How Can We Become ‘Brainier’?

How Can We Become ‘Brainier’?

Updated July 27th 2023

Has it ever dawned on you that your brain may be the best piece of technology you have?

You might ask whether we have any control over that technology that rests on our shoulders?

The answer is YES.

Brain plasticity, is a term that refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. In this technological age we live in, machines have the knowledge and know the facts. It is nevertheless down to how creatively we can use our brains to interpret and use this information to a high-level that drives our success.

This week, my colleague, Dr. Celine Mullins, is speaking at the Learning & Technologies Conference (www.learningtechnologies.co.uk) on the topic ‘Why change isn’t easy and how to help people tackle it’ Celine, together with Brid Nunn (Learning & Development Design Manager, Marks and Spencer Retail) will validate how engaging employees creatively and in a way that the brain best commits to change, makes real business sense. Positive engagement by staff inevitably leads to higher rates of customer satisfaction directly impacting on bottom line sales. Whilst all at the same time, employees are happier too!

This talk will be all about putting the employees and customers in the centre of the action. But how can we put ourselves in the centre of the action everyday? How can we engage our minds to make the best use of this technology available to us? From the latest research in neuropsychology, here are some simple no-nonsense tips:

1. Concentrate on what is working and the motivation will naturally follow When we focus on what is working more than what is not, our brains become positively charged. As a result it is less likely for negativity to set in. The brain finds it tricky to be positive and negative at the same time! When you are in this frame of mind, you will naturally be more motivated to produce really good quality work, and your colleagues and customers will enjoy being around you too. Find out what things trigger you to enjoy yourself more in general, and explore whether you can integrate them into your work in any way. That way you are creating the motivation to become the best version of yourself, inside and out. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!  

2. Bite-sized goals (i.e. chunking down) Why clean the house from top to bottom in one evening and be so wrecked that you are not inspired to do it again for a month? The brain likes good memories of things so when we break goals or jobs into bite-sized pieces, the memory of the ‘job’ is not so bad and we are happy to take on the task again and again.  

3. Keep doing it until it becomes habit If you are having fun and chunking things down, new habits (e.g. going to the gym) will become easier to repeat. The more we repeat things and the more we want to repeat things, the more hardwired the new habits become in the brain. I liken this to programming a computer! Using this approach, we are less likely to slip into bad habits again.

4. Keep the self-judgement to a minimum Finally, if you do fall off the bandwagon with a change/new habit, don’t give yourself a hard time. Negative self-chat imprisons you in your own fear and makes it difficult to take action to get back on track again. It also blocks channels in the brain from seeing solutions as it goes into blinkered survival mode. There is always a positive way to reframe a mistake or stumbling block. Just make a decision to love learning and move on! If we are not learning we are dead!

If you have just read this entire blog, you have already begun to use many of the principles of neuroplasticity. You are on your way to becoming a very ‘brainy’ person. Go forth and conquer!

Manage Your Time And Have A Life

Updated July 27th 2023

Does this look like a lady who manages her time wisely? 

Somehow for years I associated good time management with being a boring sort of person, lacking adventure and spontaneity. I even had a picture in my head of a prim and proper man waiting for a train and just as it pulled into the station, he’d glance at his watch and approach the platform. However, nowadays I’m firmly convinced of the vast benefits associated with it.

First step: Find your value behind this commitment
Finding your motivation to internally commit to good time management is key to your success at it. You need to see what values you have that are congruent with adopting this behaviour. Having a look at some of the advantages listed below could help you with this.

  • Be less stressed and in the flow
  • A focused mind
  • Less procrastination
  • Achieving your goals
  • Better finances
  • Greater self esteem and confidence
  • Better relationships with others
  • Less guilt/stress due to respecting other people’s time
  • Increase your productivity
  • Feelings of accomplishment
  • Enjoy and appreciate your leisure off without worrying
    ….And all without taking yourself too seriously because that is a serious matter!

80% of your productivity is down to 20% of your efforts
The 80/20 principle refers to the phenomenon where 80% of your productivity is brought about by 20% of your efforts. Being successful isn’t just about working smarter or harder; it’s about working smarter on the right things. The key is to focus your energy on producing the 80% of everything you do – which is also the 80% that matters.

The best time managers spend more time planning and training staff to take on delegated tasks than in a flurry of email and phone answering activism.

Some questions to ask yourself:
What is the best use of my time and energy this week?
Will doing this make a difference in the next 6 months?

The Key is Planning
With planning you can get a lot more done, more effectively and in less time. Because of this, I now find myself putting aside time each Sunday to plan my week. I begin by sourcing a piece of foolscap and creating headings which sum up the main areas of my life:

1) Family
2) Friends
3) Career/Work
4) Health
5) Significant other
6) Finances
7) Spirituality
8) Physical environment
9) Fun & relaxation 🙂

Then come the bullet points
Under each heading, I list what I would like to get done this week as it relates to each area. For example, if you would like to make more money, under the heading of finances you could write, ‘time for creative brainstorming around sourcing better leads’ and under health, ‘less burgers and more green veg’. Then with seven days to play with, you slot each ‘to do’ into a day and time. For example, go to that vegetable shop around the corner on Monday evening on my way back from work.

WARNING: Prioritisation
If your goals have taken steroids, I advise highlighting the most important ones to take precedence in your diary. We don’t want Mrs Doyle from Father Ted creeping her ugly head so there is no need to mend the roof, build a shed and organise a rock concert in one week.

With the Sunday best approach (above) however you can seriously give this theory a Father Jack kick up the backside. This is because, using this tried and tested approach, it quickly points out when you are on the wrong track.

Now you have time for a life
You cannot sustain the same output endlessly without rest and fun. Not only that but what’s the point in living life without having a life? So while you are scheduling enough time for bedtime, I urge you to put to bed the idea that work defines you or without you, things will fall apart. Apart from the fun part of being able to live a bit, when you get a rest and have fun, the brain performs better. Better still, inject fun into your work and success will come more easily to you anyway.

 

8 Essential Skills for Successful Business Communication Training

Updated on July 3rd 2023

What makes someone excellent when delivering staff training and development or facilitating learning in others?

Explore our insights below:

 

 

 

 

1. Effective Listening

One crucial skill for facilitators is the ability to truly listen to participants. This includes their opinions, thoughts, and needs. It is important to recognise the opportune moments to interject, whether this is by asking thought-provoking questions that foster self-awareness or by guiding individuals to question perspectives they may not have considered previously.

 

2. Embracing Silence

Recognising the value of silence is a key component of effective staff training. It is important to understand that not every moment needs to be filled with constant talking or noise. Allowing space for reflection is necessary, as different individuals require varying amounts of time to fully grasp concepts and ideas.

 

3. Strategic Speaking

When facilitating, it’s important to determine when it’s necessary to share your own knowledge or experience on the topic or scenario, while remaining humble and avoiding ego-driven monologues. As a facilitator, although you may lead many of the conversations, it is important to avoid dominating them by not allowing room for others to speak. Encourage others to contribute from their own experiences, even if they haven’t spoken before, as their insights can provide valuable perspectives on the situation.

 

4. Embracing Constructive Challenges

Having the ability to recognise the appropriate moments to challenge individuals or groups in a respectful and controlled manner is vital. Being comfortable with respectfully questioning and pushing boundaries when necessary creates an environment conducive to growth and learning.

 

5. Embracing Authenticity

Being true to yourself is incredibly important, especially when standing in front of a group. However, at Adaptas, our facilitators sometimes assume the roles of different personalities or characters to highlight specific issues, remaining in those roles as long as necessary for effective learning. With this unique approach, participants are able to interact authentically with people and situations they may encounter in the workplace, and therefore understand and analyse their real reactions and thought processes. Additionally, this approach enables participants to safely confront the types of personalities they encounter daily in their workplaces. In real-life situations, people often react without much thought due to the fast-paced nature of interactions. However, our patterns and habits, learned since childhood, may no longer serve us. At Adaptas, our facilitators provide participants with a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect, and explore alternative ways to respond to situations and others’ remarks. Additionally, we offer input and coaching to enhance participants’ communication effectiveness by identifying what does and doesn’t work for them.

 

6. Embracing Risk-Taking

Our approach involves facilitators constantly taking risks. Not only do they need to be authentic to themselves, but they also assume the roles of other individuals, relying on their ability to be convincing. I have consistently witnessed our facilitators and role players portray their characters believably. Nevertheless, they face a wide range of challenging questions, occasionally without knowing the exact right answer. In such situations, they must improvise and respond convincingly. Sometimes, the characters they portray must exhibit tough love. In such instances, their utmost priority is to remain aware of the impact they have on the trainees, ensuring the process does not overwhelm any individual. Managing this during and after the session is crucial. This includes providing support, creating a sense of safety, and encouraging personal growth and improved interactions with others.

 

7. Remaining Open to All Outcomes

With our unique approach, we emphasise the importance of not becoming overly attached to a specific outcome or always being in the right. While clients may have certain guidelines we must follow, human communication is dynamic and unpredictable. The beauty lies in the diverse experiences and personalities present in each training session. We often find ourselves leaving a session with newfound insights about ourselves, group dynamics, and organisational workings. Witnessing the remarkable strength, resilience, and intelligence in our participants is truly inspiring. This process also serves as a powerful reminder that trusting ourselves and our collaborative efforts can lead to extraordinary transformations for individuals.

 

8. Knowing that you are not always the expert

None of us can claim to be right at all times. It is important to frame every training session with this in mind, for the sake of yourself as a facilitator, as well as for the participants. The desire to always be right or to be the only expert on a specific topic can hinder personal and collective growth. The path to learning entails diving in and experiencing the outcomes without ego or fear but rather with self-acceptance and a spirit of collaboration. When a trainer embodies this mindset, it becomes easier for participants to embrace the same approach.

 

In my life, one of the biggest realisations I have ever made is that fear and trepidation is there to show us how incredible life can be on the other side.

If it is time to challenge your staff in an innovative, creative, and effective way, contact us to arrange a meeting and let’s see what changes we can help you make!