieves the promised outcome, keep delivering it regardless of boredom.
- Refresh delivery by swapping stories or varying examples while preserving the structure and outcome.