The Competence Question

The competence question is a pattern leaders often feel but rarely name. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been noticing a recurring question surfacing in coaching conversations with school leaders and teachers. Weirdly, it hasn’t really been about workload or behaviour. It’s been a quieter question. “Am I doing enough?”

It rarely arrives as a direct statement. Instead, it tends to show up in different ways.

→ “Have I done enough?”
→ “Should I be coping better than this?”
→ “I feel like I could have done more.”
→ “I just wonder if I’m doing a good enough job.”

What struck me was that these questions were often being asked by some of the most conscientious, capable and committed people I work with. These are people who care deeply, who hold themselves to high standards. Individuals who take responsibility seriously. These are people who are already doing far more than they give themselves credit for.

Across coaching conversations with leaders working in Primary, Secondary and SEND settings, the pattern felt remarkably familiar. Different schools. Different contexts. Different challenges. Yet the same underlying question kept surfacing.

I’m calling this ‘the competence question’.

What the competence question looks like in schools

The competence question rarely appears because someone is underperforming.

In fact, quite often the opposite is true. Many of the leaders asking themselves these questions are leading teams, supporting colleagues, driving improvement and making a positive difference every day. Yet they continue to question themselves.

→ They focus on what still needs improving.
→ They notice mistakes more readily than successes.
→ They move quickly onto the next challenge.
→ They raise the standard before acknowledging progress.

Over time, this can create a strange tension. Externally, others may see a capable and effective leader. Internally, the individual continues to wonder whether they are doing enough. One of the things I find most interesting is that there is often very little evidence that anything is actually wrong. No concerns have been raised. No criticism has been received. There has been no indication that performance is falling short.

Yet the question remains. Am I doing enough?

Why It Matters Through an Educational Leadership Lens

The competence question matters because it can quietly shape how leaders experience their work. When leaders spend most of their energy focusing on gaps, problems and future improvements, it becomes difficult to recognise what is already going well.

Schools are complex environments. There will always be another challenge. Another initiative. Another improvement priority. Another conversation that could have gone differently. Another area that needs attention. If success is measured only by what remains unfinished, the feeling of “enough” can become impossible to reach.

This becomes particularly relevant for leaders who care deeply about their staff, students and communities. The very qualities that make them effective can sometimes make them harder on themselves.

This is not about lowering standards. It is not about becoming complacent. It is about recognising that continuous improvement and self-recognition can coexist. You can still strive to improve while also acknowledging what is already working well.

Why naming the pattern matters

One of the challenges with the competence question is that it often feels personal. Leaders can assume the problem sits with them. That they should be more confident. More resilient. More capable. But when similar questions surface across multiple coaching conversations, it suggests something else may be happening. This is not necessarily a confidence issue.

It may simply be a common pattern amongst people who care deeply about doing a good job. The people most worried about whether they are doing a good job are often the people working hardest to do one. Simply recognising the pattern can create space for a more balanced perspective.

Pause for a Moment

You might pause for a moment and ask yourself:

Q. Where do I notice the competence question showing up in my leadership right now? And what evidence would I give a colleague if they were asking themselves the same question?

Sometimes the answer becomes visible very quickly.

One Small Doable Action

Before you write your next to-do list, take a moment to write down three things that have gone well this week.

This might be:

→ A difficult conversation you handled well.
→ A colleague you supported.
→ A challenge you successfully navigated.

Many leaders naturally track what still needs attention. Far fewer intentionally notice what they have already achieved. Sometimes the most helpful leadership reflection is recognising that progress has already been made.

Noticing patterns in schools

This article forms part of the Noticing Patterns in Schools series, where I share patterns that emerge through leadership coaching conversations with school leaders across the UK. The aim isn’t to prescribe quick fixes or offer generic advice. Instead, it is about noticing what might otherwise go unnamed and helping leaders create space for clearer thinking.

If you’d like to receive future reflections as new patterns emerge, you can subscribe to the LinkedIn newsletter here: Here

Because resilience in leadership rarely comes from working harder. More often, it begins with noticing the patterns shaping the work.

You may also be interested in our previous article in this series – The Emotional Release After Exams.