5 Steps to Be a Successful Leader: A Behavior Analytic Approach
In applied behavior analysis (ABA), we understand that behavior is shaped by the environment—and as a leader, you are a key part of your team's environment. Your behavior, your presence, and even your silence are variables that can influence employee behavior in meaningful ways, for better or worse. That's why successful leadership, especially within a behavior analytic framework, starts not with others but with ourselves.
Leadership isn't just about position or authority—it's about creating conditions where others can perform at their best. When we apply behavioral principles to leadership, we create environments that naturally promote engagement, innovation, and growth.
So, what does that look like in practice? Let's explore five evidence-based steps to becoming a more effective leader through behavioral science.
1. Build Rapport: Be More Than a Source of Demands
One of the quickest ways to reduce your influence as a leader is to only interact with staff when something goes wrong. If you become associated primarily with correction, punishment, or more demands, you become the thing your employees avoid.
Instead, do the following:
Be present outside of scheduled times; spend time in the break room, ask about your employees’ weekend, and show interest in their lives.
Show appreciation and gratitude authentically and frequently.
Show up for staff even when you don't need something from them.
Behaviorally speaking, you want your presence to be associated with positive outcomes— meaning you want your employees to smile and approach you when you walk in the room. This doesn't mean avoiding difficult conversations or providing corrective feedback; it means establishing a relationship foundation where those necessary interactions can be effective rather than damaging.
Consider This: You are a parent who is constantly nagging your child. If you only interacted with them to give instructions or correct behavior, then you would quickly become a cue that demands are coming. The same applies to leadership—your team should see you as a source of support, guidance, and reinforcement, not just as a signal that demands are coming.
2. Prioritize 1:1 Meetings
Dedicated 1:1 meetings with employees provide a structured, safe space for communication and problem-solving.
Set a recurring schedule, prepare an agenda, and treat these meetings as sacred. This tells your employee, "Your time and voice matter." It's important to model behaviors you want to see from your staff during these meetings (i.e., being prepared, being on time, etc.).
From a behavioral perspective, these meetings serve multiple functions:
They provide a consistent and predictable time for communication.
They create a designated environment for feedback (both giving and receiving).
They establish a predictable routine that reduces uncertainty.
The most effective 1:1 meetings balance structure with flexibility. Create a shared agenda where both parties can add items, begin with wins and positive feedback, address challenges collaboratively, and end with clear next steps. Remember that listening is often more valuable than speaking. Practice active listening skills and resist the urge to immediately problem-solve before fully understanding the situation.
3. Set Boundaries
Becoming an effective supervisor requires intentional boundary-setting, especially for those promoted from within and when moving from peer to supervisor. Without it, you risk role confusion, favoritism, or possible resentment.
Some guiding rules:
Refrain from engaging in workplace gossip.
Keep relationships professional but friendly.
Limit excessive socialization outside of the workplace (especially when you don’t socialize with everyone).
In behavioral terms, boundaries establish clear contingencies for your working relationships. They help create discriminative stimuli that signal appropriate workplace interactions versus personal ones. Just as you establish session boundaries with clients, leaders must establish professional boundaries with their teams.
These boundaries protect both you and your team. They ensure equity in how you distribute your attention and resources, prevent ethical dilemmas, and create psychological safety for everyone. However, boundaries shouldn't become walls; they should be clear, consistent, and compassionate.
Effective boundary-setting includes:
Communicating expectations clearly and upfront
Consistently following through on stated boundaries
Acknowledging when exceptions might be necessary and being transparent about why
4. Practice Ongoing Self-Reflection
Great leadership requires continuous self-monitoring. It is not uncommon for unconscious biases to influence our behavior.
Be mindful of subtle biases or patterns regarding when and how you provide feedback.
Reflect on how your experiences influence your leadership style.
Be objective and make data-based decisions.
Adjust your behavior based on data—feedback from staff, performance outcomes, or even your own emotional responses.
Self-reflection is a powerful tool for continually evaluating your own leadership style by examining the variables that influence your behavior and gaining insight into why you may respond similarly—or differently—in the future.
This might include the following:
Tracking your responses to different team members to ensure equity
Noticing emotional reactions that might influence decision-making
Identifying patterns in which behaviors you tend to reward or punish
Seeking feedback about your leadership impact from diverse sources
Consider keeping a leadership journal where you record significant interactions, decisions, and reflections. This creates a data set you can analyze for patterns over time. Collecting data on our own leadership behavior yields insights for improvement.
5. Model Behavior
Leadership isn't about charisma or titles—it's about behavior. From ethics to policies, the behaviors you engage in daily send signals about what is truly valued. If you expect professionalism, you must consistently behave professionally. If ethical behavior matters, you must demonstrate it in all circumstances.
Ultimately, your behavior should align with your expectations.
Modeling applies to both technical skills and cultural values. Your team is constantly watching how you
Respond to stress and challenges.
Handle mistakes (both yours and others').
Prioritize tasks and manage time.
Communicate with colleagues and stakeholders.
Uphold organizational values when tested.
Effective modeling requires consistency between your words and actions. The discrepancy between what leaders say and what they do creates confusion and undermines trust. When you consistently model desired behaviors, you establish clear discriminative stimuli for what success looks like in your organization.
Putting It All Together
The behavioral approach to leadership recognizes that our actions, not our intentions, determine our effectiveness. By intentionally shaping your behavior according to these five principles, you create an environment where your team can thrive.
Remember that leadership, like any behavior, improves with practice, feedback, and reinforcement. Be patient with yourself as you develop these skills, collect data on what's working, and adjust your approach based on the outcomes you observe.
What leadership behaviors will you focus on reinforcing this week?
