Status Versus Competence

Navigating the corporate maze has been quite the journey for me. Among the responsibilities associated with my job, one of them is task delegation in my team, based on strengths, weaknesses, time constraints, and preferences. It's your classic managerial routine: ensuring processes are streamlined, priorities are set, targets are achieved and deadlines are met, all the while keeping the boss, the team, and the customer all in harmony. Throughout the span of my 8-year long career, I have seen people come and I’ve seen people go.

Given the youthful demographic in my industry (typically 22 to 35 years old), my workplace often resembles a pit stop for those fueled by the desire to sprint toward greener pastures. Whether it's the pursuit of a dream job, a cushy government position, or the siren call of higher education, my team is a launchpad for the next big thing. Which is fine of course, why shouldn’t one aim higher? 

There is a caveat, however. 

Picture this: Meet Adam, a 25-year-old chap who's casually strolling into an organisation with a confidence level that says, "I'm not here for the long haul." Why, you ask? Well, Adam has been on a mission for the past few years, meticulously preparing for an exam that could open the doors to a position in the RBI (Reserve Bank of India), the regulatory body that supervises the Indian banking system. Securing this job would accord Adam a sense of fulfilment and confidence, make his parents proud, and ensure him the kind of stability one gets from not playing an eternal game of job-hunting hopscotch or relocating like a nomad every other year. Since Adam has bills to pay just like the rest of us, he has decided to join this temporary job, and continue his preparation alongside it.

Now, Adam is at crossroads in his brief stint, a telling fork in the career road that unveils whether he cherishes status or competence more.

Status> Competence Outlook: Adam hates every minute of his current job, curses every morning when he gets up to go to work, shows up late everyday as a form of rebellion, and believes that he is meant for ‘bigger stuff’. On reaching his office, he casts a condescending gaze upon his colleagues, dismisses them as not ambitious enough, and adopts a nonchalant attitude towards both his work and boss. In essence, he practises incompetence, orchestrating his lackadaisical symphony for as many months or years as he lingers in the role. Why? Simply because he can't stomach the idea that he's stuck in a job that lacks the status he dreams of, forcing him to endure this supposedly second-rate gig until his grand job vision becomes a reality.

Competence> Status Outlook: Adam has his eyes set on squeezing every ounce of potential from the opportunity laid out before him. He acknowledges that he might be mastering tasks that won't headline his dream job's job description, yet he's all in. He is dependable, tackles his responsibilities diligently, strives for improvement daily, and scoffs at the notion that the work funding his lifestyle is beneath him because of his brain power or talents. Why, you ask? Because he's savouring the now, realising that genuine success isn't merely about the fancy title or status but about the sweet satisfaction of acing each task at hand. 

Needless to say, I’ve met Adams of both kinds. Now, I'd love to proclaim that Adam 2.0 inevitably snags his dream job in the grand finale, leaving poor Adam 1.0 in the dust. But life’s funny that way, and sometimes the wrong Adam triumphs, while the right one bites the dust—at least in one round of the game. And who am I anyway, to decide what a man deserves?

But, let’s say that Adam does not land that coveted dream job until he turns 35. For a solid decade, he remains in the workforce, shimmying between this job and the next, all the while miserable and a maestro of deliberate incompetence. 

And, just for kicks, let's imagine a grimmer scenario: Adam never quite snags that dream job, and he's left making do with what he's got. Except, he's not exactly killing it in this job either, plus he's now older and less appealing compared to the sprightly, tech-savvy rookies flooding the scene. Ouch!

Why does an artist sign a painting? Is it a flamboyant proclamation of crafting a masterpiece? Not at all. That painting is a concoction of his idea, his effort, his skill, and the hours he poured into it. Whether it becomes the next sensation or languishes in obscurity, whether it's adored or dismissed by the masses, whether it's a commissioned masterpiece or made on pure whim – it's a child of the artist’s mind, no less. Refusing to sign it would be like disowning it, a conscious renunciation suggesting the artist deems it beneath their creative pedigree.

Besides, valuing competence over status has many other benefits. Prioritising status would confine one's seriousness to roles with the desired social standing. But competence can be achieved in the smallest of tasks, both within and beyond the professional realm. Brewing a perfect cup of coffee, organising one’s desk, putting together a meal, or even a sharp outfit, finishing a book, all these appeal to the striving towards competence. 

Not to mention, a lot of the skills are transferable across jobs. From drafting schedules and crafting a well-put together email to mastering negotiations and perfecting the art of a firm handshake, efficiency is a universal language, learnt from any job, and applied to the next. If one makes the most of what is handed in the moment, the practice of competence may actually help one arrive at the high-status job or station in life that one seeks.

“It is not titles that honour men, but men that honour titles.” - Niccolò Machiavelli.