The Dark Side of
Being Boss
Heather Scalf
Director of Quantitative Assessment
UT Arlington Libraries
scalf@uta.edu
About me
Brief bio
◦ BA Biology in 1984
About me
Brief bio
◦ 7 years as an Army officer
◦ HAWK missile Tactical Control Officer and Battalion Control Officer
About me
Brief bio
◦ 6 years in retail distribution with Target
◦ Floor supervisor
◦ Brown field experience
◦ Opened new facility
About me
Brief bio
◦ Began working in libraries in 1999
◦ Began as Circulation Manager/student supervisor
◦ Mary Baldwin College
◦ USMA
◦ Completed MLS in 2005
◦ UT Arlington
In the many career iterations that I have had, the common denominator
has been that I have supervised, led and managed people in many
different roles and a variety of environments.
All this to say…
Remember when
The model
Holland, Johnny. (2011, January 24). The A-B-C of Behaviour. Retrieved from
http://johnnyholland.org/2011/01/the-a-b-c-of-behaviour/
What are the ABCs?
Common example
Bennett, Michael J (2013, April 30). Roasted chicken dinner plate.
Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roasted_Chicken_Dinner_Plat
e,_Broccoli,_Stuffing,_Potatoes,_Demi_Glace.jpg
Väsk. (2005, September). Ice cream cone photographed in Sweden. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glasstrut,_Tip_Top.jpg#filehistory
Common example
Common example
Spring, Steve. (2005, November 28). Individually wrapped slices of
American cheese. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wrapped_American_cheese_slices.jpg
Behavior
Consequences
Positive
◦ Might not be what you think
Consequences
Positive
◦ Might not be what you think
Negative
◦ Aka Punishment
ABC grid
Antecedent (Before)
Behavior
Consequence (After)
Who was there, what was
happening, what was the
environment?
What did the person do?
What happened? What did I
do? What did others do?
A cautionary tale
Retail distribution experience
We had a two shift, seven day a week operation. Trailers have 3
days to be unloaded from the time the trailer is dropped on the lot.
Antecedent—LOS standard, m-a-n-y trailers on the lot
Planned behavior—increase cartons per hour productivity, get
more trailers unloaded before their LOS date
Consequence--We used a reward system that gave teams an
extra 15 minute break for exceeding 110% productivity on a per
shift basis
Trailer 1
Retrieved from http://www.m-o.com/freightworks.html
Trailer 2
Bartholdi, III, John J. (2003, September 27). Warehouse and Distribution Science. Retrieved from
http://www2.isye.gatech.edu/~jjb/wh/sites/cf/cf.html
We rewarded productivity
What do you think happened?
160
60
140
50
120
40
100
80
30
Productivity
LOS
60
20
40
10
20
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Focus
» Remember that the whole process is about changing behaviors, not the
people themselves.
» An attitude is not a behavior. An attitude can be demonstrated by behaviors,
but the focus is on the behavior.
Watch out!
In the library
Much more complex
In the library
Much more complex
◦ Customer service is key in our environment
In the library
Much more complex
◦ Customer service is key in our environment
◦ The process works the same, but you may have simultaneous behaviors
going on at the same time
In the library
Much more complex
◦ Customer service is key in our environment
◦ The process works the same, but you may have simultaneous behaviors
going on at the same time
◦ “Service with a smile”
In the library
Much more complex
◦ Customer service is key in our environment
◦ The process works the same, but you may have simultaneous behaviors
going on at the same time
◦ “Service with a smile”
◦ But also with an answer
Courageous conversations
Courageous conversations
The Cowardly Lion as illustrated by William Wallace
Denslow (1900)
Courageous conversations
What?
Courageous conversations
What?
◦ A courageous conversation is any conversation with another person that may
be difficult to have.
Courageous conversations
What?
With whom?
Courageous conversations
What?
With whom?
How?
◦ Four steps
Courageous conversations
First, ensure that both parties are operating from a shared perspective.
Courageous conversations
First, ensure that both parties are operating from a shared perspective.
Seek context
Courageous conversations
First, ensure that both parties are operating from a shared perspective.
Seek context
Focus
Courageous conversations
First, ensure that both parties are operating from a shared perspective.
Seek context
Focus
Plan for future
Courageous conversations
What?
With whom?
How?
When?
Best response
Kaylee. (2012, July 31). Sealing the Deal – Get the Volunteer. Retrieved from
http://www.volunteerlocal.com/blog/tag/strike-while-the-iron-is-hot/
Most Common response
All too often response
Lucy and Ethel on the candy assembly line at See’s Candies. Photo credit: CBS Television.
Coaching Process
Coach and
modify
(Conversation)
Examine
environment
(antecedents)
Identify
behaviors
Measure
results
Apply
consequences
Questions??
Heather Scalf
scalf@uta.edu