Brains in Crises
June 7, 2010
Barbara Strauch wants Baby Boomers to stop worrying about their ‘senior moments.’
Her latest book, “The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain,” attempts to explain what’s going on when middle-age men and women walk from one room to another but can’t remember why.
You’ll be happy to know that there are a raft of scientists and psychologists studying brain functioning and trying to figure out what’s going on. But Ms Strauch, who admits to being among the age group she’s trying to put at ease, wants everyone to know, it’s normal, and better yet, it’s nothing to worry about.
Her book, like many written by journalist is easy to read and well written. I’m not sure you’d call it scholarly but it accomplishes its purpose.
If you’re middle aged there are changes in your brain that make it tougher to learn, and remember. But, she notes, our mature brains are much better at number of things, such as recognizing patterns and putting things in context, that allow us to keep up with our younger co-workers.
She points out a number of factors which seem to impact better brain function and then spends the last chapter explaining what we can do about it. Unfortunately she notes there’s no real evidence that all those Brain Games, given away on NPR fund-raisers, really make any difference.
Fist of all, even those that have been rigorously tested in double-blind longitudinal studies, base their conclusions on self reporting. Additionally, only one of the games have even been subject to any testing – sponsored by the game manufacturers – and the rest are just basing their claims on marketing hype.
“The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain” is a followup to her book on teenager brain function. It’s an interesting read and should help a lot of Baby Boomers laugh at the endless collection of jokes about our absent minded antics.
It’s worth a read to find out what really going in our brain on as we age.
Decisions, Decisions
May 6, 2010
“How We Decide”, a fascinating book by Jonah Lehrer, is another is the long line of texts trying to explain to the general public how our brains work.
Lehrer uses real life examples to illustrate science, helping us understand the split-second decisions made by NFL quarterbacks, airline pilots, and even soldiers in combat situations.
A good portion of the book retraces many of the points made by the now-popular science of behavioral economics – books such as “Freakonomics,’ ‘Predictably Irrational’ and ‘Nudge.’ In fact all these books seem to use the same set of experiments to prove their points.
As their most basic level they all help us understand why marketing works as well as it does.
But Lehrer’s biggest contribution may be his last few chapters as he explains the process that scientists think goes on in our brains as we make a decision. Using fMRI which measures brain activity, they can look at which sections of the brain are most active as we make various kinds of decisions. Everything from simple “either-or” choices to more complex moral decisions based on values that are ingrained at a very early age.
His conclusion,- that decisions are basically a three way battle – suggests that the best tactic is to let brain’s thought centers battle things out, while you take a break.
Unconsciously, your brain will make a decision and your conscious mind will announce it. It may seem like an unconscious act but you really have no idea what was going on in your brain.
One section I found particularly helpful is the explanation of what’s really going on when we’re positive we have the right answer to almost anything. From politics to predicting human behavior, Lehrer notes, if we’re that sure, we’re probably wrong because we tend to ignore facts that don’t support the decision we already made.
So if you’re looking for something that’s easy to read on the beach but has a little more substance than that romance novel or murder mystery, try ‘How We Decide,’ and see what’s really going on between your ears.
Business Strategy
March 1, 2010
One of the largest hotels on the Big Island of Hawaii announced last spring that they would be closing for September and October for major renovations but that they would reopen November 1.
The announcement was a major blow to the many workers who depend on the hotel, but since the facility was among the oldest on the island, a closure during the year’s slowest season did not seem unreasonable.
The employees took the news in stride, more or less, but everyone watched anxiously to see what changes might be in store. As the two months progressed, what many assumed would be a burst of activity and employment for construction workers became mostly a bust.
No huge delivery of material or even new furniture was seen and as September turned to October the locals began to suspect the ‘renovation’ was nothing more than an excuse to cut costs during a slow period and get ready for the December-March season.
As no news was announced the employees grew increasingly nervous wondering if the hotel would indeed open. After all, with tourism down dramatically it wasn’t too much of a stretch to image the owners just throwing in the towel.
But in early winter, as the employees were allowed to return to work they breathed a sigh of relief as they cleaned, polished and readied to hotel for guests. The ‘soft opening’ saw 100 rooms occupied and the employees declared their personal recession over.
But it raises the question: Could your business just close up and hope for better times. Would your brand be strong enough to survive?
Money, Money, Money
February 27, 2010
Spent a day recently at the Money Coaching Institute in Petaluma California. Deborah Price and Steve Shagrin have developed a unique program to analyze how people relate to money.
Deborah and Steve have developed a series of archetypes which can help anyone deal with their tendencies. From a holistic coaching standpoint I was interested to see how money issues can impact virtually every aspect of your life.
I urge you to visit Deborah’s website and take the Money-Type Quiz. Just keep in mind that all the ‘types’ they outline are often present in all of us, although one type usually predominates.
The test is a good place to start and particularly with couples, can help resolve some difficulties that may surface in other areas.
If you need some help, drop me a note.
Who Needs a Coach?
February 25, 2010
Sunday’s New York Times “Corner Office” feature included an interview with Jane Eggers, the CEO of a custom T-shirt company with offices in Germany and Boston.
The articles are usually pretty predictable and can’t help but leave the subject looking a bit self-satisfied. Only the very best have a realistic view of their own strengths and weaknesses, a key component of emotional intelligence. They offer a glimpse into how the CEO’s see themselves which probably leaves most of their employees smirking.
Last week, after the usual questions the interviewer asked what is the toughest part of the job and Ms Eggers noted that it was the loneliness. Not having anyone to bounce ideas off. Board members don’t really wan t to know and telling employees will only start rumors.
For many CEO’s the answer is coaching. That is exactly the reason many companies employ coaches for their top level managers. Coaches act like a mirror and while we may not have all the answers, we don’t have a stake in the business, so we can realistically help a CEO ponder the alternatives and at least ask the right questions.
That’s what coaches do. Maybe I’ll write Ms Eggers a note, it sounds like she could use some help.
Laughing at Yourself
It’s probably not good to make fun of your own profession. but I couldn’t help myself when I was introduced the Liza the Life Coach.
But then you really can’t take yourself too seriously these days. It’s too easy to get carried away with our self importance.
I coach because I really enjoy helping my clients achieve their goals and make decisions for the right reasons, but I have to admit when I listen to some of my colleagues or read some ads for coaches, I wonder what these people are thinking.
There are way too many people in the world who are afraid to stand back and take an honest look at what they’re saying or doing. And that goes for more than coaching.
By the way you can see Liza on TV in ads for candy bars. Have fun.
Who Needs People Skills?
February 22, 2010
A lot of executives seem to feel people skills are overrated.
Thankfully the trend is moving the opposite way. I came across a nice article from Harvard Business Review which explains why people skills are needed now more than ever.
Take a look and let me know what you think.
‘Weird’ Photography
February 18, 2010
Sometime in the next week you will notice that my website photo will change. It’s no big deal but hopefully I will stop hearing comments about my tie.
But, like everything else, there’s a lesson here.
To get the new photo I went to a local photographer. I just needed an image for the page but I never thought to ask about whether the photographer, Nan Phelps in Kensington, CA, used a digital camera.
She doesn’t . Nan uses a Mamiya C330 – a model I used as a photographer 30 years ago. What ensued was a lengthy conversation about whether she should switch, or at least offer customers a digital option.
“Photography is about the process,” she said, “I see it as art, and when I hear about other photographers spending hours digitally retouching photographs I cringe. I don’t mind being called weird, or old fashioned, I have a niche, I’m doing very well, and I meet many starving digital photographers, all stressing the need for a faster and faster turnaround. I just want to say stop.”
She was unmoved by my suggestions, insisting she didn’t care if the digital shutterbugs raced to the bottom offering lower prices.
“I don’t need to update my software or computer every 18 months, and I’m very proud of my work and don’t have to worry about whether an image I took with a digital camera might be one I want to enlarge but can’t.
It was a wonderful discussion and I have to admit she may have won me over. You can decide for yourself when the new portrait is posted, but just maybe, we’d all be a bit better off if we just slowed down.
I know there would be less stress and that could only be good. Thanks Nan.
Emotional Intelligence on patrol
February 6, 2010
To be a good police officer, you need a pretty high level of emotional intelligence. EI takes in a lot of territory on the psychological development scale, but a personal incident this past week will give you an idea what I’m talking about.
My wife and I left for a short appointment in the early evening. We backed out of the driveway just as last bits of light left the sky and coincidentally another band of rain showers moved overhead.
While we were out, the rain became a torrent and it was still raining heavily as we turned into our street to pull back into the driveway. Unfortunately there was no entrance. A neighbor had parked his car across the front of the driveway.
After dropping my wife off, I parked halfway down the block and trudged over to my neighbor’s house, ready to hear his excuse for being so stupid. After all, he’s lived on the street for three years.
There was no answer and after a few expletives I went home and called the police. When the patrol officer arrived, he checked the registration, confirmed the car belonged to my neighbor and retraced my steps to the owner’s front door.
His result was the same and he returned to my front porch saying,”I can do whatever you want, we can tow it, I can put a ticket on it, or perhaps, I can just come back in a few hours and if it’s still there, I’ll give him a ticket then, the choice is yours.” Then the officer added, “He is your neighbor after all, and while it’s pretty stupid, you’re both still gonna be living on the street.”
While my wife lobbied for the ‘tow it now’ approach, I picked door number three – patience. Sure enough, a few hours later, the rain stopped and I heard my neighbor, a young man of about 30, moving his car.
When I went out to move my car back into the driveway he approached to apologize adding, “I don’t know what I was thinking, it was raining, I just saw a parking spot and was focused on getting in the house.”
I just mumbled something about how incredulous I was and the incident was over.
My point is, I was considering only two options – tow or ticket – but the officer had enough emotional intelligence training, or perhaps it came naturally, to suggest option C, which, in the long run, allowed for long term neighborhood peace.
Figuring out option C, is why many people hire personal coaches.
Test Your ‘Face Reading’ Skills
For many folks, emotional intelligence equates to empathy. In reality it is much more. But empathy is an important component. And part of empathy is the ability to ‘read’ the expressions of others.
Neuro-scientists tell us that we have specific neurons which allow us to look at someone and understand what they are feelings. Peop0le who can do this well, according to the scientists, have more of these neural endings and are more empathetic.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the research is that it is cross cultural. In other words, regardless of your ethnic background, the emotions displayed by the human face are the same in say, the United States, Japan, China, or the Middle East. Happiness, for example, has a universal set of facial characteristics.
If you want to test your skill the Center for Greater Good at University of California at Berkeley, has put out a new little quiz. Take a minute or two and see how you do. Then drop me a note and tell me if you think it was accurate. But remember, another component of Emotional Intelligence is self awareness – the ability to look at yourself objectively.
As the center says, you can improve your score over time with practice. Your ability to read the faces of others can come in handy in any situation where you deal with another human being. Which is just about all day, every day.