Ginger Shafer spoke about Pareto and contributed the recollection:
>>the authors site studies where it was found, 20% of people
>>have the self-esteem to be intrinsically motivated, demonstrate
>>initiative, and can be self-directed. Whereas, 80% of those studied
>>needed encouragement, felt they had to get permission to do things, lacked
>>initiative.
I see a lot of similarity between the Pareto principle and the normal
distribution (bell-shaped) curve.
A male nurse friend of mine spent some time as an army medic in Vietnam
during the war. On his return I asked him how he coped with it.
He said he was inspired by a doctor who was very much like Hawkeye Pearce
in the MASH series. (Do they still rerun that in other parts of the
world?)
Hawkeye told him that 10% of the casualties would never get better, no
matter what resources were allocated. 10% would get better on their own
without any medical intervention. His duty was to find the other 80% that
could only be saved by treatment and treat them.
Sometimes in training interventions we need to recognise that.
Some people will change because the they grasp the benefit immediately and
are keen to buy in.
Some people will never be convinced, because of previous experience or
competing priorities.
The vast majority need encouragement, support and reinforcement ona
continuing basis.
My experience is that the population is mobile - they move between
categories
John
-- John Sleigh Making Learning FunPO Box 1059 Potts Point NSW 2011 Australia Voice +61 2 326 9156 Fax +61 2 326 9154
The only stupid question is the one you do not ask