A Cowboy’s Song of Farewell

Richard B. Pearlstein, PhD

Well into the fourth year of my 3-year appointment as editor

of PIQ, I have resigned from the position. I am grateful for

having had the opportunity, and I learned a lot during my

tenure. But, like an old cowboy, I’m eager to return to the open range of

ideas. Speaking of old cowboys reminds me of a song, which reminds me

of some striking similarities between cowboys and practitioners in our

fi eld:

Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Human Performance Technologists

(to the tune of “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up To Be

Cowboys,” written by Ed and Patsy Bruce)

Human performance technology ain’t easy to say or easy to do,

Unless clients collaborate and give their real data to you.

But most make demands just based on their hunches

New problems arise each day.

’Cause analysis costs bunches and it ain’t necessary

And you’ll probably just fl y away.

[Chorus:]

Mammas, don’t let your babies grow up to be human performance

technologists.

Don’t let ’em become CPTers or such.

Let ’em pick stocks, sell smartphones, or otherwise scramble for

bucks. . .

Mammas, don’t let your babies grow up to be human performance

technologists.

’Cause they’ll get no respect in bidniz, and they’ll be pushed back

in the box,

Even with results on their side.

Human performance technologists like systems and measures,

Outcomes and process, and lookin’ at all parts of the job.

; em that don’t know ’em won’t like ’em, and them that do

Sometimes won’t know how to take ’em.

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P E R F O R M A N C E I M P R O V E M E N T Q U A R T E R L Y , 2 6 ( 1 ) P P. 3 – 4© 2013 International Society for Performance ImprovementPublished online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/piq.21138

4 DOI: 10.1002/piq Performance Improvement Quarterly

; ey’re not in the mainstream, but their profession impels ’em

To do things that they think are right.

[Repeat chorus and fade out]

; anks.

I’d like to thank the many people who have helped me serve as editor

of PIQ.

First, thanks to April Davis, ISPI’s executive director, her publica-

tions managers, and other HQ staff who aff orded me the opportunity of

editorship and supported me in fulfi lling its obligations. ; anks, too, to

assistant editor Lisa Frye, who has done the lion’s share of the numer-

ous administrative tasks required to make the PIQ editorial process run

eff ectively. And thanks to Wiley’s Anne Hirs and her staff for the fi ne fi nal

editing they do before printing each issue.

I am grateful to Karen Medsker and Michael Cassidy, the PIQ editors

whose term immediately preceded mine. ; eir insights helped consider-

ably with the “on boarding” process. I am also grateful to the dozens of

PIQ consulting editors, several of whom review each submission to PIQ

and off er authors suggestions for improving their contributions. And, of

course, I am grateful to the many authors who generously contributed

their articles to PIQ.

I off er special thanks to Jeanne Farrington, Guy Wallace, Dale

Brethower, Dick Clark, and Ingrid Guerra-López, whose wisdom, experi-

ence, and advice I often counted on when wrestling with editorial issues.

And I need to thank Jeanne Farrington twice, because she was kind

enough to write a series of excellent myth-busting columns for PIQ.

Special thanks, too, to Roger Kaufman and Mariano Bernardez, who

coedited a special issue of PIQ for me. ; at issue—on the future of HPT—

was an especially enjoyable compendium of research and new ideas.

I am also grateful to Gloria and Becca Pearlstein who edited many of

my editorials. Finally, I am grateful to the readers of PIQ. ; ank you.