Meet Catherine: a brand new Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), dedicated and passionate about helping others through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Like most brand new BCBAs, she quickly had to learn how to balance new responsibilities such as parent management, RBT management, updating Behavior Support Plans (BSPs), and so much more. Like many new BCBAs, Catherine quickly began to feel overwhelmed with all of these new responsibilities while delivering billable hours. Catherine needed help. In her search, she came across Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) to solve problems using the very science to which she already passionately subscribed.
Organizations and disciplines outside of ABA discuss employee engagement and motivation. In the ABA field, a person’s motivation isn’t a valid construct, but you can still define, observe, and measure behaviors that others consider motivation. This piece is the first blog in a series to outline how BCBA business owners can apply OBM in their own practices to better engage staff, using principles from our own science to achieve better results than pure business-minded managers of ABA practices.
Company culture is a reflection of the environment in which staff work. As organizational leaders, it’s our responsibility to manage the environment. We can do this by creating a positive culture in which expectations are clearly set, and people are rewarded for meeting & exceeding expectations.
As Behavior Analysts, we know positive reinforcement (adding something to a teammate's environment that increases the future likelihood of that behavior) has far better long-term impacts on positive behavior change than punishment. In OBM, we pinpoint behavior, identifying the specific desired behavior that results in achieving a goal. There are simple ways you can positively reinforce desired behavior for teammates, but it starts with applying principles we already know:
Organizations and disciplines outside of ABA discuss employee engagement and motivation. In the ABA field, a person’s motivation isn’t a valid construct, but you can still define, observe, and measure behaviors that others consider motivation. This piece is the first blog in a series to outline how BCBA business owners can apply OBM in their own practices to better engage staff, using principles from our own science to achieve better results than pure business-minded managers of ABA practices.
Company culture is a reflection of the environment in which staff work. As organizational leaders, it’s our responsibility to manage the environment. We can do this by creating a positive culture in which expectations are clearly set, and people are rewarded for meeting & exceeding expectations.
As Behavior Analysts, we know positive reinforcement (adding something to a teammate's environment that increases the future likelihood of that behavior) has far better long-term impacts on positive behavior change than punishment. In OBM, we pinpoint behavior, identifying the specific desired behavior that results in achieving a goal. There are simple ways you can positively reinforce desired behavior for teammates, but it starts with applying principles we already know:
For a newer BCBA like Catherine, the ABA practice owner or another BCBA supervisor will need to provide some added support. Invest more time upskilling them early in the relationship by coaching them on their new responsibilities and time management. It will help down the road and build their confidence in you as their manager. Positively reinforce good behavior such as:
Here are some others ways you can reinforce desired behavior in a newer BCBA:
People feel more at ease with clear expectations. Define criteria for what constitutes acceptable behavior. Don’t be vague. Use data. Provide rationale. For example:
Monitor performance based on the clear metrics you set, and the behaviors contributing to performance improvement. Remember what behaviors you determined would contribute to goals, and what types of reinforcement were effective for the supervisee. Reinforce behaviors that will ultimately result in achieving a goal. This essentially creates motivation.
The above will help with clinical practices and recognizing behaviors that contribute to clinical quality which is absolutely essential. These are best practices in OBM.
Traditional business people may say something to the effect “workers should just work and follow instructions since they’re being paid to work”, or “that person just isn’t motivated.” This lacks an understanding of human behavior. We all know ABA organizations that work that way, and BCBAs like Catherine find their way to better organizations. Especially in a field with such a large shortage of qualified staff, leaders need to do more to create positive environments and support their teams in meeting clearly defined and realistically achievable goals.
When Catherine became a BCBA, her manager got to know what was reinforcing to her just by spending time with her and testing various potential reinforcers early in the relationship. Her manager learned Catherine wants to feel supported by learning new clinical skills and receiving coaching about new things such as having difficult conversations with families. She also learned that public praise is aversive for Catherine. Although Catherine didn’t express it as preferred reinforcement, the opportunity to do a case review of one of her clients was reinforcing, as well as praise done in private. Catherine’s manager was sure to use appropriate reinforcement techniques, give Catherine the support she needs, and give her opportunities to do amazing work with clients and then share it with her colleagues. It’s a positive working relationship that trickled down to Catherine's team as Catherine intuitively used those same techniques with her technicians, individualized to each person’s preferences.
ABA practice owners can reach out for support any time. We don’t do paid consulting, and are simply happy to have conversations with like-minded BCBAs trying to improve the field. OBM@acclaimtraining.com
The above will help with clinical practices and recognizing behaviors that contribute to clinical quality which is absolutely essential. These are best practices in OBM.
Traditional business people may say something to the effect “workers should just work and follow instructions since they’re being paid to work”, or “that person just isn’t motivated.” This lacks an understanding of human behavior. We all know ABA organizations that work that way, and BCBAs like Catherine find their way to better organizations. Especially in a field with such a large shortage of qualified staff, leaders need to do more to create positive environments and support their teams in meeting clearly defined and realistically achievable goals.
When Catherine became a BCBA, her manager got to know what was reinforcing to her just by spending time with her and testing various potential reinforcers early in the relationship. Her manager learned Catherine wants to feel supported by learning new clinical skills and receiving coaching about new things such as having difficult conversations with families. She also learned that public praise is aversive for Catherine. Although Catherine didn’t express it as preferred reinforcement, the opportunity to do a case review of one of her clients was reinforcing, as well as praise done in private. Catherine’s manager was sure to use appropriate reinforcement techniques, give Catherine the support she needs, and give her opportunities to do amazing work with clients and then share it with her colleagues. It’s a positive working relationship that trickled down to Catherine's team as Catherine intuitively used those same techniques with her technicians, individualized to each person’s preferences.
ABA practice owners can reach out for support any time. We don’t do paid consulting, and are simply happy to have conversations with like-minded BCBAs trying to improve the field. OBM@acclaimtraining.com
Jamie Turner
MBA, PMP, BCBA
