Lauren Schnell M.Ed., BCBA Caldwell College

 According to a survey conducted by Bailey and Burch (2010) company owners and senior behavior analysts, in charge of training entry level behavior consultants, express the most concern over..

NEW HIRES UNAWARENESS OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL SHORTCOMINGS unorganized unsure overwhelmed Over their heads Boring unrealistic unaware

 As a result of this unawareness, behavioral consultants would miss the signs that something is going wrong.  Because these consultants were unaware of the problem, they didn’t seek help when necessary.  There are always signs that something isn’t going right but the professional has to pay close attention.

 Phone calls or s are not returned  Meetings are cancelled  Key people don’t show up to meetings  Colleagues are cold, don’t make eye contact  There is a shift in the relationship between colleagues, supervisors  Informal communication has stopped  Read body language

RRuns smoothly from start to finish IInitial meeting with client is pleasant MMade a good first impression SSpend time with the client CComplete your analysis DDevelop a BIP GGet consent, Train Staff and VOILA... BEHAVIOR CHANGE

 The consultant is uncomfortable as a trainer  Something went wrong when the consequence was applied  You/the teacher/consultant is unsure about BIP and doesn’t ask questions  Body language is poor when presenting results of intervention  Resistance from staff or colleagues during trainings or discussions  The manager or supervisor seems unsure and is constantly asking to see progress

 Admitting your uncertainty can be embarrassing  What if you get fired?  What will happen to your reputation?  What if there isn’t a problem and you waste everyone’s time and energy?

 Most organizations want you to be successful  Supervisors are responsible for providing support, supervision and extra training if it is necessary.  Good people are hard and expensive to find, providing extra training is beneficial to the company as a whole.

 As a professional you must sell yourself and your product (behavior analysis)  Establish trust with your client, present your product and focus on:  Customer Service: focus on how the client if responding to the information (are they overwhelmed? Do they understand your terminology?), provide examples  Be Interactive: get your client talking, asking questions, nodding and smiling  Read the Client’s Body Language: how are they sitting? Are they making eye contact and nodding along? Do they look bored, disinterested, unsure?

- Contact your supervisor immediately - Place a phone call, send an and ASK FOR A MEETING - Describe the circumstances from beginning to end - Don’t leave out embarrassing details, be objective, don’t apologize - Make your supervisor aware of your persistence, and desire to learn - Make your commitment to the company clear Ask for feedback and additional training!!!

 This can be difficult  Listen humbly  Remember the information you receive is good for your professional growth

 The feedback session may be long  Taking notes ensures you don’t miss or forget any important points  Demonstrates your commitment to learning

 Listen to every word, follow the arguments closely  Your body language should demonstrate that you value her feedback  Don’t interrupt. Ever.  Pay attention to subtle cues, act friendly and professional, not defensive.  Don’t cry. EVER!  Don’t giggle nervously or apologize profusely.

 Don’t argue, take offense or try to justify that you have or haven’t done.  At the end of the meeting, summarize what was discussed.  Shake hands, smile and follow up with an putting all key points in writing (from your notes).

 Create a written document which summarizes the feedback session based upon your notes.  Write in list format, with bullets making it easier to understand.  it as an attachment to your supervisor.  Indicate time lines for specific actions to be taken.  Make sure to thank your supervisor for her time.

 Organize your next moves  Follow the steps necessary to fix the problem  Make a timeline and indicate what exactly you will do.  Phone calls  s  Fax reports  Meetings with colleagues

 Correspond with your supervisor often to relay your progress.  Indicate when you have had a meeting, the outcome and next steps of the plan.  Demonstrate that you are taking the process of correction seriously.

 Schedule a follow up meeting with your supervisor (approximately 1 month after your initial meeting)  Thank her for her time and describe what you have completed thus far (you should have solved most of the problems by the time you meet)  Should be short and to the point  End with a firm handshake, smile and sincere appreciation of their advice

Behavioral Consultants are Responsible for  Delivering the most effective empirically based product to clients  making a great presentation and maintaining a happy relationship with the client for long durations of time  Conducting themselves in a way that clients will respect them and their skill set  Acknowledging that you can’t make everyone happy, learn from every encounter, pay attention, earn other’s respect and try hard

 Bailey, J. & Burch, M. (2010). 25 Essential Skills & Strategies for the Professional Behavior Analyst New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.