SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best

Chapter 22. The Squeaky Wheel . . . Makes Things Better

SUPERCOMPETENT Hero Thinking:	When I see an unusually lengthy and inefficient process, I do what I can to make it easier for everyone.
SIMPLY COMPETENT Zero Thinking:	There's no need to change our way of doing things. If it was good enough for Grandpa, it's good enough for me.

You sometimes have to stop and take a closer look at the systems and processes you're using in the business world to determine whether they're still working as they were originally intended. Too often, people just accept how they've been taught to do something rather than considering whether it could be improved. But situations and technology change, and sometimes we fail to change with them.

Dave Kutayia explains, "When deciding on whether to hire one person over another, I [assume that] both candidates possess the requisite Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) necessary to do the job. They represent [that] they have the skills and then they demonstrate it through their efforts. Which one is going to know his or her limitations and continually work to improve? They're not a proven entity to me and essentially sell me a promise. I want to hear about where they've given over-and-above effort in the past. They may be naturally gifted, but I want to know they're driven and want to do the job well."

Instead of saying, "It's the way we've always done it," or concluding "This won't work," SuperCompetent people ask, "What needs to happen to make this work?" They're ...