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?

A Good Laugh Bursts from the Soul

"A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly; but a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around”   ~ Carolyn Birmingham

Laughter's good medicine... Mirthful laughter

• helps decrease cortisol, leading to stress reduction
• increases production of antibodies
• enhances mood through increased endorphins
• lowers bad cholesterol and systolic blood pressure
• raises good cholesterol
• decreases inflammation in diabetics

Ever notice how laughter's contagious?  The mirror neurons in our brain lead us to mimic those around us.

Hope you enjoyed a good laugh with a friend today.

Plants Enhance Workplace Well Being

Does your workplace environment nurture your mind?  It can.  If your office has both a window view and/or plants, you can cut down on stress and anxiety.

Many recent studies on job satisfaction reveal that workers who spend more time in offices under artificial light, or in cubicles with no outside view, report reduced job satisfaction. Light also decreases stress levels, and plants offer nature's dividends to your work environment.

A manager friend described going to a local nursery, picking out colorful potted plants and putting one on each employee's desk, first thing in the morning.  Smiles erupted all around and he noticed more productivity, that day.  Fresh potted blooms and plants in your office can your serotonin level.  Think of doing this as a serotonin tap for yourself and others, if your manager or supervisor doesn't.  The addition of many plants can enhance well-being for all and make people feel better at work.

In particular, Jonathan Kaplan, points out that plants have been shown to...

• Lower blood pressure (systolic)
• Improve reaction times
• Increase attentiveness
• Improve attendance (at work and school)
• Raise productivity (at work)
• Enhance well-being
• Enrich perceptions of the space
• Lower levels of anxiety during recovery from surgery
• Boost job satisfaction

Helps me to think twice about including fresh plants in my office.  You?

Indoor plants at work also improve the air quality by removing pollutants, in addition to boosting creativity and productivity, in addition to improving comfort levels according to Smith and Pitt's article published in the Journal of Corporate Real Estate (2009).  Smith and Pitt argue that indoor plants have potential to alleviate sick building syndrome symptoms. 

I need all the serotonin taps I can get throughout a work day.  Hmmm...  my next outing is to the nursery!

8 Triggers for Workshop Flops

Do you look forward to workshop presentations?  If not, why not?  Choices by leaders and participants often cause workshops to flop.  Flops originate in people - presenter and participant alike.  Ever spotted these culprits?

Presenter gaffes

1. Ike - Incessant talker ... Boredom sets in when folks sit and listen passively. Though Ike finds high stimulation through personal interest and deep research on a topic, does not mean the audience connects similarly.  The human brain is easily distracted when people merely listen to someone talk, no matter how famous.

2. Irma - Indifferent Warmth makes a difference in the way people receive Irma messages.  A leader's body language reflects how receptive she is to people and their contributions. A roll of the eyes or lack of eye contact distances Irma from participants.

3. Peppy - PowerPoint Wizard  One of Peppy's recent presentation included 77 slides with a text overdose.  Imagine sitting through that! There's little power and less point.

4. Freddy - Factoid  When Freddy leads managers to memorize new concepts or theories on transformational leadership, it does not guarantee they can actually do it on the job. Why?  When people learn something new, if they use it or teach it to someone else, it enhances their ability to transfer the skill in many environments.  The action of using a skill rewires brain dendrites and enhances memory. 

Participant turn-off's

5. Peter - Peacock  Takes a leader off topic by introducing a red herring to focus attention elsewhere.  Peter is needy.  Growth is needed in intrapersonal intelligence, since weakness is apparent in these actions.  This is problematic at a workshop and frustrates both presenter and participants.

6. Norma - Know-It-All  Announces she knows everything already.  Norma is not open to learn and add to what she understands already.  Narcissism is the culprit here and a person like Norma often cries for attention both intellectually and status-wise.

7. Tom - Take-Over  When people begin to work in groups, without a good plan to give equal time to each person,  Tom begins to dominate, perhaps to control or to "show off" what he knows. Others in the group often do not contribute as a result.

8. Sally - Stuck-in-a-Rut  Sally's stuck in a "comfort zone," likes her own way of doing things and isn't about to change..

What does it take for a presenter to stir the brain power of each person present? Ellen Weber offers excellent approaches to make workshops win.  What would you add?