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Behaviour becomes more automatic the more often it is repeated. Over time, we can find ourselves reacting on autopilot, without stopping to consider the choices we have. When this happens, we may miss opportunities to respond differently, intervene early, or de-escalate a situation before risk increases.
Setting individuals up for success means moving away from automatic reactions and towards calm, intentional responses. It involves noticing what is driving the behaviour in front of us, and planning how we can support the child, young person, or adult to experience success. By doing this, we create conditions where we encourage behaviour we want to see and avoid unnecessary restrictive practices.
A planned approach allows us to respond rather than react. It focuses on understanding the person, adapting our communication, and shaping the environment so they are better able to cope with challenges and make safer, more positive choices.
Our previous experiences shape how we feel, behave, and respond. The Team Teach Conflict Spiral describes how experiences, feelings, thoughts, and behaviours feed into one another.
Download the Conflict Spiral poster.
Imagine rotating the Conflict Spiral so you are looking down through the centre. Each loop represents a sequence: an experience leads to a feeling; that feeling drives a behaviour; the behaviour triggers a response; and the response becomes part of the next experience.
The more this cycle repeats, the more automatic the behaviours become. Without careful support, the cycle can become entrenched, increasing the likelihood of conflict and raising the risk of restrictive practices.
Setting individuals up for success means unpicking the experiences and feelings driving the behaviour. When we understand these, we can create a toolkit of strategies to redirect behaviour, support regulation, and break the cycle so different outcomes become possible.
As professionals, the part we can control most is our own response. The most effective way to influence another person’s behaviour is to change how we respond to it.
When someone receives a calm, predictable, and supportive response, it gently shifts their experience. Over time, this builds new associations, shapes safer feelings, and supports more constructive behaviours. Small shifts in our response can help individuals create new cycles of success.
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