KASH

KASH is an acronym for Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Habits.  All four have a direct influence on your performance and personal growth.

 

Defining KASH

Knowledge:  Condition of being aware of something

Skills:  Physical ability to perform tasks

Attitudes:  Feelings or emotions about someone or something

Habits:  Repeated and consistent behaviors

 

About Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Habits

 

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is the condition of being aware of something.  It encompasses the cognitive or mental abilities to retain and process information. 

• Knowledge consists of facts, concepts, as well as the understanding and application of information.
• Knowledge can be measured by tests and assessments.

 

Knowledge is a foundation for the competence and successful performance and personal growth of a person.  

A person’s knowledge is the sum of his or her learning acquired over a period of time.  It is acquired through education, training, and experience.  By acquiring knowledge, a person’s level of intelligence and ability to understand various concepts improves.  Essentially, the more a person learns the more they know, and the more they can apply to future learning.   

Knowledge of the facts and concepts form the foundation for the ability to apply the skills to perform a specific task.  Essentially, a person gains the basic knowledge of how to do something before they attempt the task.  For example, a person would need to learn the steps involved in sending an email (knowledge) before they perform the task of sending the email (skill).

 

ATTITUDE

Attitude is a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something and is often reflected in a person’s behavior.

• Attitude includes the way a person may deal with things emotionally.  
• Attitude is not easily measured.

A person’s attitude affects feelings, values, appreciation, and motivation towards something.  A person’s thoughts drive their actions, and their actions impact performance.  A positive attitude will help to motivate a person to give their best and try to maximize performance.   Because attitude controls a person’s level of motivation, it is one of the most important elements of personal growth.  If you have a positive attitude towards a subject or topic, you will likely be more motivated and put more effort into learning that topic or developing the skill. 

Unfortunately, development or adjustment of a person’s attitude may take a considerable amount of time and effort.  It is not easy to change a person’s attitude after it has been formed for a significant amount of time.   

 

SKILLS

Skills are a person’s ability to perform an activity or task.  

• Skills include physical movement, coordination, dexterity, and the application of knowledge.
• Skills can be measured in terms of speed, precision, proficiency, and/or technique.

An individual’s skillsets are partly founded in his or her natural abilities.  However, competency and proficiency in the execution of skills requires practice, experience, and training.  The more a person correctly practices a specific skill, the better they become. 

Skills are competencies that have been learned through the transfer of knowledge and made proficient through practice.  Typically, a person acquires the knowledge of how to perform a task and then begins to physically perform the task.  Skills are different from knowledge because knowledge is a prerequisite to skills.  You must have the knowledge about how to perform the task before you attempt to perform the task.  For example, a person would typically learn the steps involved in sending an email (knowledge), and then physically send the email (skill).

 

HABITS

Habits are those aspects of a person’s behavior that are repeatedly and consistently done without effort or conscious thought.  

• Habits include actions and behaviors a person repeated does.
• Habits can be observed but are not easily measured.

A habit is something a person develops by learning an action or task then repeating that learned action until a habit is created.  Habits take time to develop but are usually difficult to break.  Therefore, it is important to develop good habits from the beginning, because if a person develops a bad habit, it will be difficult to correct.