There is a very good reason why changing a person's performance is so difficult. People who are performing a task poorly often have no idea they are doing a less-than-wonderful job.

The truly incompetent are blissfully ignorant of their lack of ability, according to a study by two American psychologists. Whereas people who do things well underestimate their performance, the inept have no idea how bad they are, according to the research.

This means they suffer twice, say Dr. David Dunning of Cornell University and Dr. Justin Kruger of the University of Illinois. Writing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, they state: "Not only do [incompetent people] reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices but also their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it."

Illusions of Competence

Studies by the two researchers have found that the skills needed for competence are the same skills necessary for recognizing it. Those who scored in the bottom quarter in tests of logic, grammar, and humor were also those most likely to have delusions of competence. Anyone with managerial experience knows this to be true in the workplace.

Asked to evaluate how well they had done at the logic test, those who scored in the bottom eighth reckoned that their ability was in the top third. Those in the bottom tenth in grammar also believed they were in the top third. Those who really were in the top third, however, tended to underestimate themselves. In the absence of information on how well others do, they tended to assume others were just as competent.

When shown other people's work, the competent soon revised their opinion but the incompetent did not -- some even inflated their estimates of themselves.

In some cases, Dunning points out, an awareness of one's own inability is inevitable: "In a golf game, when your ball is heading into the woods, you know you're incompetent." But Dunning says his research indicates there are many reasons why people would tend to overestimate their competency and not be aware of it.

This presents a challenge. How can we give feedback that absolutely gets the message across? It seems we might be able to learn from golf. Feedback will be best if it is immediate, direct, and concrete.

As I sit here, I wonder what incompetencies the people I live and work with see in my own work and are trying to find a way to tell me about...

A Little More on Self-Deception

• 94% of university professors think they are better at their jobs than their colleagues.
• 25% of college students believe they are in the top 1% in terms of their ability to get along with others.
• 70% of college students think they are above average in leadership ability. Only 2% think they are below average.

To learn more about what you can do to insure hiring right the first time and sign up for your free newsletter visit www.positiveoptions.net. Dr. Kasner helps organizations develop and implement hiring systems that take the guess work out of hiring.