Once again, we delve into the wisdom of Paul Graham's influential essay, "How to Start a Startup." This time, our focus is on a concept that many of us may have unwittingly practiced: protective incompetence. This intriguing aspect of human behavior has been ingeniously described by Graham as a means of avoiding undesirable work. Let's take a closer look at this phenomenon and explore how it affects our personal and professional lives.
Quote from Paul Graham's Essay:
"I think the reason I made such a mystery of business was that I was disgusted by the idea of doing it. I wanted to work in the pure, intellectual world of software, not deal with customers' mundane problems. People who don't want to get dragged into some kind of work often develop a protective incompetence at it. Paul Erdos was particularly good at this. By seeming unable even to cut a grapefruit in half (let alone go to the store and buy one), he forced other people to do such things for him, leaving all his time free for math. Erdos was an extreme case, but most husbands use the same trick to some degree.
Once I was forced to discard my protective incompetence, I found that business was neither so hard nor so boring as I feared. There are esoteric areas of business that are quite hard, like tax law or the pricing of derivatives, but you don't need to know about those in a startup. All you need to know about business to run a startup are commonsense things people knew before there were business schools, or even universities." (Graham, 2005)
Protective Incompetence: Personal Experiences and Observations
As an author with a degree in finance, I once found myself working in a small food tech startup. Surprisingly, I harbored a secret aversion to social media marketing, believing it to be both beneath me and incomprehensible. Additionally, I dreaded any involvement in the sales and marketing aspects of the business. However, as a small startup with limited resources, I reluctantly ended up assisting with social media marketing.
To my great surprise, I discovered that social media marketing was neither scary, beneath me, nor difficult. By learning just enough to navigate the social media algorithms of the time, I was able to help our company increase its reach tenfold. This eye-opening experience led me to question my beliefs and assumptions about several aspects of my life. Embracing the challenge of social media marketing not only expanded my skillset but also demonstrated the importance of overcoming my protective incompetence in order to grow both personally and professionally.
I have also observed similar behavior in others. A friend of mine, an accomplished software engineer, loathed the idea of dealing with client relations. To avoid this responsibility, he feigned ignorance about client-facing communication, forcing his colleagues to handle these interactions on his behalf. While this may have seemed like a clever strategy at the time, it eventually hindered his professional growth, as he missed opportunities to develop essential interpersonal skills.
Examples of Protective Incompetence in Action
In a more humorous example, consider the classic scenario of a teenager who avoids household chores by pretending to be inept at them. By pretending they can't properly load the dishwasher or fold laundry, they manipulate their parents into handling the tasks themselves, thereby escaping the burden of chores. While this may seem like a victory for the teenager and a convenient solution for parents, it can lead to the formation of poor habits and limiting life philosophies, ultimately hindering personal growth.
As these individuals grow older, they may become employees who continue to feign incompetence in areas they dislike, such as public speaking or organizing team events. In doing so, they avoid these responsibilities and leave their colleagues to take on the extra workload.
The Consequences of Protective Incompetence
Although protective incompetence may seem like a clever tactic in the short term, it can have long-term consequences. By avoiding certain tasks, individuals miss out on opportunities to develop new skills and grow both personally and professionally. Furthermore, this behavior can strain relationships with colleagues and loved ones, who may feel resentful or burdened by picking up the slack.
For those interested in exploring the benefits of developing new skills and personal and professional growth, I recommend the book Range, by David Epstein. In this engaging read, Epstein challenges the conventional wisdom that success is best achieved through hyper-specialization. Using compelling stories and research studies, he demonstrates how having a broad range of skills and experiences can be equally (if not more) critical for long-term success in today's complex world.
Conclusion:
Protective incompetence is a fascinating and prevalent aspect of human behavior. As highlighted by Paul Graham in his essay, recognizing and discarding this self-sabotaging tactic can lead to personal and professional growth.
So, the next time you find yourself avoiding a task or responsibility by feigning incompetence, take a step back and consider the long-term implications of your actions. Instead, embrace the opportunity to learn and grow, even if it means stepping into unfamiliar territory. By doing so, you'll not only strengthen your skill set but also foster healthier relationships with those around you.
In the end, it's worth remembering that the most successful individuals are often those who are willing to face challenges head-on and continually expand their horizons. By overcoming protective incompetence, you'll be well on your way to a more fulfilling personal and professional life.