Why aren’t my employees doing what they are supposed to do?
They’re getting paid to work, so why don’t they just do it?
The above is a typical thought process in the brain of a frustrated leader. The big question asked in thousands of organizations is, why don’t they do what they’re supposed to be doing? Companies pay big bucks to try to uncover the reasons why employees aren’t doing their jobs properly. Consultants are often hired, suggested changes are made, and victory is claimed. However, the result is often improvements that do not last, leaving an even more frustrated manager with the same problems as before.
A myriad of tools, techniques, models, philosophies, and concepts are given to leaders to use for performance improvement. Unfortunately, performance issues persist in many cases, and all of those investment dollars have yielded little to no improvement.
Behavioral Science Has an Answer
Some methods can result in genuine performance improvements. This is not a secret; it’s a science! There’s a science behind how humans behave.
Ask the Right Questions
In 1996, Dr. John Austin researched how experts in performance improvement solve problems. Experienced managers from various organizations and experts from well-regarded management consulting firms were given performance problems to solve. The results of this study led to twenty questions to ask when trying to solve a performance challenge.
Performance Improvement: The Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC)
These twenty questions evolved to form a methodology called the Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC). The PDC is now regularly in use by professionals in the field of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), management consulting firms worldwide, and organizational leaders who have adopted this science.
When asking these questions, a practitioner must first identify the performance issue needing to be addressed and then work through the checklist. The aim is to collect input from various individuals who have a vested interest and insight into the performance issue. Only a simple “yes” or “no” answer is required when the questions are asked. A “no” indicates a need for improvement in that area.
The Benefit of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist
The PDC is designed to help solve problems and lead to positive performance improvement in organizations across various performance challenges. It has been employed to help develop solutions to improve employee satisfaction, customer service, productivity, sales, and safety. So, the next time you find yourself challenged, don’t just take an uninformed stab at the problem; use the PDC. It may save you time and money while resulting in a positive outcome.
You can find Dr. Austin’s handbook on applied behavior analysis on Amazon. You can also find much more reading material on this subject by clicking on this link.
Performance Improvement: Let Shaping Development Help
A behavior analyst can work with you to assess and improve your leadership style so that your employees do end up doing what you want them to do. Sign up here for a sixty-minute chat (at no charge) to learn more.