EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE IN FOUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE IN WORKPLACE LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE (WLP): A CRITICAL INCIDENT ANALYSIS

Open Access
- Author:
- Smith, Terri Freeman
- Graduate Program:
- Workforce Education and Development
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- February 20, 2006
- Committee Members:
- William J Rothwell, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Wesley Edward Donahue, Committee Member
Judith Ann Kolb, Committee Member
Edgar Paul Yoder, Committee Member - Keywords:
- EXEMPLARY
PERFORMANCE
WORKPLACE LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE
WLP
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
CRITICAL INCIDENT ANALYSIS
typical
average
superstar
best-in-class
ASTD
Competency Modeling - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to explore and identify the characteristics and behaviors that differentiate a typical performer from an exemplary performer within four Workplace Learning and Performance (WLP) areas of expertise as described in ASTD’s Mapping the Future: New Workplace Learning and Performance Competencies (2004). The areas of expertise were (a) Delivering Training, (b) Designing Learning, (c) Improving Human Performance, and (d) Measuring and Evaluating. The research had a dual focus. The first focus was to ascertain the characteristics and behaviors differentiating the typical performer from the exemplary performer. The second focus was to contribute to the development of a rubric used for the core work product submission for the first national ASTD certification exam. Hunter, Schmidt, and Judiesch (1990) suggested that an exemplary performer could have productivity differences 12 times greater than performers at the bottom of the performance scale and 85% greater than an average performer. An understanding of these differences could help an organization to recruit and select top-performing applicants. The researcher utilized a modified competency model and compared and contrasted critical incidents from behavioral event interviews (BEI) of 23 exemplary performers and 9 typical WLP performers. The interviews were coded and classified into three foundational clusters. An analysis of the findings suggested that an exemplary performer had at least three key behaviors: taking calculated risks, entrepreneurial and visionary planning, and documented business performance support to influence change. The absence of criteria required to measure exemplary performance was a key limitation of the study and an important implication for further research.