Competence, Competency Quotes

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

No human being will work hard at anything unless they believe that they are working for competence.

To become proficient in any field you must practise. There is simply no achievement without practice and the more practice, provided it is done intelligently, the greater will the proficiency be and the sooner will it be attained.

Some governments are corrupt but are known for their competency in running the city. Others are incompetent but are considered "clean." [Washington] DC's government is scandalously corrupt and hopelessly incompetent.

It doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice.

Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the circle.

I think the world is run by 'C' students.

Make the hard ones look easy and the easy ones look hard.

There is usually only a limited amount of damage that can be done by dull or stupid people. For creating a truly monumental disaster, you need people with high IQs.

If someone gives you $1,000,000 you'd better become a millionaire so you can keep the money. Success doesn't want to hang around incompetent people.

Trust is a function of two things: character and competence. Character includes your integrity, your motive and your intent with people. Competence includes your capabilities, your skills, and your track record. Both are vital.

The great amount of our revenue and the flourishing state of the Treasury are a full proof of the competency of the national resources for any emergency, as they are of the willingness of our fellow-citizens to bear the burdens which the public necessities require.

It's a joy to listen to someone at the top of their craft.

I’d like you to know that almost all of the directors I have met over the years have been decent, likable and intelligent. Nevertheless, many of these good souls are people whom I would never have chosen to handle money or business matters. It simply was not their game. They, in turn, would never have asked me for help in removing a tooth, decorating their home or improving their golf swing. … We are all duds at one thing or another. For most of us, the list is long. The important point to recognize is that if you are Bobby Fischer, you must play only chess for money.

I know, playing in schoolyards, and summer leagues, that I can hit the three.

I would rather have a Scot come from Scotland to govern the people of this kingdom well and justly than that you should govern them ill in the sight of all the world

People judge you really quickly, at first just on your facial features. There are two dimensions - warmth and competence. You can think of them as trustworthiness and strength. They're first judging you on warmth; evaluating whether or not you are trustworthy. That's much more important to them than whether or not you're competent.

I have no use for men who fail. The cause of their failure is no business of mine, but I want successful men as my associates.

The principle which the Queen would wish to see acted upon in her diplomatic appointments in general, is, that the good of the service should precede every other consideration, and that the selection of an agent should depend more on his personal qualifications for the particular post for which he is to be selected than on the mere pleasure and convenience of the person to be employed, or of the Minister recommending him.

My philosophy is, 'Show up, shut up, and do your job,' and if you do it to the satisfaction of your director and the public, you're likely to be able to do it again.

If you're going to put me in the booth, make sure it's because I'm good enough to be there.

If we have a strength, it is in recognizing when we are operating well within our circle of competence and when we are approaching the perimeter.

Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people.

No one man has any more intrinsic right to official station than another .... The duties of all public officers are ... so plain and simple that men of intelligence may readily qualify themselves for their performance.