Before coming to your training, please do the following:
As you work with associates, you will likely help them develop proper work behavior. In this lesson, you will learn about the importance of behavior modification. You will also learn how to apply different behavior modification techniques to correct poor behavior, help encourage good behavior, and enhance productivity. As you become familiar with these techniques and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, you will be able to see improvement in associates' lives.
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
As a class, review the behavior modification techniques commonly used at Deseret Industries (see the “Lesson Resources” section, Resource 1).
Divide into small groups and discuss several behavior modification techniques.
Share your conclusions with the whole class.
List things you could improve on in your own life. Include habits or behaviors others may not like about you, even if you don't want to change them. These can be big, small, serious, or even humorous.
Discuss as a group why you haven't changed the things that you listed. You don't need to share your list unless you want to.
Then, look over the behavior modification techniques listed in the “Lesson Resources” section, Resource 1. As a group, discuss the following questions:
Think of a time when you (or someone you know) did not want to change a behavior, but still ended up changing it over time. Try to identify whether any of the techniques listed in the “Lesson Resources” section, Resource 1 helped facilitate that change. Briefly record how the techniques that you identified facilitated your behavioral change.
If you feel comfortable doing so, share your experience with the rest of the group. As you share your experience, do not share a detailed account of the behavior you were trying to change; instead, emphasize the techniques you identified that helped you make the behavioral change.
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
An associate is on the autism spectrum and has trouble staying on task. He is often found just standing in his area looking at something and not working.
Discuss with your partner how you could use different techniques, such as shaping, to help the associate with his problem. After discussing a few techniques, role-play the scenario, using a combination of techniques to help the associate overcome his problem.
As a class, share insights you gained through this exercise.
A particular associate is a hard worker. She can outwork anyone on your team, but when she finishes her work in an area, she wastes time talking and does not like to move to another area. When you speak to her, she does not really want to change. She feels she should not be punished because she is faster than others.
Discuss the following questions:
Divide into pairs and role-play this scenario. Try to use specific behavior modification techniques. After the role-play, discuss as a group any insights you gained.
You are transferred to be the job coach trainer for the cashiers. The previous job coach trainer is no longer at the store. The cashiers want to stand at the registers even when they have no customers, though you would like them to stay busy. When you discuss this in a team meeting, others roll their eyes.
Discuss the following questions:
From the following list, choose and complete one or more activities that best apply to your situation.
Stimulus control is defined as the environmental control of a stimulus that produces a behavior.
Prompting is often used to help someone correct a behavior. Stimulus control can be used when prompting alone does not work. It works best when the person has predictable behaviors, such as a clothing worker who stops to talk to the cashiers while bringing hangers back to production. The job coach trainer could arrive at the area at the same time as the hangers and assist the associate to stay on task.
Discuss the following questions:
Think of common situations you face with associates, or perhaps a particular associate who is struggling with a behavior problem for which this technique might be helpful in facilitating behavioral change. Share with the group your ideas about how stimulus control could help change an associate's behavior.
Response cost is defined as the deduction in wage or other benefit due to undesirable behavior.
The token economy technique is often used before response cost. However, associates often respond better to the consequence of losing something than they do to the hope of getting something. This is because the reinforcement of losing something feels more immediate, not off in the future. If you give tokens to an associate, you could take the tokens away when the associate demonstrates poor behavior. You could then have an additional consequence if all tokens are lost or offer a reward if the person has a certain number of tokens left at the end of a day or week.
Discuss the following questions:
Behavior inoculation is defined as the gradual, stepped introduction of a stimulus that produces a desired behavior.
One of your associates gets distracted by Star Wars toys when he puts them away, so you decide to put all of the Star Wars toys aside and bring them out all at once. When you bring them out for the associate to put away, you make sure to praise him when he doesn’t slow down to look at the toys before putting them away. Eventually his behavior changes and the toys stop being a distraction for the associate.
Discuss the following questions:
Overcorrection is defined as an over-completion of the task with supervision.
An associate works on the team that sorts clothing. She was trained how to move a Z-rack correctly several times but is often seen doing it wrong. When asked about it, she says she is only moving it a few yards, so it's not a big deal. To fix the situation, her job coach trainer has her take the Z-rack on a practice run around the production area before she starts work the next day. The associate also has to take the Z-rack on a practice run after breaks and lunch.
Discuss the following questions:
Seek to identify a personal or business gap or need.
Spend a few minutes silently pondering what you've discussed during this lesson. Listen as the Holy Ghost helps you identify areas where you can improve. Record your impressions in your learner's journal under the question “What Lack I Yet?”
Seek ways to close the gap or develop the required talent(s) to meet the need.
With the guidance of the Spirit, create your plan of how you will improve and close the gap(s) you have identified. You may use one or more of the exercises below, your own strategy, or a combination of both. Record this plan in your learner's journal under “What Must I Do?”
After a few minutes, those who are comfortable doing so can share their impressions with the group.
Seek understanding, and then share what you learned.
During the week, focus on implementing the plan you created. Record your impressions or lessons learned in your learner's journal under “Therefore, What?” You will be given time at the beginning of next week's lesson to share your experience with the group.