Leveraging ABS Theories for Personal and Professional Growth

Abstract

Course name Instructor’s name Assignment due date Connecting the Program Courses Theories and Concepts to Personal Life The Applied Behavioral Science (ABS) program presents theories and concepts that align with personal and professional experiences and aspirations. My experience with the program was that it offered insights on my ability to develop relationships and how my behavior has affected this ability. The concepts in the ABS program describe the process of developing interpersonal skills as a student and how they inform relationships at the professional and social settings. I found insights from the course informative since they align with the experiences I had in the past professional encounters and how they inform my current and future goals (Covey, 2020). Working in at a school is factor that aligns with my personal and professional goals for the future. I learnt that the choices I have made in the past and the measures I take to pursue my goals aligns with the current relationships I have developed with other people. The Theories from the ABS program emphasize on the importance of behavior and interpersonal skills in developing relationships and I will use them to become a better person, employee, and a leader. One of the insights I got from the program is the application of leadership theories in real life decisions in organizations. Reflecting on my own experience as a leader, I find that working with other people towards a common goal is an important aspect of effective leadership. The concepts from the course demonstrate how understanding one’s behavior and that of other people can increase the capacity of a leader to bring the members of a team towards a common objective. According to Howell (2021), the behavior of a leader as well as that of their team members determines their success in building a team capable of achieving their common goals. The theory of behavior in leadership demonstrates the need for individuals to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses while working in teams. This is even more important for leaders since their behavior influences those of other people around them and their ability to achieve success for the group (Howell, 2021). I have worked in various positions in organizations that include being responsible for the activities of other people in my team. The program concepts demonstrate the significant role of behavior in leadership and the implications such experiences have on the success of the group. An individual’s behavior could make them a better or worse leader by influencing the impact they have on the actions of other people. I have worked in positions that have inspired me to become a better employee while others have had a negative impact on my individual performance. I find that concepts from the course align with my experiences as an employee working with leaders employing different strategies to achieve success. One of my most inspiring experiences as a person and an employee was about a decade ago when I was working at operations in a department with five employees. The organization was experiencing liquidity challenges and the employees feared the management would reduce its workforce and put their job security at risk. While our department was small, the members of our team feared that we could be affected by the strategy to reduce expenditure at the company. The leader of our department demonstrated that he understood our experiences and showed that he had little power to influence the decisions made by the top managers. However, his response to the situation by truthfully addressing the issues at hand assured the team members that he cared and was devoted to the members of the team. Behavior is an important aspect of leadership that influences employee behavior and affects how the members of a team can cope during a crisis. I learnt from the course that behavior affects commitment to personal and professional goals in life. I have always wanted to become a positive influence to others like they have also affected my life in a personal and professional capacity. In the modern work environment, there is little distinction between an employee’s personal and professional life (Covey, 2020). What an employee experiences at home will affect their productivity at the workplace. Similarly, the strain and burnout of the workplace will affect the personal relationships employees have with their family members and friends. As a leader, I would want the members of my team to be in an environment that facilitates productivity and efficiency while meeting their personal goals. To become a leader who positively influences others, I have to consider how the decisions I make in the workplace could have potential implications on the personal lives of team members. For instance, employees who are overworked and underpaid are likely to experience workplace burnout that affects their ability to meet the needs of the family members they support. Organizations have applied the theories from the program to improve productivity by focusing on the needs of their employees. Leaders should view their employees as their first customers and provide them with a working environment that meets their needs. Employees today have the responsibility of advocating or their organization each time they interact with an employee of other stakeholders. By gaining interpersonal skills, employees can become better advocates for their companies and portray a positive image for their employers (Adler & Proctor II, 2013). It is not sufficient that an organization proves that it makes the best products or offers quality services to employees. Leaders have to show that they take the needs of all their stakeholders into consideration when producing and selling their products and services. It is the interaction between a client and an employee that has the most significant impact on the decision to buy a product or service. In my experience, companies that have negative reputations for their treatment of employees are likely to lose clients to their competitors. The way an organization treats its employees plays a major role in demonstrating that it can meet the goals of other stakeholders (Howell, 2021). Gaining interpersonal skills ensures that leaders and their employs become advocates for the organization’s ability and dedication to the consumer’s needs. The course concepts describe interpersonal skills as an essential tool that students should gain during the completion of their studies. Learning to interact with other people affects an individual’s personal and professional wellbeing leading to better job satisfaction. Theories and concepts from the ABS program align with my personal goals and focus on education for persons with disabilities. In particular, I find the insights by Adler & Proctor II (2013) interesting on how behavior makes a better student and educator. I want my students to set their personal goals with knowledge of their strengths and the challenges they may encounter. One of my objectives is to advocate for the people who rely on programs for persons with disability to gain an equal platform to other people. My experiences have shed light on the challenges that students relying on such programs may encounter and the role of government and non-governmental actors to alleviate such challenges. The course describes the importance of interpersonal relationships in...