Dec 212012
 
From Violent Hearts to Heavenly Peace

Reading reactions to Sandy Hook, a common theme is blame, but is there an alternative? Looking at the neuroscience, it feels better to blame. When we blame, we know the answer, and that feeling of righteous wrath is actually a dopamine reward that our brain emits when we “know.” While this reaction cycle is wired into our brains, we do have a choice — three, in fact.

Apr 182012
 
How Schools (de)Motivate Innovation

Intriguing article in the Wall Street Journal: Educating the Next Steve Jobs — points out that a narrowly defined pathway to “success” where failure is anathema is the recipe for conformity, not innovation. In most high-school and college classes, failure is penalized. But without trial and error, there is no innovation. Amanda Alonzo, a 32-year-old [...]

Mar 222012
 
The EI-nnovation: Setting the Stage for Breakthrough Performance

while rationally we understand we need to change — at the same time we feel we are not ready to do it. What happens when people are in this mood? Probably there is little focus on real tasks; instead a lot of energy goes to finding reasons justifying that we don’t need change… creating massive stress that saps productivity and drains health and happiness. In this context, it is not surprising that companies are experiencing a really high number of change failures, and paying the financial costs of marginal execution.

Feb 142012
 
Feeling Green - Emotional Intelligence and Sustainable Business

Joshua Freedman, Six Seconds’ COO, was interviewed by Bhavani Prakash of Green Collar Asia, a portal for the new sustainable economy. The in-depth interview explores the why and how emotional intelligence is valuable for sustainability, healthy growth, attracting and retaining talent — and leading transformation.

Jan 272012
 
Structuring Transformational Learning

One the reasons Six Seconds’ programs are transformational is our commitment to a rigorous approach to learning. We come from a “constructivist” history, rooted in the humanistic school of education. How do we structure learning to activate optimal brain states and support learners to “construct” meaning? It starts by understanding that learning is a process of change.

Dec 212011
 
My Son Caleb

It was two days after Christmas 1998, and my son, Caleb, and I were sitting in front of a roaring fire with cups of hot chocolate and we were reminiscing about previous Christmas days – those memories that made us laugh or cry. And I said to Caleb, “And what during all these years (Caleb [...]

Oct 042011
 
‘If You Want To Know What A Child Is Thinking, Watch Their Fingers.’

I went to a funeral last week. Mary C. Laycock was a wonderful mathematician and teacher. I worked with her at Nueva School in Hillsborough, CA and knew her for many years. Her students adored her and her ‘Mary’s Math.’ One lesson with Mary and you would develop an insight into math that would stay [...]