The purpose of the Transmission of Excellence Study has been to learn (1) what directs the attention and energies of leading practitioners who their peers view as “good workers” and (2) whether — and, if so, how — their values, practices, and goals are passed down through time. What are the essential values of good workers in different domains? How are they transmitted from one generation to the next? How, in short, is good work perpetuated across generations, through training practices in a profession?

Over 100 individuals, in fields including genetics, journalism, dance, and martial arts, have been interviewed (1998-2002). To study the transmission of excellence, we first identified individuals widely recognized within their fields as uniting excellence at the forefront of their field, responsible practice, and influence on students who continued in the field. Two subsequent generations within the same tradition were then identified: the individual’s students and those students’ students. Interviews with members of each generation addressed their values and practices as a professional; formative influences, in particular the impact of mentors; and training practices as a mentor. Currently, a book based on the study is being written by Jeanne Nakamura, David Shernoff, and Charles Hooker.