Be All That You Can Be: Enhancing Human Performance¹

Key findings and conclusions from a landmark study conducted by a National Research Council Committee are discussed. The 12‐year study was divided into 4 phases that covered topics of individual, small group, and organizational performance. Concentrating primarily on techniques with strong claims for enhancing performance, the committee found little support for some (e.g., sleep learning, meditation, parapsychological techniques, hypnosis, total quality management) and stronger support for others (e.g., mental practice, expert modeling, cooperative learning, team training, practice to optimize transfer of cognitive and social skills). Insights were also obtained about the roles of expectancy effects, belief perseverance, emotions, thought suppression, and organizational cultures. The article highlights the continuing contributions made by committee members in such areas as transfer, expert modeling, self‐efficacy, mental practice, organizational design and enhanced performance, and conflict resolution.