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Everyone is totally just winging it, all the time (2014)

theguardian.com

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Re: Everyone is totally just winging it, all the time (2014)

#7

Post by daveguy »

dajonker wrote: post #2

As I remember from an HR course at business school, studies have shown that experience is one of the worst indicators for job performance (when hiring someone; all else being equal).

I'd have to see that study. It seems to me that experience gives you a lot of information about what is not as important that comes in handy even when you are "winging it" with something related.

Also, "experience is one of the worst indicators for job performance...all else being equal" could mean a lot of things:

1) truly everything else being equal i.e. the person with less experience will do better. (surely that is not the case)

2) Of everything, considered equally, experience is the least indicative of performance compared to education, creative thinking, etc.

Can you link those studies and clarify what is meant by "worst indicators"?

Also, what job was that in the evaluated job performance? I know it's definitely not true for trade skills like woodworking.

Re: Everyone is totally just winging it, all the time (2014)

#8

Post by im3w1l »

dajonker wrote: post #2

As I remember from an HR course at business school, studies have shown that experience is one of the worst indicators for job performance (when hiring someone; all else being equal).

"all else being equal" isn't possible. Normally it's a convenient illusion but here it leads us astray. You need to carefully think about what you are controlling for and how and what that will mean.

As an example do you control for total number of x-size projects completed, or do you control for x-size projects completed per time in the career? It should be clear that you cannot keep them both equal, you have to choose one or the other (or neither I suppose).

Re: Everyone is totally just winging it, all the time (2014)

#9

Post by antonvs »

This is projection by people who are untrained in what they do.

Competent people with good training in some discipline are able to apply that training to competently achieve goals. This allows them to apply knowledge that they didn't develop themselves by trial and error, and is much more efficient, with better outcomes than the alternatives.

Unfortunately, this often seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Although "seems" is the operative word: if it weren't for this effect, we'd see many more bridges and buildings collapsing, ships sinking, etc.

It's just that many areas of human endeavour tend to more commonly involve untrained people "winging it", and that's what the article focuses on.

Re: Everyone is totally just winging it, all the time (2014)

#10

Post by jamesrcole »

antonvs wrote: post #9

This is projection by people who are untrained in what they do. Competent people with good training in some discipline are able to apply that training to competently achieve goals. This allows them to apply knowledge that they didn't develop themselves by trial and error, and is much more efficient, with better outcomes than the alternatives. Unfortunately, this often seems to be the exception rather than the rule. A…

> Unfortunately, this often seems to be the exception rather than the rule. ... many areas of human endeavour tend to more commonly involve untrained people

This seems to imply "if only everyone got adequate training". It's not like that, though. There's a lot of important, worthwhile endeavours that inherently involve having to figure things out as you go.

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