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How Bell Labs creates star performers.

R Kelley¹, J Caplan

¹Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon University.

Harvard Business Review

|June 7, 1993

Summary

Managers can boost professional productivity by understanding how star performers work, not just their IQ. A study revealed distinct work strategies differentiate top performers, leading to effective training programs for increased output.

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Area of Science:

Management Science
Organizational Behavior
Human Resources

Background:

Professional work often occurs internally, making productivity gains challenging for managers.
Common assumptions link high performance to innate intelligence (IQ) rather than work methods.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and differentiate the work strategies of star performers versus average professionals.
To develop a training program based on the identified strategies of top performers to enhance overall productivity.

Main Methods:

Research conducted at Bell Laboratories Switching Systems Business Unit (SSBU) involving star and middle performers.
Development of an expert model by star engineers to define and rank key work strategies.
Implementation of the Productivity Enhancement Group (PEG) training program using case studies and practical exercises.

Main Results:

Significant differences were found in the perception and ranking of work strategies between star and average performers.
The Productivity Enhancement Group (PEG) training program demonstrated substantial productivity increases in both star and average performers.
Training focused on specific work strategies, such as initiative and self-management, proved effective.

Conclusions:

Managerial focus on understanding and cultivating specific work strategies is crucial for increasing knowledge worker productivity.
The study highlights the importance of people-centric approaches over technology-focused solutions for productivity enhancement.
The expert model and training program developed at SSBU offer insights into demystifying and improving professional productivity.

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