|
 In addition to
Resources for Managers, visit this page often to discover tools to help you solve your performance
problems and bring out the best in your people.
Performance
Tech? Break It Down, Give Me the Basics
When discussing
human performance problems, I find managers often ask me
for tips and tricks for getting the most out of the time
and energy they put into training their people.
Frankly, there
are no tricks I can offer -- there is no magic. Fortunately,
however, there are systematic ways of approaching performance
problems. And that's much of what we're about in the world
of Performance Technology.
Two of the performance
tools I recommend frequently are:
- performance
analyses
- quick-checks
for solutions to performance problems
You can do these
yourself -- they're quite easy and I've listed the steps
below* -- or contact me
and I'll help you complete them.
Ten-Step
Performance Analysis
To help you solve
human performance problems, follow these ten steps:
First, ask...
| Step
1 |
Whose
performance is at issue? Who is/are the performer(s)?
|
| Step
2 |
What is the performance gap or discrepancy?
- What
is actually happening? (The Great "Is")
- What
should be happening? (The "Ought To Be")
|
| Step
3 |
Is the
problem really worth solving?
- What
are the consequences if you ignore the problem?
- Can
you live with these
|
| Step
4 |
Can you
apply a quick solution? (See the section below for
ideas.)
- Are
your expectations clear? Are you sure?
- Are
resources for performers available and adequate?
- Is
the quality of performance easily observed?
|
| Step
5 |
Are the
consequences appropriate?
- Is
the desired performance punishing to the performer?
-
Is poor performance rewarding to the performer?
|
| Step
6 |
Does the
performer already know how (e.g., could s/he do it
if h/her life depended on it)?
- Could
s/he do it in the past?
- Are
the tasks performed frequently?
|
| Step
7 |
What other
clues are there?
- Can
the task be simplified?
- Can
any obstacles to performing be removed?
- Can
the performer learn to perform
|
Then...
| Step
8 |
Describe
possible solutions.
|
| Step
9 |
Calculate
the cost of each solution.
|
| Step
10 |
Select
the most practical of the cost-effective solutions
and implement it.
|
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Solution Checklist for Performance
Problems
Use this chart to
help you identify solutions to performance problems.
|
The
Problem
|
The
Solutions
|
| The performer(s)
can't do it, and… |
. |
|
…the
skill is used frequently
|
- Provide
feedback
- Simplify
the task
|
|
…the
skill is rarely used
|
- Provide
job aids to prompt desired performance
- Simplify
the job
- Provide
periodic practice
|
|
If the
above remedies are inadequate, then training will
be required.
|
| The performer(s)
can do it, but… |
. |
|
…doing
it leads to punishment
|
- Remove
the sources of punishment
|
|
…doing
it wrong is more satisfying
|
- Remove
the rewards for incorrect performance
|
|
…
when they do it right, nobody notices
|
- Apply
consequences to the performer for doing it right
|
|
…
there are obstacles to performing as desired
|
- Remove
the obstacles (or help people work around them)
|
* Adapted
from R. Mager, What Every Manager Should Know About Training.
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