An Amusing Example of Skills vs Methodology

 

Brushing your teeth!

 

Skills include:

 

1.     Opening the tube of toothpaste

2.     Putting toothpaste on the brush

3.     Brushing

4.     Rinsing the brush

 

Pretty simple!

 

But what happens if you change the order, such as:

 

1.     Rinsing the brush

2.     Brushing

3.     Putting toothpaste on the brush

4.     Opening the tube of toothpaste

 

Not quite as effective…!

 

And, of course, there are questions like:

 

-       What kind/brand of toothpaste?

-       How much toothpaste to use?

-       How long to brush?

-       Manual or electric?

-       What kind of motion(s) to use?

-       When do you need to replace the brush?

-       How much post-brushing rinsing to do?

 

Skills on their own are not enough.

 

A stepwise process helps but still leaves much unaddressed:

 

-       When should I brush?

-       What should I brush?

-       Where should I brush?

-       How should I brush?

-       Why should I brush?

 

It is methodology that provides the full set of answers!

 

Now, contemplate a set of demo skills vs a demonstration methodology: a set of skills on their own are not sufficient to answer the full set of questions. The result is ineffective demos.

 

And contemplate a set of discovery skills vs a discovery methodology: same challenge. The result is poor discovery.

 

Methodology provides the full set of answers!

 

(Now, don’t forget to brush your teeth…!)