Paul Gavoni
Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni has spent decades helping individuals and organizations elevate their performance and improve behaviors across a wide range of industries, including education, human services, and even combat sports. Over his career, he's held roles like COO, Professor, Vice President, School Administrator, and School Turnaround Manager—demonstrating a deep mastery of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and a passion for making a meaningful impact. As the Director at the Professional Crisis Management Association, founder of Heart & Science International, LLC, and co-founder of The Behavioral Toolbox, Paulie provides practical, science-driven strategies to tackle even the toughest challenges.
Paulie is committed to using behavior analysis to bring out the best in people and teams. He’s known for delivering straightforward, candid insights that cut through the noise, but he doesn’t stop at identifying problems—he delivers real, workable solutions. With a mix of no-nonsense honesty and a good dose of humor, Paulie makes complex issues understandable and actionable, earning him a reputation as a trusted and effective problem-solver.
A Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author, Paulie's numerous #1 best-selling books and top-rated podcasts bring innovative and practical approaches to a wide audience, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application.
In the world of combat sports, Paulie is known as Coach Paulie Gloves. As a former Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion, he’s brought his competitive experience to coaching, helping fighters achieve championships at every level—from local to international. His unique ability to apply behavioral science principles to training has shown that peak performance is possible for anyone with the right guidance.
As a sought-after speaker, Paulie combines deep expertise with a down-to-earth and engaging style, connecting with audiences around the globe. His philosophy centers on integrity, continuous growth, positive transformation, and practical impact—making him a genuine force for meaningful change.
Presentation at the ABA International Conference 2024
From Intention to Impact: OBM, Systems, and Adaptive Intelligence in Organizations
Abstract:
Behavioral challenges are emerging across industries—from performance gaps and disengagement to toxic work cultures and resistance to change. Addressing these challenges takes more than motivational speeches or top-down directives. It takes strong leadership and well-designed, values-driven systems that reinforce the behaviors needed for people and organizations to thrive. Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) offers a practical, science-based approach for doing just that—ensuring the right behaviors are reinforced at every level, from frontline teams to the C-suite.
From an evolutionary standpoint, survival depends on behaviors selected by their consequences. The same is true in organizations: behaviors that produce value must be consistently reinforced to drive sustainable success. Leaders must zoom in and out—analyzing moment-to-moment contingencies (proximal causes) and long-term reinforcement patterns (ultimate causes) to shape cultures of accountability, adaptability, and performance.
But performance isn’t just about managing others—it’s also about developing Adaptive Intelligence within ourselves and our teams. That means equipping people to regulate their behavior, navigate internal discomfort, and act in alignment with shared values—even in the face of stress, uncertainty, or external pressure. Leadership, in this context, isn’t about control. It’s about cultivating alignment—between behavior and values, intentions and actions, systems and outcomes.
This session delivers practical OBM strategies for building high-performing systems, enhancing service delivery, and growing leadership capacity across all levels of an organization. Participants will leave with tools to drive lasting behavior change—ensuring not just better leadership, but stronger, more resilient organizations.