Don't get sucked into the trap of trying to control negative workplace behavior. Most negative behavior is a symptom of unmet positive needs. In this presentation I did at SHRM national Talent Development conference, I use the Process Communication Model to identify the positive needs behind most negative workplace behavior.

1. ©SHRM 2013
1
Presentation Title
Presenter’s Name • Date
The Positives
Behind
Negative Attention
Nate Regier, Ph.D.
Next Element Consulting, LLC
+ + + +
Thursday, April 18, 13

2. ©SHRM 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

3. ©SHRM 2013
Learning Objectives
• Identify six patterns of unproductive workplace
behavior
• List consequences to morale and productivity
• Describe positive interventions for each behavior
pattern
• List three applications to improve talent recruiting
and performance
personal. leadership. transformation.
Thursday, April 18, 13

4. ©SHRM 2013
The Discovery of Process
• Taibi Kahler, Ph.D., 1972
• Observed that the process of communication is observable,
sequential, and measurable.
• Showed that productive communication and unproductive
miscommunication can be distinguished, second by second, by
observing words, tones, postures, gestures, and facial
expressions.
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

5. ©SHRM 2013
The Discovery of Process (continued)
• Kahler identified six distinct communication styles /
personality types, each statistically correlated with discrete
• perceptual frames of reference
• character strengths
• preferred channels of communication
• leadership styles
• motivational needs
• distress sequences (negative attention behavior patterns)
personal. leadership. transformation.
Our
focus for
today
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

6. ©SHRM 2013
Process Communication Model (PCM®)
• An online assessment determines a person’s “structure”,
including preferred order of the six types, along with current
motivational preferences and distress behavior sequences.
• PCM training teaches diagnostic skills to identify and decode
behavior, with strategies to invite more positive interactions.
• PCM has proven to be over 90% accurate in predicting
behavior patterns and suggesting the most effective
intervention.
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

7. ©SHRM 2013
Taught or researched
in 37 colleges and
universities worldwide
Psychodemographic tool for
President Clinton’s
campaigns
Pixarstudios
Used by NASA to
select and train
astronauts
Thursday, April 18, 13

8. ©SHRM 2013
Selected PCM Applications
• Employee motivation and engagement
• Executive recruitment, placement, and coaching
• Leadership development
• Customer service
• Marketing
• Internal Communications
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

9. ©SHRM 2013
Distress behavior is
observable, predictable,
habitual, and sequential
Identifying and offering
the unmet need is the most
effective strategy to stop
the negative behavior and
invite more positive
contribution.
The Positives Behind
Negative Attention
Kahler’s Discovery
Most unproductive
behavior is a symptom of
miscommunication and
unmet psychological needs.
personal. leadership. transformation.
What does this mean?
If your efforts to deal with negative behavior
are focused on the behaviors themselves
(symptom) rather than the root causes, they
may be making the problem worse by
reinforcing the negative behaviors.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

10. ©SHRM 2013
Overcontrolling
personal. leadership. transformation.
“Great job on that project.”
“I appreciate your hard work.”
“Your plan helped us gain
efficiencies.”
“Your time is important.”
Be on time. End on time.
positive intervention
Recognition of Work & Time Structure
Low morale, high
turnover, apathy,
fear, low innovation,
inefficiencies
Workplace
Consequences
Micromanages
others, critical of
their thinking and
work, obsessive
around issues of
fairness, order, time
& money
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

11. ©SHRM 2013
Pushes Beliefs
personal. leadership. transformation.
“Your opinion matters.”
“I respect your conviction.”
“You role model company values.”
“I know you will follow through on
your promises.”
“You are so dedicated.”
positive intervention
Conviction
Fear, compliance,
resentment,
prejudice, secrecy
Workplace
Consequences
Crusades around
own beliefs, black &
white thinking,
suspicious of others
who don’t share
beliefs
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

12. ©SHRM 2013
Makes Mistakes
personal. leadership. transformation.
“You are a special part of this
team.”
“We care about you.”
“Your feelings matter.”
“You look nice today.”
“I baked you cookies for your
birthday.”
positive intervention
Recognition of Person & Sensory
Avoidance of
conflict, loss of
confidence, costly
mistakes
Workplace
Consequences
Loses confidence,
makes silly
mistakes, invites
criticism, puts self
down, neglects self-
care
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

13. ©SHRM 2013
Blaming
personal. leadership. transformation.
“Hey man, this is gonna be fun!”
“I know it sucks, and the deadline is
still Friday!”
“How about some hoops over lunch
before we get back to work?”
“If you stink, we all sink!!”
positive intervention
Contact (upbeat & lively)
Low accountability
and follow-through,
loss of creativity
Workplace
Consequences
Blames others,
avoids
responsibility, acts
blameless, whines
and complains
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

14. ©SHRM 2013
Withdrawal
personal. leadership. transformation.
“Make a list of priorities, and do
the first one today.”
“Organize your inbox and report
back at lunch.”
“Take time to yourself over lunch.”
“Check in with me every Tuesday.”
positive intervention
Solitude (with direction)
Productivity suffers,
high chance of
turnover
Workplace
Consequences
Isolates, starts
projects but doesn’t
finish them, doesn’t
ask for direction,
avoids people
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

15. ©SHRM 2013
Manipulating
personal. leadership. transformation.
“Bet you can’t get that project done
before Thursday.”
“Make sure everyone is on board
and you can take the afternoon off.”
“Come up with a strategy to
increase sales by 10% and you get a
bonus.”
positive intervention
Incidence
Problems with
accountability, in-
fighting, drama
Workplace
Consequences
Manipulates
others, breaks or re-
defines rules, starts
negative drama, sets
up unhealthy
competition
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

16. ©SHRM 2013
SHRM/Globoforce Employee
Recognition Survey - April 2012.
•29% of 770 employees
surveyed were satisfied
with their
organization’s
recognition efforts.
•43% among
organizations who had
a formal recognition
program.
4%
8%
24%
22%
22%
20%
Contact
Person/Sensory
Conviction
Work/Time
Incidence
Solitude
Thursday, April 18, 13

17. ©SHRM 2013
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Who’s Included in Gallup Q12?
Work/Time Conviction
Person/Sensory Contact
Incidence Solitude
1) Do you know what is expected of you at work?
2) Do you have the materials and equipment to do your
work right?
3) At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you
do best every day?
4) In the last seven days, have you received recognition
or praise for doing good work?
5) Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to
care about you as a person?
6) Is there someone at work who encourages your
development?
7) At work, do your opinions seem to count?
8) Does the mission/purpose of your company make
you feel your job is important?
9) Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to
doing quality work?
10) Do you have a best friend at work?
11) In the last six months, has someone at work talked to
you about your progress?
12) In the last year, have you had opportunities to learn
and grow?
Selective Hearing
Thursday, April 18, 13

18. ©SHRM 2013
Treating everyone the same gets mediocre
performance and reinforces unrealistic
expectations about fairness
A Few Implications...
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Most incentive/reward systems are limited
because they only address a few motivators.
Company polices that target negative
attention behaviors are largely ineffective
Persons who get their needs met spend less
time worrying about what others are getting,
focus more on their work, and are happier.
Thursday, April 18, 13

19. ©SHRM 2013
So what?
What might this mean for your talent
development efforts?
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thursday, April 18, 13

20. ©SHRM 2013
nate@next-element.com
316-772-6174
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smartphone to access tips and tools for
dealing with different communication
styles.
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personal. leadership. transformation.
Thursday, April 18, 13

21. ©SHRM 2013
Summer 2013
Meanwhile, take our free
Drama Assessment at
drama.next-element.com
Thursday, April 18, 13

22. ©SHRM 2013
personal. leadership. transformation.
Copyright Kahler Communications, Inc. 2013
Thank you for coming today!
Questions?
Thursday, April 18, 13