Using Organizational Behavior Management in ABA organizations: Interview with Shannon Biagi
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Organizational Behavior Management is the science of human behavior, what you know of reinforcement, punishment, and motivating operations applied with staff. Shannon Biagi, BCBA and OBM practitioner, joins us on the podcast today to discuss the gap in HR where ABA businesses are having retention and burnout. I’ve said it before in my episode on the four myths and truths of ABA, ABA is a science used every day. Shannon explains that OBM is the same way, using basic ABA principles with employees both in and out of the autism space.
When discussing OBM and how it can affect the workplace environment, I was able to think of some pretty negative provider and teacher situations right away. Aversive control is a problem that affects performance and workplace relationships. We discuss a few different perspectives that come to the same point of moving the ratio of positive and negative interactions to higher positives. When using aversive control, threats of punishment, and ultimately having poor rapport, that employee is not going to perform or is only going to perform when you’re there to avoid punishment. This is especially a problem for ABA settings in which your employees are alone in the home with the clients. Employees respond just like clients to positive reinforcement and the goal is to have the desired performance whether you’re watching them or not.
Knowing the information about poor workplace environments, how can you as a parent choose a provider or you as a professional choose a clinic to work for? Shannon says a tip is to take note of the way the facility trains its employees. Are they giving them a 1-2 day orientation and sending them off on their own? Or are they nurturing their staff and providing extended support? My advice for professionals is to ask to shadow at a facility for a few hours or a day to get an idea of how the place operates and how they treat their staff.
The ABA field is facing a very low retention rate, mostly caused by burnout. Ultimately, this is because leadership skills are severely lacking. We do not know how to support our staff. So ultimately this is the goal of OBM, turning workplace environments into teaching these skills that aren’t taught in school or in training. The basics are covered in Shannon’s Performance Management Basics Program, which is available to BCBAS as 9 CEUs for $99.
Shannon’s mission is to improve the world at work, one behavior change agent at a time. Her advice to parents and professionals out there is to be kind to yourself. Take a look around and determine what about your environment is causing your behavior because you are not a bad person. I think that part of improving your life is looking at it in a more systematic way. OBM can be the key to this. I truly learned a lot this episode and hope you have as well.
Today’s Guest
Shannon Biagi is the CEO and founder of Chief Motivating Officers, LLC, an organization dedicated to improving the world at work, one behavior change agent at a time. Through her work as an organizational behavior management (OBM) practitioner and educator, she has enacted positive behavior change in numerous organizations worldwide, and has influenced the professional development of thousands of leaders through speaking opportunities, training engagements, performance management solutions, and executive coaching/mentorship.
She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, and an all-but-dissertation PhD dropout. In support of the growing community of practitioners, Shannon also volunteers her time as the director of operations of the largest OBM-focused professional development organization in the world –The OBM Network. Finally, she is an adjunct professor at the University of West Florida, teaching graduate students ethical decision-making, supervision, and leadership skills.
You’ll Learn
- How to find a good provider for parents and professionals.
- The problem with aversive control.
- The importance of positivity in the workplace.
- Dealing with retention and burnout in the field.
Resources
- TurnAutismAround.com
- Turn Autism Around
- #065: Positive Parenting Solutions Without Coercion | Interview with ABA Inside Track
- ABA Therapy: Four Myths and Truths – Autism Mom, ABA Help for Professionals and Parents
- What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers
- Introduction to the Performance Management Basics Program
- Chief Motivating Officers | Improving the world at work, one behavior change agent at a time.