Effort vs results
Dec. 27th, 2010 09:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kengr"You're not trying!"
Thus runs the familiar cry. Be it from a PE coach, a teacher of some more academic subject, or a parent.
Right or wrong, what they *actually* mean, even if they don't realize it themselves is "You aren't achieving the results I expect you to."
Note the rather significant difference between those two statements. The former is an *assumption* based on their observations of your results and what they think is your attitude. It's also an attempt to make the lack of desired results your fault.
The latter is a statement of fact. Worse, it highlights the fact that their *expectations* are a critical component of the situation.
Consider. The kid isn't doing well and perhaps looks sullen and resentful. Or maybe listless.
"Obviously" they aren't trying. Right?
Maybe.
Or maybe they've been giving it their best shot and failing because they lack the ability or because your expectations are too high. And continued failure *combined with accusations that they aren't trying* is why they are acting the way they are.
And the failure in spite of actual (and unrecognized/ignored) effort may be because the adult has *assumed* things. Like assuming a kid knows things the adult does. And without those minor but *crucial* bits of info (or technique) the task isn't *possible* to complete satisfactorily.
This is a somewhat specific case of a far more general problem.
People confuse effort and results. They assume that sufficient effort *will* produce results. And they also assume that lack of results means lack of effort.
This affects *everything*. It's part of why the jobless are assumed to be at fault. Likewise for welfare.
It's also why so many programs that are producing no results or are actually counterproductive survive. They are "major efforts". Just look at all the money/manpower being thrown at the problem.
As an overly simple example, a group of people can push on a log all they want and it won't move if the middle is up against a big rock. Push *sideways* and once it's past the rock *then* it can easily be rolled to where you wanted it.
But as long as that rock is there, adding more manpower won't help.
Now consider where the problem is less obvious. Say long branch stub that got buried in the ground when the ground was a sea of mud.
The log still won't roll. But there's not an obvious reason. And to an uncritical, uncaring or just plain stupid boss, the reason it won't move *must* be that the worker or work crew isn't trying. It *can't* be that there's a *hidden* problem making the situation different from other, outwardly similar ones.
Nope.
I'm sure the parallels with various policies, government programs and various common memes are now obvious.
But that's not going to help with getting folks to quit confusing effort and results. Not any more than they are going to quit believing that good intentions *can't* have bad results unless someone did something out of malice to cause them. (Another rant for another day).
Thus runs the familiar cry. Be it from a PE coach, a teacher of some more academic subject, or a parent.
Right or wrong, what they *actually* mean, even if they don't realize it themselves is "You aren't achieving the results I expect you to."
Note the rather significant difference between those two statements. The former is an *assumption* based on their observations of your results and what they think is your attitude. It's also an attempt to make the lack of desired results your fault.
The latter is a statement of fact. Worse, it highlights the fact that their *expectations* are a critical component of the situation.
Consider. The kid isn't doing well and perhaps looks sullen and resentful. Or maybe listless.
"Obviously" they aren't trying. Right?
Maybe.
Or maybe they've been giving it their best shot and failing because they lack the ability or because your expectations are too high. And continued failure *combined with accusations that they aren't trying* is why they are acting the way they are.
And the failure in spite of actual (and unrecognized/ignored) effort may be because the adult has *assumed* things. Like assuming a kid knows things the adult does. And without those minor but *crucial* bits of info (or technique) the task isn't *possible* to complete satisfactorily.
This is a somewhat specific case of a far more general problem.
People confuse effort and results. They assume that sufficient effort *will* produce results. And they also assume that lack of results means lack of effort.
This affects *everything*. It's part of why the jobless are assumed to be at fault. Likewise for welfare.
It's also why so many programs that are producing no results or are actually counterproductive survive. They are "major efforts". Just look at all the money/manpower being thrown at the problem.
As an overly simple example, a group of people can push on a log all they want and it won't move if the middle is up against a big rock. Push *sideways* and once it's past the rock *then* it can easily be rolled to where you wanted it.
But as long as that rock is there, adding more manpower won't help.
Now consider where the problem is less obvious. Say long branch stub that got buried in the ground when the ground was a sea of mud.
The log still won't roll. But there's not an obvious reason. And to an uncritical, uncaring or just plain stupid boss, the reason it won't move *must* be that the worker or work crew isn't trying. It *can't* be that there's a *hidden* problem making the situation different from other, outwardly similar ones.
Nope.
I'm sure the parallels with various policies, government programs and various common memes are now obvious.
But that's not going to help with getting folks to quit confusing effort and results. Not any more than they are going to quit believing that good intentions *can't* have bad results unless someone did something out of malice to cause them. (Another rant for another day).
