Developing Peak Performers through Diverse Learning Interventions

Editor's Notes

• #3: A key component of the Leadership and Knowledge Management system of any organizations is a continuous learning system that uses a wide variety of methods. Knowing when to use these interventions will help managers in harnessing high performers in the workplace…
• #5: Whether the participants will learn from this workshop is their choice.
• #7: Ask the audience what are the differences or similarities of high achievers from peak performers. Source: Why Your High Achievers are not Peak Performers, A Case for Developing your “Best”, Gerald (Gerry) Pulvermacher, Ph.D., July 2012. The traits and attributes of High Achievers are NOT the same as Peak Performers. Peak Performer vs. High Achievers, Vincent Fong Unlike high achievers who are simply prepared to be directed, peak performers will want to champion “what works.”
• #8: Source: Peak Performers vs. High Achievers, Vincent Fong Challenge Status Quo. It’s in the interests of high achievers not to rock the boat and so they generally will preserve the status quo more than challenge it. However, status quos are what’s in the way of progress and peak performers will be too impatient to allow this and so are more likely to challenge them even if doing so might put their careers on the line. Management must understand, it’s not a dare. It’s evolving towards “what works.” Champion Gender Equity. Gender is not an issue with peak performers. They thrive on working collaboratively with everyone at all times. Peak performers are more likely to champion gender equity and diversity whereas high achievers are more likely to be “gender agnostic”, holding a view that’s largely driven by self-need. Challenge Hierarchy. Just as peak performers are prepared to challenge the status quo, they are as equally likely to challenge the management hierarchy to help move bureaucratic obstacles that are in the way of agility, adaptability and their ability to continuously evolve their teams and the company. Self-preservationist high achievers on the other hand are less likely to challenge the hierarchy knowing full well which side their bread is buttered. Balanced Management. While high achievers tend to be myopic and micromanage work at the task level, it being important that they deliver on time and to expectation, peak performers will seek to balance the work outcomes inclusively collaborating as often and as needed, negotiating and refining, to evolve the best outcome, even if late. Better users get what they need and want than what they thought they need and did not want. Sensorium - Strategically (360) Aware. By nature of their need for strategic direction and task level attention, high achievers can be strategically naïve and myopic whereas peak performers being more collaborative in nature will be informed and strategically aware and have a better 360 view of their situation. Continuous Group Learning. High achievers are anything but ambitious. They are constantly learning to up-skill and to chase their own career goals. They share little of what they learn or know with others. Peak performers are equally ambitious but their ambition is moderated by a need to share knowledge and to learn to evolve quickly as a group. High achievers continuously self-learn to get ahead (of others) whereas peak performers continuously group-learn to collectively improve the lot. Improve Everyone. Just as they continuously evolve their groups and the company, peak performers seek to improve everyone, or as many as are necessary, a collective will to better the stakes for all for what's looming on the horizon. High achievers don't see this as their goal and are more likely to just improve themselves. Risks Ready. High achievers are often adverse to risks as opposed to openly taking calculated and measured risks and so while they aren’t likely to make reckless moves, they could come across as incapable of balanced decisions, as indecisive and shying from challenges for fear of the unknown. Peak performers are risks aware and risks ready, their sensorium and 360 view of the environment enables them to promptly identify, treat and moderate risks preparing them to take on greater challenges. Situation Focused. Peak performers are focused on the situation not just the task. They come at all sides of the problem - assessing, modelling, refining and evolving the best solution, often quickly and with great ease. High achievers are focussed on the task to complete it on-time and to expectation (of some gratification at the end) and often are wanting for the more extensive problem-solving that requires refining and tuning in collaboration with others. Collective Will. Peak performers generally champion collaboration and the collective will of the company while high achievers are more likely to just favour their individual performance because that's how they rationalise ambitions and rewards. To this end, it doesn't pay to subject peak performers to individual performance as that will just negate their natural inclination to collaborate
• #9: Peak performers are extraordinary achievers. They are ordinary people who have found ways to make a major impact. The primary “locus of control” for a peak performer is not external, but internal.
• #13: In a peak performer we see the kind of person every one of us has been at his or her best. The peak performer has identified, or at least is drawn toward, certain values which underlie action. He or she consistently VALUES Achievement, and finds his or her primary motivation through mission. Contribution, and thus seeks results in real time, and assists in the development of others. Self-development, and pursues self-management through self-mastery. Creativity, and produces innovation through risk-taking. Synergy, and looks for points of alignment among organizational, team and personal objectives. Quality and pays conscious attention to feedback and course correction. Opportunity, and meets the challenge of change. Values are the leverage point for the whole internal impulse to excel because they encompass not only what and how but why. People who take the trouble to create a mission based on values gain clarity about what they really want, independent of what seems possible.
• #14: Questions to help you decide to continue to be a peak performer? Do you really want to continue to be a high achiever? Do you have a strong inner urge to reach out? What matters most to you? What are you willing to invest? How much are you willing to endure? What are you willing to give up? How much responsibility are you willing to assume? Are you willing to start where you are? Are you willing to think for your self? Are you willing to settle for nothing less than your full potential?
• #17: What is learning? Learning is a process that enables someone to acquire new attitudes, skills or knowledge… so they can do something they couldn’t do before, or do it more effectively. (Tony Bray, The Training Design Manual) LEARNING: Changes a person makes in himself or herself that increase the know-why and/or know-what and/or know-how the person possesses with respect to a given subject. (Peter B. Vaill in Learning as Way of Being)
• #18: Visual seeing and reading Auditory listening and speaking  Kinesthetic touching and doing Tactile/Kinesthetic If you are a tactile learner, you learn by touching and doing. You understand and remember things through physical movement. You are a "hands-on" learner who prefers to touch, move, build, or draw what you learn, and you tend to learn better when some type of physical activity is involved. You need to be active and take frequent breaks, you often speak with your hands and with gestures, and you may have difficulty sitting still. As a tactile learner, you like to take things apart and put things together, and you tend to find reasons to tinker or move around when you become bored. You may be very well coordinated and have good athletic ability. You can easily remember things that were done but may have difficulty remembering what you saw or heard in the process. You often communicate by touching, and you appreciate physically expressed forms of encouragement, such as a pat on the back. Here are some things that tactile learners like you can do to learn better: Participate in activities that involve touching, building, moving, or drawing. Do lots of hands-on activities like completing art projects, taking walks, or acting out stories. It's OK to chew gum, walk around, or rock in a chair while reading or studying. Use flashcards and arrange them in groups to show relationships between ideas. Trace words with your finger to learn spelling (finger spelling). Take frequent breaks during reading or studying periods (frequent, but not long). It's OK to tap a pencil, shake your foot, or hold on to something while learning. Use a computer to reinforce learning through the sense of touch. Remember that you learn best by doing, not just by reading, seeing, or hearing. Visual If you are a visual learner, you learn by reading or seeing pictures. You understand and remember things by sight. You can picture what you are learning in your head, and you learn best by using methods that are primarily visual. You like to see what you are learning. As a visual learner, you are usually neat and clean. You often close your eyes to visualize or remember something, and you will find something to watch if you become bored. You may have difficulty with spoken directions and may be easily distracted by sounds. You are attracted to color and to spoken language (like stories) that is rich in imagery. Here are some things that visual learners like you can do to learn better: Sit near the front of the classroom. (It won't mean you're the teacher's pet!) Have your eyesight checked on a regular basis. Use flashcards to learn new words. Try to visualize things that you hear or things that are read to you. Write down key words, ideas, or instructions. Draw pictures to help explain new concepts and then explain the pictures. Color code things. Avoid distractions during study times. Remember that you need to see things, not just hear things, to learn well. Auditory If you are an auditory learner, you learn by hearing and listening. You understand and remember things you have heard. You store information by the way it sounds, and you have an easier time understanding spoken instructions than written ones. You often learn by reading out loud because you have to hear it or speak it in order to know it. As an auditory learner, you probably hum or talk to yourself or others if you become bored. People may think you are not paying attention, even though you may be hearing and understanding everything being said. Here are some things that auditory learners like you can do to learn better. Sit where you can hear. Have your hearing checked on a regular basis. Use flashcards to learn new words; read them out loud. Read stories, assignments, or directions out loud. Record yourself spelling words and then listen to the recording. Have test questions read to you out loud. Study new material by reading it out loud. Remember that you need to hear things, not just see things, in order to learn well.
• #19: Tell the participants that we make use of experiential learning by explaining The Cone of Learning. Encourage participants to actively participate in all activities.
• #20: Experiential Learning Model (ELM) by David Kolb The word experiential essentially means that learning and development are achieved through personally determined experience and involvement, rather than on received teaching or training, typically in group, by observation, listening, study of theory or hypothesis, or some other transfer of skills or knowledge. The expression 'hands-on' is commonly used to describe types of learning and teaching which are to a lesser or greater extent forms of experiential learning. Kolb includes this 'cycle of learning' as a central principle his experiential learning theory, typically expressed as four-stage cycle of learning, in which 'immediate or concrete experiences' provide a basis for 'observations and reflections'. These 'observations and reflections' are assimilated and distilled into 'abstract concepts' producing new implications for action which can be 'actively tested' in turn creating new experiences. Kolb says that ideally (and by inference not always) this process represents a learning cycle or spiral where the learner 'touches all the bases', ie., a cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. Immediate or concrete experiences lead to observations and reflections. These reflections are then assimilated (absorbed and translated) into abstract concepts with implications for action, which the person can actively test and experiment with, which in turn enable the creation of new experiences. Kolb's model therefore works on two levels - a four-stage cycle: Concrete Experience - (CE) Reflective Observation - (RO) Abstract Conceptualization - (AC) Active Experimentation - (AE)
• #21: Kolb's model therefore works on two levels - a four-stage cycle: Concrete Experience - (CE) Reflective Observation - (RO) Abstract Conceptualization - (AC) Active Experimentation - (AE) and a four-type definition of learning styles, (each representing the combination of two preferred styles, rather like a two-by-two matrix of the four-stage cycle styles, as illustrated below), for which Kolb used the terms: Diverging (CE/RO) Assimilating (AC/RO) Converging (AC/AE) Accommodating (CE/AE) Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles: Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style 'Diverging' because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a Diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to receive personal feedback. Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) - The Assimilating learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people. These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. They excel at understanding wide-ranging information and organising it a clear logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings, lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things through. Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - People with a Converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects. People with a Converging learning style are best at finding practical uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems. People with a Converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and problems than social or interpersonal issues. A Converging learning style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a Converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications. Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) - The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on 'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an Accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different ways to achieve an objective.
• #22: Developing people as individuals, which is at the heart of experiential learning, also implicitly enables learning methods to fit each person's own preferred learning styles and natural preferences, because learners are encouraged and helped to learn and develop in their own ways, using methods which they find most comfortable and therefore enjoyable.
• #23: The Four Stages of Learning/ The Four Phases of Learning Competency/The Hierarchy of Competence Unconscious Competence Not aware that you lack the skill A blind spot Feedback and self-reflection initiate awareness Conscious Competence Aware of the skill you lack Now an identified weakness Further reinforced through feedback, reflection and observation Conscious Competence Aware that you are able to apply the skill Practicing and becoming more proficient Repetition is key Unconscious Competence Application of the skill is automatic The skill has become a strength Repetition is key
• #25: 70% of learning is experiential. It happens through daily tasks, challenges and practice. 20% of learning is social. It happens with and through other people, like coworkers. 10% of learning is formal. It happens through structured training courses and programs. The 70:20:10 model for Learning & Development was developed from research at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in North Carolina beginning in the 1980s. Today, it’s an L&D strategy to improve workplace performance.
• #27: These interventions include classroom training; distance learning; mentoring; participation in conferences, workshops, and seminars.
• #30: Classroom learning is used to: Communicate highly complex and changing information Involve learners in a highly interactive experience with the instructor and fellow learners Allow participants to practice and receive feedback on critical skills through role-playing, experiential activities, and simulations (e.g., communication and interpersonal skills, coaching and counseling skills) Create a tailored instructional experience (i.e., instructors can adapt the presentation to the needs of the audience) Share real-life experiences, problems, and ideas.
• #33: Distance learning is used to: Deliver training to the employee’s location Allow people to learn and participate without being in the same place Reach large audiences while reducing travel costs.
• #36: Mentoring is used to: Continue the development of talented and skilled staff members Groom individuals who show high potential for management or leadership responsibilities Retrain and prepare an individual for a new job or function Assimilate new individuals into the organization by educating them about the norms, culture, and politics of the organization.
• #39: transferring knowledge, building trust, social learning, problem solving, establishing networking or brain storming
• #40: Research shows that eating together enhances group performance… In the December 2015 issue of the Harvard Business Review Companies would do well to think carefully about investing in and facilitating where, when, and how employees eat at work. Although many large employers provide on-site cafeterias (often serviced by outside catering companies), others, such as Google, famously go much further, offering free, high-quality, abundantly varied meals. By using free food to entice employees to stay on campus, such companies not only increase productivity (because workers aren’t spending time in transit); they also increase the odds that coworkers will eat with one another…. Why invest in expensive short-term TBAs??? We should invest long-term in putting up a cafeteria wherein people can gather and eat together…
• #42: Benchmarking is the process of comparing what your company is doing with what the best performing company in your industry is doing. Process benchmarking, one of three types of benchmarking, compares operational processes. Performance benchmarking compares product lines, marketing and sales to determine how to increase revenues. These are more short-term in their scope and produce quick results. Strategic benchmarking takes a long-term view of company direction relative to the future strategies of competing companies. Strategic benchmarking looks at what other companies are doing in terms of top management capabilities, strategic initiatives, competitive product development and other long-term qualities and processes that have proved successful. Determining what a company is doing strategically is sometimes easier than trying to learn how they manage individual procedures. Top management capabilities are often evident in the operations of the company. Leaders that are savvy in terms of technology tend to implement technology-rich processes. Strategic direction can be found in annual reports, if the company is public. Selecting a company to study that is not a direct competitor makes it easier to approach management and ask for advice and information on how the company built its success.
• #44: There are two primary types of benchmarking: Internal benchmarking: comparison of practices and performance between teams, individuals or groups within an organization External benchmarking: comparison of organizational performance to industry peers or across industries These can be further distilled as follows: Process Benchmarking: Demonstrate how top performing companies accomplish the specific process in question. Such benchmarking is collected via research, surveys/interviews, and site visits. By identifying how others perform the same functional task or objective, people gain insight and ideas they may not otherwise achieve. Such information affirms and supports decision-making by executives.   Performance Metrics: “Performance metrics” give numerical standard against which a client’s own processes can be compared. These metrics are usually determined via a detailed and carefully analyzed survey or interviews. Clients can then identify performance gaps, prioritize action items, and then conduct follow-on studies to determine methods of improvement.   Strategic Benchmarking: Identify the fundamental lessons and winning strategies that have enabled high performing companies to be successful in their marketplaces. Strategic benchmarking examines how companies compete and is ideal for corporations with a long-term perspective.
• #51: A
• #54: A “stretch assignment” is a project or task given to employees which is beyond their current knowledge or skills level in order to “stretch” employees developmentally. The stretch assignment challenges employees by placing them into uncomfortable situations in order to learn and grow. Source: http://www.bersin.com/Lexicon/Details.aspx?id=14750 Employees generally operate only at 60 to 65% of their potential (The Ken Blanchard Companies, 2004); a stretch assignment pushes them to unleash the creative energy within to reach an important business goal. A good stretch assignment helps employees to step out of their comfort zone, acquire new skills and learn how to cope with uncertainty and risk-taking. The ultimate goal of stretch assignments is to unleash creative energy to do things quicker, better, and cheaper. Some examples of common stretch assignments include: Managing a volunteer or intern Executing a new or important company project Participating in the company’s strategic planning process Turning around a failing project, department or operation Organizing and leading an important company event or meeting
• #56: What makes a good stretch assignment? It is Supported. A good stretch assignment is supported, which means that the employee owns the entire project but you provide on-going support. Providing support doesn’t mean that you micromanage; rather you’ll act as a consultant, asking good questions that help the employee with decision-making and reflection. It is Tracked. A good stretch assignment is tracked, which means that you’ll monitor its completion and clearly define what success looks like. Discuss your expectations with the employee and agree on check-in points throughout the project. When tracking the stretch assignment, remember the 2Ds – deliverables and deadlines. Discuss with the employee what the deliverables are at each stage of the project and when they should present those deliverables for your review. It is Realistic. Although a stretch, the employee must believe that it can be done. Craft an assignment that employees have the ability and the opportunity to successfully complete. It’s not going to be easy—after all, it’s called a stretch—but they need to believe that it can be done. If the goal is unrealistic or too difficult to achieve, research shows that your employee will quickly throw in the towel (Locke & Latham, 1990). It is Empowering. You should assign the entire project (with a clear beginning, middle, and end) to the employee. A set of unrelated tasks doesn’t constitute a stretch assignment. Let them make the decisions along the way. It is Targeted. The stretch assignment should be targeted to the employee’s current level of skill and development needs. Think about their strengths and development needs. What project would provide the most opportunities to practice the skills they are developing? It is CHallenging. The chosen assignment should actually stretch the employee’s skills. You can think of the assignment as a problem to solve. It will be a stretch if the employee doesn’t have a readily available solution to the problem. Source: https://www.pinsight.biz/blog/14/stretch-assignments-it-s-not-the-same-train-with-a-little-more-speed