How Ethical Is Your Crisis Management Training?

Sarah, a school counselor, was enthusiastic about her new role in crisis intervention at her high school. Eager to equip herself with the necessary skills, she attended an eight-hour training program that promised comprehensive certification in crisis management. The training covered everything from verbal de-escalation techniques to physical restraint procedures. By the end of the day, Sarah, along with her colleagues, received certificates affirming their status as certified crisis management practitioners. Buoyed by this achievement, Sarah felt prepared and confident to handle any crisis that might arise at school.

However, reality struck a few weeks later when a volatile situation unfolded. A student, overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, became highly agitated and confrontational in the hallway. Recalling her training, Sarah stepped in to manage the crisis. She attempted to use verbal de-escalation techniques she had learned, but under the pressure of the actual crisis, her execution was not as smooth as in her training scenarios. Her voice carried a slight edge, and her body language unconsciously mirrored the student's agitation, which only served to escalate the tension.

As the student's behavior escalated, Sarah knew she needed to apply physical restraint to prevent harm to the student and others. Unfortunately, her application of the physical techniques was also flawed. The maneuvers she had practiced just a few weeks ago didn’t come to her as naturally as they had during training. Her grips were imprecise, and her timing was off, leading to a struggle that resulted in the student falling and breaking an arm.

The aftermath of the incident was devastating. The student's injury led to an uproar among parents and the community, resulting in a lawsuit against the school for negligence and improper application of crisis management techniques. Sarah was devastated; she had intended to help, yet her actions had contributed to a significant injury and legal repercussions for her school.

Fluency is a Must

This incident starkly illuminates the critical gap between training content and its effectiveness in real-world situations. While the training program Sarah attended was well-intentioned and theoretically sound, it significantly lacked depth in fluency-based practice. Fluency, in behavior analysis, is defined as the ability to perform skills smoothly, accurately, and automatically under various conditions. Importantly, fluency promotes the long-term retention of these skills, ensuring that they are not only recalled but also effectively applied long after the training has concluded.

The principles of fluency resonate strongly with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) code of ethics, which emphasizes the need for effective, empirically supported, and competent practices. For a training program to genuinely meet these standards, it must do more than simply adopt behavior analytic jargon or claim alignment with foundational research or principles from fields such as behavior analysis, neuroscience, or cognitive behavior therapy. It is essential for these programs to adopt fluency-based methodologies that not only teach behaviors but also ensure they are mastered to the extent that they become second nature, ready to be instinctively deployed in stressful situations. This deep integration of fluency ensures that the training is not just informative but transformative, equipping individuals with the capability to react both effectively and ethically under pressure.

The necessity for rigorous, repeated, and varied practice in training, as demonstrated by Sarah’s experience, is evident. To achieve fluency, training programs must provide:

• Repetitive Practice: Multiple opportunities to practice the same skills to embed them deeply.
• Variable Conditions: Exposure to a variety of scenarios that mimic real-life stress and unpredictability, which helps generalize the skills across different situations.
• Intense and Focused Sessions: Training intensity that challenges participants beyond basic comprehension to actual skill mastery.
• Continuous Feedback: Immediate and specific feedback that helps refine and correct technique on the spot.
• Regular Assessments: Ongoing evaluations to ensure that the skills are not only retained but are also executable without hesitation.
• Sustained Engagement: Follow-up sessions that reinforce skills and prevent decay over time.

Fluency-based training ensures that when a crisis strikes, the response is not only immediate and correct but also almost reflexive—thereby greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the intervention and reducing the likelihood of errors that could lead to harm or legal issues. This approach illustrates the necessity for training programs that not only adhere to ethical standards and sound principles but also prioritize the precision and depth of skill application. By integrating these elements, we can ensure that individuals are not merely trained but are truly prepared to perform under pressure, making them reliable in the face of real-world challenges.

Take Action for Ethical Excellence in Crisis Management

Are you ready to elevate your crisis management training to meet the highest ethical standards? Explore the Professional Crisis Management Association (PCMA), a leader in crisis management training for over four decades. PCMA steadfastly upholds the integrity of its programs, refusing to compromise quality for sales. With fluency-based approaches at the core, PCMA ensures that practitioners are not just trained but are truly prepared to handle crises effectively and ethically.

PCMA instructors offer seven levels of training, ranging from entirely verbal strategies to prone and supine immobilization. This tailored approach ensures that the training is suited both to the needs of the consumer and the capabilities of the practitioners, ensuring safety, efficacy, and ethical compliance.

Don’t settle for less than the best in crisis management training. Reach out to PCMA today to discover how their seasoned expertise can benefit your team. For more information on training programs or to start enhancing your crisis management skills, contact us at [email protected].

About the Author

Specializing in human performance, coaching, and organizational leadership, Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni is a behavior scientist and educator who has worked across education and human services for almost three decades. In this capacity, he has served the needs of children and adults through various positions, including COO, Vice President, Director of School Improvement, Leadership Director, Professor, Assistant Principal, School Turnaround Manager, Clinical Coordinator, Therapist, District Behavior Analyst, and Director of Progam Development and Public Relations at PCMA. Dr. Gavoni is passionate about applying Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), or the science of human behavior, to make a positive difference in establishing safe, productive, and engaging environments that bring out the best in faculty and staff so they can bring out the best in the learners they serve. He is an active board member of the Opioid Awareness Foundation and World Behavior Analysis Day Alliance.

Known for his authenticity and practical approaches, Dr. Gavoni is the host of the Top 1.5% globally ranked Crisis in Education Podcast and a sought-out speaker at various Educational and Behavior Analytic Conferences Internationally. He a the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling co-author of The Scientific Laws of Life & Leadership: Behavioral Karma; Quick Wins! Accelerating School Transformation through Science, Engagement, and Leadership; Deliberate Coaching: A Toolbox for Accelerating Teacher Performance; and MMA Science: A Training, Coaching, and Belt Ranking Guide. Dr. Gavoni is proud to introduce OBM and Applied Behavior Analysis to worldwide audiences through his numerous publications and his work with PCMA to create productive, safe, and positive cultures.

Beyond his work in education and human services, Dr. Gavoni is also a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and a highly respected striking coach in combat sports. Coach “Paulie Gloves,” as he is known in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, has trained world champions and UFC vets using technologies rooted in the behavioral sciences. Coach Paulie has been featured in the books Beast: Blood, Struggle, and Dreams a the Heart of Mixed Martial Arts, A Fighter’s Way, and the featured article Ring to Cage: How four former boxers help mold MMA’s finest. He is also an author who has written extensively for various online magazines such as Scifighting, Last Word on Sports, and Bloody Elbow, where his Fight Science series continues to bring behavioral science to MMA. Finally, Paulie was also a featured fighter in FX’s highest-rated show at the time, The Toughman, and as an MMA coach in the Lifetime reality series Leave it to Geege.