Ethics Skill Builder - Employee Performance

Ethics Skill Builder

Topic: Employee Performance 

Developed By:

Tyra Sellers, JD, PhD, BCBA-D

Owner, TP Sellers, LLC; Scholar-in-Residence, Pass the Big ABA Exam

Sarah Lichtenberger, PhD, BCBA-D

Director of Process and Knowledge, BehaviorLive, LLC

APBA Ethics SME Workgroup

The Challenge: 

Morgan (he/him) is a clinician supervising a team of technicians in a clinic. One tech, Jamie (she/they), has recently demonstrated inconsistent performance. Jamie frequently misses critical data-collection opportunities during sessions, implements procedures with low fidelity, and submits late documentation.

Morgan has begun addressing these concerns during group supervision by referencing common errors observed across the team, sometimes specifically using Jamie’s mistakes as examples. Over time, Jamie has become quieter and less engaged and has not sought out additional support. In a recent individual supervision meeting, Morgan told Jaime he expects her performance to improve immediately.

Morgan is concerned about client outcomes but is unsure how to effectively address Jamie’s performance while maintaining a supportive supervisory environment. What should Morgan do next?

Read the action steps from Drs. Sellers & Lichtenberger here.