Edward Lewellen's Blog, page 6

Low Performers: Punishment or Support?

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When you manage or lead people, you know to expect that things won’t always be sunshine and roses. Your role requires you to lead, motivate, and inspire to get the results your company wants. Your role also requires you to be involved when people aren’t performing well.

In my experience, most managers and leaders have been taught to enforce consequences upon low or non-performing people. This “training” is usually from two main sources; parents and bosses. Think about it; when you give a low-performing person a consequence for their inaction, doesn’t it feel like the punishment you received from your parents? If you didn’t follow your father’s direction, you got the frown, chastised, and made to feel inadequate. If your mother told you not to do something and you did it anyway, you got the stern talking to and some sort of punishment.

You no doubt had bosses who acted similarly. I had one of my co-workers who performed very well and was promoted to a management position. The moment he received the news of his promotion, he immediately went into “Boss” mode. I overheard him talking with a former co-worker and now direct report. He was giving the “heads will roll” speech even before he officially began the position. He was doing what he knew, what he had been taught, by his parents and his bosses.

These same managers and leaders sometimes receive professional training. Unfortunately, most training that deals with the issue of low-performing and non-performing employees isn’t much better than what we received from our parents and bosses. They have “The Method” to deal with low-performance; 1) state what was expected, 2) state what was done, 3) tell them the behavior expected in the future.

Depending on the intention of the boss when this is done, it can feel like punishment or support. Most make it feel like punishment. Most bosses have the intent of creating fear. “If your performance doesn’t improve quickly, then you’ll be looking for a new job” is either said explicitly or implied. Why is it that parents and bosses feel the need to create fear, a very negative emotion, to get the results they want?

When they get upset with an employee, the manager or leader is coming from a place of fear; fear that someone or something isn’t going according to plan and that they have no control of the situation. Fear they will be made to look bad to their boss. Fear that their paycheck is being negatively influenced by someone who works for them. So, they react by trying to regain control of the situation with more fear. As the saying goes, “stuff” rolls downhill. And one of the most common – and most damaging – ways to create more fear is by punishing their people. The thinking is that this will turn around the person’s performance. Honestly, though, how often does it really work? Here’s what really happens:

Punishment creates and/or exacerbates the disconnection that may already exist between the manager/leader and the low-performing person. The person already knows they aren’t performing well. They’re already beating themselves up. Their spouse may already be beating them up because their paycheck isn’t what it could be. Their co-workers are probably beating them up because their the “low man on the totem pole”. The last thing a low-performer needs is the to be beat up even more. When they are, it pushes the manager’s/leader’s relationship with them even further apart. Which, in turn, makes the manager/leader feel even less in control and more frustrated. (See my post The Stress of Under-Performing here on LinkedIn)

Punishment makes the individual feel even more alone and more misunderstood. And when punishment is used repeatedly, there can be a serious break in trust. Even if the person continues working for the manager/leader, there will be a massive psychological divide. Because the person is being punished, they will put up a wall to protect themselves from enduring more pain, creating an emotional disconnection. Respect and trust are replaced with dread and fear. They begin to dissociate themselves from their manager/leader, their position, and the company. They polish their resume and begin their job search. It becomes like riding two horses at the same time, with one foot on each, they’re drifting apart, and neither one is being done well.

What is a leader or manager to do? What is the alternative to punishment? How do you express your disappointment and ensure that your low-performing people learn from their poor performance? It comes down to one key ingredient – Positive Intent. I don’t mean “put your troubles in a bubble and let them float away” type thinking. I talking about having the intent to help their people perform well and committing to a strategy and the resources to make it a reality.

There is evidence-based research that shows taking a positive approach outperforms taking a negative, fear-based, approach. Research on the way dolphins are trained offers us insights. Dolphins are showing propensity for higher IQ and definitely have a higher EQ (Emotional Intelligence) than humans. They are highly social, but if something happens that dissociates them, they can fall into a deep frustration.

This research has shown that when a trainer wants a dolphin to step out of that frustration and perform for them and uses force and anger, the dolphin feels that negative energy and retreats even further. However, when the trainer remains positive and supportive – I.E., taking an entire bucket of fish and dumping it on the head of the dolphin – the dolphin becomes so overwhelmed with joy that it breaks out of its depressive, dissociated state.

And when the dolphin begins to perform the way the trainer wants, the trainer immediately reinforces the desired behavior. They never punish; only reinforce. And, during times when there is nothing to reinforce, the trainer only seeks to create a little spark that ultimately guides the dolphin in the right direction.

Humans are more complex and citing this research is simply meant to open your eyes to see that there is always a choice of how to approach a problem.

Are you a parent? Take toilet-training as another example. Should you punish your child when he or she doesn’t use the toilet correctly? Or, do you reward and reinforce the good behavior? Any modern parenting handbook would recommend the latter. It goes even further; sometimes you reward even attempts or intentions of good behavior, right? If little Sally was on her way to the bathroom and didn’t quite make it, would you punish her because she didn’t make it, or reward her for trying? If you waited for perfect behavior to give a reward, you’d be waiting a very long time. So, you reward their effort, even if it doesn’t result in the desired outcome.

Positive Intention is all about creating an opening in the relationship. When a manager/leader takes the lead, and shows that they’re positive, supportive, and have the intention of helping low-performing people succeed, then they will see their low-performers’ fear dissipate and their potential emerge. Seeing this, the manager’s/leader’s fear of being out-of-control will dissipate, too. The starting point to building a high-performing person will be the agreement that no one has the intention of being mediocre or low-performing. From there, the possibilities are endless!

Request my Special Report The Ultimate Business Trifecta today: http://trans-think.com/UltimateBusinessTrifecta

Please feel free to comment and share this post. And, if you would like to learn more, contact me TODAY!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Leading Into the Unknown – Part II

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Robert Harding World Imagery

In the first post about Leading into the Unknown, I discussed three areas where leaders must excel; being authentic, having physical and psychological stamina, and being adaptable in their thinking. Now, consider three more areas that are imperative for leaders to flourish in today’s ever-changing world.

The ability to inspire –

The days of positional power is quickly fading away, just like the red “Power Tie” and blue suit from the ’80’s. Positional power can only take a company so far. Just this week, one of the up-and-coming superstars in the business world, Travis Kalanick of Uber, fell from grace for apparently that reason, and more. People no longer put up with being bullied by those in Leadership positions, or should I say Management positions, because “leadership” implies that people are influenced and inspired to willingly follow.

I’ve interacted with this dying breed of high-level executive who believe they already have all the answers; they don’t read any books, whitepapers, or other new research. They dominate conversations and cut others off because their time is more important, they already know everything, so don’t waste their time by sharing any new or alternative views. And, don’t try to tell them things have changed, they won’t listen, anyway.

These executives don’t concern me as far as interacting with me. They aren’t the kind of people I work with. I can’t help someone if they already have all the answers. It does concern me, however, that the people they work with feel disparaged, deflated, and unimportant…UNINSPIRED!

Conversely, think about those in history that were known as great leaders and what caused them to become recognized as such. In this list, you may not agree with some of their philosophies or end results, but that they were great leaders is self-evident; Jesus Christ, Mohammad, Alexander the Great, Christopher Columbus, and Aristotle, to name just a few.

Each had clarity of vision. More important, they were able to communicate that vision so that others clearly understood it. Their influencing skills were well-known. Interestingly, through advances in technology, Neuroscience has learned over the last decade that people really do emit an “aura” which is perceived by people before a word is spoken. People can “sense” the intent of other people. And, if they pay close attention, they can sense if the words a person is speaking aligns with their unconscious communication, their true intent. The great leaders I mentioned obviously emitted good intent. They followed up their vision by making decisions and behaving congruently with that vision. This resulted in creating trust and credibility so that people followed them to the end of the world and even death. To put it succinctly, they INSPIRED people! They breathed life into the people they led, instead of draining it out of them.

A passion for learning –

When it comes to learning, are you green and growing or ripe and rotten? Are you depending on past knowledge to sustain you? Yesterday’s thinking and beliefs got you to where you are today. It will not successfully take you into the future because the world is changing faster than ever before. Just look at what recently happened in the grocery industry. Literally overnight, Amazon set the dominant players on their head; Kroger, Albertsons, and others. All of their stock prices dropped significantly in reaction to Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods. Amazon’s stock gained enough in the same day to pay for their purchase. How were the leaders of the industry caught off-guard? Their thinking was stuck in “the way it’s always been done”.

Leaders are constantly looked to for advice, decisions, counseling of all types, psychology, and more. This isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of humbly recognizing that it’s impossible for one person to know everything about anything. If you aren’t constantly and consistently filling your reservoir of knowledge, you will soon become empty, outdated, and irrelevant.

Being collaborative –

You can’t know, or be an expert, in everything. It’s impossible to know everything about anything, especially with the pace knowledge and change are taking place. So, Leaders look to surround themselves with people that are smarter than they are and that have complimentary talents and skills. Being willing and able to collaborate through strong interpersonal skills and express thoughts, beliefs and, yes, feelings, in a manner that drives creativity and innovation are tools leaders must use to meet the pace of change. As you’ve no doubt read, Emotional Intelligence is a far more results-producing, bottom-line driving characteristic than IQ or high-ego.

How will you use these six tips to be successful in leading into the unknown, keeping up with the speed of change in business? Please feel free to request a very simple self-assessment by clicking HERE.

Be honest with yourself on how you’re doing in each of the six areas discussed in the two-part series “Leading into the Unknown”. If you want to take a deeper dive into knowing how you’re doing in those areas, have some peers, direct reports and the person you report to fill it out on how they think you’re doing. Then, compare how you rated yourself with how the others rated you. It may be eye-opening!

Please feel free to comment and share this post. And, if you would like to learn more, contact me TODAY!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Leading Into the Unknown – Part I

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It seems the world is spinning at an ever faster rate each day. And, for the business executive, it’s speeding up exponentially. What are the imperatives for a business executive to grow and thrive?

Be authentic –

Being confident in who you are, the vision of your organization’s future, and sharing that with clarity to your organization is important during times of change. When people know that you are trustworthy and credible, then, even when you don’t have the answers and when you do make mistakes, they will be forgiving and supportive. Even though it takes more time on the front-end to involve your people from the Board Room to the front-line in the process of change, it will be minimal compared to the time you will face trying “fix” the problems that arise after-the-fact.

Physical and psychological stamina –

Your job is already demanding of you. You have other responsibilities and obligations outside of your job of which to attend. Stress seems to be coming from all sides. Where is the mental, physical, and emotional stamina going to come from to get everything done?

You must find time to disengage from everything going on around you, even if it’s for five minutes at a time. The book The Power of Full Engagement shows several case studies of helping business executives and athletes to learn to take short breaks at specific intervals so that stamina can be rebuilt.

Every world-class executive, athlete, and salesperson set aside time to meditate each morning. They enter a deeply relaxed state and allow themselves to go inward. Research shows that the “Relaxation State” can help your mind be at peace as you approach each day’s activities and has enormous positive effects on the physical person, too.

This leads to learning to control your thought patterns and is another necessary step if you plan on thriving in today’s business world. Visualization, meditation, and mindfulness are three techniques, each one powerful on their own. But, suppose you could combine all three into one? How powerful could that be? (To learn more, click HERE to request a Special Report with detailed information)

Adaptable thinking –

With things always changing, the last decision that brought success quickly becomes obsolete and irrelevant. You must challenge ‘the way it’s always been done’, even ‘It was the way we did it last time”.

If an idea feels too easy and too comfortable, then it may not be the right decision for a changing future. Those were the ideas that got you where you are, not where you want to go next. Be ready to lead with innovation and creativity.

The only way that will happen is if your mind is at peace and not feeling like the world is spiraling out of control. You don’t have to be a victim to your limiting beliefs, thoughts, and emotions.

We’ll take a look at three more items that will help you lead into the unknown in the next post.

Please feel free to comment and share this post. And, if you would like to learn more, contact me TODAY!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Results: Next Generation Methodologies

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I’d like you to remember a time when a boss told you what to do. They gave you a command, a directive. This person told you what they wanted, when they wanted it by, and how to do it in detail. And, this person told you that if you didn’t accomplish the order by the time they wanted it and in the way they wanted it, that there were severe consequences to be paid. If you did do it as told, then you would keep your job. Dwell on that event for just a moment and then let it go.

Now, imagine a time when you worked with someone that you shared a vision of something greater with. This could be in business, at home, in a volunteer organization. This person you worked with has asked you to do something to further the vision. You were given a time frame that it needed to be done within and given the outcome or result desired and you were allowed the autonomy to decide HOW you would get the outcome or results. You were also told that the successful accomplishment of this project would result in getting this much closer to reaching the vision. Dwell there for a moment and hold on to it.

Think about the difference between the two experiences. Notice the thoughts and the feelings that were elicited. Which one brought you the most pleasant experience? Which one caused you to feel negatively?

In the 80’s and 90’s, “Management” was a big deal. You heard names like Drucker, Peters, and Senge. You still see their materials around. Those individuals were very process-focused and their ideas and processes revolutionized manufacturing. Because of the great results, many tried applying the process-focused approach to people.

Then, you started to see and hear of people like Covey, Robbins, and Branson. They saw people as more than part of a process. They began the movement toward seeing people as capable, resourceful, and creative. They are people-focused.

With the change that has taken place in the world’s technology and workforce, the Covey’s, the Robbins, and the Branson’s style has proven to be the more effective. Here’s why, jobs in the past were algorithmic; a straight-line process of do this, then this, then this, and the job is complete. With more technology comes more jobs that are Heuristic; meaning there is no precise end-to-end process, but require creativity and the ability to navigate through a maze of ideas, discussion, and events to get to the desired outcome.

Has the business world caught up to the change needed for heuristic-type work? The fact that we still use the terms “management”, “manager”, and “director” tell us the business world is still lagging behind when it comes to people. Yes, we use the term “leader” and “leadership” today and we put “managers” through “leadership training”. But, can a Manager become a Leader?

Leadership is more about Mind-Set than it is about Skill-Set.

Fully consider, if I ask you if you want to be “managed” or “led”, how would you answer? Like you, most people want to be self-directed. If a person responsible for leading others to reach a goal doesn’t have the right Mind-Set first, then all of the leadership skills training will matter very little. They still will not see people as able to act (correctly) without their direction.

People also have the need to contribute to something bigger than themselves. If not allowed to do this within their company, most people have found an outlet in the power of Social Media. It has been used to let people’s voices be heard that would normally have been silenced. It has been used to elect a President in the U.S. (twice) and topple governments in the Middle East. It has also been the cause of companies’ stock to fall through Tweets, videos, and comments. Where do you prefer your people’s ideas and comments get viewed, within a safe corporate environment, or out there for the entire world to see?

People want stability and, right alongside it, they want variety. They want to feel connected to others, either at home or at work, or both. They want to feel that they mean something, that they are significant. And, they want to grow, or, at least they want the opportunity to grow set before them.

Take a look at the picture at the beginning of this post and observe some of the differences between Management and Leadership and how they can impact a business, maybe your business.

Letting go of control and fully accepting the responsibility to lead with the power of the vision, leading with the “Why?”, is a major step for most executives. Why should the employees give their all to the company? Why should they give more value than the compensation they receive? Why should they freely give of their Intellectual Property and their heart? Hopefully, you have an answers to those questions that are extraordinary!

Companies whose leadership understands and implements a people-focused leadership culture will outperform those that are stuck in the Industrial Age management philosophy. Note this article from Inc.: https://www-inc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.inc.com/amp/154561.html

Lastly, I want to ask this question: If you had the choice of the following three types of employees working for you, which one would you choose?

The contributors – the people that show up for work, do what they’re supposed to do, and collect a paycheck

The valuables – These are the people that do the extra things, the things that make you glad they work for you

The Invaluables – these are the people that go out of their way to “build a better mouse trap”, to find problems that no one has seen, or they haven’t looked for an answer. These are the people that see the company has a 90% customer satisfaction rating and think that’s terrible and come to you with a solution to make it better. These are the people that see that you have a 30% closing ratio in your Sales Department and come to you with a way to make it 50%. These are the people that you don’t ever want to leave!

The way you develop and cultivate this type of employee is by “going first”, setting the example in responsibility and accountability, trust, being inspirational instead of motivational, letting them know that they’re significant and that their contributions are important and that you will provide variety and stability for them. By being this type of leader, you and your company will be wildly successful!

So, what is the next step in achieving results? I guarantee you, the answer will blow your mind and grow your bottom-line exponentially! Request my Special Report The Ultimate Business Trifecta and find out today: http://trans-think.com/UltimateBusinessTrifecta

Please feel free to comment and share this post. And, if you would like to learn more, contact me TODAY!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

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If you took the brief assessment from my last blog on public speaking, you now have an indication of just how severe you have the fear of it. So, let’s start with the people who have a mild case, because those will have the least amount of work to do.

I once heard Cloe Madanes, of Robbins-Madanes fame (http://www.getrmt.com/) say that she used to tell people that she was shy. But, then it was pointed out to her that shyness is caused by a person thinking more about themselves, instead of those around them.

Because of this re-frame, she overcame shyness and became everything she wanted. The same framework applies to fear of public speaking. Just think about it. What are the thoughts going through a person’s mind when they are first told that they’re going to give a talk? As they prepare the talk? As they get ready to go on stage and on stage? Even after the talk is done?

Here are most people’s primary thought patterns:

What is the audience going to think of ME?

What are they thinking of ME?

And, what did they think of ME?

Do you see the connection? When a person puts all the focus on themselves, that also puts all the pressure on themselves. When you watch great public speakers, you’ll fully realize that they aren’t thinking about themselves. It’s all about the message and their audience. They are watching the audience closely to see that the message is being received as intended and judging that by the audience’s reaction to it.

So, a simple approach in a mild case of fear of public speaking is to put emphasis on the content of the message being delivered and the audience. For some, this may be easier said than done. So…

What if your fear of public speaking in more like most people?

Public speaking makes you feel very uncomfortable. You get nervous and tense and these feelings influence your behavior seriously. Your mind creates a “future memory” where you forget part of your presentation, you stumble in word and with your feet, you sweat so much it’s as if you need sponges attached to you, and so on.

If you’re like this, then the solution above was greeted with sarcasm and doubt. A simple re-frame isn’t the answer. So, what is? When people have a moderate to extreme fear of public speaking, it’s now a matter of their belief system. Somewhere in their mental programming they equate public speaking with negative emotions ranging from fear to terror.

When people hold these deep-seated negative beliefs (Mental Malware) in their unconscious/subconscious mind, no amount of practice, no amount of preparation, and no amount of “rah-rah” self-talk (or talk from someone else) will help. Just as impossible it is to stop a software virus once it’s begun taking over your computer, it’s impossible to stop the fear of public speaking using traditional approaches.

In the event that’s the case for you, then I have quick, effective tools to help eliminate the fear of public speaking from anyone’s belief system. And, these are so powerful that they remove the Mental Malware in about an hour! Now, just imagine what that would be like to make a profound change that quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post. And, if you would like to learn more, contact me TODAY!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Is the Fear of Public Speaking Ruining Your Career?

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French philosopher Jean de la Bruyere said, “There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured; such as poetry, music, painting, and public speaking”. Would you agree? Sitting through a poor presentation, whether in a large convention or in a small office setting, can be agonizing!

If you’re in a leadership position and desire to influence others, the impact is dramatic! How dramatic? Being a poor presenter/speaker damages your reputation of being a capable and competent leader because you’re seen as lacking confidence!

Yet, an interesting fact is that most people are more afraid of public speaking than death. Would you like to know to what degree you have this fear of public speaking? Download the following simple assessment: Fear of Public Speaking Assessment.

Once you complete the brief assessment, here are just a few thoughts on what the numbers indicate:

Low – Your fear of public speaking is Low if your score 15 points, or fewer. Your feelings and motions in front of an audience are normal tensions every public speaker has in the beginning, some for their entire life.

Moderate – If your score is up to 45 points. Welcome to the club! Like the majority, you are feeling very uncomfortable. Nerves and tensions influence your behavior seriously. But there is a way out.

Severe – If your score is 45 points, or above, you suffer from an intense fear of public speaking. You avoid any situation that might include public speaking. You hate making and giving presentations and speeches. It’s extremely difficult for you to speak in front of a group, no matter the size.

Depending on where you rated yourself will determine what and how much you need to do if public speaking is an important part of your life and career. I’ll discuss some of this in another post.

If you’d like to know more about how important managing your mind is to your business and life, click HERE to read my Special Report, “It’s Mind-Set…NOT Skill-Set!”

If you have questions about this post, please feel free to comment here or email me at ed@trans-think.com. Also, share this post with others you believe will find it of value.

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

Gates, Zuckerberg, the future of Jobs, and EQ

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Tomorrow’s jobs require a different way of thinking.

MSN Money published an article on May 28, 2017 that shared insights from Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg during speeches where their messages were quite alarming about the future of employment. Zuckerberg’s comments came from a commencement speech where he told the crowd, “Our generation will have to deal with tens of millions of jobs replaced by automation like self-driving cars and trucks. When our parents graduated, purpose reliably came from your job, your church, your community. But today, technology and automation are eliminating many jobs. Membership in communities is declining. Many people feel disconnected and depressed, and are trying to fill a void.” In February, 2017, Gates delivered a similar message.

Of course, with both of these men being among the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, they shared their thoughts on entrepreneurism. Zuckerberg said, “Let me tell you a secret: Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started,” he said. “If I had to understand everything about connecting people before I began, I never would have started Facebook. Movies and pop culture get this all wrong. The idea of a single eureka moment is a dangerous lie. It makes us feel inadequate since we haven’t had ours. It prevents people with seeds of good ideas from getting started.”

What great encouragement for all the people around the world who have an idea, a thought, a belief that they feel can change the lives of others! So many people I have worked with tell me that they have thought, “No, this will never work”, or, things like, ‘I’m not good enough, smart enough, connected enough, financially strong enough, resourceful enough, etc. to bring this to reality.’ And, they were right! If they think it won’t, it won’t. If they think they can’t, they can’t. However, if they think they can and they take massive action, then the idea, thought, or belief has life and potential breathed into it! This goes beyond what some call “the power of positive thinking”. This is based on science; Neuroscience and Quantum Physics.

For instance, Quantum Physics is beginning to understand how our thoughts create and influence reality through a curious phenomenon known as the Observer Effect. Most people don’t realize that the physical world is actually made up of 99.99999% empty space and is held together by a mysterious and little-understood web of energy. This web is the fabric of the universe and “reality” as we know it. This web is influenced by, and reacts to, our thoughts. This has led many scientists to believe that human consciousness is ‘fundamental’ to reality — meaning it creates reality and not the other way around.

So, the next time you have an idea, thought, or belief you feel can impact others, maybe even the entire globe, give it life by meditating and visualizing the future you wish to create! (Contact me if you would like to learn my process that includes visualization, meditation, and mindfulness called Dynamic Visualization.)

In Gates’ comment, he included an interesting asterisk to the future of employment. He said, “robots should free up labor and give graduates an opportunity to focus on jobs that only let us do a better job of reaching out to the elderly, having smaller class sizes, helping kids with special needs. You know, all of those are things where human empathy and understanding are still very, very unique.”

So, Gates gives you a way to find “robot-proof” careers, at least for now. They include composers and artists, nurse practitioners, home health aides, elder care specialists, child care workers, youth directors, early educators and human resources executives.

A report released by one career firm concluded. “Recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff, plus consulting with top executives on strategic planning is hardly imitable by a robot.” So, there are a few more careers to add to the list.

Now I want to draw your attention, not so much to the jobs themselves in that comment and those of Gates, but to the types of jobs and the skills needed. More than ever before, empathy and understanding are, and will be, needed for a successful career. This means raising our level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) for sustained careers. Study after study has shown that EQ is more important than IQ for job success, especially the higher a person rises in an organization. Now, it appears EQ will be a necessary component of everyone’s career.

How does a person acquire Emotional Intelligence? There are many companies that will train you to exhibit the behaviors of a person with Emotional Intelligence. However, EQ isn’t something you learn. EQ is something you are. In other words, Emotional Intelligence comes from within. This is where Neuroscience comes into play. Neuroscience has proven that we “feel” people before we intellectualize them. Dr. V.S. Ramachandran at San Diego University and world-renowned neuroscientist says people sense us and our intentions before we speak a word. Scary, right?

This “aura”, or presence, we emit starts in our brain. Again, Neuroscience has proven that the more Delta brain waves a person has, the more aware they are of their emotions and those of others; meaning, the more Emotionally Intelligent they are. With that said, how does a person acquire more Delta waves? More Emotional Intelligence? More presence that attracts people?

If you have questions about this post, please feel free to comment here or email me at ed@trans-think.com. Also, share this post with others you believe will find it of value.

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

Corporate Suicide: What’s the Answer?

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On May 17, 2017, one of the best singers in the music industry killed himself immediately following a concert. Chris Cornell was 52. Most people wouldn’t think that Cornell was the prime age, sex, and ethnicity to commit suicide. If you’re a business executive, business owners or well-paid salesperson, it’s important for you to read this entire post. Why? Because you’re at a higher risk than Cornell.

I’m going to share some staggering statistics that affect those specific groups (executives, business owners, salespeople) and a solution many think is just a business “nice-to-have” when they don’t understand the latent power it holds.

In America, men make up the bulk of suicides. Victims of suicide are white (7 out of 10), male, and between the ages of 45 and 65. Nearly half of suicides of men involve firearms. Women attempt suicide more than men, using less lethal methods, such as drug overdose. (NBC News)

Recently, even business people as young as 22 have committed suicide, adding a new group to this ever-growing problem.

If you’re in the Financial Services Industry, you’re even more at risk. According to the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance, financial services workers are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the national average.

Linette Lopez, writing for Business Insider, says, “The personality of the alpha male makes getting help hard, and [corporate] management is still struggling to get a comfort level on confronting employees who need help. The alpha male can work all day and party all night while still hauling in massive cash for his firm. Sometimes, they self-treat their stress with drugs and alcohol, or they blow their money on expensive whims. Maybe the culture is finally breaking at the seams”

Julie Cerel, president of the American Association of Suicidology and a professor at the University of Kentucky School of Social Work says, “Men notoriously don’t seek help. And as people are aging and at a place in their lives where the world isn’t looking the way they want, men especially don’t know how to reach out and get help or express that they’re feeling pain.”

BURN OUT

Corporate over-achievers are often reluctant to seek help in managing their professional burdens until too late, according to Jenny Gould, executive coach.

“Stress is something that’s very insidious — you can deal with it for quite a long time before you then begin to find yourself burning out from it,” she said. Adding, “Stress is often caused by a lack of control and a lack of support. If you feel like you can’t control certain outcomes and don’t have anybody to discuss your worries and feelings with… that’s potentially a toxic mix.”

A Solution

I never like to discuss a problem without bringing a viable solution. Many executives, business owners, and top-performing salespeople allow their ego to get in the way of their mental, emotional, and physical health. Stress is like the frog-in-boiling-water scenario; the heat increases unnoticeably until it’s too late. I encourage anyone who is feeling the pressure to perform at a consistently high level and on a constant basis to find a competent Executive Coach. Whether you meet with them once a month, or more, you will find they can lower your risk for burnout (along with the mental, emotional, and physical side effects) and suicide.

Beyond just keeping you from such negative effects, fully consider the positive potential of hiring an Executive Coach: Imagine what it would be like to be able to handle more pressure with less stress. Suppose you could be producing more in less time. And, allow yourself to dream of having those elusive things in life you’ve been desiring and working so hard to obtain; Happiness and Satisfaction.

With all that, do you need a financial statistic for the “logic” of hiring an Executive Coach? Companies who hire executive coaches show a mean ROI of 700% on their initial investment.

This post is not a request to hire me as your Executive Coach. This is not an opportunity for you to research my LinkedIn profile. This is information for you to fully consider for your mental, emotional, and physical health in light of the growing trend of suicide among executives, business owners, and salespeople.

Feel free to like, comment and share this post.

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen is an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

You Have 90 Seconds to Become Emotionally Intelligent

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Is it just me, or is there a surge in articles and posts in the media about Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?  My LinkedIn newsfeed seems to have more information on EQ than ever before.  It could be that some of my LI connections are deeply involved with EQ, such as Debbie Muno, Jeff Summers, Elizabeth Lions, and Deiric McCann.  Whatever the reason, I believe developing EQ is an important part of becoming the best person each one of us can become.

Interestingly, I also believe that we are all born with a naturally high level of EQ.  We are born with the natural desire to love and be loved.  We are born with the natural ability to feel empathy for others and ourselves.  We are born with the innate ability to form varying levels of relationships.  Allow me to share with you the science behind this.

Within our brains are what Neuroscientists have labeled “Empathy Neurons”, or “Mirror Neurons”, and they have an amazing ability to help us live life with meaning for ourselves and with others.  How do these work? 

Have you ever watch someone fall down and you automatically “feel” their pain? They land on their elbow and you automatically reached and grabbed your own elbow?  Maybe you’ve watched someone receive a shot at the doctor’s office and you grimaced and said “ouch!”  Those were your Empathy Neurons firing.  We are born with these neurons, which means everyone has them.  And, we have varying levels at which these function.  Recent studies suggest that whether we empathize with another person’s pain depends on how that person had behaved in the past, and, more important, whether we like or dislike them.

These neurons also have the capacity to predict future movement, behavior, and even thoughts.  How so?  Imagine yourself standing in close proximity to another person.  All of the sudden their arm starts swinging upward.  How do you react?  You may move away quickly.  You may raise your arm up to defend yourself.  You may squat down to avoid being hit.  But, what was the person really doing?  Reaching up to scratch the back of their head!  However, based on your relationship with that person, you felt threatened and made evasive moves.  Had the person been someone whom you had implicit trust, you would have reacted differently.

What’s even more amazing is that this Predictive Coding has three distinct time frames:

Immediate: Behaviors and action

Mid-term: Beliefs

Long-term: Preferences and personalities

Another interesting tidbit is that the only thing keeping you from actually feeling other’s emotions long-term is an area in the brain called the Insular Cortex.  It’s what isolates you and reminds you that you are you and you’re not the person with whom you felt empathy, or some other emotion.

Where does the thought of 90 seconds come into the picture?  Circa 2006, neuroscientists discovered that we have only up to 90 seconds between the time we first feel an emotion and that emotion forming a neural pathway in our brain.  This means that you have a very short time frame to decide what, if any, emotion or behavior you will display after receiving input.  (You can read more about this in detail in my book The 90-Second Mind Manager) 

If you’re familiar with Mindfulness, then you know you have three choices you can make within those 90-seconds.  But, with the unconscious mind able to function at 40,000,000 bits of information per second, that’s not a problem!  Of course, your unconscious mind has to be predisposed to the outcome you want, but that’s another topic in itself.

So, to keep this post fairly short, what does all of this mean?  We are born with a naturally high level of EQ with all the tools already inside us to make EQ alive and well.  We have been taught to deaden it.  We have been taught by our parents to feel less emotion when they told us, “Stop crying!”, “Toughen up”, “Don’t be a baby!”, etc.  The same is true of peers, teachers, and others who have influenced our lives.  Some even credit Darwin with his “Survival of the Fittest” philosophy for the current lack of EQ.  You can read more about this on LinkedIn by clicking HERE.  The point is, what we have been taught and what we have deadened can be untaught and made alive again!

I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on EQ and it’s place in business and elsewhere, so please feel free to comment and share this post.

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

More Sales Without More Sales Training

Read about a few fascinating stories of increased sales by clicking HERE now to request a FREE Special Report!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com