COGNITIVE MAKE-OVER IN BRAZIL

I had the privilege to conduct the new Neuro-Semantic program, Cognitive Make-over for Executive Thinking this past week in Rio de Janeiro. As this was only my third presentation of this training, a training based on the book, Executive Thinking, yet different from it, I am still in the process of working out the training structure and processes. And I’m learning from those in the trainings what works, what does not, and how to make it a life-transforming experience.

One way I usually set out to discover this kind of information is simply to ask, from time to time, after we cover a process or at the end of the day: “So what will you take away from this?” “What insights have you gained?” “What difference will this make in your life back home, at the office, with your colleagues?” A common theme this time was about the very nature of thought.

“I thought I did a lot of thinking, I have discovered that I hardly actually think at all.” “People have often said to me that ‘You think too much.’ What I’m taking away is that I’m actually not thinking that much, and that talk is not necessarily thinking.” Another, “Thinking is a lot of hard work. I’ve had more ‘brain strain’ in these three days that I had all year last year.”

Along a continuum of “thinking” ... starting from not-thinking (being mindless) and not truly “working over an idea in your mind” and the six stages of not-thinking to the ten-stages of actually thinking (mindfulness), most people began realizing how little we actually think in a day’s time. When I have done an assessment of myself, I estimate that I only think about 5 percent of the time. Most of the time I’m either on automatic (thinking and acting from previous learnings) or maybe in the state of “knowing” (feeling sure of what I know and not questioning it). I’m on automatic thinking when driving and in “knowing” when ordering at Starbucks(!).

For most everybody, discovering this was a new insight. So also discovering that real thinking means considering, questioning, and doubting. Thinking starts with what you do not know or understand. If you know, if you understand— then you are not thinking. You are running a previous learning or program.

I promised everyone at the beginning that they would have brain strain by the end of each day. The basis of my promise was contingent upon the exercises that participants would experience. And when I checked, “Did anyone experience brain strain today?” most said “yes, of course!” While there are no pain receptors in the brain itself, the brain is an organ that requires lots of blood and oxygen and because of that, when you are mentally working to get your head around

an idea, considering it this way and then that way— the effort of thinking consumes a lot nutriments, oxygen, and blood. That’s why you can feel it.

Would you like to know how I packaged or framed the cognitive make-over in Brazil? I framed it around several items.

First, unlearning. What have you learned that just does not seem to go in? If you learn something, but then it doesn’t seem to be available to you out there in the real world, could there be something in the way? Could there be an old learning blocking the new learning from going in so that it is available to you when you need it ? What do you know intellectually, but do not do practically? Cognitive make-overs usually begin here— learning to unlearn, to release what is old and no longer relevant.

Second, getting out of the knowing stage. Another big cognitive make-over for lots of people is giving up being “sure,” and “understanding,” and “certain.” These are actually dangerous states. They operate as part of the most essential human bias— We think we understand. The truth is that we hardly understand anything! The illusion of understanding, the delusion of certainty— this is the problem of those who are “Know-it- alls” who cannot be told anything. As a cognitive make-over, access a beginner’s state of mind, a know-nothing state, an openness to new learning and re-learning is what makes a person a great learner.

Third, reducing reactionary states. Lots of people, maybe even most or people, have areas wherein they are reactive. Push a button and Pow!, they react. There’s a trigger which gets them, that rattles their cage, and that deeply disturbs them. It could be a word, a look, a tone, a gesture, etc. What is needed is a way to break these patterns so that the person can respond (rather than react) as the person wants and chooses. For this we had some patterns for unplugging buttons and cleaning out the system errors.

Fourth, the next cognitive make-over is the first step of thinking— considering. This refers to trying on a new thought. Taking it on to see what it would be like, giving it a chance within one’s mind. This is also the foundation of all listening and supporting — which, in turn, is the foundation of all healthy relationships — leading, managing, coaching, etc. The person who cannot consider another person’s ideas has severely limited himself.