Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Tuesday 22nd March 2011 | 10 comments
As regular readers will know (love that phrase...) I have been having some ups and downs lately, such that I sometimes feel like Frodo in that scene in Lord of the Rings when Sauron turns his evil eye on those poor hobbits :)
One of the downs was a bad ankle sprain. For various reasons, when it happened I wasn't able to follow the 'Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate' advice and so of course it all swelled up and has taken now 5 weeks to get close to healing.
Enough whingeing, you've got the look.
The point of all this is that I found a great physio on my second try, a really intelligent guy. He spent (seriously) 10 minutes looking at my ankle, asking questions and pressing my foot in order to work out exactly where to place (only) 3 strips of that sticky bandage stuff. The relief was immediate, and after 3 visits and some clever massage and ultrasound, the change in my ankle strength is palpable.
You see, this guy was really competent. It's a value that I think we underestimate, often because we are seduced into the worship of bright shiny objects and bright shiny people, without checking out what's under the surface.
I remember when I was a teenager, I learned bell-ringing at our local church (don't ask). We were pretty crap, for a pretty long time. Then, one day, we rang a perfect peal. I started to cry, and the verger assumed I had had a profound religious experience. Er, no. In fact, it was all about the joy of competence, the inherent beauty in getting it right, in sticking with the process til it worked, in doing exactly what was required to master something complex.
Same with baristas. Watching a good barista make a good cup of coffee can make my day.
So, here's to plain old competence, no gloss, no frills, no hard sell.
What are your competence stories?
I have two stories. One is like yours. In high school, I played in the band and we had the opportunity to go to the provincial festival. We had one of those moments of perfect harmony - every one in tune, every one playing together. Afterward, the crowd gave us a standing ovation and then we had to jump on the bus and go home without knowing who won. Our conductor's wife met us at the bus to tell us that it was us!!
The second time was during a year when I got to go skiing almost every weekend. The first weekend, my friend and I basically 'fell' down a little "cliff" at Sunshine. A month or so later, I skiied easily to the bottom of a small hill and looked up, waiting for my friend and realized it was the same "cliff" that I feel down weeks before.
Competence always comes with practice and it feels so good when it arrives.
Marjory, I love both these stories. Especially because I didn't really emphasise the hours and hours it takes to become competent at anything (some say 10,000 hours to master a subject). It's good to remember that practice is essential before you can get the goodies...
Hi Joanna, competence was driven home to me at school. I was fortunate to have 2 wonderful art teachers who inspired me in everything art - from history to designing and making my own artworks, Without these highly competent women (they knew their stuff), I wouldn't be doing what I do today and with the competence I have achieved. Thanks for the intro.
Susan, thanks - it reminded me of my high school ancient history teacher, who was both very rigorous and at the same time very inspiring in her approach. I have had two marvellous teachers in my life, and she was one...really competent, really excellent.
Hi Joanna, I love your story of the pealing bells, can't quite picture you doing that nowadays, though! I've been thinking recently about my competence in the work arena. To me, competence is that feeling you get when you inately know you're the right person for the job. I've had times when I'm 'in the zone' and can feel all of my years of experience as a sub editor 'click' into place to bring a new client wonderful, comprehensive and timely service. It feels just right, and I know I'm making my clients look good for their clients.This competence is recognised when I receive compliments like "You are a champ!" "I love your work!" and "Send me your invoice!" Of course, seeing my young children achieve competence in different areas as they grow brings the meaning of the word 'competence' to a whole new, delightful level... Cheers, Amanda
Amanda, thanks - I can't imagine myself ringing a peal these days either :)
A friend who is a couturiere - she somehow knows to move a shoulder strap six millimeters to the side, & change a look of an outfit entirely - to make it more gorgeous. And where to sit the length of your skirt to make your legs look best. And how long to make tops, to make a mid-riff bulge disappear before your eyes. It's astonishing stuff to watch.
Very much agree with you - it's a delight to observe the unruffled confidence that is engendered by serious competence. Swear you can see a gleam in their eye as these people do their magical, masterly stuff.
Rachael, indeed. I want your couturiere for myself :) Both for her unruffled confidence and her abilities with the midriff bulge...
I really liked your two diverse stories Joanna - a physio and the bell pealing!
When I had my colours and shape done I was amazed at the result. I was so impressed with the competence of the woman who did it and what she could see in me that i invested more in the process and asked her to 'teach me to shop'. Her competence in this area of expertise truly showed again during the shopping when she would hand pieces for me to try on and ask me to trust her (even though I screwed my nose up and thought 'hell no')... I cried (I actually burst out crying) at the transformation she created. Clothing that I never thought I could wear or would suit me, resulted in me feeling fabulous and looking pretty damn good (so say I ;-) )
It's knowing when you're in the right place with the right skill, knowledge and ability... I have to admit I feel like this, like I'm shining, when I'm training and I see those light bulbs glow brightly above the participants heads!
Great piece Joanna - no gloss, no frills, no hard sell - just a great post!
Sally, I love your story about the colour/shopping consultant. Equal measures of competence (on her side) and trust (on yours). It was the same for me with my physio. My suburb has two physios and I ended up in the less glossy premises (in fact by accident, but that's another story.). Never heard of the guy, just had to trust him. But there was something about that quiet gloss-free air of well, competence that told me I COULD trust him. And I could.