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Christopher S. Penn's Awaken Your Superhero

Christopher S. Penn's Awaken Your Superhero
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Why you need 5 years at a job to be successful

Started by Christopher S. Penn · 8 months ago

In reading Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Outliers (advance release version, regular will be available November 18), one of the topics he brings up is the rule of 10,000 hours, from Daniel Levitin. Levitin cites that this is about 3 hours a day for 10 years, give or take. I ... Continue reading »

4 comments

  • Amy

    8 months ago

    Interesting read, Chris. I will admit that I don't usually hit the 5 year mark, in the past it is because I settled for jobs that I could do, not that challenged me or that I would grow with. I now work in a place where 75% of the people have been here for 20 years or more, doing the same job. They have lost the ability to learn new things, to keep up with outside forces and become obstacles to getting the job done.
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  • Jay Moonah from Wild Apricot

    8 months ago

    It's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it's a precise enough analogy. Doesn't the 10,000 hours rule have more to do with mastery of a skill that is somewhat "fixed"? Playing piano, shooting free throws, solving complex equations... those are tasks where you can develop clear "mastery." Personal relationships and ability to operate effectively within a particular workplace culture strike me as fundamentally different. Sure, it takes time to build relationships and knowledge, but what does "mastery" look like in those realms? It seems to me it's almost impossible to create an objective measure when there are so many other variables in professional situations.
    reply
  • Stephen

    8 months ago

    For me, after 3 years in a job -- 4 years max -- I've learnt all I'm going to learn barring a substantial change in responsibilities. 5 years seems too long to me!
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  • GVRange

    7 months ago

    Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question - How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

    I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
    Just a thought!
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