There’s a common misconception in our field that leadership is reserved for those with “Director” or “Manager” in their title. But if you’re a Board Certified Behavior Analyst working in autism services, I have news for you: you’re already a leader. Not because of your certification or your position on an organizational chart, but because of the ripples you create every single day.
The Skipping Stone Effect
Think about skipping a stone across water. The stone touches down at multiple points, and from each contact, ripples spread outward in ever-widening circles. Some stones skip once and sink. Others dance across the surface, touching down repeatedly, sending ripples that intersect and amplify each other, reaching far beyond the stone’s initial trajectory.
This is leadership in our field. Every interaction you have—with an RBT, a parent, a colleague, a client—is a point of contact. Every decision you make, every behavior you model, every word of encouragement or constructive feedback creates ripples that extend far beyond that single moment.
Leadership at Every Level
When you supervise a technician implementing a behavior plan, you’re not just overseeing compliance with protocols. You’re shaping how that person understands ethical practice, views the families they serve, and approaches problem-solving. That RBT will carry those lessons into every session they conduct, creating their own ripples with every client they support.
When you collaborate with families, helping them understand the why behind interventions and empowering them to become agents of change, you’re leading them toward competence and confidence. Those parents will advocate differently, interact differently, and see their child’s potential differently because of your leadership.
When you consult with fellow BCBAs, sharing a new perspective on a challenging case or offering support during a difficult ethical decision, you’re influencing clinical practice that extends to clients you’ll never meet. Your colleague takes that insight, applies it, refines it, and passes it forward.
Even as a technician or new clinician, you lead. You lead by example when you show up prepared, treat clients with dignity, and communicate respectfully with families. Your consistency, your compassion, and your commitment to growth create a standard that others notice and often emulate.
What Makes the Ripples Spread Further?
The quality of our leadership determines how far our influence extends. Reflective leadership—the practice of thoughtfully examining our actions, motivations, and impact—is what transforms ordinary ripples into waves of meaningful change.
Leaders ask themselves: Am I modeling the values I espouse? When I provide feedback, am I building competence or just pointing out deficits? Do I create psychological safety for the people I work with to ask questions, admit uncertainty, and learn from mistakes? Am I aware of my own biases and how they might influence my clinical decisions and interpersonal interactions?
Leaders understand context. They recognize that RBTs aren’t just implementers but crucial members of the clinical team who often have the most contact with clients. They appreciate that parents aren’t just participants in treatment but experts on their own children. They acknowledge that organizational constraints are real but don’t use them as excuses for compromising ethical practice.
Leaders embrace vulnerability. They admit when they don’t have all the answers. They seek supervision and mentorship even when it’s no longer required. They apologize when they make mistakes and model how to engage in self-correction without self-flagellation.
The Multiplier Effect
Here’s what makes this metaphor so powerful: ripples intersect. When multiple leaders—regardless of their formal position—create positive ripples in the same system, those ripples amplify each other. A director who models ethical leadership creates conditions for clinical supervisors to lead with integrity. Those supervisors empower BCBAs to practice thoughtfully. Those BCBAs develop confident, competent RBTs. Those RBTs deliver higher quality services to families. Those families become better advocates and support systems for their children.
The reverse is also true. Poor leadership creates ripples too—ones that manifest as burnout, turnover, ethical drift, and ultimately, compromised client care.
Your Daily Choice
Every day, you make choices about what kind of leader you’ll be. Will you rush through supervision, or will you invest in developing your team’s critical thinking skills? Will you merely correct errors, or will you explore why they occurred? Will you guard your knowledge, or will you share it generously?
You don’t need permission to lead. You don’t need a promotion or a title. You need only to recognize that your influence is inevitable—the only question is whether it will be intentional.
So skip that stone thoughtfully. Make multiple points of contact. Create ripples that spread far and wide. Judge your leadership not by your position, but by the reach and quality of your impact on those around you.
Because every BCBA is a leader. Including you.
About the Author
Dr. Edward Sanabria serves as Senior Director of Functional Assessment and Treatment Implementation at Centria Healthcare, where he oversees the implementation of their Foundations of Care clinical mentorship. With a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School, Dr. Sanabria is passionate about staff development, mentorship , advancing assent based care, and fostering collaboration to enhance clinical outcomes.
