Have you ever noticed that two people with the same qualifications can have completely different career trajectories?
One seems to effortlessly pivot, adapt, and lead in new environments, while the other struggles, even if they’re technically brilliant.
What sets them apart are human skills and meta competencies.
In essence, human skills are about how you interact with people, while meta competencies are about how you think, learn, and adapt.
Meta competencies act as a foundation for developing and using both human skills and hard skills (technical expertise).
Unlike technical skills, meta competencies remain relevant across roles and industries.
When you master them, you become better at your job and actually, you become better at learning any job, navigating uncertainty, and evolving with your career.
Meta competencies:
Here’s what I work on with high achievers who are stuck or ready for change:
- Making connections – seeing patterns, generating ideas and discovering possibilities.
- Decision making – gaining clarity instead of staying stuck in analysis.
- Growth mindset – moving from “I’m not ready” to “I can figure this out.”
- Problem solving – from defining the challenge to getting to the right solution.
- Resilience and antifragility – not just surviving stress, but growing from it.
- Critical thinking – asking questions, analysing in order to get to an informed conclusion.
- Learning effectively – turning learning into a competitive edge.
Together, these shape how you approach challenges, transitions and growth, whether you’re stepping into leadership, changing roles, or launching your own business.
And what about human skills?
These are essential and they work best when grounded in strong meta competencies.
Some key human skills I often help clients develop:
- Assertive communication and conflict resolution
- Emotional intelligence
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Adaptability
- Organizing and planning (time and energy management)
This is a powerful combo: meta competencies help you learn, while human skills help you connect.
If you’re a high achiever navigating a career pivot or craving more purpose at work, it’s worth asking:
Do I have the meta competencies needed to support this next move?
