Archive for the 'Attitudes' Category

Thanks for your work

Published April 21, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies 2 Comments
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I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the research work you do. I know about the long hours of preparing – recruiting – intervening – finding – data analyzing – writing – publishing. Your dedication to helping people on a mass scale is truly inspiring to someone like me. I’ve seen the benefits of your work. I’ve spoken to the people with better healthcare, a better outlook on life, and a sense of hope for the future. On the flipside, I’ve went to the funerals of people who didn’t have the better option. Furthermore, I’ve seen the people walking around with the hopelessness in their eyes. I know it affects you as it affects me. I know you will do anything to right this wrong.

So thank you for your dedication. I truly appreciate it.

Now go tell the rest of your staff the same thing.

Damage Control

Published April 4, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies , Marketing and Follow-up Leave a Comment
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Soon after entering the research field, I heard many mumblings of distrust among the clients. References to the Tuskegee study were common, with the whole picture painted with that brush. Our clients were dispossessed, which fed into the mindset. Many were convinced we were making big money off them. Or we were using them to have cushy jobs. 

At first I was offended. But that didn’t do me any good because you can’t sugarcoat things like Tuskegee. Here’s the one strategy I used:

Have the conversation.

Until you do, the toxicity of the topic will remain. Don’t avoid it. Inquire more about their beliefs, and how they came about. Respond with your own beliefs about Tuskegee. You may agree with them. But make sure to explain the legitimacy of your study in detail before your conversation ends. Opening up will only create more buy-in for your project. 

Seth Godin put out a helpful post about this topic.

Bottom line: Listen to your clients. Share your views too.

Q & A with a Great Tracker

Published March 20, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies Leave a Comment
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Will you get a great follow-up rate?
Yes.

What are you thinking when you can’t find your clients the easy way?
Now’s the fun part. But it’s still easy.

How do you deal with elusive people?
They can run but they can’t hide.

Do you ever get frustrated?
Sure. But then I get to harness my creativity.

What would you say to a frustrated tracker?
Here’s your chance to help a lot of people…and impress a lot of people.

What’s your favorite part of this job?
Doing detective work for a good cause. Great party conversation!

Any final thoughts for the people reading this?
You will succeed if you really want to.

The “P” Word

Published March 13, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies 1 Comment
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Preparation. It’s a dirty word because it goes against immediacy. There’s no benefit now. But there are ramifications. One of them can be witnessed at any prevention research conference. Many researchers express concern because their attrition rate is through the roof. Unfortunately, they didn’t prepare accordingly. However, I will say that most haven’t been exposed to the proper resources for doing so.

On a related note, Seth Godin released another great post recently. It reflects on how people have the time to complain about the current situation, but little time to prepare for the oncoming emergency.

Assume every client’s phone number will be disconnected in a month. What would you need to do then? Whatever it is, plan to use the strategies from the get-go. Think about time, money, IRB approval and HIPAA.

Then prepare accordingly.

Saying “Yes” Helps Your Research

Published March 2, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies , Marketing and Follow-up Leave a Comment
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Today I read a great post by Seth Godin that got me thinking. When people want something, they want to hear “yes.” If you can’t say it,  at least try to give another alternative. If you say “no,” people walk. This is just as applicable in the research setting as it is to the buying public.

1. Follow-up workers (RAs)
As long as you’re playing within the rules, being a “yes” worker will build client rapport faster than anything. Clients will trust you’re doing what’s best for them. As a result, they will go out of their way for you, including coming back in for follow-up.

In the office, you will be seen as a listener, a problem solver, a team player and a goal-oriented rock star of a worker. If someone doesn’t see you as such, their tenure may be limited. You know why? Because you will get results. They will struggle.

2. Managers/PIs
Supporting your staff  will only produce great research and a positive view of your work, both internally and externally. So listen to them. Ask them for their opinions. When they ask for something, either say “yes” or give them other options. If you’re consistently saying “no” to your staff, they will say “no” to you through their work.

What do I say to comments?

Yes.

Trust Your Gut Instinct

Published February 27, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies , Going by addresses , Phone calliing 1 Comment
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A couple weeks ago Nature Neuroscience released a study about our gut instincts. When they kick in, we may actually be accessing memories we didn’t know we had. Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in his book “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.” In the movie “Heat” (above), the characters use it to great effect throughout the story.

When doing follow-up work, it will serve you well to trust your instincts. Whether you’re getting locating information, calling clients, or trying to convince them to come back in, trust your gut about what’s going on. If you sense that something’s amiss or going well, trust it and react accordingly.

If you’re out in the field, your instincts are crucial. Safety is the utmost importance, so listen to what your gut is telling you.

I did. It makes a huge difference in the possibility for success.

If I Can Do It…

Published February 16, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies , Uncategorized 1 Comment
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You can do it. You’ve heard it a ton, but the phrase works with research follow-up. I didn’t start out confident in finding the unfindable. Let me give you a little context.

I grew up in North Dakota. Now, there’s only about 12 people in North Dakota, and everyone knew everyone else. For instance, I spent my childhood in a town where a typical newspaper article stated something like “Ferguson Grandparents Visit This Weekend.” You think I’m joking. Anyways, you ask a neighbor where Billy is, and lo and behold…

So this naive North Dakota farm boy moves to inner city Denver. Then gets hired by a university to work on a longitudinal study with hardcore drug users. Why’d they hire me? Had to be my character, because I had no research or tracking experience at all, and I didn’t lie in my interview.

Let’s step back. You know how much experience I had with hardcore drug users? The “hardcore” ND life consisted of guys putting back a case of Milwaukee’s Best in one night.

Now I get to follow-up on heroin and crack users. I was terrified. Not for my safety, but for the job and research. So I tried out the “hip to the streets” bit (similar to this scene from “Stir Crazy” [language warning]). My clients ate me up alive. So I dropped the act and let it flow naturally, for better or for worse.

Fast-forward 4 years, when I’m a guest speaker at a NIDA conference, training 300 PhDs and RAs on how to find research subjects who’ve gone missing.

It’s been a crazy, great journey, but here’s the point:

You and your project can achieve an amazing follow-up rate.

If I can do it, you can do it. So let’s get started…

Client Tracking: Make it a Game

Published February 11, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies 2 Comments
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Bill Russell was a genius. He was smarter than anyone on the floor, and everyone knew it. He was the best player on a team that won 11 championships. That’s a lot.

Russell utilized many attitudes that can bring you success in the game of research follow-up, so here’s a couple to get started:

1. Change the whole game.
The rules of basketball were no different for Russell. But he revolutionized how you played within those rules. When I started my position at the University, the idea of researching public records on the internet was foreign to my organization. The rules allowed it, so I did it.

2. Do things they didn’t think could be done.
After we concluded our first study, I found out people in a higher tax bracket thought this project was dead in the water. The locator information was scant and pretty much B.S. But I didn’t see it that way, and I refused to buy into it. My crew and I got creative and the rest was history.

3. Winning is everything.
If someone asks me to name the one thing that led to my success in finding the unfindable, I say this: I made it a game. I love winning and hate losing. So every time I came to work, I entered the game. Was the game frustrating at times? Sure. But we won. Why? Because we never saw losing as a possibility. We knew we would win, and we did.

And you know the best part, besides the findings we produced? People saw us as geniuses in the game of research follow-up.

That’s a good feeling people!

You know what feels even better? Leaving comments. Hit it and quit it!

Preventing Follow-up Burnout: Strategy #1

Published February 3, 2009 Attitudes , Burn out , Follow-up Strategies Leave a Comment
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If you’re hearing a lot negativity among your research workers regarding follow-up, or you’re experiencing it yourself, burnout is present. It’s a real threat to every research project. I know, I experienced it myself.  But it’s only a viewpoint not based in  reality. This post is the first in a series of strategies to address and overcome burnout. So without further ado, my first suggestion is…

Watch “Stand and Deliver” with your staff

First, most workers like watching a good flick. It might be a good break for people. But this is no ordinary movie. Yes, it does fall into the overcoming odds formula of Hollywood. But it’s the way the teacher inspires them to overcome the odds of Calculus that is fascinating. So a couple of things to do before you watch it:

1. DON’T announce you’re going to watch “Stand and Deliver.” Say you’re going to do “team building.”

2. Perform a short (10 minute) ideation session before the movie comparing Calculus and Research Follow-up. If they are burnt out, they will find several. Then announce you’re going to watch the movie.

3. After you watch the movie, open up the discussion. Have the Research Assistants explain what they got out of it and have the Managers/Associates explain what they got out of it.  No one rides for free!!!

So cook up some popcorn and watch a good flick. You’ll be surprised what you get out of it.

And make sure to email me about how it went or comment.

Public Records Databases: It’s all in the name

Published January 15, 2009 Attitudes , Follow-up Strategies , Skip tracing Leave a Comment
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If you don’t have an accurate Social Security Number on a client, you need to keep something in mind. In order to get the best information on this research client, one question will determine your public records strategy:

How common is their name?

John Smith
With him, you’re going to have to be creative to get the right public records. If you just submit that name in a search, you’re going to get a phone book of results. Not only will you have to input the full name, but you will have to put in a city, state and possibly a year of birth. You could search by a previous address, if you had it. If an SSN is associated with the name at that address, click it and reap the rewards.

There is one way you can ease the pain: get John’s middle name at his first appointment. Even a middle initial is huge. With common names, you need any differentiation possible.

Joey Joe Joe Jr. Shabadoo
The future’s looking bright. You could probably search the whole United States just by the last name (if allowed) and see what comes up. Anyone with that last name will likely be a relative.

Also, just put the name in Google. Any match has to be your man. I found a client from several years previous because his crazy name was mentioned in a newspaper from out-of-state.


Lesson: Note the uniqueness of their name before you get their information. If it’s John Smith, go the extra mile to get as much as you can.

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Ben Van Hunnik

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