Competence: More Than Just Knowing, It’s Doing.

Many believe competence is about what you know. I argue it’s defined by what you’re empowered to do.

You know the right thing to do. But will you actually do it? Do you have the authority to do it? This is the true test of competence.

Education, training, and experience form the foundation of competence. However, the critical piece that often gets overlooked is the ability—and authority—to act safely. This is the part that demands action, because without it, even the most knowledgeable individual is effectively disarmed in the face of danger.

Consider these scenarios:

• You conduct an inspection and find a harness that’s compromised. Do you have the power to immediately take that harness out of service?
• You spot a piece of damaged equipment. Can you apply a lockout/tagout?
• You identify an unsafe condition that poses an immediate threat. What will happen if you stop work because it’s unsafe?

If you cannot take action on these critical safety issues, then you are not truly competent at your job, regardless of your training certificates. Knowledge without the authority to implement it is an illusion of competence, a dangerous half-measure.

Organizations that truly value competence must empower their people to act without fear of reprisal. If your role expects you to identify hazards but strips you of the authority to correct them, you’re not just lacking competence – your workplace is lacking a fundamental commitment to safety. True competence requires both knowing and doing.