That Won’t Work – POOGI for ABA

As a manager, staff people, parents, or teachers will frequently come to you with a suggestion. Sometimes, their suggestion is a really bad idea. This is a risky situation because if you implement the bad idea, you potentially do damage to the client’s program. If you don’t implement the idea, you potentially damage the relationship with the person, or at least reduce the likelihood they will come to you with new ideas or suggestions in the future. Either can hurt the Poogi.

Many years ago, I read what I think is the effective solution to this problem in this book. It is presented in the context of a family conflict. Goldratt calls this “presenting the negative branch.” I’ve used this procedure for many years, and I’ve found it to be extremely effective. It prevents you from implementing bad ideas, makes everyone feel good, and leads to great discussions.

I won’t cover the step-by-step implementation procedures here, but the essence of the process is to start by acknowledging the good intentions of the person who has the idea. That’s so important. If you start right away with “that won’t work,” people assume that you didn’t understand what they meant. This is how you end up in arguments, making the same points over and over.

Then, you have to show very clearly how the idea will lead to some negative effects. That may take some preparation, so it may be necessary to take a break from the conversation and say, “let me think about it.” Of course, it is essential that you get back to the person and explain step by step why the idea will lead to some negative effects.

Finally, don’t suggest a modification to the idea. Let the person who came up with the idea suggest how to improve it.

Nope, I don’t have a reference to demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure. But, I’m not aware of any advice in our literature on how to handle this problem either. I think these procedures are consistent with our principles. If you are looking for an ambitious master’s thesis or PhD dissertation, feel free to contact me to discuss.

Behavior analytic services should only be delivered in the context of a professional relationship. Nothing written in this blog should be considered advice for any specific individual. The purpose of the blog is to share my experience, not to provide treatment. Please get advice from a professional before making changes to behavior analytic services being delivered. Nothing in this blog including comments or correspondence should be considered an agreement for Dr. Barry D. Morgenstern to provide services or establish a professional relationship outside of a formal agreement to do so. I attempt to write this blog in “plain English” and avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But all statements are meant to be consistent with behavior analytic literature, practice, and the professional code of ethics. If, for whatever reason, you think I’ve failed in the endeavor, let me know and I’ll consider your comments and make revisions, if appropriate. Feedback is always appreciated as I’m always trying to POOGI.