Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) - An introduction

1 Introduction 1
1.1 The role of working conditions in performance issues 2
1.2 Organizations are constantly changing, and with varying degrees of success 3
1.2.1 Realizing behavioral change is the key to success 5
1.2.2 Specifying behavior is difficult 5
1.3 Structure of this book 5
1.4 How this book came about 7

2 Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) 9
2.1 OBM and behaviorism 9
2.2 Building blocks within OBM 9
2.3 Performance in context 10
2.4 Functions of behavior 10
2.5 ABC model and the OBM protocol 10

3 Performance: result and behavior in a context 11
3.1 Result 13
3.2 Pitfalls to avoid when specifying results 14

4 Behavior 19
4.1 Behavior defined 19
4.2 Behavior, an overview 21
4.2.1 Respondent behavior, the reflex 21
4.2.2 Operant behavior 21
4.2.3 Respondent behavior, the unconditioned reflex 22
4.2.4 Respondent behavior, the conditioned reflex 24
4.2.5 The role of classical conditioning in business 25
4.2.6 Operant behavior 26
4.2.7 Response and behavioral chain 28
4.2.8 Verbal behavior 30
4.2.9 Verbal operants 32
4.2.10 Internal verbal behavior 33

5 Additional concepts and approaches related to behavior 35
5.1 Cognitive dissonance 35
5.2 Conscious behavior versus unconscious behavior 36
5.2.1 Unconscious behavior 36
5.2.2 The role of positive consequences: reinforcement and reward 37
5.2.3 Unwanted behavior is usually consciously emitted 38
5.3 Constructs, mindset and intrinsic motivation 39
5.3.1 Constructs 39
5.3.2 Mindset 40
5.3.3 Intrinsic motivation 43
5.4 Visible and invisible organization 47
5.4.1 It is always about behavioral change 49

6 The four functions of behavior 51
6.1 A closer look at the four functions of behavior 53
6.1.1 Internal, biological, neurological (‘sensory stimulation’) 54
6.1.2 Escape and avoidance 54
6.1.3 Attention 54
6.1.4 (Access to) Tangible items (‘tangibles’), preferred items and activities 56

7 The ABC model of operant conditioning 59
7.1 Antecedents 63
7.1.1 Antecedent defined 63
7.2 Antecedents in the working environment 64
7.2.1 Effective antecedents 66
7.2.2 Rule-governed behavior 67
7.3 Consequences 69
7.3.1 Consequence defined 69
7.3.2 Consequences lead to emotions and feelings 70
7.3.3 Deprivation and satiation 72
7.3.4 The role of deprivation in applying consequences 73
7.3.5 The role of satiation in applying consequences 75
7.3.6 Reinforcer 75
7.3.7 Reward versus reinforcer 76
7.3.8 Positive reinforcement, R+ 77
7.3.9 Dopamine 80
7.3.10 Negative reinforcement, R- 81
7.3.11 Negative reinforcement in practice 86
7.3.12 The J-curve 88
7.3.13 Punishment, P+ 90
7.3.14 It is hard to punish properly and effectively! 92
7.3.15 Punishment in the working environment 93
7.3.16 Effects of applying punishment 93
7.3.17 Unintentional punishment 94
7.3.18 NIMJoD behavior 95
7.3.19 Automatic recovery 96
7.3.20 Penalty, P- 96
7.3.21 No longer reinforcing conditioned behavior leads to extinction 97
7.3.22 Resurgence, spontaneous recovery 98

8 Three pitfalls for leaders during behavioral interventions 101

9 The parakeet exercise: how do we create passionate employees? 107

10 The OBM protocol, an overview 109
10.1 Step 0: Context, business case and management summary 110
10.1.1 Case study: IT Service Desk of a health insurer 110
10.2 Step 1: Specifying the performance 112
10.2.1 Start with the result 112
10.2.2 Identify the behaviors that produce the desired result(s) 115
10.2.3 Avoid the ‘Activity Trap’ 117
10.2.4 Common mistakes in specifying behavior 117
10.2.5 Operationalizing behavior, some examples 119
10.2.6 Specify a performance ‘MACRO’ 121
10.3 Step 2: Measuring performance 121
10.3.1 Why do we measure performance? 122
10.3.2 Resistance to measurement 123
10.3.3 Create an environment in which people don’t mind being measured 124
10.3.4 Measuring results 126
10.3.5 Measure behavior 126
10.3.6 KPIs: Key Performance Indicators 128
10.3.7 KPIs and behavior 130
10.3.8 Tips for good performance indicators 132
10.3.9 ‘Flip the KPI!’ 133
10.4 Step 3: Analysis of the measured performance level using the ABC model 134
10.4.1 The ABC model as an analysis tool: the ABC analysis 135
10.4.2 Step 1 – state the behavior or performance of interest 135
10.4.3 Step 2 – list all relevant antecedents 136
10.4.4 Step 3 – list all relevant consequences 137
10.4.5 Consequence analysis 139
10.4.6 Consequence analysis, some practical tips 140
10.4.7 Analyzing change using the ABC analysis tool 140
10.4.8 The ‘can’t do - won’t do’ analysis 143
10.4.9 Back to the case study: ABC analysis and consequence analysis 144
10.5 Step 4: Performance feedback 146
10.5.1 Feedback and feed-forward versus performance feedback 148
10.5.2 Performance feedback: feedback on results and behavior 149
10.5.3 Back to the case study: performance feedback 152
10.5.4 Pinpointing the desired performance, starting with the desired result 153
10.5.5 Graph the results of the baseline measurement 153
10.5.6 Sandwich feedback 154
10.5.7 Undesirable effects of feedback according to the Sandwich method 154
10.5.8 Example of Sandwich feedback: how not to do it 155
10.5.9 Some tips for effectively delivering criticism 155
10.6 Step 5: Setting subgoals 156
10.6.1 The function of subgoals: R+, R+, R+ and R+ 156
10.6.2 Good subgoals are set together with the performers 157
10.6.3 Shaping performance 157
10.6.4 Back to the case study: setting subgoals 158
10.7 Step 6: Positive reinforcement 159
10.7.1 How does something become a reinforcer? 159
10.7.2 Primary and secondary reinforcers 160
10.7.3 Satiation with primary and secondary reinforcers 162
10.7.4 The ‘Caveman test’ 162
10.7.5 Additional classifications of secondary reinforcers 163
10.7.6 Finding and selecting reinforcers 165
10.7.7 The Premack principle 166
10.7.8 Schedules of reinforcement 168
10.7.9 Learning new behavior 169
10.7.10 Maintaining learned behavior 169
10.7.11 Intermittent schedules of reinforcement, a closer look 170
10.7.12 Back to the case study: reward and reward schedules 172
10.8 Dealing with unwanted behavior 173
10.8.1 Just punishment, often not the best option 174
10.8.2 Applying extinction 174
10.8.3 Correcting: the combination of P+ or P- and R+ 174
10.8.4 DRA - Differential Reinforcement of Alternative behavior 175
10.9 Step 7: Evaluate, conclude and adjust 177
10.9.1 Evaluate 177
10.9.2 Conclude and adjust 178
10.9.3 Back to the case study: evaluate, conclude and adjust 178

11 Closing remarks 181

Appendix 1 - Topics overview online learning environment ‘Knowingo’ 183
Appendix 2 - Case study – Safety in an industrial environment 185
Appendix 3 - The non-behavior checklist 195
Appendix 4 - About the authors 197
Appendix 5 - The OBM Foundation training 199

Literature 201