Brain Based Biz

Twitter Transforms Teaching

2009-07-09T12:57:00.011-04:00

Twitter recently tornadoed internet social media platforms, rising to the top. Twitter's now tapped as a teaching and learning tool with opportunities to motivate students and advance achievement. In fact, some professors find...

Using Twitter makes learning more relevant to students David Parry, a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, talks about using Twitter, a new messaging service, for his courses.

In fact a growing number of college professors are using Twitter as an extension of the classroom. For example, Mary Knudson of Johns Hopkins is sold on it. She thinks the limited number of characters helps writers remember to choose words carefully, cut clutter and realize how much can be said in a small space. Many instructors experimen t in a variety of ways. Bringing sites like Twitter into an academic environment is a revolution in teaching style.

Tools to start using Twitter Check out Michael Hyatt's Beginner's Guide to Twitter.

Ways to use Twitter with your classes You'll learn much by watching this video with your students as you begin to launch Twitter as a new conversational tool. Check out these 25 interesting ways to use Twitter with your students for deeper probes and current information on topics you study.

Tactics to add value to what you say in few words Here are tips to make what you say, clear and meaningful to others.

Organize Twitter conversations, replies and messages so they are easily handled Sites where you can download TweetDeck or Seesmic, which are the most popular and work easily for you.

Enjoy a wide variety of backgrounds for a unique Twitter profile. Here are free Twitter backgrounds to download or customize or you and students can enjoy customizing from your art. How you can create custom Twitter backgrounds.

Ways to carry on conversations about specific topics by using Twitter Chat To engage students on a specific topic set up #hashtags and Twitter Chats so many ideas and possibilities come to the forefront. Here's a short post on using #teach-me for demand driven teaching.

Energize students to create videos about content topics Here are 5 ways to share videos on Twitter.

Follow authors of nonfiction books on Twitter 70+ nonfiction authors to consider following

Be a good listener on Twitter 13 ways to enhance your own listening skills

Raise funds when students want to fund a service project.

Ask 2-footed questions on Twitter 2-footed questions spring from teacher and student curiosity and probe deeply into interests as they connect to a variety of topics.

What do you want to accomplish? Define Twitter goals, a tip for successful use of Twitter.

The British government is recommending that students "leave school familiar with blogging, podcasts, Wikipedia and Twitter as sources of information and forms of communication. They must gain 'fluency' in handwriting and keyboard skills, and learn how to use a spell checker alongside how to spell." Twitter's pushing new frontiers!

Ready to stretch and try Twitter to communicate and learn with your students?

Twitter as a Teaching and Learning Tool just one topic at: Aug 17 - 21st MITA Brain Institute here

Faculty Brainpower for Teen Achievement

2009-06-17T11:29:00.018-04:00

Practical applications from neuro research can support teachers own fine endeavors for secondary learning and assessment. Certification offered at the first MITA Brain Institute provides educators strategies to work with rather than against the human brain as students learn. This is critical to business since schools are preparing the leaders of tomorrow.

So what difference does using strategies based on the brain make? Students in classes of university and secondary faculty using MITA strategies improved their achievement significantly and it creates ongoing renewal through faculty-learner generated content. When students make critical decisions and experience real world applications, they gain the problem solving skills needed for the business world.

Interestingly, learning becomes more community centered, too, including parents, community and practical experiences in outside organizations.

During the 20 hour certification, participants create classroom-ready curriculum together that'll be ready to use in a variety of disciplines this fall. An added benefit - no new texts are required for classes.

There will be opportunities to:

Transform neuro discoveries into learning tools

Create brain based lessons and assessment

Obtain MITA materials including a recently published book

Facilitate and build learning communities in your school and beyond

Use tactics to draw on diverse cultures for positive, mutual takeaways

Engage parents at school

Participate in monthly support for a year

Connect with wider community in Knowledge Celebration

Dr. Ellen Weber, President of the MITA Brain Based Center, has published several books and dozens of articles about using more brain for smarter solutions, in journals, periodicals and newspapers. I count it a privilege to collaborate with her during institutes, certification and even keynotes - for fifteen years now.

"Thanks for making this institute available to Rochester," writes, Dan Drmacich, Principal of School Without Walls. "With the commitment of educators to implement what they create this summer, we could have the beginning of a real paradigm shift."

What a joy and challenge to bring updates and innovation to materials and approaches each time we work at new sites and take on new projects. We're looking forward to working in Rochester.

Making Changes

2009-06-01T21:53:00.009-04:00

Embarking on changes in life feels a little like the sound of an orchestra tuning up. It's dissonant for awhile, yet a lively melody emerges in the hands of a fine conductor and musicians who are tuned-in. Similarly, after enjoying the harmony of nature and laid back life in East Koy farm country, my husband and I made a decision to move from our very large old inn to a ranch home in a small city.

Paring down: Think of paring down in terms of Twitter. You keep only essential parts of your idea, and cut out all that's unnecessary, to say say it so others know what you mean in a mere 140 words. I'm doing just that with all that I possess, as is my husband.

Unlearning: Country life is a culture unto itself. But, I'll put that behind me now to learn different approaches suitable to life in a small city. Living in a smaller space and doing with less will be pleasing and teasing to my mind all at once.

Organizing: What a challenge to organizational skills. Planning what to get rid of, what to auction off and what I most want to put into this smaller space taxes organizational savvy. I'll take a mind-bending learning curve here.

Already I took two big bags of clothes to Salvation Army and I added much paper to the recylcling bucket in the last two weeks. And it's only the beginning. Now I'll step on the gas to speed up with the whole process.

We signed the papers today to get the purchase launched. What a momentous choice...

I'll be posting blogs and sharing insights and new research here at Brain Based Biz... but not quite as frequently for awhile.

Today's Tuesday, But Seems Like Saturday

2009-05-08T10:15:00.008-04:00

Ever mix up a day, from the time you waken to think it's Saturday, rather than Tuesday? Suzanna Stinnet's curiosity piqued about this phenomenon, so she asked about it.

Since questions challenge me, I could not get this out of my mind and mulled it over for a few days. As usual, the findings are fascinating...

When someone anticipates, action soon follows "The brain is all about anticipation and prediction," Josef Rauschecker, Georgetown University Medical Center neuroscientist finds.

Weekend and daily routines differ in basal ganglia If you waken, thinking it is Saturday, your brain would follow through your usual Saturday pattern, based on what you've stored over time in your brain's basal ganglia. "Probably you’ve observed how static lives come from dull daily routines," Dr. Ellen Weber observes, "where people settle into status quo, and no longer seek adventure." She describes how the basal ganglia works:

At the center of most ruts, lies your brain’s basal ganglia. Experts call it your mental storehouse for habits, routines and every lifetime experience you’ve encountered. It’s also a place to promote and prolong annoying ruts.

Brain plays trick If you have a Tuesday holiday, such as Independence Day, you may start your day without setting the alarm, as you would on a Saturday. Can you see how your brain might play a trick on you? Perhaps there was a disconnect with the routine or association when the alarm does not go off, so that leads your brain to act as if it were Saturday. What do you think?

Hmmm... The alarm did not go off today, but I awaken with the sun. Oops, sometimes not!

What's your experience?

Thwart Theft of Memory Bandits

2009-05-07T11:42:00.016-04:00

"Prudy, where're my keys," I overheard a friend's 30-year-old husband inquire, not so softly.

Putting a planner, keys or other items in a different place can challenge memory no matter your age. To counter forgetful moments, maintaining blood sugar levels, even in the absence of disease, may be an important strategy for preserving cognitive health. Recently, Columbia University Medical Center researchers discovered that high blood sugar can cause you to be "hippocampically challenged."

Memories are stored in your brain's hippocampus, whether new words of a foreign language you're memorizing, an equation to use for an algebraic problem, or where you put down your keys.

"In the era on an aging population, memory is the new sex," David Brooks, Op-ed columnist for the New York Times, claims. So what can be done to keep your brainpower at optimum?

Three actions do much to keep brain's hippocampus at prime performance: maintain blood sugar levels, get plenty of exercise and challenge mind by learning in new areas.

Limit sugar intake People need some sugar to maintain health but too many cans of soda, too many rich desserts and candy consumed from your desk at work are some ways folks can begin to make changes. Regular check-ups at your physician's help you keep a pulse on this.

Regular aerobic exercise When it comes to the hippocampus, the part of your brain vital to certain types of memory, size matters. Numerous studies have shown that bigger is usually better. Now researchers discovered that elderly adults who are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampi and better spatial memory than those less fit.

Novelty stokes memory "Not surprisingly, memory strengthens and the brain’s rejuvenated, Dr. Ellen Weber reports, "in the presence of novelty." She adds...

How does it happen? Your brain’s hippocampus releases a shot of dopamine in response to novelty. Anthony Grace at the University of Pittsburgh describes a feedback loop that involves a chemical and electrical interactions between dopamine and novel or unexpected events. This lively process appears to lock in memory, as it also engages the amygdala where the brain processes emotional information.

Keeping the brain in mind as you age?

Losing Your Ability to Concentrate?

2009-05-05T08:50:00.020-04:00

My experience is what I agree to attend to William James

Easily distracted? Though many jobs require high concentration, psychologists are finding out that even when people try to focus on a task, they tend to lose concentration... within 40 minutes and sometimes as little as 10.

"You can drive yourself crazy trying to multitask and answer every e-mail message instantly," says Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt, a guide to living a focused life.

Ever go to a coffee shop or a restaurant where there's a TV and find your eyes quickly diverting to something that catches your attention on the screen to take your focus away from your conversation with a work colleague? I've noticed that if I have TweetDeck on one computer monitor and my work on the other, my focus on work is soon disintegrated. Why is that?

When something bright or novel flashes, it tends to automatically win the competition for the brain's attention. Dr. Robert Desimone, M.I.T. neuroscientist, calls that "biased competition." He found that neurons in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's planning center, start oscillating in unison and send signals directing the visual cortex to heed something else. So if you're reading a book and a television commercial diverts you, you may not have enough resources left to focus on the words.

Why it's hard to multitask

Doing too much makes you slower and dumber

90% of American adults are multitasking. However, they may not be more productive since six out of ten agree they're "busier," but often feel like they get less done.

Multitasking is notoriously inefficient though at certain optimal times it can be efficient.

What helps increase focus then? Gallagher advocates

Meditation exercises

Concentrate on most important task of day during first 90 minutes at work

Use ear plugs to shut out distracting noises

I'd add three:

Play baroque music softly as you write or work

Turn off cell phone, TV and electronic gadgets

Use new and creative approaches for routine tasks

I want to spend every day very mindfully to accomplish work and find pleasure in it, too. Winifred Gallagher discovered she had cancer so she viewed time with new perspective.

How do you overcome distractions to accomplish your daily work?

Cartoon source: Ming.tv

Challenge Your Brain to Learn Spanish

2009-04-22T19:48:00.005-04:00

"Does it matter when, during the day my Spanish lessons get the greatest benefit from brain plasticity at night?" Lisa Haneberg asked on Twitter. I answered, "the brain is more likely to work on last things in your mind just before bed. Give it problems regarding your Spanish and it works on solutions overnight."

Since you and many business leaders learn Spanish and other languages, you'd be interested in additional brain based tips to enhance the process and your retention.

Think of words as belonging to clusters of meaning Daniel Tammett, a savant, offers savvy tips about learning a language in Scientific American Mind (April, 2009).

For languages, I think of words as belonging to clusters of meaning so that each piece of vocabulary makes sense according to its place in my mental architecture for that language. In this way, I can easily discern relations between words, which helps me to remember them.

Sleep strengthens memory and learning

"Sleep consolidated learning by restoring what was lost over the course of a day following training and by protecting what was learned against subsequent loss," said Howard Nusbaum, Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago...The results demonstrate that this consolidation may help in learning language processes such as reading and writing.

Sleep boosts ability to learn a language. In an earlier study University of Chicago of Chicago professors found that...

Ability of students to retain knowledge about words is improved by sleep, even when the students seemed to forget some of what they learned during the day before the next night's sleep.

Teach Others As you Learn for Higher Rentention Dr. Ellen Weber shares a learning pyramid which shows that when you teach others Spanish as you learn it, you will retain more. What about volunteering to help teach an English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learner (ELL) in a local school or local Chamber of Commerce? It would help you and help a Spanish speaker learn English as you gain the kind of proficiency you desire.

Stretch past what you think you can do and brain rewires The more you work with the Spanish language and use it in many contexts, the more your brain will rewire for using it. Lisa had mentioned this in her initial Twitter message. The brain has great plasticity, as Dr. Ellen Weber points out, enabling you to push forward and achieve new goals such as learning a new language.

Invite a Spanish speaker to your home for a meal. By extending hospitality to someone who might live in your vicinity, you may develop a relationship so that you are invited into that person's home. You will then get a good grasp of the culture, which may include music, art, and learning about the things they value. This enhances your language learning.

And here's an added benefit to you for pushing yourself to learn Spanish, Lisa...

Learning and using a second language can slow the aging process in your brain Senior citizens who speak more languages test for better cognitive functioning.

A person who speaks more languages is likely to be more clear-minded at an older age, Dr. Gitit Kavé, a clinical neuro-psychologist says, in effect “exercising” his or her brain more than those who are monolingual. Languages may create new links in the brain, contributing to this strengthening effect.

Lisa, you can see that your answer deserved a bit more depth. Added to your studies through Rosetta Stone, these activities should boost your brainpower to learn and retain Spanish.

Folks, if you know other strategies that work well to learn Spanish or any new language, please do share.

"Can-Do" Default to Kickstart Brainpower

2009-04-20T10:00:00.004-04:00

Is "can do" your default when it comes to tackling a challenge that takes ingenuity, risk, and learning through mistakes? "Thinking "can do" as a default should be a no-brainer," Valeria Maltoni explains, as it relates to achieving A-Player status in social media. Her savvy tips work career-wise, too...

Paradoxically, to achieve A-player status is also a "brainer." You'll kickstart brainpower into high gear to accomplish what eludes many...

1. Keep a target in the forefront of your thoughts The more you focus on a goal, the more your brain picks up on that and brings insights to accomplish it... even while you "sleep on it."

2. Remember it's in your mind, it's not in the mind of others You're the one to follow through on ideas. Others won't do it for you. We learn through trial and error, especially when we make mistakes. "Results? Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results," Thomas Edison said concerning his quest to create the light bulb. "I know several thousand things that won't work." He had to keep at it when others scoffed.

3. Maintain a "can do" outlook When you think you "can do," you can deal with whatever comes your way. Remaining positive can be challenging in the face of cynics, naysayers and hitting a stone wall. But, you "can do."

4. Be situational in your approach Your brain leaps to the creativity of transferring a strategy from one context to another. Though solutions often elude you initially, you may experience moments of clarity when the answer to a vexing problem appears with a sudden insight as you see the connections fall into place.

An A-player perhaps needs even more of a "can do" default to kickstart brainpower to accomplish what others envy.

Ready to fire your brainpower?

Coffee Delivers Surprising Paybacks!

2009-04-14T14:10:00.016-04:00

Coffee aroma gives your brain a soothing wake-up call. Does a drink of coffee help your day start well? Just the scent can soothe frayed nerves and one whiff's often enough to reverse the woolly feeling in your brain if you didn't get enough sleep. And this is just a prelude to coffee's symphony of benefits.

Just the pleasing aroma's enough to prompt your brain to release serotonin, a chemical of well-being.

Drinking coffee delivers more advantage to body and brain than once thought. Here're surprising ways your daily java makes a difference:

Protects against breast cancer

Lowers death rate from heart disease when you drink 4 - 6 cups a day

Can decrease the risk of dementia/Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life

Reduces risk of liver cancer when coffee consumption is high [4 - 6 cups a day]

Drinking Decaffeinated Coffee Regularly Linked to Lower Diabetes Risk

Helps prevent cavities

Who would have guessed that a simple beverage like coffee and even it's aroma would bring so much benefit?

Here's a way you can benefit workers and growers at the same time you benefit: buy fair trade coffee.

And you can be good to the earth as you add coffee grounds to a compost pile. The grounds, relatively rich in nitrogen, provide bacteria needed energy to turn organic matter into compost.

In fact, waste coffee grounds can deliver an inexpensive, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel for powering cars and trucks.

What are you waiting for... can't you smell that cuppa now?

Honesty and Altrusim - Receipe for Heroics

2009-04-13T10:20:00.002-04:00

If you found a camera at a local park what would you do with it... Take it to lost and found, or pocket it and consider it a lucky find? The Surnams, a Scottish couple, found an Olympus camera when hiking around Bronze age ruins. They turned it over to police. Since no one claimed it in eight weeks, police returned it to the couple. Interestingly, the Surnams didn't stop there because they thought they saw over 600 honeymoon photos on the camera. So they put some photos on Flickr to see if they could locate the owner. As I read the article, I was curious about people's honesty and altruism. I wondered how many people would go to so much trouble to return a camera. What do you think?

Intriguingly, if you think others' eyes are on you, you would be most likely to "do the right thing. "The brain naturally reacts to images of faces and eyes. "People behave differently when they believe they are being watched, according to UK researchers, "because they are worried what others will think of them."

In business today, owners sense a few people are honest and not prone to stealing, USA Today reporter found in a poll she conducted, but a majority of the owners Gladys Edmunds asked "believed that all employees at some point remove items from work for their personal use."

In light of this, the Scottish couple, acted extraordinarily, since they not only chose what was right, but also went the extra mile. When they left the Bronze ruins, they had to drive to a police station and fill out a report in order to turn in the camera. Pure altruism? Since they thought these might be honeymoon pictures, they thought of how they'd feel if they had lost their camera. This sense helped propel their actions according to the story. Would you go so far as to say they are heroes?

People who don't cheat and who are honest are more like heroes, Sara Staats, of Ohio State University contends...

Students who don’t cheat seem to be in the minority, and have plenty of opportunities to see their peers cheat and receive the rewards with little risk of punishment,” Staats said. “We see avoiding cheating as a form of everyday heroism in an academic setting.”

The Surman's went the extra mile to be kind to someone else. Do you see this very often at work? Who would you name as a "hero" where you work and why? I will do a follow-up on your workplace heroes the first week in May to include your stories.

Peanuts cartoon obtained from australaisianbioethics

Adversity and Me

2009-04-11T09:51:00.033-04:00

Though I feel good about coming through to the end of an adverse experience, if you're like me, you do not desire to linger long on these times and places. Adversity is life's schooling. Adversity shaped me.

Seven adverse experiences:

1. Failed the Plane Geometry Regents, a New York State high stakes exam. I was a fairly good student and could hold my own in school, but math concepts were hard to grasp. My teacher spoke with the most monotonous voice I've ever listened to. My attention span was zilch. No doubt I zoned out. Though I read the text carefully, I just didn't get the logical proofs for the theorems. My teacher was very patient. She tutored me after school at least two nights a week for the whole spring semester. In addition, my mom sent me to a neighbor for assistance. He had been a Station Master for the Erie Railroad. Odd credentials to teach me geometry. One day, as I sat in his dining room and he gave explanation, I had an "aha" moment. I cannot put my finger on why his help did the trick, but it did. Lesson: Keep at a problem until you figure it out. Take advantage of help offered by others. Don't give up on yourself.

2. Early teaching experiences - difficult. At 22, I did not catch on to why students did not love literature and ideas as I did. After all, these literary treasures provided life lessons. But I soon came to realize that students thought of much of the classics as musty and stuffy. Just because you read something and understand a concept in college courses, does not mean you can translate that to the everyday world in effective ways. Then one evening, when chaperoning a group of students on a bus trip, I had an "aha" as I heard one student playfully converting his ideas to the rhythms of the poem "'Twas the night before Christmas." I wondered how he might be convinced to convert Julius Caesar to a modern inner city landscape. Don't tell anybody this, but I bargained with him to write that play in the place of his term paper. I told him it would be fun for our 11th grade classes to present his play to the whole school. Farfetched? Not at all. Lesson: I built on my learners' strengths and abilities. A focus on students' gifts and talents changed the learning experience for me and them. This paved the way for me to be open to MITA work with Dr. Ellen Weber. Assisting learners to build on their gifts and talents... to move concepts to real life is a brain-based approach.

3. In my 20's a horrible flu hit my body and landed right in my heart lining . Every fourth beat thumped and lifted my chest in a scary way. Devoid of strength, I could hardly get up from bed. The doctor sent me straight to hospital where I was put on complete bedrest with a monitor on my heart. I was there for a whole month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Times when we are set aside, give us pause to reflect on what life's truly about. I thanked God often for life and the people, who brought blessing to my life. Scared, yes... but, a realization began to capture my thoughts... I really wanted to have a child. During days in that bed, not able to move, I asked God if He would be willing to bring a child to my life. If not, I would accept that, too. Strange that I focused on having a child more than asking for healing, but that was my focus. I was released from hospital, day before Christmas, though weak. Amazingly, a couple of months following this I learned I was pregnant. A blessing of the Lord. Lesson: Take time to meditate on God and what is important to your whole life.

4. My husband and I were turned down on a home purchase offer after waiting 30 days for owners to sign. After scouring our area for a home when Carl completed college, we settled on an older cobblestone house which opened a wonderful view of Silver Lake since it was on a slight rise. The refusal delayed our quest to find a country home. So it was almost the end of summer before Carl began his teaching career. We had no home. We lived with his parents. Then I said, "Remember that old inn that needs work? I think we could fix it up because the purchase price is low. He agreed and we bought it. We gutted it. We ran new water pipes, had two bathrooms, a new furnace installed. By October we moved in. First choices aren't always the best overall. Lesson: Fashion what you have at hand into what you want. Later, we purchased the rest of the acreage that went with this century farm. Owning this land was our dream.

5. Shyness and lack of confidence held me back. I can remember mother saying my father was a shy person. Just hearing her say that, plus my genetic make-up, helped contribute to a pattern of painful shyness and lack of confidence. Here's one incident... In second grade I was too shy to ask the teacher what I had to make up after a week sick with strep throat. So I turned around and asked the girl behind me. The teacher caught me talking. She came, grabbed my arm, went to her closet, took out a paddle and whacked me in front of the whole class. I was so scared and mortified that I wet my pants.

Even more recently, when I had my interview to enter the PhD program, I lacked confidence. The interviewer did not recommend me. However, another professor in the department interviewed me and saw a raw gem in a rough stone. She approved my acceptance. I had passion for the goal I strived to accomplish. Nothing could hold me back... not even lack of confidence.

When forced to take a required course from the first interviewer, I balked. Ellen Weber gave me a plan to turn this around. She said I should smile, greet him cordially, and strike up a conversation every time I saw him. She also gave me strategies to ask good questions based on readings, which I could apply to seminar discussions. She advised me to take the risk to share my ideas boldly or I would not make it in the program. A great desire filled my heart to finish the program so I could be an asset to the MITA work. The more I acted opposite to feelings, changes evolved. Lesson: Step out and take risks. Act opposite to feelings. By doing so, you build confidence step-by-step.

6. "You need an extra course", my advisor said... just before the end of my PhD program. You learn to "eat rocks." One more course meant I had to pay out-of-pocket tuition with no work-study to defray expenses. To make the best of the setback, I elected to take a course in technology. I still reap the benefits. Without the course I'd lack technological savvy needed in many work settings. Lesson: Change setbacks to advantages. Avoid dwelling on what goes wrong, but take advantage in ways that benefit.

7. Hit black ice and totaled car when it hit a tree. As I waited in a an ice cold car, crippled on its side, windows smashed and branches poking through, I wondered if help would ever arrive. My first reaction... I am alive... God spared me for something important. I waited and waited and yelled, "help." No one heard. I prayed that someone would see the car and phone the rescue squad. This crash helped me see what I most valued.

Joining MITA was a way to help others use their gifts and talents. So I took a risky financial leap to quit my job and help launch a vision Ellen Weber began to develop 15 years prior. The Lord helped open my eyes. Soon after my mother died. Her inheritance helped tide me over to keep my feet on the ground for a bit. Lesson: Life is more than money - it is fulfilling a purpose to help others develop their unique gifts. Incidentally, no black ice had formed there in previous years I drove this road to work. "God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform."

Challenges: Puzzles, challenges and problems activate the human brain, which leaps to solve them. Writing this blog was major because I am a private person and don't like to reveal what was hard. Wasn't sure I could do it, but kept seven in mind as I listened to Mozart. The stretch to complete it flowed as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Optimal Experience. Joanna Young contends that your mind keeps flowing until you meet the number challenge. Try either Robert's or Janice's writing challenge listed just below and see what happens. One benefit - the writing sharpens creativity and problem solving skills for work.

Robert Hruzek's What I Learned from... Adversity topic is his April group writing challenge. If you want to participate the deadline is tomorrow, April 12. The rules are listed on his site.

You'll note I've included seven things listed that you probably did not know about me. Janice, author of Sharing the Journey, just launched this new blog. I'd like to tag the following friends to join the meme and give Janice a link, too. Best part is you can use your creativity to shape your writing in unique and creative way. You're at the helm.

Alina Popescue at Words of a Broken Mirror

Brad Shorr at Word Sell

Jeanne Dininni at Writers Notes

Joanna Young at Confident Writing

Karen Swim at Words for Hire

Lisa Gates at Craving Balance

Paul, Cam and John at Chaos Scenario

Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings

Up to the challenge?

Your Brand - Person or Product?

2009-04-08T09:57:00.002-04:00

Do you see yourself as a brand or product? Interestingly, some people brand themselves and others see their brand as product, service or new idea. Recently I saw a Twitter post which read, "Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me," I did a double take. What's your reaction? "Few welcome Me 2.0, as in Ego 2.0," Valeria Maltoni contends. "I'd think about it more in terms of Us 2.0," she adds.

Dan Schawbel summarizes it in, Guest Post: Me 2.0

The same rules that apply to corporate brands apply to personal brands. The successful brand YOU marketing model has the proper mix of confidence, passion, likeability, determination, and focus. When you look at successful business leaders, such as Warren Buffet or Rupert Murdoch, you realize that each has a self-purpose, a call to action, and a desire to win. They all shared this marketing model, and you should too.

While others have focused on branding in general, Dan's target audience is the millenials generation, but I think it's chock full of goodies all of us can learn from.

If you read Dan's story about how he got his book deal, you'll see the perseverance and unwavering belief in himself and his work that lead to his book, which was officially released yesterday.

Choosing to brand ourselves, product or service in the marketplace links to our intrapersonal intelligence. Here's how...

Intrapersonal intelligence stems from our genes and from exposure to many environments over a lifetime. Individuals who have high intrapersonal intelligence have

an effective working model of ourselves, and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives.

an accurate self-understanding, and can use this to their advantage in problem-solving

high introspective and self-reflective capabilities, highly self-aware and capable of understanding their own emotions, goals and motivations

an ability to use their own experience to guide others such as novelists, counselors, psychologists

Ellen Weber, who built her work on brain based research and Multiple Intelligences shows practical ways to gain more savvy in this area...

Want more intrapersonal intelligence? Need intuition for better decisions, common sense for keen insights, contentment in your own company, simple ability to laugh more on a busy day? Thanks to neurogenesis, we now know this intelligence too will grow with use. Simply put, whenever you do tasks related to introspection or personal intelligence, your brain begins to rewire brainpower for a more clever you.

Put your unique smarts to work in your personal branding. Looking at ways people create brands helps us evaluate what works best, whether it be our own name or service or product or something entirely unique. Here are some examples of

Personal Brands:

Angela Maiers
David Airey
Jackie Cameron
Seth Godin
Charlie Fern
Troy Worman

Service or Product:

Conversation Agent
The Marketing Spot
Making Mediation Your Day Job
Branding and Marketing
Logic + Emotion
Marketing Profs

Combination of Name and Service or Product:

Drew's Marketing Minute
Eide Neurolearning Blog
Laura 4 Literacy
My Name Is Kate
Fryer's Blog in the Mountains
Meryl's Notes

As you make color, logo and branding choices you bring in more of your personal style stemming from your intrapersonal intelligence!

Like it or not, "the reality is, many of us may not have the option of staying in a company, unbranded, according to Alina Tugend in "Putting Yourself Out There on a Shelf to Buy" in New York Times. "We have to create our own job security, and branding is part of that." Ms. Tugend offers seven savvy tips as you think more about how to go about establishing a brand...

1. Start small so you won't be overwhelmed. Choose either LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, the sites most often recommended by branding and job search specialists.

These sites can help in other ways. Twitter alone offers jobshouts.com (job openings are tweeted to users.

2. Join a few sites that are oriented toward your field, but don't go crazy and throw your profile up on dozens of sites.

3. "Finding your niche is the key," said Dan Schawbel, author of Me:2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success

He espouses a four-step process -- discover, create, communicate, maintain.

4. "It's about building a community," said Veronica Fielding, president of Digital Brand Expressions. "You want to find groups -- alumni, former employees of your last jobs, trade groups."

Start branding yourself as someone insightful in that particular area, Ms. Fielding said, so "When people are thinking about filling a job, they think of you."

5. "Develop Brand Me by thinking about three things I am good at, three things I am passionate about (eating ice cream doesn't count) and three things other people think I'm good at," Sherri Beck Paprocki, co-author of the forthcoming book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourself (May, 2009).

6. Blogs and personal Web sites. "They're certainly another way to promote Brand You. But don't create them with no purpose in mind or with no intention of keeping them updated. A boring blog or an unprofessional Web site is worse than none at all, Ms. Paprocki said.

7. Branding should continue in the offline world too, she said. It's also known as presenting yourself well.

Lots of tips to chew over and if you see gaps in your personal branding, you now have opportunity to see how to polish Brand Me more.

I'm going to find out even more by picking up a copy of Dan Schawbel's Me.2.0. You?

Picture Cynicism and Creativity in Brain

2009-04-01T12:50:00.016-04:00

"What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon." --Denis Waitley

Negatives, cynicism,
lack of progress

Positives, creativity,
invention, progress

Thoughts?

Brain's Dual Engines: Wired Neural Broadband

2009-03-31T09:15:00.002-04:00

The brain's a dual structure, like eyes, ears, lungs and kidneys, but with a difference. We're geared with two brains, right and left, which Gene Cohen (The Mature Mind, 2005) says are "connected by a kind of broadband neural link called the corpus callosum."

Functional differences between the left and right side of the brain's hemispheres are well-known. Language comprehension, speech, logical and mathematical reasoning is largely handled in the left hemisphere, while face recognition, body language, musical recognition and intuitive/holistic operations are handled by the right. But the left and right hemispheres work in concert because no one activity is completely dominant on one side of the brain and this tends to increase as people mature.

You've no doubt heard talk about some people being left-brained or right-brained, which goes so far as to say that men are left-brained and women are right-brained. This is mostly metaphor, however. Men and women continuously tap into both sides of the brain throughout a day, no matter the activity. So to show career choices favoring one side of the brain or the other according to Gene Cohen, misrepresents current knowledge.

Throughout early life, the brain typically uses one side at a time for things like decoding written language, generating speech or recognizing patterns. As people mature, these tasks are usually performed in both hemispheres.

To keep your brain functioning well throughout life people need both mental and physical exercise. "Engaging in challenging new learning experiences boosts the development of the brain in the second half of life," according to Joseph LeDoux, NYU behavioral neuroscientist, since novel experiences create new synapses and other natural structures within the brain. Good news is that taking on mental challenges in new areas improves information processing and memory storage. And people who engage in regular physical exercise are less likely to develop Alzheimer's and dementia or suffer a stroke.

So fire up your dual engines to keep learning and exercising throughout life. I bought a Frisbee game to play with my grandsons and I often take on new technological challenges. At some point I want to take up painting. Hmm... what field would you like to explore or what new activity will you try?

Brain's Left Side - Tames and Organizes

2009-03-26T22:45:00.003-04:00

The last post scanned an artist’s right brain hemisphere - when it brims over with colors and shapes. Leave your art there, though, and you’ll likely see chaos at best. So what’s missing?

That’s where the left brain organizer steps in. You could see it as a mental master of sorts – equipped to corral and tame.

Left brain taming is rather exciting when an artist draws on its capability. It shakes up colors and shapes as a kaleidoscope does and places them into designs of brilliance, under a master’s hand. Or it takes random words quickly jotted down in a brainstorming session to see patterns and logical order.

Peoples' left brains help them to analyze, judge, organize and choose between one good and another. Mark McGuinness reveals how creativity's grounded in a logical process.

It’s as much in the shift here, as the dance is in the hitch. Inspiration can run wild in the brain, unless the left brain taming tactics come alive. Incredible left brain booty includes:

When artists depend on their left brains for composition, they make winning choices for …

Essential elements – through infinite details that form and focus your eye on landscape or a person’s face in the finished piece.

Proportion - where rhythm creates cadence in proportions that emote pleasure, sadness, or shock

Value – in lights and darks played for different effects

Color – through selections that establish moods and integrate relationships

Texture – which shows up to the touch through heavy, soft, rough or smooth

Perspectives and angles - that point, slant, straighten up and curve to the human eye in art we love

An artist’s brain moves back and forth between the magical right and the logical left. It’s all part of the master’s polish to a final work that’s uniquely hers.

Thoughts?

Stay tuned for more on your brain's dual engines.

Brain's Amazing Right Side

2009-03-24T19:56:00.000-04:00

A curiosity about the world around him drives designer David Airey to create ideas that come to life through a wide range of media. David enjoys more creative autonomy because he chose to leave the world of "design by committee." Even now, when clients fail to tap into his experience, David claims that they miss full benefits of his artistic design. Could it be that he finds insights between the world and design because he uses his right brain more in the process?

Similarly Ellen Weber's main thrust as a writer targets brain research as it relates to learning and leadership. But, Ellen sought the wonder of creativity so she began writing a novel. Note how she describes it...

After living in Baffin Island’s High Arctic communities for two years, as researcher and professor with McGill, I wrote a novel to capture both the nuances and the mysteries from life on a frozen tundra. This story earmarks lessons learned and lived among Inuit friends and colleagues. I’d been excited to relate fictitious events about a fascinating Inuit people within real life settings. While all events and characters are my own creation, issues in the book arose from several Baffin Island community concerns I witnessed while there. My book was written for both white and Inuit readers who care about cultural conversations for deeper understanding across differences and in responses to struggles encountered there.

Ellen remarked that the characters in her novel took on lives of their own and almost moved her hands to type the words they wanted rather than her own choices. Did Ellen tap into her right brain more as she let her characters take charge? Seems like Ellen's right brain fought to take charge...

Ideas inspired from your right brain look different than ideas that draw from your left. Here’s why…

Think of your right brain as your playground for insights – that make you, you, and you’ll begin to see its use in art. Here’s the clincher. Your right brain kicks in when you observe and draw from past experiences during the creative process.

Miraculously, the right brain holds a few tricks for your art that tend to remain hidden until you rub the magic jar, so to speak, and that genie appears. Your muse, like the genie, can release gold as seen in this diagram:

Think of your right brain at its best when not interrupted by constant criticisms and editorial coming from the left side. Intuitively, it comes up with color and lines that work. Holistically, it pieces together parts of a complex plot. Concretely, it meshes mood and body language into characters of a novel.

You get the picture, it’s a bit like creativity run wild in a sense. For the novice artist less magic will be available. To the successful artist, the magic comes quicker, and yet taming will soon be required from the left side of the brain before art takes shape.

Stay tuned for the next post to find out how that logical organizer – your left brain operates.

Community Wisdom - A Mosaic!

2009-03-22T23:20:00.001-04:00

I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow. Woodrow Wilson

Thanks Twitter Followers for sharing your wisdom.

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Writing Lessons from Social Media Community

2009-03-20T22:47:00.003-04:00

Can you pare the essence of a whole article to 140 words in Twitter? Or, do you rise to the challenge of listing 22 distinct tips to assist your readers to overcome daily stress? No matter your topic, writing's like serving a banquet to readers. And the way you set your table makes a difference. For instance...

If the same dishes appear on a banquet table, day after day, people tire of them. So one way to overcome that -- write though the lens of your eight intelligences. Ellen Weber, first taught me about multiple intelligences and captured my mind about ways all eight can improve my day. Not only do I work to use most of them in a day, but I also frame many blogs through intelligences. A writer might choose to focus on numbers, playing with words to get best active verbs, choosing an image to express an idea and relying on that more than words, challenging readers to ask good questions on the brain, writing through a work problem to gain understanding, discussing ways nature impacts job performance, sharing tips on physical activity to boost brainpower, and using music as it connects to the brain. Using different intelligences for blogs is like serving unique dishes for each banquet. Thanks to Ellen, I've gained greater skill.

Brad Shorr, Gavin Heaton and GL Hoffman visited my blog first and encouraged me. From Brad I learned to consider humor as I wrote. He introduced me to Scrambled Toast his blog that focuses mainly on topics that roused laughter. Twitter through History gives you a taste of what produces a great belly laugh. Often I thought of ways to write belly laughs, too. With a great writing model like Brad, who could fail, even for a belly laugh?

Gavin's a person who loves culture. He often shares perceptions the average person would not think about. Just to give you an idea, here's how Gavin pictured me and my work in a post he titled, It's All in the Mind. Now if you don't think that's a lift for a fledgling writer and blogger!

GL's another blogger who uses the lighter side to express the serious side of work life. I loved his approach and his goodwill to me, which spread a taste of fresh honey to many days.

Because of encouragement early on, I became more aware of people who visited Brain Based Biz. Lisa Gates of 360 Alliance swaggered in with very fresh approaches to writing, much like Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing the Bare Bones. She was short, to the point and had intriguing angles for every article she posted. For example, How to Launch a Revolution in Your Evolution.

Having the right tools makes or breaks your message since they set it apart from the crowd. Drew McLellan launched a New Blogger's Toolkit challenge and invited readers to share the tools they use to construct their work. I began to use these as part of message construction and often go to Drew's Marketing Minute to get more insights. In addition, Drew led the initiative for Age of Conversation 2, a book with many bloggers' contributions including mine.

To learn more about creating good comments, I suggest you visit Jeanne Dininni's Writers' Notes. Jeanne adds high value when she responds to readers at her site or yours. She raised the bar for me so that I wanted to lift my skills as I create comments.

To value and encourage readers, I've learned much from Karen Swim at Words for Hire. She has a very generous approach to other bloggers. Generosity and courtesy go hand-in-hand with content. Is this a winning formula for you?

I never cease to be amazed at the writing challenges Robert Hruzek posts monthly, which he titles, "What I Learned from..." One challenge that really led me to dig deep was, What I Learned from a Government Deportation Notice. This helped me get launched in memoir writing... a way to start building a little book that shows more about my life.

Joanna Young, Confident Writing, lifted my writing skills in oh, so many ways. She often challenges me through tips, since her in-depth strategies rouse my curiosity. Joanna builds blogs from readers' comments. As I watched the process, I began to do likewise and played around with zoning out and readers' solutions for times this happened to them. It's something like trying out different spices in a casserole you're making. You have to have some grounding in the spices and so that you try the ones that will enhance the dish.

Joanna, I keep asking how I might enhance the banquet for readers. You presented a tempting Group Writing Project by focusing on Writing Lessons. There are oh, so many things to think about in preparing a banquet table: the menu, arrangement of foods, choice of serving dishes, color, including plates, napkins and even tablecloth. Plus, on the tip of your mind you zero in on how you'll spice foods, and even the kinds of drinks that work well with a focus on Irish cooking, for instance.

Joanna introduced me to Rosa Say at Joyful Jubilant Learning. This gave me an opportunity to participate with others who are part of this community. Rosa offers different learning themes each month as a focus for guest bloggers. I rose to the challenge to write about life experiences as well as a book review for her blog. Guest posting helped me grow more confident as a writer, too.

Friends from social media, thanks. Thanks not only for raising writing skills but, spreading a whole banquet of happiness, too. Is that your experience? Happiness is contagious through social media friends, according to Harvard and University of California researchers. Sure spreads serotonin my way. Interestingly, I never imagined that I would learn so much from readers as well as new research on the brain as I write blogs. Though I expected to pick up tips, I didn't realize how many would come. What a bonus!

What blogger assisted you to spice your writing most and in what way?

Stress - Buster or Builder?

2009-03-16T10:33:00.010-04:00

When a friend lost gobs of hair and the only option was to wear a wig during a stressful time, I began to see how much stress can change your well-being. Most of us have no idea what damage stress does to our body. If I were to ask, you could easily tell me what usually throws you into a state of stress. You'll also be surprised at the variety of ways stress affects the human body...

Stress impacts

Heart - increased beating of the heart people experience when in stressful situations is just one part of the body's response to stress, something often known as the "fight-or-flight response". Another component of the fight-or-flight response is the suppression of pain, also known as stress-induced analgesia.

Mental stress puts an added burden on the heart, too.

Immune System - stress makes people more susceptible to illness

Circulation - Negative emotions - depression, anxiety, hostility, anger - cause stress and are linked to atherosclerosis, or thickening of the inside walls of the coronary arteries. Thickening of these walls can slow or block the flow of blood to the heart and brain, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Mental well-being Work stress leads to five major categories of stressors. These include exposure to critical incidents, job dissatisfaction, perceived organizational unfairness, discrimination and lack of cooperation and trust. Both perceived and actual work stress correlates with adverse psychological, physical and behavioral outcomes.

Brain Stress shuts down learning and memory.

Belly Fat Stress can lead you to eat comfort and junk food which lead to belly fat. This build-up of belly fat's dangerous to circulatory system and heart as well as your brain.

Are you running on a business treadmill as Chuck Blakeman describes? Not too surprisingly, the average person deals with at least 22 stressors in a day? More cortisol is excreted into body and brain of folks who take the brunt of stressors and Dr. Ellen Weber shows that often we often work against ourselves if we fail to work against stress daily.

Interestingly, Ellen Weber claims the best stress buster is to find ways to bring more serotonin, to your day.

Several folks on Twitter reported what works best for them to relieve stress. Not too surprisingly, each of these works to bring serotonin. You'll see several of my suggestions, too. Since there are 22 stressors in a day, it makes sense to list 22 stress busters to work against it so that you have a fully packed tool kit to work against it.

22+ Stress Busters:

Pet or play with your cat or dog - The stroking and closeness can bring a feeling of comfort. Canadian Christine says petting her cat always lowers her high blood pressure.

Take a break, go to a quiet place and palm your eyes for 60 seconds. Gina Kay says, "Palming" is a relaxation technique. "Upper part of palm goes on eyes, little finger/ring finger tips touch @ forehead middle."

Take a walk - Ulla Hennig says walking's the first thing she does when she feels stressed. She asks what made her feel stressed and what she might do to avoid it.

Get into Cardio Exercise - Brad Shorr recommends 30-40 minutes on a stationary bike, outdoor biking, swimming (Not all at the same time).

Plan for brainpower boom - Ellen Weber suggests that if we find ways to put brainpower to work to find solutions to things that stress us, we'll work with rather than against our brains.

Pray and meditate - Take time to read scriptures and pray.

Listen to Relaxing or inspiring music - Music can quickly move your brain waves to bring you calm. If you are not in a situation where you can quickly access it, whistle or hum the tune in your mind.

Grow plants Tending plants bring peace and nurture the mind. Try growing some in your office an additional benefit is that they bring more oxygen to your environment, too.

Play a game that's fun Choose a game which does not turn your competitive mode up to high or this, too can stress you. I like to play Quiddler, Set or Scrabble inside or golf every chance I get when it's nice outside. What're your favorites?

Cook something to share Cooking takes your mind off other things as you concentrate on mixing just the right ingredients. Part of the delight is seeing others enjoy the fruits of your labor. Hmm... is that banana nut bread that I smell?

Write in your journal - Pick several different environments over a months time to change your perspective each time you write

Sketch an idea - You prime creativity when you put ideas into pictures [doodles]. In this case why not doodle three stress-busters you have in mind?

Write a haiku - Honor someone you respect at work. They could use the praise and as you put the haiku together, you're concentrating on good qualities you admire.

Run from negativity - Some folks are just more negative than others. Have you noticed that when one negative is expressed, a Niagara Falls flood of them tumbles out? Best way to get yourself out of such situations is to begin to get into groups where people focus on possibilities and solutions than getting mired down in problems only.

Laugh at yourself - Take yourself less seriously and begin to laugh at your foibles, your age, your height or hair. Family of a dear friend of mine wrote me to tell of the news of her death. They mentioned that they laughed at her funeral and that she would have enjoyed that. Fact is, I have never seen anyone who had the capacity she did to laugh in dire circumstances.

Volunteer - I belong to Rotary International so that I can participate in meaningful volunteer projects for the local community and city. In this way I give of my talents to benefit others. It brings you much serotonin when you give to others.

Encourage others - Meaningful words of encouragement go a long way to boost another person's day. They boost your day too, even more than you might realize.

Smile and look others in the eye - As you intentionally smile at another person, it helps lift their spirits. It's also fun to see how many smiles you receive in return.

Ask someone to lunch - If you pick someone you don't know all that well, such as a new neighbor or colleague at work, it gives you an opportunity to get to know them in a casual environment. Try it and you'll benefit.

Read a book - a book can help you concentrate on a variety of characters or historical people in very different settings than your own. In essence, you enter a different world

Work with Financial Planner - Get some new tactics to deal with whatever situation you may find yourself.

List solutions to work problems - Brainstorm these and jot down one word for each in several circles on a paper. Select the ones you think will work best and go to or write email to appropriate manager or supervisor with your nuggets of wisdom. Possibilities are well received by leaders and they will note the leadership you take as well.

Take a role in local theatrical - preparing for a performance can boost your creative skills in unique ways. Invite friends to come and see the final production.

Sing with karaoke - By singing inspiring music such as, "I Have a Dream," your brain picks up this message through several of your intelligences. If you tend to sing off key, do it at home, but if you find you have a great voice, blossom out by having a karaoke party.

Dance to music you like - Whether tap, ballet, clogging, ballroom or line dancing, as you move your body to music you enjoy you build a lot of serotonin through both the music and exercise. If you don't currently do this, take a few lessons!

Give a loved one a hug and say you love him or her - Often we take for granted the people closest to us. Give them a nice surprise by taking just a few seconds to do this. And look them right in the eye as you do. It does much boost your own spirit.

Leave room and run up stairs - If you find yourself in a toxic meeting, excuse yourself and run up and down stairs a few times. This exercise brings oxygen to your brain quickly and gives you enough space to be able to think of a professional approach to handle what is hard to cope with as you return to the meeting.

Do you have a stress-buster tool kit? If you don't what might you suggest to bring more well-being that I might have overlooked?

Zoning Out? Readers' Experiences - Solutions

2009-03-11T20:12:00.013-04:00

"I was so wrapped in a task, I hadn't figured out how to solve yet," Alina Popescu reflects, "that I went into the office and ended up going in the opposite direction." Anna says she can be so focused on a task that she doesn't hear what her husband says to her. Or perhaps you've been reading a book that just doesn't hold your interest. Do you ever experience times when you "zone out"?

"After going through an intersection," Andrew relates, "it will sometimes occur to me that I did not actually consciously check whether or not the traffic light was actually green or not. Of course, a quick glance in the rear view mirror, plus the fact that I did not actually have an accident, provides evidence that yes, indeed the light was in fact green. Nevertheless, I am amazed sometimes by my tendency to operate on auto-pilot during the driving process." That's a kind of zoning out that might be described as "unbridled reverie."

Interestingly, there are differences in the ways we "zone out" or "daydream." Jonathan Schooler finds that there's a "difference between unbridled reverie and constructive daydreaming." Only people who experience a daydream state demonstrate an upswing in creativity. How would you define the times you catch yourself "zoning out?" As you can see there's a big difference.

Here's what some readers offer on "zoning out" or "daydreaming":

If you are bored and not focused on a task you may need some guidance. GeologyJoe says that he can't "presume people working under him know the responsibilities of a job because they claim they have done it before." To avoid that he explains job details before they embark on the task. "If they were/are REALLY thinking and engaged in the task," GeologyJoe notes, "because it is new or something there is more self driven communication back to me and less errors." You can see how engagement often comes from the novelty of performing new tasks. That helps overcome the tendency to get bored on the job. Think productively daydreaming ahead of time about a new task would help?

Craig Brown asked how you would apply creativity to program/project management. Craig suggests focusing people on outcomes. You'd be interested in strategies HR World listed from productivity and time management expert Laura Stack (2006) to reap productivity from daydreams:

Avoid using daydreaming to procrastinate.
Pick a "designated daydreaming place." Create or develop new strategies by giving yourself some downtime in a place that offers solitude.
Set time limits. Stack suggests that for the most effective brainstorming, allow a minimum of 15 minutes but no more than an hour.
Give purpose to daydreaming. Consider a plan or problem to set your mind free on while daydreaming.
To reap the most from daydreams, capture them by writing them down or recording them.
So, don't assume that your daydreamers are costing your company money. By allowing for - or even encouraging - focused daydreaming, organizations can help keep employees creative and productive not just during the holidays but all year long.

Anna, Ed Lisbe, suggests some "you-focused" strategies to help overcome lack of focus when your husband talks to you. Lisbe says poor listening occurs because we haven't had good role models. Poor listening is a "difficult habit to break because there are so few role models around for us to copy. Most likely, our parents haven't been good listeners to us or to others. Our teachers probably weren't good listeners. Most bosses aren't good listeners. Our friends or neighbors? Doubtful. Our elected political representatives?" Lisbe provides practical strategies to grow as a listener.

Mard stopped by to share Danger! Overload!. He includes a 9-minute video by Maggie Jackson on her book, Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age. This helps us to be more aware that there is a problem when we get distracted because of "Internet overload."

"I have always hated sitting in meetings that bored me, JD Walton reports. "I adopted the task of trying to write most things that were said to force my concentration. I would end up with great notes and stay awake. It got real difficult when what was being said was not worth writing down." JD, to have more fun with this task, I suggest you capture the main points as doodles. Most of us think in pictures so the novelty of that transfer can help you even when you feel that something said isn't worth putting down. Or better yet, you can daydream about a project you need to complete!

"We spend between 15 and 50 percent of our waking hours daydreaming -- that is, straying away from focused tasks or external stimuli to inner thoughts, fantasies and feelings," Josie Glausiusz notes in Psychology Today, April 2009.

You and I can benefit if we make those daydreaming hours productive rather than lapsing into reveries. And let's plan for strategies to stay focused if we note we've been flirting with danger!

Thoughts?

Premio Dardos Awards

2009-03-10T15:30:00.003-04:00

Premio Dardos means "prize darts" in Italian. Interestingly I did not know that tidbit, until Brad Shorr named my work on Brain Based Biz for the award. Then later the same day, Alina Popescu named me, too. The Premio Dardos is "bestowed for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing."

The idea is for bloggers to bestow the Premio Dardos award on 15 bloggers and let them know in a comment. Then, to accept the award, write a blog post like this one.

I've approached the awards in a creative way by naming two people for each of the eight multiple intelligence categories. As you read articles by awardees you can jumpstart your creativity as you approach future topics.

Verbal-linguistic Jannie Funster makes points, by surprising readers through intentional bloopers as she writes a post titled, Like a bord on a wire. Read these to see what I mean. To do bloopers well stretches her noodle and yours too! Think you'd like to try Jannie's method some time?

Here're Lisa Barone's tips if you get stuck every time you sit down to write. One that really caught my attention is the notion of starting with a short sentence. Which one might help you?

Logical-mathematical Patti Digh values readers by naming her 5,000th commenter, Marion L. Murff, and highlighting her work. Optimizing a milestone number is a great approach to give credit to loyal readers. Patti's 37 Days weblog asks, "What would you be doing today if you had only 37 days to live?" Check it out!

Does your credit score affect your job search? Absolutely/ Carl Winfield says, "how you pay your bills could make the difference when you look for your next job."

Interpersonal Andy Beal decided to write on a topic that will get some great discussion surging from readers. I sense you did that by bringing up Why Google and Twitter Need to Ditch "Nofollow" for All Our Sakes. What are your thoughts?

What questions can you think of as a great way to bring out several views on an issue for your next blog?

Barbara Lopez notices a common mistake in elevator speeches is that professionals have the idea others want to know about them. Want to set yourself apart as you interact with others? Focus on the other person first!

Intrapersonal Jeanie Marshall shows why it's important not to let go of goals after achieving a dream, but to set goals again and again. No one can develop anything for you but it's learning good methods to develop yourself and Jeanie shares many possibilities for that on Empowering Personal Development.

Anita Bruzzese provides excellent tactics on how to respond to a nasty e-mail at work. At times we get a little torqued when a jarring message arrives. But, Anita shows savvy in how you can handle this. What would you offer?

Bodily-kinesthetic A few business bloggers tackle exercise and fitness and Jackie Cameron is one. She discusses what it takes to stick with an exercise program. Are you habitually "breaking into hip-hop all over the place like Jackie?"

Justin Qualler of Working Man Fitness.com names 3 things you can do st stay in shape at the office. The three work unobtrusively when you're at your desk. Don't miss Jason's video if you want to avoid office worker slouch!

Musical Do you have some favorite music you'd feel guilty about if others knew you liked it? Terry Starbucker asked readers to share their guilty tunes and he has compiled a list of 49. Are any here that you would pick. You can win prizes if you complete Terry's guilty tunes survey to pick 10. It'll be interesting to see the results!

Imagine singing if you are thinking about advancing your college career! Dawn Papandrea tells about a Careereoki contest in which career hopefuls videotape themselves singing about their dream career (karaoke-style) to compete for the grand prize. If this approach would make a difference for you, check out A Musical Career Makeover

Naturalistic Michael Hoffman asks, Can a 15,000 foot mansion be green? Amazingly it can and it helps us to rethink ways our homes might be green.

Simon U Ford asks if we're raping what we love most; our deceptive relationship with earth. Let's do something to give back to our natural environment on Earth Day.

Spatial Mark McGuiness harnesses creative energy of Seven Marketing Secrets of the Mona Lisa. You'll be amazed at what you might take away in relation to your own creative projects. Who would guess marketing secrets could emerge from this well-known painting! Mark McGuiness's genius shines at Lateral Action.

Steve Roesler advises, Use Simple Graphics to Tell Your Story. There's some humor in this one so you'll have a great laugh, especially if Old Man Winter left his calling card.

These blogs have a luster that sets them apart. Which one in particular sparked your interest?

Put Fire to Your Feet!

2009-03-04T22:59:00.007-05:00

What if you had plenty of fire in your feet, what might you do?

Think fast - rapid-fire thinking can boost energy and mood.

Play hard - By scheduling play that's fun, you'll actually get more work done.

Stay cool under pressure - Move quickly to perform tasks you can do wel l, such as teeing up and hitting your golf ball or taking an exam in a subject you know well. If you think too much, you take your focus away from what you already know and do well.

Play a video game - Fast-paced video games can improve your mental dexterity, boost hand-eye coordination, depth perception and problem solving.

Dance with fervor - Move your emotions into motion to boost your vitality!

So what will you do with more fire in your feet today?

Change Ruts - Adopt Life-Changing Habitudes

2009-02-23T11:43:00.007-05:00

If you approach teaching and learning more as a detective, what would happen? Angela Maiers explores clues and possibilities in her innovative 21st century approach to Classroom Habitudes. Through detective work, Angela shares collected tools to stir imagination, curiosity, perseverance, self awareness, courage and adaptability, -- the six habitudes.

Twenty-first century students, well-rehearsed in fast-paced video games, can out-maneuver me any day with their dexterity and skill. Sound familiar? They think differently because historically, they're oriented to the world through more visual approaches. In fact teens read less than they did in past. Angela Maiers tosses out practical approaches for teachers craving a lifeline to connect to digitally oriented students.

Intriguingly, Angela's new book, Classroom Habitudes, pitches questions, problem-solving, creating, inventing and collaboration as desired skills of today's and tomorrow's businesses. Students do not obtain such skills by completing worksheets or day after monotonous day. Many teachers today are looking for helps past this disconnect because old methods don't work and actually prevent students from tapping their brains. Here're several disconnects...

Student

bored by worksheet - Bombarding students with information can actually shut down learning. To escape, some children daydream. Getting students to "play with ideas" at any age activates the brain for doing rather than passivity.

turned off by teacher talk with no opportunity to respond - Remember lectures that bored you? No wonder brainpower dies daily in our schools. Move Brainpower into Reconfigured Learning.

cringes and shrinks inside when teacher names him/her to gain attentiveness - Yelling or reprimands can trigger cortisol in a student's brain. Angela provides teachers with several "Anchor Lessons" to provide stimulating classroom conversations that engage students so that students are attentive. This leads serotonin, a brain hormone of well-being to flow in learners' brains.

has no opportunity to use multiple gifts and talents - Angela questions tired practice that shuts down many learners... "Couldn't there be an assignment in addition to coloring shapes that maybe included handing them blank sheets of paper and asking them to invent and name a shape that no one has ever hear of before...?"

To zero in on Courage Angela, takes a closer view - with students. She models strategies teachers can use in classes right away by providing lessons and suggested teacher prompts she uses with students. The five lessons:

Looking Fear in the Face
Taking Action
Get Uncomfortable
Courageous Conversation
Everyday Heroes

Maiers challenges, "As learners, you put yourself at risk of falling into learning traps when you do not expose yourself to challenge and discomfort." As I read this, I asked, "Do teachers also need courage to expose themselves to discomfort as they begin to use 21st century methods by giving up the comfort of worksheets, teacher talk, and pointing out a student to gain attention?" What do you think? Here's a list of brainstormed possibilities Angela shares:

Talk to someone new today
Ask a question [maybe several throughout the day]
Challenge something [respectfully] a teacher or person in authority says
Try a new genre
Teach a classmate [colleague] how to do something
Speak publicly - Teach something to a group
Learn a new skill or strategy
Draw something to capture idea
Become a character

You build your courage muscle like any other in your body-the more you stretch it, the more you work it out, the stronger it becomes. Muscle and brain work require lifelong maintenance. Just because you lifted weights once--does not give you strength for life. Stretching and building your courage is a daily, lifelong workout! Happy lifting!... Angela Maiers

Angela, as you challenge others and me to change past practice, you actually encourage us to give our working memory a workout to override ruts. That can be very discomforting. But, as you point out the more you practice doing different activities, the less discomfort you experience. Good news is that the brain's plasticity enables us to change those tired routines that no longer work well in 21st century schools. Students might also benefit from specific software programs as Resources for Teachers and Students in addition to the excellent selected readings.

Thanks for forging ahead to publish Classroom Habitudes. What a huge leap! You model courage, perseverence, imagination and adaptability. Keep up your excellent work.

Obtain your copy at LuLu.

Say Congrats to Ellen Weber - New USA Citizen

2009-02-11T18:43:00.011-05:00

“I am a citizen, not of Athens or Greece, but of the world.” Socrates

Today, Dr. Ellen Weber becomes a citizen of the United States. Along with that, Ellen has a wider world view in her heart. Since she lived two years with Canada's Inuit on Baffin Island, worked with leaders in Santiago, Chile, Ireland and Chongqing, China and many others. Ellen finds kinship with peoples around the globe. Since she resides in New York state, she wanted to make it her "home" in more than word.

At the moment the Immigration and Naturalization Service official told her she passed all the requirements for citizenship a tear welled in her eye. Becoming a citizen of the U.S. is emotional.

Ellen chose to take the oath of citizenship on Lincoln's 200th birthday, today, February 12. Please do stop by Brain Leaders and Learners to say, "Congrats."

Zoning Out When Doing Routine Tasks?

2009-01-28T11:09:00.000-05:00

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge -- Danile J. Boorstin

Ever zone out? You read a couple of pages in Newsweek and realize you missed the point. Or, on the way to a monthly meeting, 10 miles past the expressway exit, you finally come to. It's as if you were on auto-pilot.

Lack of attentiveness can occur to you and me, when we assume we know something. We're so accustomed to the route, for example, that we no longer see it. What's going on, anyway? It's connected to the way your brain works

Picture part of your brain as a filing cabinet chock-full of routines developed over a lifetime. That's how your brain's basal ganglia works. Not too surprisingly, when you read something that isn't interesting to you, your eyes routinely take in the words, but you're day-dreaming of purchasing that new HD TV you saw a few pages back. Similarly you may be so familiar with a route that you don't pay close attention to it, though you are aware of the cars around you. In some ways that's scary. But the driving routine's deeply entrenched.

Good news... we can overcome mindlessness by seeing our world with fresh eyes, according to Ellen Langer of Harvard. "To be mindful," Langer notes, "stressing process over outcome, allows free rein to intuition and creativity, and opens us to new information and perspectives." Tapping intuition and creativity stimulate your brain's working memory.

Picture another tiny part of your brain as a graph that takes in new information quickly, combines it with what's stored in the filing cabinet to develop brand new patterns. That's similar to the way your working memory works. And the problem is if you do not act on the new information, the graph can quickly lose all the data.

Override your brain's default for ruts, Dr. Ellen Weber says. Get control of your distraction reflex...Put the ordinary under a looking glass and discover a surprising element. Or, change your performance in subtle ways as Weber advises.

Test your concentration level Here's a quick test to determine your ability to concentrate on a task and whether you have a well-developed portfolio of strategies to apply yourself.

How would you Reinvent Yourself through Mindful Creativity at work? I'll include your ideas in a follow-up blog.