ACE Your Performance Review

Time Magazine recently caused a stir when they published the results of research that strongly suggested that Facebook (and other social networking sites) caused graduate students to suffer lower grades.

According to the new study conducted by doctoral candidate Aryn Karpinski of Ohio State University and co-author Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University, college students who use Facebook (the 200 million–member social network) have considerably lower grade-point averages (GPAs) than those students who do not use Facebook!

The research found that of 219 undergraduate and graduate students, GPAs of Facebook users typically ranged a full grade point lower than those of nonusers — 3.0 to 3.5 for users versus 3.5 to 4.0 for their non-networking peers. Amazing! Believable? The study also found that 79% of Facebook members scoffed at the idea that there was any link between their GPA and their networking habits.

Do you agree?

This got me thinking: Does the same apply to professionals who have performance objectives – especially those who have to study to achieve them? (E.g. passing professional qualifications)

Does Facebook over-use cause you to become less focused, distracted and under-perform?

If the Karpinski’s research has merit, then the implications for you when you’re working towards your objectives shouldn’t be ignored.

Is it plausible?

I have to look at my own experiences to gain insight.

I use Facebook, and LinkedIn – the more ‘professional’ social networking site. I also use Twitter too. When I think back to the times when I have considered myself a heavy user of these sites (typically whilst the ‘novely factor’ is still in play), I see a potential link.

During heavy use, nothing else mattered. It is engrossing, and stimulative, and time becomes a blur. I forgot about everything else, whilst it lasted. Does this happen to you, too?

Surfing

Remember back in the day when the Internet was emerging as a household name, and before the true search power-houses (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc) had enabled us go straight to the content we were seeking? We ’surfed’ the web, often going down interesting blind alleys. Hours could pass by as we found more and more content through hyperlinks. And because it was a novelty and created instant gratification, we’d keep on doing it. It is addictive.

Well that’s what I think is happening with social networking. We ’surf’ the content, and because it is constantly being created, cross-referenced and enriched, we can surf even more without getting dis-interested, despite it often being irrelevant and purely incidental to our lives. We become heavy users very easily. I did.

Is this what is happening to those students who use Facebook heavily, and then experience lower GPAs? Is this what happens to you and I as professionals? I believe so. Do you agree?

I suggest that there is a potential link, and consequence, to professionals who require concentration to be effective in their performance.

If you’re struggling to deliver your performance objectives, then why not take a look at how heavy your social networking use is? Perhaps it’s the key to your struggle so far…