Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits Summary

Dr. Leslie Braksick, the master of behavioral science, is known around the leadership community for her book Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits. In her book, Braksick discusses several significant principles that can be used to facilitate change in employee’s behavior. The following paper will discuss Braksick’s three major models that can be used to improve behavioral issues in a company. The purpose of this paper is to showcase the key principles of her book and to further elaborate on the importance of the models she creates to progress company and leadership behavior.

Nothing changes until behavior changes. The previous statement is the key concept of the book, Unlock Behavior, Unleash Profits, and is best explained by the various behavioral

models. The first model discussed in the book is the ABC model. The ABC model is described as uncovering the proper antecedents to prompt a behavior, recognizing the behavior that will produce the desired outcome and delivering consequences that correlate with the preferred result. The goal of this model is to not only improve employee behavior, but to also improve leadership to reach the “effective” level. Effective leadership will lead to top-notch performance, sustainably great behavior, and peak output. Reaching this desired level of leadership exemplifies the fulfillment of the ABC model.
The second behavior model used for effective leadership and employee behavioral change is the IMPACT Model.

The IMPACT model enables leaders to critique and tweak behaviors on an individual level. This model contains an indispensable four step process which includes methods to enact individual behavior change. “Identify & Measure your target results, Pinpoint the critical few behaviors needed, Activate & Consequate those behaviors, and Transfer fluency to sustain the behaviors” (Braksick, page 12, 2000). The third model mentioned in chapter 7 of this book is the MAKE-IT model. The four aspects of this model are simple: make it clear, make it real, make it happen and make it last. This model covers behavior issues on a macro level and is designed to target a whole organization, rather than individuals like the previous model. The goal is to make it clear to the whole company of certain acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. “Make it real” focuses on assuring that an entire organization knows the truths and consequences of the acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. “Make it happen” enacts the necessary changes and sometimes will put it in writing, such as a handbook, a posted written policy or general norms adopted by employees. “Make it last” assures the longevity of behavioral changes and guarantees the existence of the new rules in the present and

beyond.
As previously mentioned in this paper, nothing can change unless behavior changes. These three methods can be used to address a vast range of critical issues in the workplace. According to the author, these models can eventually lead to top-line growth, customer retention and loyalty, organizational innovation and initiative, and improving diversity and culture in an organization. The ABC model, IMPACT model and MAKE-IT models all have one goal in mind: to improve the overall behavior of a company and its employees. Dr. Braksick flawlessly created and demonstrated behavioral models that can be successfully reused for companies on a micro and macro level.