Crawl…walk…run!
Not even Usain Bolt started life running.
We all started off by crawling. (Probably even before that, by rolling over and dragging ourselves along, but that would sound odd in our heading!)
And as toddlers, most of us fell over many times when we tried to speed up before we’d mastered walking.
We develop our abilities by first mastering the foundational competencies that contribute to a complex one. We learn left and right coordination from crawling, and balance from walking. Then we can do both at pace when running.
The same is true for other competencies.
Why our framework has three levels
This is why our competency framework identifies foundational, intermediate and complex levels.
- Foundational competencies are ones you can grow on your own.
- Intermediate ones are usually several foundations working together.
- Complex ones draw on several disciplines at once.
- Complex competencies come more easily when the foundational and intermediate ones are in place first.
- The need for some complex competencies may reduce when more people hold the foundational and intermediate ones. For example, when people have strong emotional intelligence and communication competencies, there is often less conflict to resolve.
- When a complex competency feels hard, it may be due to a contributing foundational or intermediate competency that is still developing. For example, providing effective feedback relies on reading body language, choosing words with care, and staying steady and connected under pressure.
How we layer learning
Our work is in how competencies relate to each other: breaking them down, layering them in the right order, linking them, and holding them in consistent language and approaches, so each thing you learn integrates with the last rather than sitting beside it or in conflict with it.
- Crawl: self-led courses build the foundations, at your own pace.
- Walk and run: facilitator-led courses and practice sessions bring those foundations together, in real situations, with guidance and feedback.
- Along the way: weekly Q&A sessions are there for the questions that come up as you apply what you’re learning.
Our personalised approach helps people grow the competencies they need for their role, in the way that works best for them.
How it connects
Crawl, walk, run is one of our four core approaches, and it runs through all our work. It works alongside:
- Competency COMPASS: how we identify, measure and grow competency.
- Dynamic Leadership: how we lead through uncertainty and complexity.
- Cultivating Conditions: so the work can flow and people grow.
See each competency on Competencies we cover.
