One of the keys to success is competence for the task a person has chosen for himself. Lack of competence produces quacks in various fields that are a shame to knowledge and learning. It takes years of hard work and dedication to achieve competence and only a few careless statements to lose it.

Here are some requisites of competence.

Firstly, a person should know what he does not know and must not express an opinion in a sphere that he is not fully conversant with. It will not belittle him if he says that he has little or no knowledge about a particular issue and that he would rather refer others to someone who is an expert in a particular person.

Secondly, while stating the opinion of someone, a person must say that this is his understanding of that opinion and can be wrong. His statement should not be couched in words that say that he has said something that cannot be challenged with regard to someone’s view. Human understanding can falter.

Thirdly, a person must not discuss the competence of some other person in public. If he thinks that something has to be addressed in this regard, he should get in touch with that person at a personal level and present him his critique to him. It is an obligation that we owe to people whose competence is not up to the mark.

Fourthly, one area where competent people must look to solve a nagging issue is to not spare even the most obvious of sources from re-checking and analysis. Sometimes, the truth is right under our chin whilst we are searching for it in far off frontiers. Thoroughness requires that we leave no stone unturned – even the most “obvious” ones.

Fifthly, if a person is able to teach or present one’s view on a subject, he will find that his grasp on the topic has increased manifold. This is because when a person presents his view he finds out the gaps and missing links in his conversation. Questions and criticism further refine his view, and add to his competence.