Customer Reviews

Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits

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This book is a must-read for managers. It describes the behavioral science behind performance improvement, and shows how to deploy behavior change technology to improve bottom-line organizational performance. The first 6 chapters explain behavior principles and tactics such as pinpointing, antecedents, consequences, shaping, and providing feedback through coaching (including executive coaching). Many examples drawn from Dr. Braksick's extensive consulting experience bring these principles to life, and several appendices provide practical advice and guidelines on using them in organizations. Chapter 5 on Feedback and Coaching is an especially excellent "how-to" guide explaining how managers can use feedback effectively to target key behaviors that will produce key results. Chapters 7 & 8 detail common organizational problems (implementation failures, and corporate challenges like mergers, ERP implementations, retention and succession plans) and show how behavioral science can be applied to handle these problems. In sum, this lively, easy-to-read book does an excellent job describing behavior principles and how to improve performance with them in the real world of daily organizational life. Managers at all levels can learn practical things they can do to improve the bottom line by learning about behavior, and how to change it so that it produces those key results necessary for organizational success.

This is a great how-to book about providing leadership that makes people want to work harder for the cause. The leaders who have thrived throughout the numerous "fad" business management styles are those who have mastered the skills in this book. The author provides numerous real-life examples from her consulting work, which makes the book very interesting and authentic. The examples she uses portray situations most business people have encountered or will encounter again and again. I would rate the book as "required reading" for all managers and leaders. It is a timeless approach to good management and leadership.

I have been through them all and read all of the management/leadership advice books since TQM. This one makes sense and can be implemented. It tells you how people want to be treated and how to get discretionary efforts. My copy is highlighted and marked up for reference. I have seen noticeable results and a definite improvement in the attitude and results of my department. I want my manager to read it because most likely, any manager you have enjoyed working for, follows most of the basic concept outlined in this book. Get this book, it's worth the time.

Generating a breakthrough in an organization often requires the implementation and deployment of innovative methods and tools. Those same methods and tools are often accompanied by new processes and strong evangelization by a committed champion and his/her disciples. While those elements are necessary, they are insufficient as they often fail to address the fundamental behavioral changes needed to achieve and sustain the desired outcomes. This is an area where most managers and change agents feel uncomfortable today because, whether they are called the 'soft side' or 'people issues', changes at that level are the hardest of all. Trying to better understand this psychological aspect of change management, I decided to follow Larry Leach's advice and purchased 'Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits' by Leslie Wilk Braksick (ISBN 0-07-135878-1).

Over the next few bullets I will try to summarize what I have retained from this interesting book:
- The ability to apply behavioral science consistently is a key distinguishing feature of great leaders. Behaviors are the key to good execution and lasting results, and they are a response to the environment or corporate culture.
- The goal is not only to change everyone else's behavior but also our own as our behaviors as leaders directly affect everyone within our organization as well as our organization's profitability
- The failure of change management programs is attributed in 31% of the cases to project management issues and in 31% of the cases to people issues The critical link between behavioral science and business results is pinpointing a few key behaviors. Those behaviors have to be defined according to the NORMS of objectivity (Not an interpretation - Observable - Reliable - Measurable - Specific) so that they can be communicated, recognized, tracked, and measured. Those behaviors need to be aligned in the different departments. To implement a change you need to know the antecedents, behavior, and consequences (ABC). Consequences have 4 times more impact (80%) on behaviors than antecedents (20%). Antecedents backed up by consequences will produce the greatest challenges. The most powerful consequences are either PIC (positive-immediate-certain) or NIC (negative-immediate-certain). Discretionary effort is often a result of PIC consequences. NIC consequences often lead to mere compliance. Absence of PIC/NIC often lead to behavior extinction. Ways of providing consequences are feedback (positive or constructive - deliver them in a 4:1 ratio - this is also the most powerful motivator of performance and a key to coaching), tangible items (here remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder) activities, or work processes. Effects of consequences: Positive reinforcement (key to discretionary effort), negative reinforcement, punishment, or extinction.
- Managers must invest time in providing frequent, timely (key to maximizing its impact), and pinpointed feedback to their direct reports Coaching is how one delivers feedback, based on observing, analyzing performance, and delivering feedback (constructive and positive) Shaping is about perfecting a chain of behavioral steps through the systematic application of positive reinforcement. Each step should be challenging but realistic. Behaviors closer to the goal need to be more positiviely reinforced.

I found this book to be an artful blend of solid science and everyday examples. It helps demystify human behavior and provides valuable tips to influence it. The material is useful across a range of situations--from implementing a strategy for a large organization to getting your 8 year old to make his or her bed. The book is laid out in a way that makes it an engaging read--good use of visuals, "side bars" and charts. This is the kind of book I will keep handy to refer to often.

This absorbing, practical book advocates the use of behavioral science in the workplace to achieve increased profits. This is a valuable resource for those who work in a group setting because it supplies helpful information on communicating effectively within a team. Author Leslie Wilk Braksick structured the book logically and wrote it clearly. She provides numerous real-life examples of how to apply the principles in the text. We [...] recommend this book to anyone who leads an organization or manages people, and to all executives who want to add behavioral science techniques to their leadership skills.

This book explains step by step how the ABC model of behavioral science can be applied in business. I read many books about behavioral management and I have to say that this book is now on top of my list. Business is behavior and Leslie tells you why.

William S. Cook, Pittsburgh

A "Universally Applicable" Business Book

At last, a book that applies as specifically to families, and other human organizations, as it does to almost any business, "change management" situation or project.

This is a book worth reading because of what it is and what it is not, and what it can do for one's personal effectiveness as a leader or parent. It is a book that will not become obsolete over time. It deals with the essence and causes of productive and unproductive human behavior. It defines a rational approach and framework and a "set of tools" for getting the right things done well, through motivated people...young or old. It is not a book that is heavy on qualitative theory and light on realism, tangible content and measurement of results.

It advocates some things as essential to influencing the right behavior - the right actions and reactions - that some will feel are "known" or obvious; while it explains their importance and role in the practice of the right and meaty stuff of leadership.

The author provides readers with convincing, competently written methods for moving from strategies, plans and sound, established processes through productive, measurable, committed human implementation. In most of us, it will require intensive, persistent practice. The payoff lies in the ability to retrofit unsatisfactory communication, business or family processes and performance shortfalls as well as to get more things right on the first attempt.

For review and better absorption, each chapter has a brief, superb " Bottom Line" summary and "What's Next"? commentary. The Epilogue and "Final Thoughts" are useful reminders. Appendices A, B, C and D are essential first-reads and rereads. These appendices are not to be missed if you want to become even more competent than you already are!

At the beginning of Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits, Leslie talks about the recent article from Fortune magazine on "Why CEO's Fail". What surfaced as a constant for many, was a lack of execution, follow-through, and delivering on commitments. Leslie opens the reader's eyes to the opportunity that exists in all companies, which is their people. The book presents the science of behavior as a key to motivating and enabling people toward the successful execution of the company's goals as well as their own personal success. It became clear that the "soft side" of business is where much of the opportunity exists for leaders in today's competitive marketplace. The author presents an understanding of behavioral science with real examples which allows the reader to understand how it could positively impact their world. It allowed me to look at my business problems and personal challenges in a whole new way. Excellent insight into what really makes an effective leader.

As an experienced HR professional I have been concerned as to why some organizational change strategies do not meet desired goals or are not sustained over time. "Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits" provides a pragmatic explanation as to what is often missed, namely aligning and encouraging behavior with the desired change. Leslie and her CLG associates have realtime experience in this area. A book worth reading!