change and the brain 2010

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RESULTS: Change and the Brain

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Implementing Change Looks

Rational but . . .► There are some

underlying neuropsychological forces at work in human beings.

► Everybody resists change at some level.

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Why We Resist Change

Change requires us to think rather than do things on “autopilot” – and thinking is hard

Change creates social threat – causing negative emotions to be raised – making thinking even more difficult

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In the Human Brain

Social Threat = Physical Threat

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Impact on Thinking Negative correlation between threat

activation and resources for clear thinking. Less oxygen and glucose available to the

brain. Diminished cognitive resources make it

harder to find good answers. Automatic defensive thinking and

behaviors surface.

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Domains of Social Experience

Status – Importance/Pecking Order

Certainty – Predictability

Autonomy – Control over Environment

Relatedness - In or Out of Social Group

Fairness – All Things Equal

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High Performance Brain

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Your Brain on Change

Limbic System HijackLimbic System Hijack

Limits Rational Limits Rational ThinkingThinking

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Neuropsychology - Lesson One

Active Listening:

Disengages and quiets the emotional part of brain

Ensures an accurate understanding

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Neuropsychology - Lesson Two

Open Ended Questions:

Activate the problem solving

part of the brain

Help create new solution focused mental maps.

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Neuropsychology - Lesson Three

Assertive Direction: Focuses attentional

density and strengthens the newly forming mental map Helps ensure execution occurs

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Three Simple (But Not Easy) Steps:

1.Active Listening - to reduce emotion and get an accurate perception of the others’ concerns

2.Open Ended Questions - to engage the problem solving part of the brain and start to form a new mental map

3.Assertive Direction - to strengthen the new map

ALL WHILE BEING SENSITIVE TO THE OTHERS’ . . .

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Domain of Social Experience

Status – Importance/Pecking Order

Certainty – Predictability

Autonomy – Control over Environment

Relatedness - In or Out of Social Group

Fairness – All Things Equal

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UNDERSTANDING

CONCURRENCE

COMMITMENT

CONSCIOUS ACTION

CONFIRMATION

INTEGRATION

SUCCESS

OLD PATTERNS

Knowing what has to change

Agreeing that the change must happen

Accepting accountability for making change happen

Taking actions needed to effect the change

Buy-in from all involved

Implementing the changes

The Stages of Change

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Things to Remember in Managing Change Manage your own resistance to change

♦ BELIEFS – Reframe into a problem-solving approach♦ BEHAVIORS - Manage feelings, yourself & others, to focus on

problem-solving♦ RESULTS – Getting the job done, vs., complaining about changes

Help people understand that change has become the status quo

Recognize FEAR is at the core of change resistance and that the fear is a social threat, which equals physical threat in the human brain

Know the stages of change model and leverage it to reduce resistance by using:

ACTIVE LISTENING OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS ASSERTIVE DIRECTION

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