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In a world of business that has shifted from one dominated by capital to one dominated by knowledge, the real competitive advantage is the rate at which organizations can learn and stay ahead of their competitors. Because knowledge is carried in the heads of people, the key is to make sure all employees are developed to their potential. Yet, companies are cutting training and development budgets.

So what does it take to be a world-class performer? It is easy to classify athletes such as our hometown star Shawn Johnson as gifted, talented and born with natural abilities. When we think about Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, we attribute their success to natural intelligence. But Geoff Colvin, author of “Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers From Everybody Else,” discovered there are principles that can make us better at whatever we want to do.

However, according to Colvin, “at most companies – as well as most educational institutions and many nonprofit organizations – the fundamentals of great performance are mainly unrecognized or ignored.” The “secret” is deliberate practice. It is practicing what we are not good at doing.

Deliberate practice is designed by a teacher or coach to improve performance with continual feedback. This is mentally demanding and not a lot of fun, which is why most of us don’t do it. This is why mentors are important – they can give feedback on what to work on and how we are progressing.

Similar to athletes, we need to work on our cognitive skills, because just like physical strengths, they diminish if not maintained. It is easy to accept that Shawn Johnson should have a coach, but Colvin advocates that leaders would benefit from coaches as well.

Another key to individual success is acquiring extensive knowledge of the company’s business. But in most organizations, there is little to no direct education about the nature of the industry and how it works. Companies that understand this move people around to different jobs so that they see the bigger picture.

If you want to become an expert about your business: Study the history of the business. Identify the experts. Read everything you can find. Interview people inside your organization and outside to gain new perspectives. Track trends. In time, this knowledge becomes an advantage over others.

Is it just talent in the small Aplington-Parkersburg school district that enabled the late Coach Ed Thomas to send four players to the National Football League?

If we know how to become world-class, why doesn’t everyone do it? Colvin believes it’s because not everyone has the passion to work hard. “But the evidence shows that by understanding how a few become great, anyone can become better.”

Jann Freed is a professor of business management at Central College in Pella.