Skill Is Not Performance

A tribute to Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson

I first learned about the Robinsons’ performance consulting methodology when I worked at Johnson Controls in the Learning & Development Department. Dana Robinson facilitated an all-day workshop that focused on helping talent developers improve how they collaborate with business partners.

I enjoyed the workshop, but I did not appreciate the Robinsons’ contribution to HPT until I became a manager. A couple of years ago, I read their chapter in the Handbook of Human Performance Technology, 3rd Edition, which renewed my interest in their writing. Since then, I have used their books as references to further my professional development.

Their concepts are logical and simple to understand. I discovered, though, that they are difficult to practice (what some might label as “common sense” but “not commonly practiced”).

During the past few years, I have observed clients, performance-consulting managers, and practitioners oversimplify performance needs and mistakenly identify problems to be only gaps in skills. I can understand how professionals can make diagnostic mistakes, and I’ve had my share of them!

What follows are two examples. The first is faulty, and the second is the Robinsons’ approach.