Don't Shoot The Dog! by Steve Chriest Valuable insights for managers can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places. For example, Karen Pryor has written a book, “Don't Shoot The Dog!” Although the book is loaded with information about training animals, it's really about training anyone, whether human or animal, to do anything that can and should be done. This little book contains some of the most valuable information and insights I've ever read about managing people. Ms. Pryor talks a great deal about the principles of reinforcement training. Here is the pearl for managers: Using positive and negative reinforcers is the best way to change behavior. What managers may find most surprising is her contention that positive reinforcers are better at changing behavior than are rewards. A reinforcer is something that when occurring in conjunction with an act tends to increase the probability that the act will occur again. There are positive and negative reinforcers. Sincere praise is a positive reinforcer, and is something most humans seek. A disapproving look from a manager is a negative reinforcer, and most employees will seek ways to change whatever behavior caused the disapproving glance from the manager. When managers aren't getting the results they want they often resort to punishment as their favorite behavior modification tool. Many may not have learned first hand that spanking the dog, yelling at an employee, levying a fine or docking a paycheck as punishment is not only a clumsy way of modifying behavior, but that it doesn't often work! The author tells us that the major problem with punishment is the fact that when it doesn't work we tend to escalate the punishment in hopes of better results. For example, let's say that your sales team members aren't making enough cold calls. As a manager you could demand that they report to the office every Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. and write on the whiteboard five hundred times, “I promise to make more cold calls.” If that doesn't work you could escalate the punishment by lowering their commission payouts. Still no results? You could again escalate the punishment by suspending them for a week, without pay. When none of this works, the question managers should ask is, “where will the escalation of punishment end?” If you want an introduction to the most up-to-date principles underlying all training, and tips on how to apply these principles in your business, I highly recommend “Don't Shoot the Dog.” It may forever change your views on modifying behavior in the workplace. Copyright © 2006 Selling Up TM . All Rights Reserved. About the author: Steve Chriest is the founder of Selling Up TM (www.selling-up.com), a sales consulting firm specializing in sales improvement for organizations of all types and sizes in a variety of industries. He is also the author of Selling Up , The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives. You can reach Steve at schriest@selling-up.com .
The book is available at Amazon.com for $10.20
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