Leaders Change™ Principle 4, By Dianne Garrett

Leaders constantly make and communicate decisions (as they change and as they lead change); they balance satisfying the immediacy of short-term needs to the strategy of long-term goals.

How many of your decisions are from your ‘have-it-now system’ as opposed to your ‘plan-and-wait system.’ I ask you this important question – how impulsive (or thoughtful) are you in your decisions?

Today, I did a self-accessed impulsivity test to access how many of my buying decisions were reactive instead of proactive. I went shopping with cash and a credit card. Being extra self-aware today, I was additionally contemplative over each and every purchase. In the day’s shopping, I saw lots of pretty things for my granddaughter; successfully not overspending for her; I bought one item - spending only $10 which was just what I planned on. I also bought three towels for the home that were 75% off - spending another $8.50. As you can see, involved in my buying decisions was the balance of now versus the future.

How would you do in an impulsiveness test? I urge you to conduct your own impulsiveness experiment to watch your own decision-making processes. Email me at drg@qleadintl.com and let me know how you did.

Principle 4: Controlling Impulsiveness

The good news- being deliberate is learned. You can develop a stronger brain braking system to control distractions that move you away from your intention and into immediacy. Leaders must know, in the moment of action, what to say ‘yes’ to and what to say ‘no’ to – your company depends on you.

The key to intentional decision-making is practice and intentionality. I offer you this list of nine strategies; many of these strategies are listed in a fantastic book by Dr. Pier Steel, The Procrastination Equation.

Ten Strategies to Living Less Impulsive

1. Rest and sleep. Dr. Peirs Steel tells us that the number one procrastination challenge is being tired; in that state we don’t have enough brain power to win over distraction. Stay rested to control your energy reserves.
2. What are your top five values (or your company’s values)? We make our decisions based on what we deem valuable – be it beauty, kindness, innovation, adventure, etc. Anchor in your values and you’ll have more power to say ‘no’ to the impulsive temptation in the moment.
3. Create positive goals instead of negative goals. In other words, craft your positive intention of ‘Live well – strong and full of energy’ instead of the negative phrasing ‘lose 10 pounds.’ You want to feel good (not bad) when thinking of the goal (Steel, 2011).
4. Do a goals plan. In order to achieve, you have to choose and embrace your targets (goals). Clearly identify what you want in life. Then objectively know where you currently stand. Next, list the steps that take you from here to there. You’ll be more likely stay on course focusing on a 15-minute doable action over an overwhelming goal.
5. Select 1, 2, or 3 ‘things’ to get done in a day, no more. Committing to a small number keeps you focused and on track. Using a planning system, not just a phone reminder system, will advance your execution. Check out the SMARTPlanner time management system at www.smartplanner.org. The beauty of this system is in its ability to see the whole picture of your responsibilities in one-view. Stay focused on the important not simply trapped in the urgent.
6. Create a personal email routine. All of life is not urgent; our fast technology world has taught us differently. Create your email habit with intention. My base email behavior is I login to email at the beginning of a work-day, at the end of a work-day, and when I have an email to send. When I log in to email out, I of course, check the incoming emails, I read them and handle the urgent, respond to others that take less than two minutes of my time, and star the ones that require future attention. Are all your emails urgent? I think not. Develop a system.
7. Have support. Ask for help - Hire a personal trainer. Hire a personal or business coach (www.qleadintl.com). Buddy with a friend. Bond with your spouse. Create an advisory board for yourself. We are social animals; use group power to help you live strong.
8. Speak your intention out-loud. Nothing like putting your integrity (do what you say you will do) on the line to hold you to what is important.
9. Control your environment. Manage your situations – don’t put yourself in spots of difficulty. I sometimes find it difficult to concentrate at home – I see the laundry that needs attention, the floors that need vacuuming, etc… and then I spin at deciding what to do. The temptation to do something easy or more fun can become stronger instead completing the important. My answer is to go to a coffee shop to work; I then focus and get my task completed. Dr. Kevin Ochsner of Columbia University offers us a great strategy; he says create ‘condition statements’ to help us win over a strategic change. For example, “If I want a chocolate bar, I’ll eat one chocolate kiss (instead of a whole candy bar.) Re-enforce the ‘if then statement’ by putting a picture of a chocolate kiss in a strategic place.
10. Small rewards pay a big return. Our brain uses a brain-chemical that moves us to action. This chemical feels good to us – it’s our reward system. So, apply this intentionally. When you start a task, decide on a small reward – maybe its lunch with a friend. You’ll find fuel to get the task done when you are motivated by the pleasure of lunch with your friend. This works.

In closing, self-awareness is key to impulsiveness. Know your goals, your current reality and the steps to closing the gap. Know your values. Get support and control your environment. And finally, give yourself rewards along the journey to success.

Author:
Dianne Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/

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To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 3.

To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 2.

To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 1.

Leaders Change™ Principle 3, By Dianne Garrett

A leader’s job is change - to lead change in your organization and in yourself. As John Maxwell says ‘the secret to success is in your daily actions.’ Are you making brain-smart decisions each and every day?

The magnificent human brain is built to spend energy wisely, and yet importantly at the same time, our executive center (the pre-frontal cortex), the part that plans ahead, organizes, and stops us from doing things we oughtn’t do tires very easily (This area of the brain evolved last). We can use more energy than is stored or perhaps think of too many thoughts at once and use up our available resources. When the brain gets tired, research proves that we make poor decisions.

As the brain tires, we lose our emotional control systems and can say or do something we wouldn’t do otherwise. It can even go as far as our behaving like a 2-year old in a temper-tantrum. Child-like lack of emotional control is not attractive in leaders. We want to follow those with emotional stability. Here are a few strategies from Dr. David Rock’s 2009 book Your Brain at Work for you to employ to not overtire your brain.

Principle 3: A Tired Brain Makes Poorer Decisions

One: Use the energy-efficient brain system, the basal ganglia (habit storage part of your brain) to your advantage. When you repeat actions, this area of our brain records the set of actions. Take advantage of this. Create intentional habits by consciously repeating what you want to be a habit.

Two: Let’s talk about multitasking. Not all multitasking is the same – some is good, some is not so good. I’ll explain. Good is our efficient system, the basal ganglia, records repeated actions thereby creating habits. Ever driven to work and not remember getting there? Well, that’s the efficient basal ganglia at work. Not so good is when we try to problem-solve too many items for the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) – that is usually 4 items. Multitasking in our executive center leads to poorer decisions.

Ever walked into a room and then not remembered what you went into that room to do or get? The event that causes that to happen is thinking of too many things at once. When we put too much in the executive center of the brain, the PFC, our brain bumps one (or more) off. Oops. Don’t over tire your brain.

Three: The pre-frontal cortex also holds our braking system. For instance, let’s say that someone was wearing something that you disliked, the more tired your PFC, the more likely you’ll not be able to stop yourself from saying something or signaling that you do not like the choice. This is socially impacting to our relationships. Be careful when you are tired.

Four: Focus uses energy. When I am working at home, I know my focus wanes after 45 minutes. My personal strategy is to do laundry while writing or working on my coursework. When the buzzer goes off I get up and move around for about 10 minutes. My mind gets a healthy break. In short, when you feel tired walk away, working harder is most often not the answer.

Five: Place visual cues all round. Don’t tax your brain by trying to remember. Use your eyes. Your brain reads and records for you – effortlessly.

Six: Set up a capture system. Save your brain for problem-solving instead of remembering. Choose a time management system that keeps you focused on your priorities. De-clutter your mind. Go to www.smartplanner.org to view the newest planner in the market; it’s a de-clutter brain system.

Seven: Chunk details instead of working to remember too much. Our brains can remember grouped information easier than lots of pieces.

Eight: Sleep. Our brains are more active at night than in the day. Our body needs this time to process information. Sleep is key to de-stress and balancing your body’s chemicals too. And, while you hear this all the time, it bears repeating – drink lots of water.

Nine: Quiet your mind. Slow down your thoughts. Most people don’t know the power of a quiet mind. We are culturally trained to think that we are smart by thinking all the time, and the opposite is true. If one’s mind is constantly busy then you don’t have room for new ideas (new mental connections and associations) to happen. A quiet mind is a powerful mind.

Author:
Dianne Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/

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To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 2.

To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 1.

Leaders Change™ Principle 2, By Dianne Garrett

A leader’s job is change - to lead change in your organization and in yourself.

Our conscious brain generates about 10% of our decisions. Surprised at the low number? Furthermore, if that is true, where do the remaining 90% of our decisions come from?* The answer is the unconscious. And one part of our unconscious is our habits – repeated actions or thoughts that become standardized into our behavior. The old adage “We are our habits” now has neuroscience research backing.

As leaders, we need to learn about habits. In order to model the way and influence others to their greatness, we need to be aware of our own habits as well as have the ability to assist others in their awareness and changeability. So, the question for this writing is ‘What can leaders do to facilitate the brain to create habits that help us be better?'

Principle 2: Habits are a Brain Efficiency System
Have you ever driven to work and not remembered driving to work? Scary, isn’t it? Well, that experience is led by the part of your brain, the basal ganglia, which governs routine behaviors. Storing our routine behaviors is our brain’s way of conserving energy. How wonderful is that…our brain helps itself by being energy efficient. How can we use this efficiency system function in our brain to help us live a great life of intended habits?

First a little background information. In his book Quiet Leadership, Dr. David Rock explains that our habits are like the Grand Canyon. Just like the years and years of Colorado River water flow cutting a pathway through the rock of the Grand Canyon, repeated thoughts form pathways in the brain. Now think about how difficult it would be to change the water flow out of its repetitive pattern; it’s the same with our habits - changing them is very difficult. Dr. Rock tells us that it’s much easier to start a new habit instead of trying to change an old one.

In order to change, here are a few thoughts on an executable process from Dr. Kevin Ochscner, one of the founding fathers of the social neuroscience field.

1. Leaders need to work BOTH the habit systems as well as our thinking
systems. In business, leaders tend to work the thinking system only.
2. Most often our leadership feedback is directed to our thought systems. In other words, goal setting. Again, we need to engage the 90% of the unconscious as well.
3. Performance feedback is most often negative and not positive. Positive is more reinforcing.

So, our question again, “What can leaders do to facilitate change?”

1. Get commitment. All change fails without full commitment. We only
make it through the tough spots through determination.
2. Identify the situations when this change-goal-item exists. Is it during a time of day, an event of the day, a particular person, etc.? Once you have identified the trigger, develop an “IF THEN” implementation strategy statement.

For example, let’s say I want to stop being late to meetings. I watch my behavior and notice that it’s most often the 2pm afternoon meetings when my energy is low. I also notice that it’s most often when I skip lunch.

At this point, I craft a behavior IF-THEN statement: “If I skip lunch, I’ll eat a fruit and cracker snack in my office.” Now I have an actionable behavior and can then commit to the behavior. I write it down and place it in view as a friendly reminder. And then I prepare by bringing my snacks to work.

Successful leaders pay attention to habits. In summary, I leave you with a great poem (anonymous author) I read recently:

Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.
Watch your words, for they become your actions.
Watch your actions, for they become your habits.

* The actual numbers of conscious to unconscious thinking varies from 3% & 97% to
25% & 75%. Neuroscientists continue their study.

Author:
Dianne Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/

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To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 1, check it out at http://leadershiplaunchingpad.blogspot.com/2010/11/leaders-change-by-dianne-garrett.html

Leaders Change™ Principle 1, By Dianne Garrett

A leader’s job is change - to lead change in your organization and in yourself.

How do you lead change when change initiatives fail so often? John Kotter, Professor at Harvard Business School (known worldwide for his leadership expertise), tells us 70% of all organizational change initiatives fail. Ouch. Additionally, other research reports that 90% of individuals (in this study), who are in a life & death health situation fail to change, even when their life depends on it. Why is change achievement so hard?

How can you help others change successfully, as a leader of your home life, in your workplace, and the community. To answer these questions, we need to better understand our main decision-making tool - the brain. The more we understand our brain, the more we can work within our excellence and our limits to influence others. This article series, Leaders Change™, will detail brain principles and offer associated leadership strategies.

Principle 1: Threat is more powerful than reward.

Our brains are instinctually built to protect us; its primary job function
is to constantly and unconsciously scan the environment for threat. In
doing so, we make judgments regarding safety. Is that food edible?
Is that person going to hurt me?

Eons ago, identifying or not identifying a danger could be
life-threatening. Today we still have these threat systems in our brain
and we need them to help us live - to react fast to press the brake in the car
to prevent a crash, for instance. These perceived threatening situations
drive our behavior (our choices based on our perceptions). Sometimes
we fight. Sometimes we flee. Sometimes we freeze. Sometimes we
avoid or deny. As leaders, we need to understand our own threat
situations and how we express that energy as well as recognize threat in
others.

Leaders need to notice the emotional climates in their body at the time they experience them. I have an exercise called Emotional Inventory where I ask leaders to record their emotions twice an hour - as awareness is the first step to strategic expression. Once you are comfortable in knowing the feeling of emotional threat, take notice of the triggers (both internal and external) and when they occur. In order to effectively communicate, you need to be fully aware of your triggers and your emotional states in order to choose how to execute or not execute that feeling. It’s a leader’s responsibility to have cognitive control of one’s threat or uncontrolled energy will show up in your decisions. Remember, those that follow you are always watching and learning from your choices.

In your work with others, you need to be able to recognize when others are in threat states. As their leader you need to make smart language decisions, both verbally and nonverbally, to not add threat and provoke an increase in cortisol - the threat (increased arousal) brain chemical. Brain research shows that stress damages our ability to make smart decisions and interact with one another. A leader’s job is to create an environment that forwards people not one that causes negative stress.

Furthermore, research shows us that social threat is even more upsetting than a physical threat. Dr. David Rock, Founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute and creator of the SCARF brain model, helps us understand the social power in this question he poses audiences, “Which causes you more stress, getting a bruise on your upper arm from bumping into a wall or from a person using their fist and bruising your upper arm? The answer is a person; it’s much harder for us to get the social infraction off the mind.” Our socialness is part of our humanness.

In summary, leaders, I charge you with increased emotional awareness and increased responsibility of your language as to not create threat in yourself and in others. Remember your constituency is following your lead.

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The next Leaders Change article will detail Principle 2: The Power of Habit another brain principle that impacts our decision-making ability and our leadership.

Author:
Dianne R. Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/