Bringing Out the Best in All of Us: A Tribute to Aubrey C. Daniels, Ph.D.
Bringing Out the Best in All of Us: A Tribute to Aubrey C. Daniels, Ph.D.
Nicholas L. Weatherly, Ph.D.
Dr. Aubrey C. Daniels passed away on March 1, 2025 at the age of 89, peacefully with family by his side, leaving behind an unmatched legacy and even greater fond memories of a generous and caring man who will be sorely missed. There is not a single person out there practicing Organizational Behavior Management that has not, directly or indirectly, been impacted by Aubrey’s work. His impact cannot be understated and I’m confident it will grow exponentially through those friends, family, colleagues, and mentees that carry out his legacy every day.
Upon receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in clinical psychology in 1965, Aubrey became a staff psychologist at the Georgia Mental Health Institute, eventually moving to the Georgia Regional Hospital, Atlanta as the Director of Psychology. Aubrey’s historic vision and passion for innovation was quickly in full display, finding ways to maximize the use of technology and expand behavior-analytic applications to not only enhance clinical performance, but also staff performance and organizational efficiency. Even in the 1960’s before computer technology was the user-friendly innovation that, today, is a daily fixture in our personal and professional lives, Aubrey used computers to monitor key clinical and administrative metrics, update individualized client treatment plans, and even developed computerized token economies for 500 clients.
Aubrey’s early work was vast, spanning clinical applications, staff training and development, work with schools to improve academic skills, and offering support to industry professionals to support their employment of underserved individuals who had struggled to obtain and maintain employment. This work eventually led him to a former NFL quarterback, Fran Tarkenton, whose academic-training company Aubrey found when looking for resources to assist with academic performance improvement. Aubrey and Fran eventually formed Behavioral Systems, Inc. (BSI), one of the first behavioral consultancies centered on using the science of behavior to impact business and industry. Aubrey eventually left BSI to found Aubrey Daniels & Associates in 1978, which would later become Aubrey Daniels International.
One thing that always stood out about Aubrey was his persistent pursuit of ensuring that those in need of behavior-analytic services were prioritized and got the respect they deserved. The ultimate value of behavior analysis is seen in those whose lives are improved by the science and this was a central value for Aubrey. This not only led Aubrey to push the boundaries of how behavior analysis can be applied to various levels of community and organizational performance, but also directly led to the creation of what we now know as Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), both in title and substance. While with BSI, Aubrey and Fran founded the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management (JOBM), where he was the first editor and, for the first time, laid out the foundation for both OBM and what would become the seminal journal applying behavior analysis to business and industry. His initial editorial in JOBM Volume 1, Number 1 in 1977 introduced the world to “organizational” “behavior” “management” and further illustrated his respect for those consumers who have a need for behavior-analytic solutions and the priority we should all have to make the science as easily accessible as possible. He noted how JOBM’s focus would be to publish work that has practical value to the manager, written in a way that can be understood by a typical manager without the need for behavior-analytic expertise, and that articles should demonstrate immediate interest and utility to the practicing manager. I strongly encourage anyone, inside and outside of OBM, to let these words, and the subsequent actions taken by Aubrey throughout his life, resonate as one could argue this should be the center of all of our work. A few years later, Aubrey continued his pursuit of disseminating consumer-centric OBM resources with the publication of Performance Management in 1989, a text originally written with Theodore Rosen, that would become arguable the most impactful text ever written applying behavior analysis to staff performance and organizational improvement.
Through his career, Aubrey continued a relentless interest in innovation and dissemination. The tools he built while leading ADI (e.g., the PIC/NIC Analysis®, Blitz Precision Learning®) offered practical, science-based, avenues for performance improvement, and his texts such as Bringing Out the Best in People and Performance Management introduced countless students, academics, OBM practitioners, and leaders to an easy-to-follow and replicable path to applying behavior analysis to support staff in any industry. Aubrey’s philanthropy and service were persistent throughout his life, including his tenure as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army; his work with his alma mater, Furman University, where he met his lovely wife, Becky; his establishment of the Aubrey Daniels Institute, a nonprofit branch of ADI; and his service on the board of trustees and the executive board of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. Aubrey’s compassion and selflessness were felt by countless individuals fortunate enough to cross his path. They were evident in the generous time and attention he gave to anyone eager to learn more about behavior analysis, business, and the impact we can have—whether it was a stranger met in passing, a parent, a new leader, a seasoned executive, or a random kid from Western Michigan University who didn’t warrant his time but simply wanted to learn from the best and help others, and who would, eventually, have the tragic honor of writing a tribute to his life.
In conclusion, Aubrey’s legacy is timeless and will be felt through our field as long as there are those who are looking to support the most valuable part of any organization or system–the people. I encourage everyone to remember all we can learn from Aubrey and all we owe to Aubrey. Aubrey was one of the early adopters of computer technologies to enhance behavioral applications, he was instrumental in organizing one of the first behavioral conferences just a year after graduating from grad school, he co-founded a pioneering consulting firm applying behavior analysis to business and industry, Aubrey’s consultancy founded JOBM, he built arguably the most influence text in Organizational Behavior Management (Performance Management), and literally helped name the field of Organizational Behavior Management. And this just scratches the surface of his impact and legacy. He was a visionary and a continued inspiration. He will be missed and forever remembered.
Recommended Readings
Balcazar, F. E., Shupert, M. K., Daniels, A. C., Mawhinney, T. C., & Hopkins, B. L. (1989). An Objective Review and Analysis of Ten Years of Publication in the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 10(1), 7–37. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v10n01_02
Daniels, A.C. (2000). Bringing Out the Best in People. New York: McGraw Hill.
Daniels, A.C. (2009). OOPS! 13 Management Practices that Waste Time and Money. Atlanta: Performance Management Publications.
Daniels, A.C., & Bailey, J.S. (2009). Performance Management: Changing Behavior that Drives Organizational Effectiveness. Performance Management Publications.
Daniels, A. C., & Daniels, J. E. (2007). Measure of a leader: The legendary leadership formula for producing exceptional performers and outstanding results. Atlanta, GA: McGraw-Hill.
Dickinson, A. M. (2001). The Historical Roots of Organizational Behavior Management in the Private Sector: The 1950s-1980s. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 20(3–4), 9–58. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v20n03_02
Editorial Submission, H. (1977). Editorial. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 1(1), v–vii. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v01n01_a