Institute designed to promote behavioral science research also includes a virtual museum
ATLANTA, Nov. 19, 2013 – Aubrey Daniels International (ADI), a leading workplace consultancy, today announced the launch of an institute dedicated to increasing the understanding and advancing the use of the science of behavior (behavior analysis) in the workplace.
The institute includes a virtual museum with a one-of-a-kind collection of rarely seen photographs, diagrams and writings and a timeline that illuminate important and historical contributions to behavioral analysis, dating back 100 years.
The Aubrey Daniels Institute is designed to disseminate scientifically valid information and promote research about behavior that will not only help organizations achieve their mission quicker, better and cheaper but also help their employees improve relationships at work and at home.
“Organizations are fond of communicating to employees that they are their most important asset,” said Aubrey Daniels, Ph.D., chairman and founder of ADI and the Aubrey Daniels Institute. “Yet because management processes and practices are not designed in accordance with what is known about the scientifically proven laws of human behavior, organizations are not able to fully maximize the potential of their people. This has led to management systems that waste time and money and frustrate employees, resulting in low rates of engagement, productivity and customer service.”
Quite often, leaders are misled to believe that they can tell people to change, and they will; that they can effectively manage from their offices looking at “big data”; and that hiring smart people is the secret to organizational success.
Of course, none of these are true. “Behavior science has shown these notions to be false over and over,” continued Daniels. “Because this science of behavior is often not known or used in making business decisions, many performance practices that have evolved over the years simply don’t work. Separating fact from fiction is one of the goals of the institute.”
For example, the institute provides scientific evidence to dispel these common workplace myths:
• Creativity cannot be taught
• Personality cannot be changed
• People have to be ready to change
• Some people just cannot be motivated
• One rotten apple spoils the barrel
“Our mission with the institute is truly to explore from a research perspective the conditions that will help to create and sustain individual excellence and business success,” said Daniels. “We hope to illuminate principles that will literally change the way the world works. In today’s competitive environment, organizations can’t afford to not understand the science of human behavior. At the end of the day, every business accomplishment is dependent on someone’s behavior. One can manage it by common sense or by scientifically validated data.”
The Aubrey Daniels Institute provides a rich collection of written and visual information, research findings, examples, resources, and opinions, with opportunities for discussion. Areas covered include how best to sustain positive change, engage employees in the mission and vision of an organization, and create a positive safety culture while solving workplace issues, all without even subtle forms of coercion.
The following are some of the key elements of the institute that cannot be found elsewhere:
• Behavior Watch: Unique views on current news stories as seen from a behavioral perspective.
• From the Field: Commentaries, information, findings and case studies from behavior analysis researchers and practitioners, illustrating how a behavioral approach applies in everyday situations.
• The Behavioral Apparatus Virtual Museum: A growing, one-of-a-kind compilation of photographs, historical information and links to additional information about scientific instruments that have contributed to understanding the behavior of living organisms, from invertebrates to human beings. Of the more than 100 virtual items currently on display, a number have been used by pioneers in the field of behavior analysis, including B. F. Skinner’s “air crib,” a specialized baby crib he designed for his own infant daughter in the 1940s.
About Aubrey Daniels International
Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Atlanta, Aubrey Daniels International (ADI) works globally with a diverse spectrum of clients including many of the Fortune 500. It helps accelerate the business and safety performance of companies worldwide by using positive, practical approaches grounded in the science of behavior and engineered to ensure long-term sustainability. ADI supports its clients in accelerating strategy execution while fostering employee engagement and positive accountability at all levels of an organization.
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