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Archive for the ‘affirmations’ Category

Wear Your Rose-Colored Glasses: A Good Mood is a Biological Reality and is also Good for Productivity, Creativity, and Vision

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

By William Seidman

We have observed that there is a noticeable change in the speed and quality of learning when people are feeling good about themselves. Kim Cameron  in his book Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance  supports this.

Now there is more specific research that shows that a good mood makes learning more effective .   A University of  Toronto  study by Drs. Taylor W. Schmitz, . Eve de Rosa, and Adam K. Anderson, “Opposing Influences of Affective State Valence on Visual Cortical Encoding,”  strongly suggests that “seeing the world through rose-colored glasses is more biological reality than metaphor.” 

The study team used functional magnetic resonance imaging to look at how the visual cortex processes information when the subject is in a good,  bad, or neutral mood. Good moods enhance the size of the window through which we see the world. A bad mood shrinks creativity and productivity. This information is critical in terms of creating an organizational culture worth having. 

For the good of your organization, learn to think positively!

Discard Conventional Wisdom to Achieve Positive Change

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008

By Michael McCauley

Do you like Dilbert as much as I do? On December 21st  Dilbert’s creator, Scott Adams, takes on organizational change in eight frames. Does this sound familiar? The consultant talks with the Human Resources (HR) director and talks about how he will do an initial diagnostic review, and then form centers of excellence. Next, he will consolidate shared services to drive continuous improvement. In this scenario the organization will be transformed by translating initiatives into actionable tasks.

Of course since Adams is lampooning, by the seventh frame the joke is on the HR director, and on the tired conventional wisdom he’s been spouting.

This is part of why I continue to be excited by the freshness of Kim Cameron’s ideas. Cameron suggests that leaders actively promote a positive climate, positive communications, positive relationships, and positive meaning in their organizations. He posits that this philosophy and its practice will drive growth resulting from people performing at a much higher level.

Does it work? We have found that it does. People and organizations change more quickly and more predictably. The changes are positive and the organization thrives.

The Vital Role of Positive Leadership in Organizations

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

By William Seidman

Kim Cameron is the William Russell Kelly Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. In his latest book, Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance, Cameron discusses the powerful impact of a positive leader. The specifics: performance goes way up if the leader can create a positive climate via positive relationships, positive communications, and positive meaning. It’s not just window-dressing; it has to be fully felt and REAL.

Cerebyte’s experience and methods reinforce Cameron’s findings and theories. We’ve seen performance improve sharply when a leader is positive and can influence others to follow suit.

The Technology of Hope and Change

Friday, November 14th, 2008

By William Seidman

One of President-elect Obama’s messages is about the importance of hope, and its importance to real change. Another portion of his message is about the importance of technology to governing and to communication. His campaign’s use of the internet underscores this idea. In fact, Cerebyte’s technology is a form of hope - a way to achieve more than the organizations we meet and work with ever thought possible.

Positive deviants seek to achieve the possible, which is similar to the idea of hope. Our technology uses positive visualization so that each person can achieve the possibilities of change envisioned by the positive deviants - so that people move into hope - often from frustration or limited vision.

Our technology enables many people at once to experience this hope.

Affirming Your Values to Reduce Stress: Much More than Cheerleading

Friday, October 17th, 2008

 
By William Seidman

Stephanie West Allen is a tremendous source of good information about neuroscience and mediation, and has also written about the relationship between affirming one’s values and reducing work stress.

A research report that really aligns with our findings, “Affirmation of Personal Values Buffers Neuroendocrine and Psychological Stress Responses,” details the impact of personal affirmations on stress levels. The study was conducted at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara by Psychologist J. David Creswell, et al.

The research found that stress is reduced when people affirm their values before doing a stressful activity. Work is very stressful for many people, which is why we have people begin by affirming in writing and verbally their commitment to creating some type of greater good from their work. This creates engagement and stress visibly decreases. It’s a motivator, too.

We’ve also found that review of a passionate statement from the positive deviants by a user of the system creates engagement, which reduces stress, and also seem to positively motivate people. Can a mirror neuron effect occur solely though contact with positive deviant language?

By William Seidman

Stephanie West Allen is a tremendous source of good information about neuroscience and mediation, and has also written about the relationship between affirming one’s values and reducing work stress. 

A research report that really aligns with our findings, “Affirmation of Personal Values Buffers Neuroendocrine and Psychological Stress Responses,” details the impact of personal affirmations on stress levels. The study was conducted at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara by Psychologist J. David Creswell, et al.

The research found that stress is reduced when people affirm their values before doing a stressful activity.   Work is very stressful for many people, which is why we have people begin by affirming in writing and verbally their commitment to creating some type of greater good from their work. This creates engagement and stress visibly decreases. It’s a motivator, too.

We’ve also found that review of a passionate statement from the positive deviants by a user of the system creates engagement, which reduces stress, and also seem to positively motivate people. Can a mirror neuroneffect occur solely though contact with positive deviant language?

 

 

 

 
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