<p> GOOD SUPERVISOR/BAD SUPERVISOR EXERCISE</p><p>Purpose: This exercise is intended to convince the audience (parents, teachers, direct care staff) to use more positive behavior management strategies and to minimize the use of coercion when attempting to motivate change in the behavior of their child (can also be used in couples counseling).</p><p>1. On an eraser board or paper, draw a vertical line to make 2 columns. On the left side, write the header “Good” and on the right, write “Bad.” 2. Have audience think of the best supervisor they have ever had. If the audience has limited work experience, they can use a teacher or other authority figure. 3. Have them describe this person’s supervisory style. Write down descriptors that they identify under the header “Good.” 4. Prompt additional descriptors and add to the list, by asking the following questions: a. How did this person respond when you did your work well? b. How did this person respond when you made mistakes? 5. When the list is complete, as the following questions: a. How did this person’s management style affect your motivation to try your best? b. How did this person’s management style affect your willingness to go “above and beyond”? Would you be willing to do things not even required in your job description? c. How did this person’s management style affect your willingness to talk with them if you were having a problem getting your work done? d. How did this person’s management style affect your feelings and behavior toward them? e. How did this person’s management style affect your feelings of self-confidence and self esteem? 6. Repeat this process with the worst supervisor (or teacher, other authority figure), asking the same follow up questions. 7. Explain how their parenting style will have the same effect on the motivation of their child. If they “supervise” their child like the good supervisor they identified, they will have the same effect on their child that the “good” supervisor had on them (e.g., motivated to try their best, willing to discuss issues and spend time with them). If they “supervise” their child like the “bad” supervisor they identified, they will have the same result that the bad supervisor had on them (e.g., minimum effort, sabotage, avoidance, want revenge). 8. Encourage them to catch themselves when they are doing (or thinking about doing) “bad supervisor” behavior and think “How would [good supervisor] handle this situation?”</p>