Misconceptions about Performance Improvement
Friday, June 22nd, 2007WordPress database error: [Unknown column 'option_description' in 'field list']
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I just completed a review of current literature on how research supports the practice of human performance technology as part of our commitment to provide solutions that incorporate best practices and research.
Many of the papers were written by Harold Stolovitch, an emeritus professor of the Université de Montréal and author of several best selling books on training. Stolovitch found that there are many misconceptions or myths about training and cited research to refute these misconceptions.
In the coming weeks, I will explore some of these myths.
Training Myth #1 - Common sense is a friendly ally of science.
Most research methodology books warn research students that “common sense” presents one of the greatest dangers to scientific truth and is frequently an enemy of science. Common sense has often been a major cause of suppression of scientific truth (for example: the earth is the center of the universe; the earth is flat).
The upshot is that it is not only dangerous but also mis-leading to trust your instincts alone when developing a performance improvement program. Stolovitch found that “common sense” provides subjective meaning to facts, tends to overgeneralize, and is also driven by logical and illogical extrapolations.
His recommendations: for performance improvement practitioners, the key messages for practice that emerge from the research are clear:
- Do not trust common sense.
- Be data driven.
- Be theory driven - theory being the scientific explanation of phenomena backed by solid, empirical research evidence.
Food for thought when you are thinking about setting up a performance improvement solution or looking for a service provider.
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