April 27th, 2007
You Have To Have Brains
I remember as a child there were times when an item of importance would become lost in the Walton house hold. It may have been The Yellow Pages, or a can opener. My mom would loves these moments because it would be a contest to see who would find it. Mom would always say, she would find it because she had brains. This would lead to a conversation about how important school is and how you have to have brains.
I agree and have found a couple of facsnating blogs from Brain Institude. Robyn Mcmaster, has a mission to equip leaders with practical brain based tactics that optimize satisfaction and output at work. Robyn has brains and can provide scientific reasoning as to why we react the way we do and how brian chemicals need certain stimuli in order to be released. She also has a lot of practical advice.
Ellen Weber has brains as well. Ellen has always been interested in how the brain works when leaders use it well. Ellen has taught executive MBA programs for classes in communication, leadership and organization development. Ellen can get real deep in understanding how the brain works and comes up with compelling post on a regular basis.
A great thing about blogging is you can find usefull information from many people. These are 2 of my favorites and when you visit you will see why. You would never expect a black, street guy, rough around the edges would have much in common with 2 brainy PHD white ladies. They have inspired me and have been supporters of diversity and blackinbusiness.They all live in the nation’s Empire State, my home state. Check them out
A key for business is looking for ways to improve on a perpetual basis.You will discover information to make you think on these blogs.
April 27th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Jim, thanks for all the brains floating around at this vibrant site! Love your generous spirit and the way you draw out the best in others… Now that is intelligence at its best!
I also love the way you relate stories, and today’s story about your mom takes the cake. Robyn and I are actually headed out again next week - to lead a big day long conference on the brain in Corning NY. The event is Wed. but we have dinner with their leaders the night before — so it was fun to read your blog and find inspiration and zest ahead, Jim.
BTW … Did you know the definition has changed for intelligence so that who we thought was smart is no longer necessarily so! Ok, there’s a zinger for your day, Jim:-)
Hey, I think I need to do a new blog to illustrate the new - more accurate definition of intelligence…:-) You’d be thrilled since you use a great deal of it here daily:-) Stay well!
April 28th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Jim, my first reaction to what you say is, Jim, you are so smart as demonstated through the wisdom you share in your posts. Especially since you gained part of it in the street - and you build on this in a way that helps so many. Because you explain practical solutions for others to use in their lives, you bring knowledge that’s desperately needed. You also disucss ideas and issues very thoughtfully with others.
As Ellen mentions, there are new definitions for intelligence. That’s because we’ve learned so much about our brain recently. Many supposedly “smart” people can’t really apply information to solve real world problems though they like to think of themselves as smart.
Jim, you are one of the most intelligent people I’ve encountered on the Internet and I’m humbled to know you and receive this wonderful thumbs up from you. Wow, that really inspires me!
April 28th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Ellen, I would love to learn about what is smart by today’s standards. In business I know, good people skills and strong leadership is more valuable than book smarts. The dynamics are changing and the old school book smart managers are fighting change. But in the end the team will respond to true leaders that value them and care about their morale. Thank you for your comment.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Robyn, you and Ellen are too kind. I wish my mom could read what you both had to say. She died in 1995 and use to worry about me a lot because of my love of the streets. My goal in high lighting you 2 is for readers of blackinbusiness to find other sources for great information. There is so much to learn about the brain and you guys are on top of it. I hope you have a wonderful day in Corning. The southern tier of New York is very nice in the Spring, Summer and Fall. I use to live in Ithaca.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
April 29th, 2007 at 10:51 am
These are great blogs JD, This is what blogging is all about, creating bridges of diversity so we can all find common threads within each other.
April 29th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Wow — what a brilliant thought Latimer. It would be fun to create a brain based roundtable on diversity that brings powerful solutions to today’s problems across cultures! Now - you have us all thinking! Thanks for your kind words, and I look forward to getting to know your site.
April 29th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Ellen, Latimer is a thinker and I enjoy his work as well. I hope more of my folk check out your site.
April 29th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
LDW, my purpose excatly was to introduce some of blackinbusiness readers to some of my favorite blogs.Ellen and Robyn are two of the best.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Has anyone here read he Brain Gym book? It’s such a fun book and one of the sections talk about how people can be grouped into four types that’s a little like the differing personalities of those four ‘Sex and the City’ gals. A good team must have all four brain types to thrive as we all have our strengths and it’s best to capitalize on ‘em rather than try to be average in every micro task
May 1st, 2007 at 7:18 am
Interesting insights Jo. Brain gym is an exciting idea to help us keep our multiple intelligences alive. On the topic of 4 different “types” - I prefer to help people develop all of their capabilities because we each have many hidden and unused talents.
The labels rarely fit when we know one another deeply and I’d far rather be reaching out to devel new parts of my mind daily.
Today I am heading out to lead a conference on the brain - for leaders far smarter than me. I expect they will show up smart and leave far smarter because of tactics we’ll use. However, I want them to stay open to the possibilities and surprised of the exercised minds there — and I do not want us to label ourselves - or others.
Nuff said:-) … Sorry for the ramble — wow this is a great discussion! What do you think?
May 1st, 2007 at 10:05 am
Jo and Ellen, you guys have hit on some deep stuff and offered up some compelling thoughts,Thanks
May 5th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
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