The Difference Between Attributes and Skills, and Why One Matters More Than the Other
Whenever we judge the potential of ourselves or others based on skills, we are making a mistake. When we measure performance in ourselves and our teams, we need to get the whole picture. The bottom line is that when we are measuring performance, skills tell us only part of the story.
During times of uncertainty, our skills often take a back seat
We use time and energy to figure things out, making sense of what is entirely new.
- Our ability to move through and continue to perform optimally during these times is grounded in the attributes that we bring to the table – not necessarily our skills
High performance relies on attributes
The measure of a top performer is often not taken when things are going well, but when things go wrong
- Adaptability, perseverance, open-mindedness, and patience are key to high performance
- To perform all the time, regardless of what happens around you, is about the attributes
Potential hides in attributes, not skills
Potential is about what could be, not about what is.
- Skills only tell us what is, while attributes tell us how it could be
- The top-seeded NFL draft pick choked in training camp because he did not have the attributes required to play pro ball
- In the case of this particular kid, the scouts couldn’t see his attributes and therefore misjudged his potential
Trust is built on attributes, not skills
We cannot make anyone trust us, we can only behave in a way that allows that person to decide to trust us.
- Any team or business that wants to perform optimally even when things are going poorly must have a foundation of trust.
Rich Diviney draws upon 20-plus years of experience as a Navy SEAL Officer where he completed more than 13 overseas deployments – 11 of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Through his career, he has achieved multiple leadership positions – to include the commanding officer of a Navy SEAL Command.
Skills can be taught, but attributes must be developed
You can’t learn and develop attributes the same way that you do a skill. To develop an attribute takes self-motivation, self-direction, and a willingness by that person to develop that attribute.
- When building a team, it’s more important to find the people who have the attributes you need rather than the skill.