February 4, 2012
Black and White Movies Cause a Stir!
Herbert Blumer, a pioneering sociologist, spent his entire life studying human interactions, including the theory that what we see, shapes the mind.
Blumer determined that people behave according to three influences. One, the meaning that things and events have for you (example: a peace sign, education, & cultural holidays). Two, the meaning of things and events comes from you’re interactions with other people, (example: ancestry research, interracial marriage, & the Million Man March). Three, that the meanings we ascribe to things and events are derived from self-interpretations, (not because someone told us what the meaning should be).
Now suppose someone told you the following: “According to opinion polls, the ‘American Dream’ implies owning a house.” But your interpretation—based on the aforementioned examples (noted above)—doesn’t agree. For you, the ‘American Dream’ might mean, “Equality for every citizen within its borders.” Blumer described this process as symbolic interactionism.
Blumer identified symbolic interactionism as an activity unique to humans. It’s a process where social interaction and interpretation forge meanings we have for things around us. Outside influences such as the media, the body language of others, stereotyping, and the amount of empathy we receive (micro-scale social interactions) all play a role. Blumer opted to prove his case by evaluating people after they watched a wide assortment of movies.
From 1929 to 1932, the Payne Fund enacted a series of research studies to examine movies and their effects on a population set of 1,500 young people, aged thirteen to twenty-four. The researchers identified several observable outcomes on the young moviegoers, from learning and attitude change to emotional stimulation and behavior influence.
At the time of this study, movies were a relatively new technology. Therefore, limited information existed about their impact on viewers. The researchers wanted to determine if movies influenced young people to adopt behaviors they viewed onscreen. The analysts used detailed questionnaires, personal interviews, and sound experimental design to buttress their findings. Their extrapolations came from the movie attendance of fifty communities in Ohio.
Ten categories of movie content were examined: crime, sex, love, mystery, war, children, history, travel, comedy, and social propaganda.
Considered ground breaking in 1932, the results of the study aren’t that surprising today. The research determined that a whole range of emotional, racial, and social behaviors morphed after the subjects watched movies. Blumer noted (paraphrased):
“Emotions were stimulated, especially those related to fear and tension. Health effects were measured by looking at the sleep patterns of children after watching movies, and certain movies disturbed healthy sleep. Children who attended movies regularly were found to behave poorly in school compared to those who attended less frequently. Children imitated favorable behavior they saw in movies, but movies also appeared to play a direct role in delinquent careers. Overall, researchers found that movies influenced both children’s attitudes and behaviors. These effects were cumulative and persistent over time.”
After perusing several transcribed interviews from the study, one from a nineteen-year-old college sophomore caught my attention:
“About two years ago I saw a movie in which the heroine coyly, when conversing with a young man, would close her eyes, slightly nod her head and smile. And when she closed her eyes, her eyelashes were shown off to their best advantage. So I decided this was ‘cute’, and having always been vain about my eyes, I adopted the trick. It so happened that within about a week I attended a formal dance. During the evening I used my charms, but to my dismay they weren’t appreciated; but rather criticized! After several closings of the eyes and noddings of the head, my friend asked me if I was tired and wished to start home. You’re assured that I didn’t continue my newly acquired trick. And my coquette career came to an end.” 20
Imitating movie stars doesn’t always lead to glamorous endings, as this young lady discovered.
The mind is a marvelous piece of machinery. It can be primed in different ways, from our own internal perceptions, to the automatic switching functions embedded in neurological circuits—allowing priming by other people, and via symbolic interactionism. So…what’s your thoughts on how our minds are forged by what we take in?
January 19, 2012
What Will Be Our Legacy?
Often at funerals, easels display photos of the departed as a reminder of their life’s experiences. Keeping in step with our modern age, a friend of mine took a different approach. Encapsulated in a PowerPoint obituary, pictures of her deceased father transitioned from one to the next—finely coupled with a soothing violin-laden soundtrack. As each picture emerged, he could be seen with a variety of people: from artisans to academics, to average folks—the people on the margins. Evidence that her father’s mind linked with a broad portion of humanity. In nearly every photo, he smiled so big it brought a sense of his presence to the room. People with similar traits as this man provide a much-needed reprieve in our world of self-indulgence and hurried lifestyles.
In business, we can intermittently ignore so many people that it becomes difficult to leave a legacy like this man’s—where the stairs climbed weren’t to outpace others up the corporate rock wall, but rather, to keep a promise, leave an enduring connection, and a keepsake memory.
Do you see the significance of this? We’re designed to link to others, from the time we’re conceived, throughout childhood, during courtship, into old age, and the myriad of relationships that come in between. In aggregate, this array of linking stitches a finely woven fabric called—life. It’s up to us to determine how wildly exciting that life can be.
Each one of us is unique—born with an array of talent and potential. The choice becomes whether to link with people or cower under a protective shell. I prefer the former. I want to interface with people who motivate me to become a better person. And conversely, I want to do the same with others.
The example of this man’s life draws attention to what matters most and what matters least. Absent from the photographs were his material possessions. The pictures captured him interacting with others, whether with his assemblage of beautiful daughters, friends in the community, neighbors, and strangers—his life song spoke of interaction.
The greatest wonder of linking to the minds of others is that life becomes a fanfare. In business, the dividends are the same.
Need proof?
Just watch a keynote speech by Steve Jobs, co-founder, of Apple, Inc. His leadership team prided itself on cohering every mind within its walls. Apple’s 6,754 percent appreciation of its stock price during Job’s tenure as CEO demonstrates how crazily effective this approach can be.
On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs succumbed to the cancer he fought so bravely. In my humble opinion, Steve linked more minds to innovation and meteoric greatness than any leader in modern times. My iPhone, iPod, and computer I wrote this blog with, all originated from his vision. His legacy of connecting humanity will not soon be surpassed.
The available evidence is clear—management personnel who fail to link with those they’re leading won’t reach the pinnacle of long-term success.
Are you with me now? Do we want organizations to wind up like Enron and Circuit City? At the top of their game one day and bankrupt the next? On a personal level, do we want to leave a PowerPoint obituary that inspires people like that of my friend’s father? These are rhetorical questions—we all know the answers.
So . . . what will you do today to bolster your legacy?
January 3, 2012
We Choose…
The following is a ‘guest blog’ post I did for Britt Michaelian. She’s an entreprenuer, thought promoter, and host of “The Work Smart Lifestyle” blog and community.
Please visit her website @ http://worksmartlifestyle.com or follow her on Twitter @MamaBritt. Britt offers keen advice, insight, and savvy social media expertise that will help you succeed in all areas of life. And, she’s a really kewl person to banter with!
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Rice University, September 12, 1962. Where were you on that date? I wouldn’t be born until four more years would pass and yet it was then, that John F. Kennedy would deliver a message so powerful, it would inspire millions of people and change the course of history. What was it about?
Putting a human being on the moon.
This two minute clip captures his speech in its finest moments:
So . . . why talk about this at the onset of a new year?
Because our nation is at a turning point.
Like many of you, I’ve grown dismayed and disgusted with the political landscape. Mud-slinging and the constant barrage of ‘blame-game antics’ does not solve problems or foster innovation. Hence, it’s time for a makeover from a new breed of change-agents that see the unseen and seek one thing—to change the world by uniting people.
That my friends, is the catalyst needed to turn our economy around.
The salient truth is that that when we attempt to build a legacy and enact change on the shifting sand of rhetoric, it won’t survive the onslaught of social, economic, and political waves that crash against its jetty. Furthermore, the latest technology, a rich history, and a pile of cash aren’t enough to hold back the raging surf. Rather, dynamic and dream-weaver leaders are the pylons that’ll keep it intact.
Our primal nature is to seek out others and share in community. This necessitates a cadre of organizational leaders who obliterate dogma and choose the following:
Choose to grant empathy and attentiveness to everyone.
Choose to pump human minds with stimuli that improves our influence and ability to solve problems.
Choose to remove the stagnant waiting room organizational cultures, and usher in the fever-pitched biome of a jazzy sports bar.
Choose to create motivational moments.
Choose to ensure mechanisms are in place so that everyone can become involved and be active contributors, and not passive observers.
Choose to listen and ask questions of everyone, especially the people on the margins (those not popular, the ones ignored because they don’t meet the criteria of the “in” crowd).
Choose to transform their surroundings by linking the hearts and minds of people toward a “Call to Action.”
Choose to take the role of a dream-weaver.
A bold challenge? Yes.
But here’s the takeaway. There’s a tectonic shift afoot within social and economic frameworks around the globe. Barriers that stood cemented in place for centuries are crashing down, becoming relics of a time since past. Therefore, let’s sandblast bravado off the walls of organizations and replace it with—unity.
The surprising truth is we’re all fashioned to link our minds in ways we never deemed possible. And as the sun rises on this new year, I leave you with this profound axiom.
Becoming a vanguard leader means tapping into the deep reservoir of the human minds around you to promote the exchange of information and experience. If we do this, we’ll—with certainty—find ourselves basking in the vision that John F. Kennedy spoke so eloquently of.
Not because it is easy—but because it is hard.
What will you choose?
December 21, 2011
Are You Having a Great Time?
Brenden Foster is like any other eleven-year-old; he loves sports, video games, and having fun with his friends. By outward appearances, he resembles a jovial boy enjoying the best years of his life. Except for one thing. Brenden’s dying.
Three years earlier, doctors diagnosed him with leukemia and today’s he’s unable to get out of bed. Furthermore, he has to deal with the knowledge that in less than two weeks—his body will give out.
Brenden takes the news in stride and says to a reporter, “I’ll be gone in a week or so.”
The reporter, fighting back tears asks, “What were the best things in life?”
Brenden replies, “Just having one.”
Speechless.
In the forty-five years I’ve spent on earth, I’ve never heard such words, especially from a person so young and handed an unwarranted death sentence.
Okay, I can hear the question you might want to ask, “Why did you share a story about a child dying of leukemia in your blog about having a great time?”
It’s a good question and has a straightforward answer.
Brenden Foster’s dying wish wasn’t to meet a celebrity, or receive an exotic toy. He wanted to organize a food drive for the homeless.
Please drop every pin you have.
Empty the entire box!
Brenden said, “They’re probably starving, so give them a chance. Food and water.”
Given the advanced stage of his disease, Brenden couldn’t participate. Therefore, volunteers from the Emerald City Light Bike organization performed the benevolent wish, distributing food to dozens of homeless people in the streets of Seattle, Washington.
But it didn’t stop there.
Imitation took over en masse. Brenden’s plea ignited mirror neurons in people’s minds across the United States. From Washington, to Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to Florida, and everywhere in between, people organized food drives for the homeless. Gracefully, Brenden brought nourishment to thousands, but enlivened the hearts of—millions.
Like a stone tossed in a quiescent pond, Brenden’s final act of linking to others—promoting the spirit of giving—is without question, a bar too high for most to cross. Certainly for me.
But let’s try.
When asked what made him most sad, Brenden said, “When someone gives up.” Brenden never wavered, even in his dying state he kept—giving and connecting.
As his life drew to a close, surrounded by his beloved family, he whispered once more, “I had a great time.”
Sadly, on November 21st, 2008, Brenden passed away; leaving a legacy that’s difficult to match. Why? Because some opt for selfish motives rather than linking with the intent to help others. Every day, stories of people destroying lives, companies, communities, the planet, and uprooting unity, litters the news.
Let’s turn the tide and carry the torch that Brenden lit so brightly and ensure our lives, personally and professionally, echo his sentiments:
“We’re having a great time.”
In closing, remember, we can all link our minds to inherit greater richness. Philosopher Donald Schön, sums it up best. He writes (paraphrased): “Practitioners of people are constantly seeking to give encouragement, empathy, and bestow a feeling of worth upon every life they touch.”
The revealed truth is that we can all become better practitioners, and like Brenden Foster, leave consummate ripple effects in our wake—long after life’s curtain draws to a close.
December 9, 2011
The Law of Entanglements…
en·tan·gle (n-tnggl)
tr.v. en·tan·gled, en·tan·gling, en·tan·gles
1. To involve in or as if in a tangle.
Have you ever stopped for a moment to consider the entanglements you encounter on a given day merely by being an observer? Have you ever felt by watching, you ‘somehow’ mysteriously got involved in the action?
In quantum physics and in neuroscience, this paradigm gets downright peculiar.
First, the quantum view:
Quantum entanglement occurs when sub-atomic particles such as photons and electrons, interact physically with larger molecules and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that once entangled, one object cannot be fully described without considering the other. In other words, they are viewed as a whole and not as singular.
Wow, that’s heavy! Now the neuroscience view:
Neuroscience entanglement occurs when mirror neurons fire upon observing another person’s actions. Mirror neurons are a special breed. Unlike other neurons in the brain, they don’t respond to conventional motor stimuli. Research suggests they spring into action when an individual observes tasks performed by another person. The mirror-neuron effect also enables the observer to adopt the point of view and intent of the person he observes.
Even more astonishing, while studying mirror neurons, researchers noticed that when mirror neurons fire, neurons controlling basic motor functions start to resonate. This implies that for the observer, mirror neurons act as a primer for the motor response, which can lead to imitation.
How do I know?
While writing my forthcoming book LiNK The Fascinating Ways Our Minds Connect, I discovered that over 140 years of neuroscience and behavioral psychology research proves outcomes are bolstered when we connect our minds to the beneficial vibrations of those we observe, whether it’s the endearing smile of a best friend, the flight of a butterfly, or a wild horse galloping across a prairie.
Do you see the significance of this? We’re designed to link to others, from the time we’re conceived, throughout childhood, during courtship, into old age, and the myriad of relationships that come in between. In aggregate, this array of linking stitches a finely woven fabric called—life. It’s up to us to determine how wildly exciting that life can be.
Each one of us is unique—born with an array of talent and potential. The choice becomes whether to link our minds with the beauty around us or cower under a protective shell. I prefer the former. I want to interface with people who motivate me to become a better person. And conversely, I want to do the same with others. The greatest wonder of linking to the minds of others is that life becomes a fanfare.
That’s downright Beastie!
Did I say Beastie? It appears within the realms of nature, replicating action and grasping the intention of those in our world can yield valuable results. Specifically, ‘Beastie’ refers to taking on the attributes of any insect, reptile, bird, mammal, that has ever existed, from salmon to wooly mammoths to dragonflies.
How do I know? Sarah Seidelmann. She recently wrote a book titled, What The Walrus Knows: An Eccentric’s Field Guide to Working with Beastie Energies, and in this finely crafted prose she guides us to discover a vibrant way of connecting ourselves to the essence of creatures in nature.
It’s primal message? To learn appreciation, intention, and what we can do to bolster the law of attraction. That is, to pause each day to—as she says—Follow Your Feel Good. Upon doing so, you’ll discover a richness about yourself and those around you that has been missed. And…like in physics and neuroscience, entanglements will not result in confusion and difference, but rather you’ll relish in the shared state of positive feelings, cohesion, and a higher state of mind than you ever imagined.
So…are you ready to discover that Beastie that resides within you? It all starts with turning a page. (Sarah’s breakthrough book can be purchased here: http://tinyurl.com/7r4mc8x .) Her website is http://followyourfeelgood.com/
The available evidence is clear—when we chose to link with those around us we’ll reap bountiful rewards that cannot be measured by bean counters. But to the watchful eye of the seed planter, life becomes a great adventure!
December 3, 2011
Crazy Socks!
Do you ever wear crazy socks?
My daughter Abigail does. Why? In her words, “It makes me feel happy.”
If spending five minutes writing down the attributes of a ‘professor’ on a piece of paper can improve one’s Trivial Pursuit prowess, imagine what can occur on a much larger scale. Vanguard organizations ensure that every player evolves into a champion via a constant bombardment of positive reinforcement and deep-seated interpersonal connection–all the while promoting a bit of silliness.
John Medina notes in his best-selling book, Brain Rules: “If you’re in education, you’re in the business of brain development. If you’re leading a modern corporation, you need to know how the brain works. And the brain doesn’t like boring things.” Bravo!
The reality is that biased organizational leaders don’t involve a diverse corps of people to guide the organization through turbulent times. There are few “motivational moments” and they relentlessly cling to ideas that worked yesterday, but not today. They don’t get excited enough to arouse people to a call to action. It’s analogous to the fervor exhibited from people waiting in line at the department of motor vehicles. Tempered boredom.
Without question, simple things connect minds—often leaving the largest wake. Our brain likes it that way. I’ve seen countless organizations breathe untold complexity into organizational effectiveness models that should have been made easy to understand. It behooves us to reduce the entanglements by having a razor in our toolbox. Not for cutting hair, but for making things simpler.
Occham’s Razor is a principle put forth in the 14th century by English theologian, Father William of Ockham, (it should be noted that French philosopher Durand de Saint-Pourçain conceived a similar theorem during the same time period). The principle suggests that when faced with dilemmas and explanations, we should tend towards simpler theories. The reason? The more complicated the model, the more prone to error and subdued performance. In addition, umpteen change management programs are esoteric in nature. They’re difficult to discern and readily apply. Keeping it relatively simple will give you an edge.
Have you ever heard of Pikes Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington? They turned their business upside down by throwing fish in the air. It can’t get any simpler than that!
So . . . how about a crazy sock day at your organization? It might make everyone feel “happier.”
November 29, 2011
The SAY/DO Ratio!
The primal message of this blog is that most human beings yearn to link with others to solve problems and produce staggering results. Example after example substantiates this claim, whether it’s providing first-string banking services, rescuing trapped coal miners, or winning a Grammy in an orchestra. In addition, we thrive on competition, whether in a sports arena or business setting. The frenetic global marketplace operates on a whole different playing field.
Appropriating new tools has become a necessity for success. Therefore, let’s open the box and grab a tool I know works quite well. I call it, “the SAY/DO ratio.”
Organizations today are complex networks of cultures, teams, and coalitions that thrive on influence, not control, and on transformational leadership, not management. Given this paradigm, we must take the time and evaluate whether all the “SAY” winds up being “DO.”
Meetings can hog up to fifty percent of our day. Hence, it’s imperative we make certain their cost nets the results we expect. I frequently grew annoyed at management personnel who would complain about being ‘double’ or ‘triple’ booked on their calendars—yet did nothing about it. This meant they were afforded insufficient time for mentoring their tribe (also known as succession planning).
If that’s the case, there’s a leadership problem. We need to uproot the meeting ‘weeds’ and turn our organizations around. Quality and documented output of meeting is what counts—not the quantity listed on automated calendar schedules.
Put yourself in the role of bean counter and ask, what’s the “SAY/DO ratio” of your organization? If a long pause ensues before the answer comes, the ratio’s probably off-center. The organizational wellness continuum determines the degree of health an organization is currently experiencing. By implementing a “SAY/DO” checkup, impairments can be addressed before they become contagions.
Remember, it’s about trend spotting. No more Rah-rah Sis-boom-Ba sessions with their ephemeral benefits. We must feverishly look under the organizational hood to ensure all’s well.
November 18, 2011
Muzak vs. Lady Gaga
Have you ever felt inertia while sitting in a waiting room? I sure have. Caught in this suffocating conundrum, many organizations have created countless layers of bureaucracy, thus the minds of the participants no longer link—slowing innovation to a LA freeway-like pace. I’ve seen this traffic jam play out over and over during my years in corporate.
Organizational leaders take note: analogous to a waiting room, bored minds cripple engagement and innovation.
Waiting rooms serve a purpose; they corral people into stuffy environments with uncomfortable seating, coerce you into reading outdated magazines, and inundate you with boring, melancholy instrumental renditions of pop songs packaged in a format called Muzak.
Muzak, also known as ‘elevator music’, can have a pronounced psychological effect on your mind. It’ll do nothing to help you link to others—although it may cause you to spend more money at the local department store.
Slow, methodical, and soft music subdues people. Marketers posit that it keeps people in stores longer and promotes spending. Most dislike it. In a poll conducted several years ago by the London Sunday Times, people were asked, “What’s the single thing you detest most about modern life?” The third place answer? Muzak, with seventeen percent citing it. In response, several people in the UK launched a worldwide campaign to abolish it from the public square.
Waiting rooms need Lady Gaga—not Muzak. Take a moment and think about the organizations you take part in and ask yourself a few questions. Is the atmosphere best described as: unresponsive, lethargic and zombie-like? Do they have their own version of the Politburo? Do renditions of the suggestion box still hang on the wall? If they do, it’s time to shout: “Bam! Kick it up a notch!”
November 14, 2011
The Couch . . .
We all have 100 Billion neurons in our brain. That’s a BIG number.
Now here’s the fun part . . . there are probably 100 Billion ways to use them. Actually, I recently heard—there’s more. Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran says the brain has more ways to connect neurons than the number of particles in the universe—that’s a really, really BIG number!
Think of all the ways we can connect to our dreams, our surroundings and other people? Staggers the imagination—like the tapestry of a Lewis Carroll tale.
Is it surprising that a way to connect can be as simple as sitting on the couch?
You be the judge:
Sure, Abigail probably knows very little about neuroscience, after all, she’s just a four-year old preschooler. But, she wanted to hold baby sister Anna Mae, and can you see the gift she gave? To Anna Mae, it’s like a kiss of gladness, someone connected with her: BIG SISTER!
Now, stop in your tracks for just 30 seconds—SCREECH to a halt! Is there someone you can connect with today? Is there someone like Anna Mae that would appreciate being sat next to—and connected with?
Go ahead, pluck one of those 100-Billion connections and build your portfolio of impact.
Do it today!
November 9, 2011
Newborns Can Talk!
Have you ever wondered if a universal language exists? In the 1970s, scientist and social-behavior researcher, Daniel Stern, used 16 millimeter film to record the way mothers communicate with newborns. He discovered that around the world, women from diverse cultures use essentially the same ‘language’ to communicate with infants: drawn-out exaggerated facial expressions and hand motions, high-pitched vocal tones, frequently adjusted vocal rhythm and intonation, and giddy annunciation of words or phrases. He deemed this communication, “Motherese,” and today it’s considered a bona-fide form of language.
Stern’s research determined that without conscious hindsight, mothers taught their babies nonverbal signaling and interpretation. In return, the babies prompted the mothers to do the same. What brought him to this conclusion? He slowed down the film speed.
Stern took videos of moms as they methodically coaxed babies to recognize various facial expressions of their own. Surprisingly, by using its eyes and position of its face, the baby appeared to “control” the dialogue with the mother! By reducing the video playback to twenty-four frames per second, Stern could see the mother reacting to the nonverbal signals—set in motion by the baby.
The synopsis of Stern’s research states that an atmosphere of play, upbeat rhythms, and enthusiasm spawn learning and imitation. Universally, moms around the globe enable feeble-minded infants to acquire the non-verbal skills needed for meaningful conversation.
Do you think nonverbal signaling only matters to babies? It doesn’t. Whether as infants or senior citizens, the brain’s limbic system becomes exuberant when we add a dose of creativity, spontaneity, and excitement during conversation. As the saying goes, “Moms know best!”