The Mager and Pipe's Performance Model

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com
The Mager and Pipe’s

Performance Model
www.thetrainingfiles.com
About
• This model is described in the book “Analyzing

Performance Problem” by Robert Mager and Peter
Pipe.
• It is a structured approach for looking at performance

problem and deciding what is the best solution for the
problem.
• The model uses a series of questions to determine

which solution is most likely to work.
The Mager & Pipe’s
Performance Model
Determine the performance gap
Determine the nature of the

performance gap and decide Describe
performance
whether it is important or
gap
negligible.
No
Ignore Important?
Yes
What is performance gap?

“The gap between the actual
performance and the required
performance of individual or a
group of individuals.
Example of performance gap:
A worker in your grinding

section is only able to grind an
average of 50 pieces per day
when the benchmark is 70
pieces per day.
Example of gap between groups

Output Production Data for May 2006
Day Shift
XYZ Manufacturing Co.
Night Shift
Large gap
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4

What to do about performance gap?
1. Measure the gap between what

is expected and what is done.
2. Make sure that the evidence of

the gap is reliable.
3. Decide whether the gap is

important or negligible
Determine cause
If the performance gap Yes Skill
is caused by SKILL deficiency?
DEFICIENCY, then
determine the best No Used to
solution to improve do it?
skill
Arrange formal
training Yes
No
Used often?
Arrange practice
Yes
Arrange feedback
Lack of skill, how do we know?
• Could the performers do it if their lives

depended on doing the job correctly?
• Are present skills at least adequate?

Could they do it in the past?
• Maybe now they have forgotten.
• Do they know it’s still expected of them?

Is the skill used frequently?
• Do they get regular feedback on how well

they are doing?
• Exactly how do they find out how they are

doing?
• How do they view the way they are told?

Any Alternative to Formal Training?
If there exists a Change job

SIMPLER SOLUTION Yes Simpler
besides formal Way?
training, then use Arrange on-job
training
the solution.
Perhaps there is a simpler way to do

the job?
• Would job aids clear up the problem?
• Can they learn/relearn by watching others?
• Can the job be changed some ways?

Redesigning the job is a possible solution
“The effective executive therefore first makes sure

that the job is well designed. And if experience tells
him otherwise, he does not hunt for genius to do the
impossible. He redesigns the job. He knows that the
test of organization is not genius. It is its capacity to
make common people achieve uncommon
performance.”
- Peter Drucker in
“The Effective Executive”
When skill is not the problem…
Performance Remove
Skill Punishing punishment
deficiency?
Non-
No performance Arrange positive
rewarding? consequence
If the performance gap Remove

IS NOT caused by lack of Obstacles? obstacles
skill, then determine the
best solution to improve
the situation. Performance Arrange
matters? consequence
Is the desired performance being

punished?
An employee who performs well keeps getting more
assignment, but the ones who didn’t perform well get
less work.
• What’s in it for the performer to do it right?
• Is doing it somehow self-punishing?
• Is there some pressure not to perform?

Are there obstacles to performing?
• Do they know what is expected?

• Are there too many competing demands?
• Are time and tools available?
• Are there tradition, policy, or ego barriers?
• Is the job physically a mess?
Does doing the job right really matter?
• Is there a favorable outcome for doing?
• Is there a favorable outcome for not doing?
• Is there a self-pride in doing? Not doing?
• Is there any status or lack of it connected with the

job?
When all else fail …
No Has
Transfer or
Eliminate Potential?
May be the physical and/or mental

potential is simply not there

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www.thetrainingfiles.

The Mager and Pipe’s

• This model is described in the book “Analyzing

• It is a structured approach for looking at performance

• The model uses a series of questions to determine

Determine the performance gap

Determine the nature of the

What is performance gap?

Example of performance gap:

A worker in your grinding

Example of gap between groups

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4

What to do about performance gap?

1. Measure the gap between what

2. Make sure that the evidence of

3. Decide whether the gap is

Lack of skill, how do we know?

• Could the performers do it if their lives

• Are present skills at least adequate?

Could they do it in the past?

• Maybe now they have forgotten.

• Do they know it’s still expected of them?

Is the skill used frequently?

• Do they get regular feedback on how well

• Exactly how do they find out how they are

• How do they view the way they are told?

Any Alternative to Formal Training?

If there exists a Change job

Perhaps there is a simpler way to do

• Would job aids clear up the problem?

• Can they learn/relearn by watching others?

• Can the job be changed some ways?

Redesigning the job is a possible solution

“The effective executive therefore first makes sure

When skill is not the problem…

If the performance gap Remove

Is the desired performance being

• What’s in it for the performer to do it right?

• Is doing it somehow self-punishing?

• Is there some pressure not to perform?

Are there obstacles to performing?

• Do they know what is expected?

Does doing the job right really matter?

• Is there a favorable outcome for doing?

• Is there a favorable outcome for not doing?

• Is there a self-pride in doing? Not doing?

• Is there any status or lack of it connected with the

When all else fail …

May be the physical and/or mental

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