Behavioral statements transform vague complaints into specific observations. These statements clarify 'Amy drives too fast' by providing details about how often and by how much she exceeds the speed limit. Similarly, observations are made about a man likely missing his bus and an audience reacting to a stain on a speaker's pants.
Turning personal complaints into observable behavioral statements requires specificity about the complained behavior. Below are the examples of how this is done:
- When complaining that 'Amy drives too fast', an observable statement might be, 'During our last five car rides together, I noticed Amy exceeded the speed limit by at least 10 mph, despite varying road conditions and posted speed limits.'
- For the statement about a man running after a bus, an observational statement could be, 'I see a man who appears to be in his thirties, at approximately 8 a.m., waving frantically and running towards a moving bus, indicating he might have missed his bus.'
- Speaking about a person being laughed at during a speech due to something on their clothing, an observable description might be, 'While delivering a presentation at noon, several audience members began to laugh and point towards a large coffee stain on the speaker’s pants.'