Thiagi’s Tweets: Improving Human Performance

Every day, Thiagi tweets ready-to-use pieces of practical advice on different topics such as facilitation, listening skills, communication, leadership, feedback, and management.

Here are some recent pieces of advice about improving human performance that were re-tweeted frequently:

  • First step in improving human performance: Define the ideal situation. Discover the actual situation. Find the gap between the two.
  • Analysis is the essential first step in performance improvement. However, don’t let it result in paralysis.
  • Remember that in a given context, some other human performance intervention may work more effectively than the one you specialize in.
  • Don’t use training as an intervention if the problem is not caused by lack of skills and knowledge. It will backfire.
  • If a performance problem is caused by lack of skills and knowledge, use training, education, or coaching as the appropriate intervention.
  • Avoid arrogance. Understand the client’s perceptions. Listen mindfully to the client’s analysis of the performance problem.
  • Don’t collect too much data. Use as much of the available data as possible to rapidly identify the gap and the root cause.