Unlike machines which once exposed to the same inputs and conditions, are able to turn out similar performances, human beings are incapable of delivering uniform output when subjected to similar stimuli.

Recall back when you were in school. All the students in a particular group attended the same classes/lectures for weeks. Often, the teacher or lecturer would be the same person, possibly even using the same old notes from many years before. Yet, at the end of the semester or term, some students would score “A”s while others would score “C”s – and some would fail!

I have always wonderered what could possibly cause so much variation in the final performances of people exposed to the exact same “learning sources”. Admittedly, some students may do well because they are gifted in “class work” or academics. Oftentimes however, the reality tends to be that those who did not do well actually failed to make adequate personal efforts, to ensure they understood what was taught in class and prepare properly for the exams.

Similarly, whether or not an employee’s workplace performance improves will depend mainly on his/her readiness or otherwise, to use the resources around him to do so. If s/he decides for instance to practice some self-development, then reading a book on “How to apply Statistical Process Control” in the department’s manufacturing process, could prove just as useful as an expensive course on the same subject in a business school class.

Waiting for the company to send you on business school courses each time you want to improve yourself, may however not be realistic. Employees who become high flyers often do so by taking the initiative of managing their own training and development. I recall attending a management-training course in 2001, at Ijebu-Ode while employed as a middle level manager in a large multinational manufacturer.

During the course, we were taken through what my boss later summed up – quite aptly – to be a training on “Best Practice Management concepts”. About 14 management competencies, considered desirable in every good manager were elaborated upon. At the close of the course, the UK based expatriate facilitator encouraged us to read management books that could help us build on learnings from the course.

The books he recommended covered topics such as “Influencing others/Managing disagreements”, “Motivating others”, “Coaching others”, “Fostering teamwork” etc. After listening for some time as he elaborated on the benefits of the books, and the fact that we might have to part with some good money to get hold of them, I raised my hand. He signalled for me to speak, and I said (though not in the exact words below):

“Just a suggestion John, but I believe most of the competencies we’re discussing are actually quite well covered in a book written by Dale Carnegie titled “How to win friends and influence people” in very simple yet concise language. Many people will find the book invaluable as a practical guide to developing most of these competencies. Copies of the book are now locally available in Nigeria at N400.00. It’s that cheap because it is now reprinted in Nigeria – with permission – by an African pastors’ group based in Benin City”.

John went on to express his agreement with my comments, and confirmed that the little book did actually offer useful practical tips in the areas we had been discussing. The point being made here is that oftentimes what we think will require a complex solution, actually might be easily addressed using the simplest resources/methods well within our capability/control. There’s no point trying to kill a fly with a hammer.

Your development into a high flyer in your current workplace, is unlikely to require exclusive attendance of expensive courses. Most of what you need is already in your company – especially the on-the-job workplace experiences you can expose yourself to, in any department you fancy. You also stand to gain a lot from experienced employees (both subordinate and superior), from whose well of wisdom you can reliably drink to quench your thirst for knowledge that will take you to the top.

If you’re not lazy, and you adopt a pragmatic approach, you’ll rise quickly to any position you set your sights on by quietly acquiring useful knowledge and skills, then using them to excel in a way that impresses your company’s leaders. Sooner than later, they’ll call on you to show them more of what you can do. Why? Because your performance will make it obvious you can be more USEFUL to the company, if given a chance.

If your peers who joined the company at the same time as you did, fail to diligently pursue their on-the-job development in the same way, you’ll climb up the corporate ladder to recognition and prominence, leaving them behind.

Then they’ll find themselves getting asked by others in the company how come you’re up there, and they are still down there! The human tendency for non-uniform performance would have again manifested.

But at least for you, it would be a story with a good ending.

Good luck.