During a period of disruption and uncertainty the motivation to learn may give way to the fear of rejection. Under such conditions, it falls upon the training profession to remind employees that their purpose is to maximize performance and productivity to ensure a sustainable future.

Assuming you take the proactive approach, the first question you must ask is: Do any of those impacted by the malaise have a desire to upgrade their skills? If the answer is no, then start there.

If the answer is yes, then the next question is: Are they ready to learn? If that answer is yes, then the time is right to provide coaching and/or training.

Conversely, if the answer is no, then your objective is clear: make the underperformers aware of what they don’t know and why it’s important to refresh their knowledge.

Self-examination is healthy. It is the primary means by which a person can be motivated to learn. Understanding how learning takes place progressively as depicted in Abraham Maslow’s Learning Stages model below could be very useful to anyone seeking to improve.

    Stage 1 – Unconscious Incompetence. They don’t know that they don’t know.

People are unaware of the possibility that they may be making costly mistakes or turning out shoddy work. Their unacceptable performance is obvious to others, but not to them. Both the fear of rejection and the potential for incompetency are high because they’re not motivated to learn.

Stage 2 – Conscious Incompetence. They know that they don’t know.

Suddenly, they become aware that their performance is having a negative effect on production. They are acutely, perhaps even painfully, mindful of their shortcomings. Their fear of rejection is elevated, but this is a good time to acquire new skills because their motivation to learn is high.

Stage 3 – Conscious Competence. They know that they know.

They are in a comfort zone pleased with their newfound knowledge. They’ve overcome the fear of rejection, learned from their mistakes, and improved their performance. They eagerly seek opportunities to demonstrate their new skills. Their motivation to learn has been satisfied.

Stage 4 – Unconscious Competence. They don’t know that they know.

They perform assignments with little thought given to preparing for new challenges. Unaware of their shortcomings, they’re only a short step away from losing the competitive edge. Having no fear of rejection and satisfied with the way things are they’re not motivated to learn.