Reflect to Adjust and Change

Each of us does a lot of thinking daily, but some are more effective than others. "We all think about our own thoughts, feelings and decisions," Dr Steve Fleming of UK's University of London notes. "Even if we don't get feedback when we make a choice, we often know intuitively if it's a good or a bad decision," Fleming adds. Ever think about your own thinking?

Introspection, or deep reflection differs from decision-making or learning, which can be assessed by measuring improvement in the performance of a task, or whether choices are made correctly.

On the other hand, it would be hard for others to judge your reflective acumen since they may not necessarily see outward signs of improvement.

Want more intrapersonal intelligence? Dr. Ellen Weber, CEO of The MITA Brain Center, provides insights you can use to improve yours.

Leaders need intuitive brainpower 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 these intrapersonal traits (that grow novel leadership) also increase with use. Panic a bit too fast? Feel sidelined a bit too much? Run from risks or new adventures? Grow sad when others celebrate family ties without you? Leaders who enjoy a heaping dose of intrapersonal smarts, add contentment and turn tough challenges (such as attack from another) into opportunities to move forward without sinking.

Interestingly, people strong in intrapersonal intelligence have a bigger associated area in the brain.

You'll find additional insights about building courage, values, curbing anger, common sense, and coping in toxic work environments.

What if... and where to from here? Be the person you most want to be as you increase reflective wisdom to adjust and change.

Who is your neighbor and why should you care?

How are you interacting in your neighborhood? Recent research shows that when you're active in civic organizations such as churches and civic associations, a spirit of closer association and spirit develops even in poverty areas. Why is that?

People get to know each other and begin to care not only about themselves, but also those living in proximity a mindset for causes to improve their world emerges. When like-minded people create churches, entrepreneurial businesses, faith-based civic engagement and vote, the likelihood of violent crime goes down, whether in poor rural or inner city neighborhoods, according to a recent study.

On Bob Smith's WXXI radio interview with a neighborhood researcher yesterday, the researcher told a story, which revealed he did not know his neighbors well. Because he was conducting a survey, he met a middle-aged woman in his neighborhood who was a medical diagnostician. She had diagnosed her own malignant tumor and as a result was not working for awhile, since she was now under treatment. She had physical needs that were hard to meet alone such as shopping for food.

The researcher matched her up with an older woman in the neighborhood. who had plenty of time on her hands and wanted to make a difference. The older neighbor now came to her home, and gladly helped meet some of the needs she had. The researcher was very fulfilled because he was able to put these two neighbors in touch.  And the story made me think.... you?

Being a good neighbor makes a difference in our growth as a caring leader and as a spiritually strong person in the varying roles we find ourselves in a given day.

You might be interested to know that these were identified as intelligences by Howard Gardner of Harvard University. When activated in your brain, they can be identified through MRI's. Interpersonal or social intelligence means that you interact and communicate and exchange ideas easily with others. For many it is very natural from a young age. Today much of these is with family and friends only. What if you also took time to introduce yourself to a neighbor you don't know well and invite that person [or family] to a picnic this spring?

On the other hand, the Intrapersonal intelligence is your sense of who you are - your emotions, spiritually, self-worth, ethics, values, confidence and caring for others are part of this intelligence. In many ways this part of your brain is the hub for choices, actions, and is the essence of your personality that others see daily. Interestingly, the more you stretch yourself through new actions, the stronger you become in each. Each time we act on something, more neurons for that action are created in specific regions of the brain. 

Building both a strong interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence is key to creating the kind of world around us that is rich in spirit.

Who is our neighbor and why should we care?

Your Brand - Person or Product?

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?

Tap Social Media to Spread Happiness

Every now and then other bloggers ask you to be part of bigger post with many contributors. In connecting with other bloggers, you move into a bigger social network... Interestingly, once you visit other blogs you begin to know the author through conversations on their ideas, and often you make friends with these folks. What an intriguing new aspect of interpersonal intelligence!

These friendships can help boost your happiness, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard and University of California. "Everyday interactions we have with other people are definitely contagious, in terms of happiness," says Nicholas Christakis, an author of this study.

Perhaps more surprising, Christakis says, is that the effect extends beyond the people we come into contact with. When one person becomes happy, the social network effect can spread up to 3 degrees — reaching friends of friends.

"We find that people at the center of the social network tend to be happier," says co-author James Fowler, a political science professor at U.C. San Diego.

Imagine a birds-eye view of a party: "You may see some people in quiet corners talking one-on-one," Fowler says. Others would be at the center of the room having conversations with lots of people. According to the study findings, those in the center would be among the happiest.

"We think the reason why is because those in the center are more susceptible to the waves of happiness that spread throughout the network," Fowler explains.

One way we get to know people behind blogs is to contribute to a larger meme in which you reveal facts about yourself. So when Anita Bruzzese tagged me to share seven interesting facts about me I decided to contribute...

7 Interesting Random Facts About Robyn McMaster

1. Appreciate the depth of John Milton's poetry. Today's his 400th birthday... Here's a quote you'd enjoy... "The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven."

2. Live in an old Stagecoach Inn, which was part of a century farm - a farm owned by a family for three generations of one family. Eli Griffith built it in 1836. Love it since my hubby and I own 146 acres!

3. Take pleasure in exploring the woods with my grandsons. We discovered a huge hollow tree together, the kind from which fables and fantasies derive.

4. Took pity on Ginger, a stray cat that wended her way to our home. After my son's family adopted a litter, which she presented unexpectedly, we had her spayed. She runs to meet me when I drive into the yard. Ginger's an unexpected melody.

5. Enjoy using puppets for creative exchanges with my grandsons. Just one of many activities to stimulate their minds...

6. Doubted Ellen Weber's words, "Robyn, you're brilliant." Because her words caused me to question what I was doing, eventually I followed a call to use God-given talents that lay unused. Must admit, I still doubt that description, but am curious, adventurous and open to keep learning.

7. Play golf with relish. In the last three years, Ellen Weber and I, as part of a foursome brought home first place trophies in Rotary tournaments. Now that snow's outside, I consider new courses to explore next year.

What about you? Want to join in this fascinating social exchange? I'm tagging

Big Man Walking

Amy Palko

Isadore Biffin

Ulla Henning

R.J. Leaman

Giovanna Garcia

Eva Ulian

Anyone who wants to be part of this list is welcome to join.

Here's what to do...

• Link to your original tagger, and list these rules on your blog.

• Share seven facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird.

• Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.

• Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter.

I see this meme as a great way to prime your intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences to spread good will to bloggers you met recently.

What I Learned from Uncle Earl's Generosity

My hubby Carl, desired to be a physical education teacher. So when I obtained a teaching position I encouraged him to go back to school. I could support us and he could complete a lifelong goal. All went well, and Carl soon completed his second year. At that time I discovered I was expecting. We decided to stretch Carl's $100.00 per month veteran's benefit allowance. We had a place to live rent free since we were dorm parents for young men attending college. Carl earned extra for cleaning the dorm, while I worked part time in the PR department of the college. With very little money we met all expenses. Barely!

Travel times consisted of a 300 mile trip to and from home during holidays. Both our families gathered to celebrate and we wanted to be there, especially when Scott was born. At the same time Carl took our car to Uncle Earl's garage for oil changes, brakes fixed, etc. Maybe our car was over the hill... Hmmm... See what you think.

Uncle Earl, an upstanding Kiwanis leader and down to earth Pontiac dealer, lived in a small country village in western New York. His white hair and round steel rimmed glasses perched on his leathery face gave the look of an earlier era. At the gas station, Uncle Earl would briskly approach you with a smile and hearty greeting, as he wiped grease from his hands on oily cloths. He stuck to work and business so you'd not discern he might have other things on his mind, too.

Scott was a real hit in his newborn Santa suit that first Christmas. Everyone passed him around and admired him at the family gathering around Uncle Earl's table. Following the hearty meal, Uncle Earl took Carl aside and told him he had a 1956 Pontiac station wagon - an older, one-owner in excellent shape he'd like us to have while Carl attended school.

The gift of this sturdy car, perfectly fitting our needs, truly surprised us. It replaced a vehicle extra ready for retirement. The real shock rooted from the fact that giving the car revealed a side of Uncle Earl's character unknown to us at that point.

After his death we learned that he overlooked some folks' overdue bills, actually not collecting some when he could have. Maybe he knew they were unable to pay.

Interestingly, researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Harvard Business School find that it's possible to buy happiness after all: when you spend money on others. Psychologist Abraham Maslow calls this self-actualization - people express themselves most fully when contributing something valuable to others. Generosity's the outward manifestation of strong Intrapersonal intelligence. The more you practice it, the more you rewire your brain for openhandedness.

Uncle Earl often said he wanted to live to be 100. He died in his 99th year and almost reached that birthday, vigorous, keen of mind and active till the end... As I look back and reflect today, I feel a warm spot in my heart. His life's a reminder to me to pass his generosity on to others. Uncle Earl experienced the first depression... and came through knowing how to stretch money and be generous to others at the same time. Wow!

I created this piece to contribute to Robert Hruzek's What I Learned from the Generosity of Others challenge.

Robert will collect other contributions through midnight, December 7th. Why not send him an entry of your own?

Kickstart Cellphone Smarts!

Three ladies at Applebees sat a few feet from our table. My hubby and I looked over our menu as the three of them chatted in the background. Moments later one of the ladies pulled out her cell phone and started to talk though the other two ladies sat across from her. She completely ignored them. The woman's highly pitched voice quickly raised two or three decibels as her "angry" conversation drowned ability to hear my hubby. Ever experience this?

Do rude cell phone users annoy you daily? Unfortunately that happens more than I like. For instance, last night I went to a presentation by Jean-Claude Brizard, titled "Building a Community of Excellence." Brizard talked of his vision to eliminate dropouts in the Rochester city school system and revitalize education here. Amazingly, a gentleman sitting behind us must have thought himself more important than Dr. Brizard. His cell phone went off during the talk. I watched him put his phone to his ear and wondered if he would talk. Why do many cell phone users seem oblivious to other people right around them?

Might this rudeness connect to lack of focus? self-importance? a deficit in manners? lack of civility? unawareness? Could be one or all depending on the case...

Great news is that peoples' brains can be rebooted to strengthen interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences. These two of the eight multiple intelligences, named and researched by Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University, can be seen in distinct regions of the brain through MRI's.

Here's a descriptor of these two intelligences...

Interpersonal [Social] Intelligence - includes the capacity to discern and respond appropriately to the moods, temperaments, motivations, and desires of other people.

Intrapersonal Intelligence - includes accurate self-knowledge, access to one's feelings and the ability to discriminate among them to direct behavior. Weber, E. (2005) MI Strategies in the Classroom and Beyond. Pearson Publishers.

Try rebooting with these strategies...

Teach teens good manners. We learn as we teach and we also retain more by teaching others. What if we taught our teens good phone manners by explaining how it can be done? We'd certainly learn that we needed to be courteous about how loudly we speak and to activate our buzzer in a public building with many people there. Then model it.

Reflect to adjust and change. Ask yourself questions related to your surroundings so that you know how you affect others. By doing so, this will lead you to build within yourself the capacity to show courtesy, kindness, and self control.

Additionally, humorous ads from cell phone companies would help kickstart people's smarts connected to ways they use cell phones in public places.

What positive strategies come to your mind to turn around cell phone abuse?

This blog's a contribution to help introduce Dr. Mike O’Malley's newly published book called Cell Hell - 55 Cell Phone Users You’d Like to Silence.. Brad Shorr's running a contest in which you could win $500.00, if you'd like to enter.

What I Learned from a Government Deportation Notice

Now is the hour, when we must say goodbye.
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea.
While you're away, oh, then, remember me.
When you return, you'll find me waiting here. Maori Song

One winter day, a plain white envelope, with a return address, "U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service service, appeared in my parent's post office box. When my mother's eyes took in that address, anxiety must have gripped like a fever reaching the boiling point. The Department of Justice sent notice to my mother informing her that Robyn Josephine Ottley resided illegally in the United States of America because she does not have a "valid immigration visa."

Mother gave up everything to come to the United States to marry my step-father [Dad], but she brought me along with her. Truly a dilemma when the notice arrived! But, in time, help arrived... not in the form of Superman, but rather a caring congressman from our district.

James W. Wadsworth,Jr., acted more as a "servant" of his constituents. Wadsworth's keen abilities enabled me to stay in the U.S. as an "alien," rather than to find myself on the next ship to Sydney, Australia.

Congressional Representatives can act as servants of their constituents when they go out of their way to help, as James Wadsworth did. Thankfully, there are women and men in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who do work on behalf of constituents' individual needs in tangible ways.

To change the laws for immigrants with children, Wadsworth shone through two of his strong intelligences - intrapersonal and interpersonal:

Intrapersonal He had a high level of empathy. Researcher Lidewij Niezink contends that "altruism is a choice." Clearly Wadswoth cultivated altruism and once he knew the plight of our family, he took action and tapped into his power of office.

Interpersonal He showed a high level of interpersonal skills. He had built these as a New York State Senator when he fought to oppose prohibition. He made 131 speeches across the United States which aided in repeal. As he worked to assist my parents, he built on his skills for political acumen and contacts in congress. High social smarts made the difference!

From this experience I've learned that our congressional representatives can be there for us and touch our lives in very significant ways. My mother and I could live together freely in the U.S. And, Now is the hour was a happy memory of times together, rather than pangs of separation.

God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
and rides upon the storm. William Cowper

If you're inspired to share something you've Learned from Government, you might want to participate in Robert Hruzek's November challenge.

Don't fear the pauses!

Are you familiar with the term, "pregnant pause"... a pause long enough to make you nervous when you're speaking to a group? When you introduce novel strategies or new information, unearthly silence can follow a thoughtful question you ask. What you do with a pause can make or break a presentation.

Treat silence as your ally... it provides a window of time for people to tap into their brains and play more of a role... bring ideas to the table. If you're anxious and just move on to the next point in your outline, you miss an opportunity.

Begin with a thoughtful two-footed question... a more thoughtful question on your topic that seeks people's experiences and knowledge connecting to it. Now wait... even when it seems like an eternity.

Here're six brain-based reasons why...

An individual may have...

- developed a process in the basal ganglia to sort out best ideas before speaking.

- been diminished for ideas expressed in public. The person no longer risks saying anything.

- built stronger intrapersonal intelligence skills. Such an individual is prone to reflect first.

- lacked interest in your topic and is bored or unmotivated by the presentation.

- cultivated a competitive spirit, which has been rewarded in past by listening to others' ideas first before sharing his or her wisdom.

- lacked verbalizing skills and not have confidence to share ideas.

As I've had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Ellen Weber in MITA sessions, I've watched her amazing acumen to pace. She has the fortitude to wait out the silence... more voice comes to life... and when participants begin to share wisdom, it takes a session to the top...

Ellen says, "Remember it's not what you say at a presentation that people remember... it's what they say!"

Innovation and invention can activate when you step into your confidence and pause...

Thoughts?

Give a Lift to EduBloggers in the F-meme!

Learning makes a difference - whether we're in business, health and medicine, education or anywhere. Angela Meyers decided to begin an F-list to highlight education bloggers. Angela noticed that few educators link out, extending the conversation. So by linking to EduBloggers, bloggers can bolster good ideas educators share in blogs. "The intent is to recognize the unsung blogger and model the power that linking to one another can bring," Angela says.

By giving to others, we actually build more dendrite brain cells in two of our own multiple intelligences. You see, our brain has great plasticity and the more we actively do something, like giving, the more dendrites we build for that activity.

Here's more about the two intelligences you'll strengthen:

Interpersonal Intelligence - This is our social intelligence and researchers have located a specific area in your brain which activates and can be observed using MRI's. In fact, the New York State Standards for Education, list the social standard as one of the most highly important indicators of learning. When you process an idea and can discuss it, relate it to your experience, and ask and answer questions on it with a group, shows that you have learned a concept well. Interpersonal intelligence works well for students who may have difficulty in reading but are more highly gifted in processing ideas as they communicate with others. When we as bloggers, exchange ideas and information with others in many different fields, we build more dendrite brain cells.

Intrapersonal Intelligence - Deep emotional, spiritual and mental well-being resides in this intelligence. In fact, when we give more of ourselves rather than grasping more for ourselves we build many dendrite brain cells for intrapersonal intelligence. In addition, every time you do something positive for others, you release serotonin in your brain, a brain chemical of well-being. I'm hoping to rewire for more dendrites in this intelligence than ever this year... Want to target that along with me?

Incidently, Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University, originator of multiple intelligences, names Dr. Ellen Weber's work with the MITA learning and assessment model in his book, Intelligence Reframed.

Angela has listed the following bloggers on the F-list for educators:

Are We Doing Anything Today?
Timely Teacher Talk
Three Standard Deviations to the Left
Eide Neurolearning Blog
Speaking of History

I'm naming:

Mindset Matters: Leading and Teaching with Smart and Heart
The Principal's Office
Curious Cat: Science and Engineering Blog

Here are instructions to add to Angela Meirs' F-List:

"What YOU can do is simply create a new post on your blog, but CUT AND PASTE the list above, and then ADD any blogs you feel aren't getting their due either. It can be one blog, or a hundred (or none if you simply want to repost the same list), but the idea is, find those great blogs that, for whatever reason, you feel aren't getting their due, link-wise.

Then after you leave your post, the next blogger will do the same thing, cut and paste YOUR list, and add THEIR blogs to the list, then repost it. Add the same instructions in your post that the next blogger should cut and paste YOUR list, and add any blogs they feel should be on it to THEIR list. The list will get increasingly long, and all the blogs will get a sort of reverse 'pyramid-affect' of link-love."

Join me and step up to Angela's challenge... Who would you like to add?

Stop Abuse: Bullying in the Workplace

Bullies in the workplace seem to be increasing in number. Perhaps you've suffered in silence at a bully's whims because you're afraid of losing your job. To provide a variety of perspectives on the workplace bully and ways to overcome bullying, I've picked the brains of several bloggers...

Jim Stroup presents recent stats on bullies in management:

Bullying can occur in the workplace as a result of the plain contrariness of someone’s personality, more serious shortcomings in one’s character, or competitive pressure that sometimes unleashes these elements that can be found buried somewhere in the makeup of all of us. Moreover, it can occur everywhere in the organization – indeed, recent surveys have shown that nearly half of all workers in the United States feel that they are the victims of bosses who are bullies – and almost two-thirds of workers feel that such bosses should be subject to lawsuits for that sort of behavior. This is obviously a serious problem in contemporary society generally, and in today’s pressure-cooker organizations, as well.

Illustration by Lisa Haney

Frank Roches of KnowHR lists common everyday actions [bullies] might use in a workplace.

Common Everyday Actions That [Bullies] Use
1. Personal insults
2. Invading one’s “personal territory”
3. Uninvited physical contact
4. Threats and intimidation, both verbal and nonverbal
5. “Sarcastic jokes” and “teasing” used as insult delivery systems
6. Withering e-mail flames
7. Status slaps intended to humiliate their victims
8. Public shaming or “status degradation” rituals
9. Rude interruptions
10. Two-faced attacks
11. Dirty looks
12. Treating people as if they are invisible

What matters most is what's on the other side of this picture. Ellen Weber asks...

Before workplace bullying pops you with a black eye to the soul, what can be done? Do you cultivate opportunities for the bully to grow more personal intelligences – or do you confront the conflict and encourage others to do the same?

When you turn a bully inside-out, you'll note that bullies're sorely lacking. They're people who do not feel good about themselves so they have to lift themselves up as smarter, most powerful, most strong... But the reality is they're bankrupt in Intrapersonal Intelligence, one of the Multiple Intelligences, identified through activity in the human brain.

What 's intrapersonal intelligence?

Interestingly, people with strong intrapersonal intelligence have spiritual well-being. Intrapersonal Intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations. In Howard Gardner's view it involves having an effective working model of ourselves, and to be able to use such information to regulate our lives. In fact, Dr. Gardner, whose parents suffered in the Halocaust, has shifted his current research to focus more on Good Works since he sees Good Works as a proactive way to establish civil, caring communities.

Ethics and integrity play a big role in decision making for folks who have intrapersonal strength. They're very passionate about family, work, recreation, and have a deep sense of social justice. They've learned to deal with frustrations and anger in positive ways. They encourage others because they are strong within. You'll note their care and nuturing of others acted out daily. Do you hear them humming a happy tune within?

Steve Roesler, provides five reasons why "Who You Are" really matters ... In essence a person strong in Intrapersonal Intelligence...

It's not about. . . . . . a title. That's the role an organization says you're supposed to play. And that can change in a fleeting moment. This is about who you really are. Why is that so important?

1. Who You Are determines How you are.
2. How You Are determines the quality and depth of your relationships.
3. The quality and depth of your relationships determine your ability to mobilize your people--workers, family, or friends--in time of need.
4. The quality of your relationships determine the breadth and depth of help you'll receive in your time of need.
5. Who You Are determines your brand while you're alive and your legacy afterward.

Take time today to build a firm foundation that won't shake and crack with the first sign of adversity.

Several readers responding to Ellen Weber's post Any Bullies Where You Work? recommend the following tactics to combat it:

Simon Jackson recommends:

Running away - removing oneself from the situation - is often a valid and sensible response. But people in a position of authority should never tolerate or ignore bullying. I am greatly enjoying and recommend the book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't which is all about workplace bullying and how to handle it.

Ann Michael advises:

The best thing to do is to call them on it. I don't care what level they occupy in an organization - they need to be told they're a bully and how their behavior impacts those around them.

They will either care or they won't. For those that care you may have helped them see something they didn't realize and helped them to take ownership of it. For those that don't you make it clear that they will not be bullying you or others when you're around.

Most back down after that.

Wally Bock says:

One problem with bullies in business is that they're often in positions of power. And, because we pretty consistently evaluate goal performance only, they are often people who produce results. This is often fine for the short term and deadly for the long term.

Good evaluation systems should evaluate those in charge of a group on the twin jobs of accomplishing the mission and caring for the people. Individual contributors should be evaluated on their work quality and quantity, but also on their impact on the group.These are powerful suggestions to combat the abuse of workplace bullies.

What wisdom would you add to help a workplace bully change? What positive actions might you take to stop the abuse?

Marc Rapp's Philosophical Approach on Braincramp

Marc Rapp, author of Uniquely the Epitome, has a very different take on braincramp and quite frankly, unconventional approaches bring change. So let's consider Marc's ideas and see what you think. Marc says, "As endearing a term as 'braincramp' is, I can't help but feel it's actually a result of a braincramp." Here's Mark's thinking on braincramp...

Here we have a concept (combining two or more ideas that where previously considered unrelated) derived from the exact process it's working to resolve.

The act of identifying, acknowledging, and personifying and then later, perpetuating is in-fact, the result of a braincramp.

The concept of braincramps, is a direct result of creative thinking. Which, in my mind ( basal ganglia ) is the brain naturally resolving a proposed problem. The problem being, not being able to think creatively.

So, one get's creative to solve it.

Is it me, or is this redundant and really only disproves itself?

Marc, you've asked a philosophical question and questions lead us to gather wisdom to fill in the puzzle pieces. Your unique thoughts are yet another piece to visualize the whole.

You tapped your intrapersonal intelligence, Marc, to share your personal perspective. Intrapersonal intelligence is that part of our brain in which we develop responses to our life questions. Marc, I sense you have thought deeply and developed a personal philosophy on the creative process since you're an artist. I'm glad you stopped by and shared just a few of your thoughts...

Intrapersonal intelligence allows us to take conundrums and sort them out as we reflect, grow, and change. Ellen Weber recently remarked, "Neglect ongoing intrapersonal visions for growth and we perish in the wake of fast moving ideas that pass us by." My ideas are not always enough. I need to consider what you and others say. Here's what I mean...

The reason I brought this question to others is rooted in Interpersonal intelligence. That is, I wanted to engage others' ideas, entertain different perspectives and discuss the methods and strategies that are brought to the table by folks in community. This keeps me from having tunnel vision.

I've seen so much intelligence brought to the table already, and I'm hoping to hear from others in the community about how you overcome braincramp.

Mark's portrait from Flickr

Passions that Lead the Dance in My Brain

Hmm...what am I most passionate about and what drives me most?

Intriguingly, as our brain processes passions or emotions, it involves higher cognition. "...the amygdala may serve, among other purposes, a general vigilance function aimed at preparing people to better cope with challenging situations," Yale researchers hypothesize, "and also the ability to sort information according to its relevance to the task at hand."

No wonder passions lead us deeper into some areas more than others. Since we're all so unique, interests that drive us look different for every person.

In a recent meme, Bob Hruzek challenged me to share my obsessions/compulsions or the things in my life that take me overboard. I like Bob Hruzek's slant to focus on the positive side of the obsessive/compulsive meme. So, here's passions that drive me.

Faith - from the time I was young, I knew God loved me. I have come to know the extravagance of Christ's love in my life and in my family's, too.

Family - I have a deep love for each person in my family - my husband, three children and five grandchildren. Each is so amazing and each time I'm with them I learn more about their interests and concerns. I love it when our vintage 1836 Stagecoach Inn bursts at the seams with family. These are happy times.

MITA Work - surprisingly, I became very intrigued by the powerful work Dr. Ellen Weber does in the area of learning and assessment, both in university and business. When I observed Ellen interacting with people during a MITA Institute, I was curious, amazed and drawn to learn more. For some reason I could not get enough and because I kept asking Ellen questions, she told me I needed to follow my curiosity and earn a PhD. Suddenly all the myths about how I really perceived myself surfaced. For instance, I thought I couldn't learn as well because I was in my late 50's and I also thought I was not smart enough to pass all the entrance tests required. One-by-one these myths shattered. Through MITA I continue to grow and learn as I teach others. What a privilege to collaborate with Ellen in the MITA work that provides skills to others all across the globe.

Play with Ideas I love to tackle problems and see new ways of doing things. Nothing is more refreshing than to solve problems at hand. And I do that by playing with ideas as an artist does to develop a painting.

Fun I work hard and I play hard! From the badminton tournaments with my grandsons, to golf, making videos, photography, and now writing blogs, spaces for these activities keep me energized.

Thanks Bob, for challenging me since it helped me stop and reflect. Reflection helps me both look backwards and forward and helps me see where I need to adjust and change.

Along with me, Bob tagged William Tully Ilker Yoldas Chip Camden Char Polanosky

So here’s the handoff rules:

A) Link back to who tagged you, and,

B) Write! What are you obsessive/passionate about?

I'm tagging Katia from Brazil, Chris Brown, Tony D. Clark, Galba Bright and Ellen Weber

Now fire up your amygdala so that even doctors are amazed when they examine your MRI's and see your brain dance when its fired with passion.

Inner Voice of the Orchestra

Our intrapersonal intelligence’s an inner voice.. sort of a running commentary playing in our head throughout the day. Like the viola section in an orchestra – “inner voice” is quietly there. Yet it “plays a key role in the texture and feel of the music” that sings through our daily activities. What kind of music is your inner voice playing?

Cynthia Phelps, principal violist at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra makes fun links between a viola section and Inner Voice. Cynthia's insightful comments help us picture how the Intrapersonal Intelligence operates...

It's subtle but it's exciting, and it's the kind of thing that is great about being an inner voice, she says. You have a lot of control over how you allow the tune to be played.

The intrapersonal intelligence is the well of a person’s life and we’re the conductors of – experience, emotion, intellect.. . People move their bow in sync with selections or myriad thoughts processed during the course of a day.

Cynthia said, Often times, a conductor will just lean down and mutter something while he's in the middle of traffic-copping everything else, and it's up to me to translate it to the very back stand to make sure they heard it.

Translating is akin to creating. We create who we are, whether that be brassy, blaring, blushing, bumbling, bombastic, burdensome...you get the picture.

She add...A lot of what I have to say has to do with how our rhythm is fitting into the texture of the group.

From the intrapersonal, we decide to be competitive, condescending, cooperative, contentious, conforming, crabby, consoling...

In Cynthia's words...I try and create a balanced middle ground, Phelps added. It really resonates with the way I am as an individual.

As leader of her section, Phelps plays the role of a mediator of sorts. What you think about and do daily shapes who you are until you become the person others see in you. How's your leadership shaping up today?

Morality, Environment and Surprising Wraps

Kittens, kittens everywhere…I don’t believe we just have two!

In the midst of a family picnic at our old Stagecoach Inn home, as our four grandsons and five other children played, Ginger, an abandoned orange tiger cat, appeared with a small kitten in her mouth. Then she gently placed this furry struggling, wide eyed prize at the foot of my daughter-in-law. She repeated the step as she brought two more kitties into this fray of children. What an astonishing act for a cat!

Have you ever heard that cats are not only smart, but they’re also philosophical? I wonder what question Ginger asked that led her to bring three cherished kittens into the midst of eight little boys and one two-year-old girl! If ever a cat wanted to have her kittens “rescued” or adopted, her timing could not have been more perfect. This was the most amazingly incongruous event I have ever witnessed. Cats are usually very protective of their litter and would instinctively take kittens a million light years away from little boys. And here's more...

Ginger was not ours originally– she was a very friendly abandoned pet. We have a large old horse barn nearby and my guess is that someone, who did not want to be responsible for this cat simply dumped her. People who do this really irritate me!

Good news is that my daughter-in-law took the kitties since she “found homes” for them. And I had Ginger spayed. I paid about $150.00 – a small way of showing respect for the beautiful woods and acres that surround my home. In the vein of Thoreau, I did my two-bits to prevent feral cats from upsetting the balance of nature. Now, I can live with myself as a lover of the world around me. And Ginger can enjoy peaceful naps.

Moral decisions about our environment can appear in very surprising wraps… Sometimes we have to step up to the plate and pay the tab. Fact is, I've already received so much more than I gave. Has that ever happened to you?