I just read an article that seems to indicate that “lean” may be starting to suffer the same type of fate as “TQM” and “re-engineering” and pretty much every other approach or solution that gets lots of attention, then gets widely implemented because everyone is doing it. Fads always die out. Great ideas become lame [...]

We have been using a tool we call a “capability model” to display in a “one-pager” format, the key tasks and supporting knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed to perform the tasks…in other words, what the employee needs to be able to do a job or job. Since it is on one page, it is distilled [...]

Put Up Your Hands and Move Away from the Smartphone… There has been a lot of interest in multitasking lately. People argue that it is impossible…that it is really nothing more than rapidly switching between doing two individual tasks. Others argue that it may be impossible for “older people” but that today’s “wired” generation can [...]

In his book “The New Brain,” Richard Restak describes a study where scientists first taught a monkey how to move a cursor (to get food). Then, they implanted an electrode in such a way that, after some practice, allowed him to move the cursor only by thinking about it! He controlled a cursor on a [...]

The answer is simple — 10,000 hours, or about 10 years. In his book, “This is Your Brain on Music,” Daniel Levitin summarized the  results of a study by Anders Ericsson (Florida State). Ericsson researched a number of types of experts, from chess players to musicians. His team defined “expert” as someone who has achieved [...]

Recently I was reading about what it takes to become an expert….also, about what differentiates a good performer and an exceptional performer. In a previous post, I mentioned the estimate that it takes about 10,000 hours, or about 3.5 hrs a day over 10 yes, to become an expert. There was another difference mentioned in [...]

Originally posted on April 18th, 2007 by Pete | Edit One of the biggest complaints we often hear when we design a modular curriculum is that it is too complex. First of all, every job I have analyzed is pretty complex so why wouldn’t a comprehensive curriculum to capture and distribute that know-how be complex [...]

Originally posted on October 12th, 2007 by Pete | Edit It is much easier to do something well when nobody is bugging you…isn’t it? Look at Rex Grossman, Bears (sometime) quarterback. Every mistake he makes is analyzed in the media until I would have to imagine he can’t do anything without second-guessing himself. If you [...]