by Doug Gray | Jul 9, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, strengths, Success, talent
When I studied decision-making in college, the thinking was linear. Stimulus A caused response B. I wonder, if have we have learned much since then… My undergraduate psychology classes were at Hamilton College, the alma mater of B.F. Skinner, a leader of behaviorism.
My graduate classes in developmental psychobiology were at Dartmouth College, the alma mater of Dr. Seuss and countless global leaders of business and industry.
Recently I read about neural clusters in our brains. Imagine several constellations or galaxies of brainwave activity. Both chemical and electrical activity. Like constellations or galaxies in the solar systems. Now imagine that these neural clusters are both elastic and dynamic. In other words, when we reinforce certain pathways or patterns (called functionalism) then we strengthen neuronal pathways. And when we learn new knowledge (like a foreign language or an insight) then we strengthen the neural constellation so that it can sort through the past memories (called schemas) to create some new sorting system (called data.) We know that some 60% of our behavior is patterned responses, monitored in the basal ganglia. And we know that most new knowledge causes stress.
No wonder humans resist change. Change, defined as any external new stimulus, forces us to re-sort data. Change requires the brain to work in new ways. The larger the organization, the more we resist change.
When faced with decision making options we often think of risk taking vs. risk avoidance. As if the world were so linear… My masters research on risk-taking behavior found that risk-taking is complex, like so many other human behaviors.
What if, instead, we adopted a non-linear view of decision making?
My revised model (of the moment, subject to change) looks something like this:
- We perceive Stimulus A
- We sort through a neural constellation of jumbled data, memories, images, schemas, etc
- We adopt a positive feeling that we have an infinite number of responses
- We select a Response B because it promotes some social good
The positive psychology movement has done extensive research in related fields. Yesterday I learned that the most popular course at Harvard College, led by Shawn Achor, is called “The Happiness Advantage.” Read Martin Seligman. He led a reversal in the American Psychological Association within the last 20 years- away from mental illness and toward mental health.
The coaching client who just left my office is adopting a similar approach.
How about you? How do you describe change?
by Doug Gray | Apr 22, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, Employment, Leadership, Managers, Personal Development, strengths, Success
… maybe.
Consider your antecedents.
“Antecedents” refers to your family or origin, parents, and grandparents. These are “your people.” They left you with strong messages about your probability of success.
If in doubt, read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
If still in doubt, reflect on the messages passed on by your antecedents.
Here are two examples:
My running partner, George, has parents who met in the second grade, as school children in the midwest. One grandfather took him for ice cream almost every day. The other grandfather took him on weeklong trips every summer. His extended family lived within blocks of one another. They slept at each other’s homes. Some family members disliked each other. But they traveled together and kept their differences to themselves. And in the depression, one patriarch left the banking world to sell life insurance. He made money for over 50 years… In a similar way, George does the same work that he started at age 17 when he joined the Air Force. Executive assessments and coaching and consulting. His antecedents taught him something about independent judgement, business, and long term focus.
My former client, Harry, has family roots from Ontario and Buffalo, NY. Everyone in his family skates backwards. His grandfather was the personnel manager at the largest local business. As such, he hired hundreds of people, including all the sisters at Harry’s grandmother’s side of the family. All of them were employees, workers. They measured success by hours endured at work. During the depression Harrys’ grandfather on his mother’s side was given enough wood to build a cottage on Lake Erie. For generations thereafter, hundreds of his descendants gathered there for summer picnics and volleyball games. Then they returned to work early Monday morning… In contrast, Harry rebelled against that life style. He travelled the world. He became a masterful salesman. Then he started his small business. He became very successful. His passion? Harry refused to life the same life as his antecedents.
So, take a minute to do the following:
1. Make a list of “who” and “what.” Who were you antecedents and what did they teach you?
2. Share that list with 6 people in your Inner Circle. If you do not have 6 people, then you need to invite them. Or hire me.
Success is largely shaped by our antecedents.
For details on how to be more successful, then call me at 704.895.6479
by Doug Gray | Apr 18, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, Employment, Managers, money, Personal Development, Success
Jim Rohn, the great business consultant and philosopher, tells a story about his childhood. You may like this story…
As a boy Jim learned that he had two choices:
1. He could work for others and earn a wage. As an employee. For as long as he was able.
2. Or, he could develop himself and his team, and earn a profit. As a small business owner. And earn profits. For as long as he was able.
He could have learned about these choices at any age. He could have been your age when he learned about them. Jim quickly realized that earning a profit would lead to wealth. He embraced choice #2. Here are some reasons why you should do the same:
Personal development leads to wealth.
Self education leads to wealth.
Professional development leads to wealth.
The small business owner with the strongest team is the wealthiest…
Professional coaching and consulting with me is guaranteed to help you make profits.
And profits are better than wages.
So call me now. At 704.895.6479.
by Doug Gray | Jan 5, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, energy industry, exercise, faith, family, Financial Professionals, Leadership, Managers, money, Personal Development, strengths, Success
WTF stands for “what the f____” It’s a swear word. You should know that.
I swear by this: WTF stands for “What’s The Focus?”
When you FOCUS on providing great value to people, then you will do so.
When you focus on cheating people, then you will do so.
WTF Coaching is a process of intentionally focusing on positive outcomes in your professional and personal life.
We ALL need WTF coaching at times.
No one is successful when they are alone. Teams are successful. The myth of the solo-preneur is dead. Every successful client and alliance partner that I know of has a tremendous support team providing sales, marketing, delivery, assessments, etc.
Throughout history, our WTF Coaches have helped us become successful. They help us keep our focus.
I currently work with 2 peer WTF Coaches, because I need more help than many 🙂
So, who is your WTF Coach?
by Doug Gray | Jan 3, 2013 | Business, change, Coaching, exercise, faith, family, Leadership, Managers, Personal Development, Sales, strengths
Jim Collins is credited with saying, “If you have more than 3 “top goals”, then you will not make any a priority.”
Review your goals list. Narrow it to your Top 3. No more. Stay focused on those.
We know from research tinto successful people that they ALL have an obsessive focus on one goal. Not three goals… Consider Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King Jr, anyone in any history book. They had one goal. Only one. Only 1.
So, what is your 1 top goal?
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