Evaluation of On-the-Job Behavior
Change Results
of Interviewing With Style by Tim Gard
Presented May 20, 1999
Income Maintenance workers who attended the ‘Interviewing with Style’ training were asked to use a Training Impact Evaluation for the course. To enable data gathering for this
Evaluation form, workers were given the assignment of applying any techniques presented in the course in three separate interviews.
The goal of this evaluation is to assess how likely it is that the Interviewing with Style training results in behavior change.
On the whole, worker responses indicate that the training had a very positive impact --some behaviors were changed, new behaviors were learned and applied. The Council Bluffs Region is
fortunate to have many years of experience represented in its IM staff. Some of these experienced workers state in the evaluations that they already knew the techniques presented in the
course or noted on the form that applying the technique was not a change in their behavior. For others, the techniques were very new and comments on the forms were enthusiastic. Because
anecdotal evidence helps make reports more real, some of these comments are reproduced at the end of this report.
Learned behaviors most often tried and reported were
¨
Greeting the client with a handshake and introduction—workers observed that
greeting the client and engaging in some small talk helped put the client at ease and helped establish rapport.
¨
the power of silence—some workers reported realizing that they had previously
been “filling in the blanks” themselves. This technique helps clients realize the worker is going to wait for an answer that they are responsible for.
¨
open ended questions—this technique was reported as leading to more accurate
information
¨
Explaining what is needed and why—workers noted positive differences in client
cooperation and in interview progress when the reasons for the interview and its questions, and how these related to client eligibility were explained first.
¨
gaining understanding of the client’s intentions, beliefs, motivations—workers
wrote that this helped them understand the client’s responses and actions, and better work with the client
¨
having eye contact, showing an interest—workers reported that the client was
more willing and the interviews went better when these were used
¨
investigative techniques –when appropriate, these techniques were found to
work, improving accuracy of information (though not always client satisfaction) and
¨
closing techniques—various ways to cue the client that the interview is ending
were tried and valued
45 workers returned Evaluation forms for three interviews, 4 workers returned forms for only two interviews and 5 workers returned forms for only one interview.
This means that results were reported for 148 interviews. There were multiple response areas on the form and workers often listed more than one response for an item on the form.
The Training Impact Evaluation form lists these under ‘Topic Trained’ down the left hand column: Contact and control (instant rapport, getting to yes, power of silence); Framework
(boundaries, frame of reference, truth and consequences); Environment (credibility); Understanding of client (intentions, beliefs, motivation); Detective work (questions, investigation);
Counseling, coach; and Closing the Interview. The other columns are ‘How used in Interview?’; ‘Change from previous interview behavior?’; and ‘Impact: positive or negative?’
The form turns out to have been too complex for use ‘on the job’, well after the training session. Workers did very well at reporting techniques applied, fairly well at naming the
techniques but not as well at reporting those techniques consistently in the seven categories. If workers have learned and applied interviewing techniques presented in a short training
session, whether or not the techniques are understood or reported in a certain category is not important to evaluating results. The responses then, are reported and subtitled here by
technique applied but the report does not divide techniques by the seven categories.
|
Number with this response |
Subtitle/
How used in interview
|
Was this a change for worker? |
Was the impact positive or negative? |
|
|
Introduce self, offer handshake
|
|
|
|
16 |
Offer handshake, introduce self, make small talk on way to office, etc |
Yes |
Positive |
|
4 |
Offer handshake, introduce self, make small talk on way to office, etc |
No |
Positive |
|
|
Explain what’s needed and why
|
|
|
|
25 |
Explained what and why |
Yes |
Positive |
|
4 |
Explained what and why |
No or blank |
Negative / NA/blank |
|
11 |
Explained what and why |
No |
Positive |
|
5 |
Explained what and why
|
Blank |
Positive |
|
1 |
Discussed needs |
Unknown |
Positive |
|
|
Gain an understanding of client
|
|
|
|
6 |
Gain understanding of client intentions, beliefs, motivation |
No |
Blank or NA |
|
1 |
Gain understanding of client intentions, beliefs, motivations |
Yes |
Negative |
|
44 |
Gain understanding of client
Intentions, beliefs, motivations |
Yes |
Positive |
|
7 |
Gain understanding of client intentions, beliefs, motivations
|
No |
Positive |
|
9 |
Gain understanding of client intentions beliefs, motivations |
Blank |
Blank |
|
3 |
Gain understanding of client intentions beliefs, motivations |
No |
Negative |
|
1 |
Gave referral info pertinent to client situation
|
Blank |
Blank |
|
3 |
Gave referral info pertinent to client situation |
Yes |
Positive |
|
2 |
Gain understanding of client intentions beliefs, motivations |
Blank |
Positive |
|
|
Starting w easy or yes answer questions |
|
|
|
5 |
“Columbo”-start with easy questions |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Start with the yes answer questions |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Start with the yes answer questions |
Blank |
Positive |
|
|
Eye contact
|
|
|
|
24 |
Eye contact, show interest in client and what they say |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Eye contact, show interest in client and what they say |
Yes |
Blank |
|
5 |
Eye contact, show interest in client and what they say |
No |
Positive |
|
2 |
Eye contact, show interest in client and what they say |
No |
Blank |
|
Speech (of worker) |
|
|
|
4 |
Slow and or soft speech, calm tone, smile as appropriate |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Slowed when going over what is for worker repetitious information, checked for client understanding
|
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Slow and or soft speech, calm tone, smile as appropriate |
No |
Positive |
|
|
Listening
|
|
|
|
1 |
Mental movie of client situation |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Repeated what client said |
Blank |
Blank |
|
2 |
Leaning forward to listen |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Asked question and then sat quietly to let client answer |
Yes |
Positive |
|
6 |
Listening intently, not finishing sentences or filling in the blanks for the client |
Yes |
Positive |
|
|
‘Instant rapport’
|
|
|
|
5
|
‘Instant rapport’ |
Yes |
Positive |
|
5 |
‘Instant rapport’
|
No |
Positive |
|
1 |
‘Instant rapport’ |
No |
Negative |
|
|
Power of silence
|
|
|
|
11 |
Power of silence |
Yes
|
Positive |
|
4 |
Power of silence |
No |
Positive |
|
|
‘Getting to yes’
|
|
|
|
1 |
‘Getting to yes’ |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1
|
‘Getting to yes’
|
No |
Positive |
|
Focus
|
|
|
|
3 |
Letting client ramble, repeating what is said, confronting discrepancies |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Asked Has anything changed since this application was filled out? |
Positive |
|
|
1 |
Focus on the business at hand
|
No |
Positive |
|
|
Establish control
|
|
|
|
6 |
Established control with boundaries |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Established control with boundaries |
Yes |
Negative, couldn’t
|
|
2 |
Didn’t get off the subject |
Unknown |
Positive |
|
1 |
More control |
Unknown |
Positive |
|
3 |
Pacing, leading |
Yes |
Positive |
|
2
|
Established control with boundaries
|
No |
Positive |
|
|
Open ended questions
|
|
|
|
19 |
Open ended questions |
Yes
|
Positive |
|
2 |
Open ended questions
|
Yes |
Blank |
|
1 |
Open ended questions |
Yes |
Negative |
|
|
Investigative
|
|
|
|
3 |
Cover, move on, go back and review what was covered earlier |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Tried to make the story complete w more questions |
Yes |
Negative-
Couldn’t
|
|
2 |
Tried to make the story complete w more questions |
Yes |
Both positive and negative
|
|
4 |
Tactfully asked in various ways til got answer |
Yes
|
Positive |
|
3 |
Asked what has happened since last we visited |
Yes |
Positive |
|
5 |
Continued to ask for answers to unanswered questions |
Yes |
Positive |
|
2 |
Continued to ask for answers to unanswered questions |
No |
Positive |
|
1 |
Continued to ask for answers to unanswered questions |
Blank |
Blank |
|
12 |
More direct in my questions |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Asked what changes do you foresee? |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
Asked follow-up question to see if another change had happened |
Yes |
Positive |
|
1 |
| |
