The Cranky Middle Manager #75 Brains and Business Dr Ellen Weber
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #075
Welcome to the show. Today we’re talking brains with Dr Ellen Weber of the Brain Based Business Blog as well as Brainboomer.She’s also author of the MITA Leadership program, which we’ll get into on anohter show- we plain ran out of time.
Don’t forget to check out the 25% discount on Mindtools.com’s Career Excellence Club!
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to the show, gang. Management is growing. Check out this article from Management Issues. We’re all gonna have to use our noggins more- or at least better- so today we’re talking business, brains and biology.
Today’s show is dedicated to Alcmaeon of Crotona.He’s the one who first wrote that the brain was the seat of understanding. He also was working on some faulty data, but hey, aren’t we all?
4:32 The quote of the week is from Joseph Joubert. Is your brain full of little boxes with no room for more?
6:40 Welcome Dr Ellen Weber. Yeah this show is self-indulgent. Get your own darned podcast. What does Brain chemistry and physiology have to do with business performance?
10:40 What makes a manager smart and how do you know it? Good question, Doc. The question has to match brain science and respect for the person you’re dealing with. That’s what makes them hook on to what you’re trying to tell them.
14:20 Why does Diversity Training stink? Well, it starts with the word training, which Ellen doesn’t like but pays my bills….Brain Based learning starts with the learner.. and don’t get her started on “experts”.
16:06 Now the geek talk starts. We’re talking about Multiple Intelligences, as put forward by Dr. Howard Gardner. This has everything to do with how we work, why some of us are better at things than others, and why knowing people can be more important than knowing C++. You can build your brain to be a better “People Person”.
22:05 Just do it is more than a slogan…if you keep doing it long enough, you’ll rewire your brain. We use a presentation skills example…. jeez I’m a brain builder.
24:25 I throw around the one brain word I know- amygdala and find out it has a lot to do with the workplace. The other word that crops up is Basil Ganglia, which sounds like a James Bond villain. You have to make people feel safe and not stir up old, bad memories that will trigger negative responses. Stress is the biggest barrier to performance.
29:30 What’s the deal with Mensa? Are they really smarter than me??? Ellen says they’re measuring the wrong thing. IQ has been debunked- so there. The question shouldn’t be “How smart am I?” to “How am I smart?”
33:00 Resource time:
Intelligence Reframed, by Howard Gardner
Almost anything by Gardner. Check out the list from 800Ceoread
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind T Harv Eker
Another Day in the Frontal Lobe by Katrina Firlik
Don’t let the weasels get you down- they’re not smarter than you anyway.
December 19th, 2006 at 9:38 am
Great interview! Had me glued to my iPod.
December 21st, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Loved the ‘cast mate! I’m going to listen to it again on the way home… The audio quality (or lack thereof) bugged me a bit.
Thanks,
Peter
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:30 am
Great cast, Wayne. I hope that you have Dr. Weber back again soon!!! Very interesting stuff!
December 23rd, 2006 at 6:49 am
Now your site was a serotonin fix for my brain today, Wayne. Can you thank Michael, Peter, and Rob for their kind and encouraging words!
I just get far too excited lately about the great news out about benefits from the human brain — so I get terribly enthused:-) Wow — it’s fun to see others jump into our conversation too — reminding me of the value of a cyber roundtable of cool and thoughtful people!
Hey, that actually sparks another part of the brain we didn’t get to yet. how exciting it will be to come back and roll around a few more goes … concerning the extravagance of the human brain when it pulls on strengths from others who are smart in different ways.
On another note, I am more than half through your book, and KNOW my son in law will want to walk off with it soon, as they arrive tomorrow. He is doing his PhD in philosophy and will howl at your brilliant humor, insights and brighes between classics and currency! this book is a breath of fresh air after a VERY BUSY term.
I am teaching MITA strategies to medical professionals in Ireland in Feb. for a good part of the month. But before or after works for another chat. Now that’s fun to look forward to:-) Stay blessed!
December 23rd, 2006 at 7:41 am
Thanks Ellen- it’s enough to make a guy blush.
By the way, the book she’s talking about is “A Philistine’s Journal- an Average Guy Tackles the Classics.” You can buy a copy in the CMM Store.http://www.achismarketing.com/APJ.html
December 31st, 2006 at 6:39 am
Wayne it was fun to hear you put Ellen on her toes – she thrives on that besides she loves a good laugh. I liked your unorthodox approach in this interview and I look forward to the next podcast you plan with Ellen.
June 9th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
[...] You can start with past CMM episodes with Wally Bock and Ellen Weber. [...]