Mastery

Mirjam Sterk, member of the CDA, is leaving the Dutch parliament after 10 years. She says that she thinks that it is time for her to develop other areas, such as the governance of the media. In DWDD Prem Radhakishun responded to Sterk’s withdrawal: ’10 years is nothing! If you really want to gain influence and get to the top, you have to stay!’ In my opinion Prem has a point there, but at the same time I think that Mirjam’s choice is a logical and smart one.

Studies have shown that you have to work (train) for about 10.000 hours to grow into mastery in your profession (on the condition that you are focused on your core-competences, and that you are only able doing so for a maximum of 700 hours a year). This means that it takes approximately (at least) 14 years to grow into mastery.

Where does this leave Mirjam? With the analogy of the old guild-system Paul Donders and Chris Sommer (in their recently published book ‘Meesterschap’) divide the process of growing into mastery into the following different phases:

1. Talent (student)

For the student it is imperative that he is fully aware of his talents/skills, and that he develops a passion. About 5000 flight-hours (training) are necessary to grow from talent to professional. During this phase you have to focus on deepening your trade. The content and the requirements of you function also have to be flexible enough to change, as your level of professionalism changes.

2. Professional (companion)

Here, the talent has grown into a sound professional, who is functioning at a qualitative high stage. Mirjam is such a professional. She doesn’t just debate a little, she is experienced and is able to continuously ‘produce’ at a very high level. This phase also takes for about 5 years. In our fast moving society it actually might surprise you how long these phases take! In that sense Prem is absolutely right, 10 years is not as long as it seems.

3. Traveling companion

For the companion, in the old days, it was supposed to be imperative for his creative development that he would travel throughout Europe to be able to learn from other masters in different cultures. This helped to develop his own unique style. Now, I can easily see Mirjam growing into exactly this role, developing her own unique style. Gaining experience in other companies, organizations or institutions and with other masters.

4. Master

A master is continuously producing ‘master-pieces’, he has his own unique style. He is an role-model for talents, he supports and educates them. The core-conditions for mastery are:

·         know your history, take the right opportunities, be part of a ‘Guild’;

·         discover and develop your intrinsic talents/skills;

·         go for passion and perspective;

·         integrate your skills and passion, and find possibilities for targeted training (quote, Mirjam: ‘I can also realize my ideals at other places’.);

·         find mentors, and learn from them.

5. The artist

This is a ‘grand-master’, an icon in his/her trade! He goes beyond boundaries, sets new limits, and has an (inter)national influence. Because it is rather difficult in our fast moving world to focus on 1 trade, there are only view of such true ‘artists’.

And Mirjam…, who knows, maybe she will return on the political stage in a couple of years to claim her place as a master.

Tjeerd Boersma