From-Chaos-to-Coherence.pdf

FROM CHAOS TO COHERENCE (the power to change performance)

DOC CHILDRE BRUCE CRYER •

OBERT K FOREWORD BY R R OBERT K.. COOPER , PH.D.

What people people are saying saying about about From Chaos to Coherence . . . “… advances the future by putting inner leadership at the forefront, where it should be.” – Robert Cooper, Ph.D. Exec ecut ut ve EQ and The Other 90% author, Ex

“… highly practical… a potent combination of biomedical and research validation… a must-read.” – Ken Blanchard, co-author, The One-Minute Manager and ung Ho

“[Childre and Cryer have] found the way everyone in an organization, from the boardroom to the mail room, can transform themselves and the company into a coherent, super-productive entity.” – Charles Inlander, President, People's Medical Society

“Ideal and simple simple tools for the internal transfor transforma mation tion within our people. The results results speak for themselves. themselves. Our airline, airline, Cathay Pacic, now prides itself on deliv deliver ering ing an individual style of service, service, straight from the heart. This has resulted in consis consistent tently ly being rated as having the best inight service in the world.” —Peter Buecking, Buecking, Director, Sales and Marketing Cathay Pacic Airways Ltd., Hong Kong

“HeartMath is making signicant progress in devel de velop oping ing the research under under-pinnings pin nings that explain explain the powerful benets of IQM for the person per son and the organization.” —Tim Stone, CEO, Provizio

“Being at the vortex of the high-tech industry is very stressful. Using the techniques outlined in this book has literally added ten years to my life!” —Patricia B. Seybold, CEO, the Patricia Seybold Group, and author, Customers.com: How to Create a Protable Business Strategy for the the Internet Internet and and Beyond Beyond

“A manual for anyone who wants to enhance their competitive edge through ntu tuiitive intelligence . . . and to adapt to more challenging times with effec effec-tiveness tive ness and ease.” —Vivian Wright, Wright, Strategic Change Services Hewlett-Packard

“. . . Brings irrefutable scientic underpinning to what our hearts have al ways ways told told us about leadership and organizational development: intuition, support support for indi individ vidu uals, clarity, balance, and management of the emotional envi environ ronment ment all add up to orga orga-iza zations tions that are productive . . . and to lives that are fullled.” fullled.” —James A. Autry , author Real Power: Business Lessons from the Tao Te Ching

“Speaks equally well to the leaders of large orga organi niza zations tions as it does to people in all walks of life, encouraging them to use innate innate heart intel intelli ligence gence in dealing with the apid pace of change during a very hectic hectic time in our histo history.” ry.” —Colonel Susan Goodrich, Goodrich, United States Air Force

“The background background physiology and the scientic underpinning of this technique are abso ab solute lutely ly sound.” —Graham Bridgewood D, Chief Medical Ofcer Shell International, United Kingdom

“There are two notable breakthroughs for Childre and Cryer in this book. They take he complex complex and make it simple, and the abstract and make it real. A must read for anyone who wants to lead, support, or be a part of a high-performance team.” —W. R. “Max” Carey, Jr., Jr. , Chairman and CEO Corporate Resource Development

“. . . HeartMath’s core approach and its related programs . . . yields remarkable results.” —Lucius C. Tripp, Tripp, MD, MPH, Division Head, Occupational Medicine, Henry Ford Health Systems; former Regional Medical Director, General Motors; and Principal, Wellness Group, Inc.

“HeartMath takes the mystery out of boosting organizational performance. Expect to elevate not only your business but your own personal existence as well. This book will profoundly and signicantly change your life.” —Debbie Reichenbach,

anager, Employee Development ellabs

“. . . A wonderful, effective path to serenity for crazy, busy executives. The program not only works as a ‘problem xer,’ but more importantly it enriches one’s life. . . . Equips you to cope not only with all the stress in life, but then goes way beyond in intro in troduc ducing ing posi positive, lasting changes.” —Bob Morgan, Morgan, President Council of Growing Companies

“Challenging, insightful, provocative, practical, inspiring . . . a new and exciting perspective spec tive on how to improve . . . performance.” —Warner Woodley , Senior Vice President Right Management Consultants, Canada

“. . . Exciting and life-changing . . . this book is a must for survival.” —Fred Verhey , Vice President of Sales, Western Region Decker Communications, Inc.

“From Chaos to Coherence offers powerful tools, research, and case studies [for] indi indi-vidu vid uals and organizations seeking to make better decisions, create cohesive teams, and achieve sustain sustainable able results. ” —Kristine Dale, Dale, President CEOProductions.com

“. . . Essential ingredients for business success.” —Nancy Katz, Katz, President and CEO Calypte Biomedical

“. . . Masterfully weaves patterns of recent breakthroughs and chaos and complex complexiity esearch, heart sciences, and and organizational change work, work, into a rich tapestry of informa for mation, tion, insights, and inspiration.” —George Por, Por, Founder and Senior Consultant Community Intelligence Labs

“. . . A book of profound operating intelligence.” —Allan Cox , author Straight Talk for Monday Morning, Redening Corporate Soul

“From Chaos Chaos to Coher Coherence ence is is clearly clearly designed to help an organization excel rather han fall apart under these pressures.” —Susan Mandl, Mandl, President and CEO Newcourt Communications Finance A most most pow power erful ful method for enhancing orga or gani niza zation tional al learning.” learning.” —Nick Zeniuk, former executive at Ford,

President, Interactive Learning Labs Inc. and Trustee-steward for The Soci Society ety for Orga Organi niza zation tional al Learning Learning (SoL)

In all the books, texts and papers that I have read con cern cerning ing effective management age ment none has had the positive impact im pact on me that this book has had.” —Jack H. Holland, Ph.D., DSD, Emeritus Profes Professor sor of Management

San Jose State University

“. . . Begin[s] with coping with chaos and stress but ultimately it leads us to a univer uni versal sal source of inner peace and clarity.” —James E. Warren, Jr., Jr. , CFP, President Warren Warre n Financial Financial Review Review,, Inc.

“The book reveals sophisticated medical research about heart intelligence that is nder derstood stood by nonmedical minds. . . . [It] provides meaningful data and infor informa mation tion ariinat ar nated ed with practi practical cal tools on how to simplify solutions to life’s challeng chal lenges.” es.” —Tim McGarvey , President and CEO Eclipse 2000, Inc.

From Chaos to Coherence

Revised Edition


the power to change performance]

Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer

Planetary A Division of HeartMath LLC Boulder Creek, California

Copyright © 2004 by HeartMath LLC ll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the rior written permission of the publisher. HeartMath®, Freeze-Frame , Inner Quality Management (IQM), Heart Lock-In® and Heart Mapping ® are registered trademarks of the Institute of HeartMath. The steps of the Freeze-Frame technique are copyrighted. Foreword to the Revised Edition Copyright 2000 by Robert Cooper, Ph.D. he publisher offers special discounts on bulk orders of this book. For information, please contact: Manager of Special Sales HeartMath LLC 14700 W. Park Avenue Boulder Creek, CA 95006 Tel: 831-338-8700 Fax: 831-338-9861 www.heartmath.com Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Childre, Doc Lew, 1945– From chaos to coherence : the power to change performance / Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer. p. cm. Originally published: Boston : Butterworth-Heinemann, c1999 Sub-title differs from 1999 edition. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Organizational behavior. 2. Psychology, Industrial. 3. Work— Psychological aspects. 4. Quality of work life. I. Cryer, Bruce. II. Title. HD58.7.C486 2000 158—dc21

00-033656

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

ontents

Foreword to Revised Edition by Robert Cooper...................................xi Cooper...................................xi Foreword by Scott Schuster.............. Schuster................................................ ...................................................xiii .................xiii Introduction to the Revised Edition xvi

C apter 1

Business Busin ess at the Speed of Balance Balance..................... .....................1 1

C apter 2

The Cohe Coherenc rence e Imp Imperati erative ve .............................. ..............................9 9

DYNAMIC 1 Interna Se -Management

5

C apter 3 C apter 4

A New Model of Hum Human an Int Intellig elligence ence ............ ............27 27 Growing Up Up in in t e Hu Hu son River: Overcomin Overc oming g Adapt Adaptation ation................................. .................................56 56 FreezeFre eze-Fra Frame me : OneOne-Minu Minute te C apter 5 Self-Management Self-Ma nagement ........................ ............................................68 ....................68 C apter 6 Time, Expectations, and Other Things It’s Di cu t to Ma Mana nage ge.... ....... ...... ...... ....... ....... ...... ...... ....... ....... ...... ....... .....83 .83 DYNAMI DYN AMIC C 2 Co ere erent nt Com Commun munica icatio tion....... n............. ............ ...........9 .....99 9 C apter 7 Auth Authenti entic c Commu Communica nication tion:: It’s Time for Some Serious Consideration .......................101

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From C aos to to Co Co erence

C apter 8

Technology, Inner Technology, and the Meas Me asur uree o Hu Huma man n Cap Capit itaa .... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ...... 12 121 1

YNAMIC YNAM IC

Boost ng t e Organ Organ zat ona C ima imate. te.... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ..... ..... ........... ............ ........... ........... .......141 .141

C apter 9

T ere s a Virus Loose an It s Got Bo ........... 14 143

C apter 10

Core Values: The Foundation of Sust Su stai aina na i it ity y .... ....... ...... ....... ....... ...... ...... ....... ....... ...... ...... ....... ....... ...... .....165 ..165

YNAMIC YNAM IC 4 Stra Strategi tegicc Process Processes es o Rene Renewa wa ........... ............. .. 185 C apter 11

Leading Leadi ng from Chao Chaoss to Cohe Coherenc rence e .............. ..............187 187

C apter 12

Creatt ng a Quan Crea Quantum tum Futu Future re

217

References ................................ .................................................................. ..................................230 Glossary ............................. ................................................................ ........................................ .....239 Se ect ectee Rea ing ... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ....25 .251 1 Index..................................................... Index.................. .........................................................255 ......................255

Foreword to the Rev sed Ed t on

Robert K. Cooper, Ph.D. C air, A vance Exce enc encee Systems Systems C air o t e Boar , Q-Metrics Fe ow, Si ico conn Va Va ey Wor In Inte terrne nett Ce Cent nter er Inte In tern rnat atio iona na es est-t-se se ing aut or o e Per orm ormance E ge an Executive EQ: Emotion Emotiona a Inte igence in in Le Lea er erss ip & Orga gani niza zations tions

THIS BOOK IS A GIFT TO EVERY EVERY INDIVIDUAL AND orga or gani niza zation tion striving striving to make a differ difference, ence, not just a living, living, in today's to day's pressure-lled pressure-lled society. As you will learn in the pages ahead, recent recent discoveries in neuro neuroscience science have turned much conven con vention tional al wisdom wisdom about success upside down. Over the years I have come to believe that each of us is born with a unique poten potential tial that denes a destiny in life and at work. Few of us ever glimpse this hidden, one-of-a-kind potential, ten tial, much less liberate and explore it. Among Amon g the main reaso reasons ns for this is our overover-depend dependence ence on the intelligence that exists in the brain in the head and our under-uti un der-utili liza zation tion of intelligence from the newly discovered “second brain” in the human human heart and “third brain” in the human hu man gut. By esign, t is comp ex an integrate t ree-part inte ige gen nce sy sysste tem m is me mean antt to e ri iant iant y ut utii ize an is tri ut ute e t roug out every aspect o uman an orga gani niza zation tiona a i e. To ate, owever, it rare y is. T is oo invites you to c ange t at. [ xi ]

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In a compe ing ca to action, Doc C i re an Bruce Cryer raw upon ea ing e ge researc an years o practica expe pe-rie ri ence to c a enge eac rea er an orga gani niza zattion to a vance in meaningful and measur measurable able ways. Their approach is designed designed to help streamline your efforts instead of making them more compli com plicat cated. ed. It turns out that an ounce of positive emotion emo tion can be worth a ton of repetition. I have found that when people successfully face challenges and do the best work of their lives, it’s largely because they have found their own distinctive ways to gener gen erate ate exceptional levels of energy, passion, inner strength, and commitment. From Chaos Cha os to Coherence is a valuable contribution to the literature on this subject. This book advances the future by putting inner leadership at the forefront, where it should be. This is vital reading for manag managers ers and professionals at every orga organi niza zation tional al level. The next steps are up to you.

Forewor

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Foreword

cott Shuster Founding Director, Executive Programs, Business Week

THE WORLD IS AN INTERNALLY CREATED PHENOMENON. We take the in inputs puts received received through our senses and process that sensory data through our mental mentaliity and emotions emotions to create what each of us experi experiences ences as “the “the world.” world.” Every person’s world is necessarily different from everyone else’s. The quality of your individual world depends on your skill in manag managing ing and using the data that pours into you: The better you are at opera operating ting your body’ body’ss data proce processin ssing g syste systems, ms, the more accurate your understanding of the world. And the more accurate your impres impressions sions of the world around and within you, the better chance you have of respond responding ing to the world in the manner man ner most effective for you and those with whom you as so so-ciate. ci ate. But w at are your interna systems? How o t ey wor ? W ere are t e evers o con conttro wi wit in us an ow o we reac t ose evers? Suc myster terie iess o um uman an es esig ign n an re resp spon onse se ave een t e wor o Doc C i re or over 30 years. In t e ear y 1970s, Doc iscovere t at t e uman eart, an organ t at ap-

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From C aos to Co erence

pears to e principa y a pump, in act p ays a emonstra e ro e in uman emotiona response an inte igence. Har y a surprise to overs, songwriters, poets, or parents. But Doc prove it, developing a thoroughgoing set of mental and physical practices that harness the emotional power of the heart muscle and direct that power toward the reduction of stress, improved group interaction, and other positive effects. He called it HeartMath . Doc and his collaborators—Sara Paddison, Rollin McCraty, Howard Martin, Deborah Rozman, Bruce Cryer, and others—learned that the linearity of human thought and the pace at which the body and mind tend to move from one momentary experience to another were additional tools that could lever the basic discovery concerning the role of the heart muscle. They also learned that the HeartMath practice is especially effective when conducted in the presence of others—coworkers, for example. Through the work of the not-for-prot Institute of HeartMath and more recently through the development of IQM (Inner Qua ity Management) tec niques, Doc s HeartMat too s or t e en ancement o persona experience ave een turne to t e sp ere o team eve opment an t e improvement o organizations. HeartMat an IQM to ay are eing e e to t e corporate, government, an mi itary sectors. Repeat uyers o t e training inc u e Motoro a, Hew ett-Pac ar , Cana ian Imperia Ban o Commerce, Roya Dutc S e (UK), an Cat ay Pacic Airways (Hong Kong), as well as many state, federal, and provincial government agencies throughout North America. IQM is so hot that Doc, Bruce, and the management team of is newly formed for-prot training and consulting company, HeartMath LLC, are rapidly expanding to meet the world wide corporate demand for their training courses. On an afternoon in 1992, Bruce Cryer rst appeared in

ront o my es at Business Wee Executive Programs, 36 oors up in Roc e e er Center in t e eart o mi town Man attan. His tas was to impart an awareness o w at at rst appears to be pop psychology to a frankly skeptical editor interested only in information of practical application to the needs of large corporations. Bruce had no corporate clients at all: only a few prisons, a juvenile delinquency program, some school districts, and a U.S. Army base. The technology of HeartMath proves itself to any skeptic in seconds: Focus your thinking on the pump beating in your chest. Immediately the body warms and frame of mind is loosened and changed. This was Doc Childre’s remarkable discovery, a naturally occurring transformative technology of the human body that had somehow gone undiscovered or at least undeveloped, unrecorded, and untransmitted for centuries. It was as though Bruce had brought me the rst report of the wheel, the telephone, or the semiconductor. I could see that this was a new and dramatically useful technology. HeartMat is signi cant ot as a iscovery an as a e nition: T an s to t is oo y Doc an Bruce, an to Doc s past vo umes, t is remar a e interna tec no ogy o t e uman o y is un i e y to again e orgotten. As news o t e tec niques sprea s, HeartMat wi ecome part o t e exicon o uman e avior, part o everyone s i e. T ere is no imit to t e potentia o HeartMat ecause at root it is a simple, physical act: a mental formation, a thought with physical effects. It is neither philosophy, faith, nor belief. The essentially physical character of the practice enables its easy application across all the barriers that customarily divide humanity. There is nothing culturally “American” about HeartMath. It will not transgress any religious or cultural precept. It will work as well in India, Iran, China, or Nigeria as it works in [ xv ]

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Ca i ornia, New Yor , t e Unite King om, or Swe en. Wit in t is potentia universa ity ies HeartMat s immense promise: I every o y i t is, w at a won er u wor .

Introduction to the Rev sed Ed t on

THE YEARS SINCE THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION OF THIS book in 1998 have seen remarkable change. The internet spawned an e-commerce revolution few of even the most optimistic prognosticators could have predicted. Technology stocks supercharged an incredible period of economic expansion. Wealth was created at an unheard of pace. Consolidation happened across many industries, creating fewer competitors and giant behemoths. Bigger is better. So is faster. Dot-coms were the rage, then the failures became staggering. Economic contraction, fed by the sudden glut of technology, set a worried tone in American society, and then the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 shocked an American society which believed its wealth and power somehow protected it from such acts, while many in Western Europe and elsewhere wondered, “Who’s next?” T e pace o c ange was wi an exciting, an t en it turne ar an rig tening, aging many o us aster t an we rea ize. W at s t e price to us, rom t e sustaina i ity o our organizations to t e sustaina i ity o our socia systems, to t e qua ity o i e we re mo e ing to our i s? T ere s anot er momentum pic ing up spee in t e world—a coherence momentum. Even in an era of unprecedented economic and political uncertainty, this momentum is ushering in new desire to connect, new forms of communi[ xvii ]

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cating, new usiness mo e s, new types o re ations ips, an new inte igence. So w ere oes t e eart t in? Emp oyees ove stoc options but now crave meaning in their work in place of non-stop anxiety. Companies still angst over shareholder value and being rst-to-market, but more strive to make the “100 Best Places to Work” list so all the talent doesn’t leave when the economy improves. Gen-Xers and boomers alike are drawing lines in the sand about personal freedom, fun and fulllment. This book is about bringing coherence out of what increasingly seems chaotic and crazy. It will describe a set of tools being used around the world to help people sift through the mountains of data, to reduce their stress, and to rebuild the health and vitality of themselves and their organizations. This book presents new research discoveries that are fundamentally changing the way we view healthy, high-performing individuals and organizations. It will provide practical tools to open up your thinking to new ways of being—for you and your organization. It oesn t ave a t e answers ut it s ou ma e you as some rea y goo questions. It may even awa en your eart. -Doc C i re an Bruce Cryer, 2004

chapter

Business at the Speed o Balance Some ay, a ter we ave mastere t e win s, t e waves, t e ti es, an gravity...we s a arness...t e energies o ove. T en, or t e secon time in t e istory o t e wor , men wi ave iscovere re. —TEILHARD

DE CHARDIN

SPEED IS AN INCREDIBLE DRUG. JUST ASK A FORMULA ONE driver, a day-trader, or the CEO of any one of thousands of startups trying desperately to get there rst with the next great idea, the really cool technology, the killer app . We have convinced ourselves faster is better, indeed faster is mandatory . Lethargy, even balance, is death in today’s markets. But what fuel is driving us? Is our organization—are we—running on high-octane or the fumes of fear? Fear we’ll lose the race, be left behind, be dumped in the trash heap of what could have been? Balance sounds boring. And who’s got time for it? Who cares t at our o ies were not esigne to an e t e incre i e in ormation tsunami un eas e over t e ast eca e? W o cares t at in ormation is now ou ing every 12-18 mont s, compare to every 30-36 mont s in 1995, or every 20 years ac in 1954? W o cares t at most peop e in usiness to ay must process un re s o inputs ai y (one survey suggests 205 messages per ay is t e current average), et a one t eir regu ar jo . Who cares that in parallel with the globalization of information has developed an alarming rise of youth violence? Or that it took

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t e p anet severa mi ion years to reac 3 i ion in a itants, an ess t an 50 to a 3 i ion more. Many peop e care. From Chaos to Coherence was written for the future health of organizations and the future potential of people. It proposes a new way to build organizations that respond to change, crisis, and challenge with poise, exibility, and balance. Organizations built of people who respond quickly and caringly to changes in the economy, their markets, their culture, and in themselves. The “how” is a blend of science, business practicality, and the combined intelligence of the human heart and intellect. Our view is that a new level of organizational efciency, synchronization, and effectiveness is possible by studying and applying new information about the intelligence of the human system. Organizations will make only incremental improvements in effectiveness and sustainability until a more thorough and sensitive understanding of the human system resides at the core of ow organizations function. Researc uring t e 90s pro oun y eepene our now e ge o uman inte igence, opening up ra ica new possii ities. T e act t at inte igence is istri ute t roug out t e uman system an t at t e eart is an inte igent system pro oun y a ecting rain processin represents a new mo e or e ping organizationa systems ecome more a ance , more inte igent, more a aptive, an more umane. In many ways, t e emergence of the Web mirrors this discovery. Our team set out to build a coherent organization that would put both care and efciency at the heart of all our activities: care for our clients and care for ourselves, efcient service for our customers, and internal efciency for ourselves. Many of the 20 or so who formed the original team at HeartMath had experience working in companies or public agencies mired in incoherence

Business at t e Spee o Ba ance

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an ine ectiveness. Human va ues o ten were a sent, an so was usiness e ciency. Ear y on, Doc recognize a in etween t e eart o a person an t e eart o an organization. He new organizations reect the collective mind-sets and attitudes of the people who inhabit them. We spent most of the ’90s deeply researching human physiology and organizational effectiveness. We tested our theories and tools with thousands of people in dozens of public and private sector organizations in North America, Europe and Asia, and in the organizations we built. Through this process we developed Inner Quality Management® (IQM), a set of scientically-based tools for helping businesses (all organizations) work at the speed of balance. THE FOUR DYNAMICS OF IQM

The four dynamics of Inner Quality Management are interdependent and integrated: • Internal self-management • oherent communication • Boosting organizational climate • trategic processes of renewal T e cornerstone o IQM is interna se -management e ping peop e manage t eir min s an emotions e ective y. Creativity, ecision-ma ing, ea t an we - eing a improve w en min an emotions are co erent an re ative y noise- ree. T is is essentia or ui ing a ig per ormance organization in this age of accelerating change. Achieving coherent communication in an increasingly noisy world is the prime ob jective of the second dynamic. This involves managing both the huge volumes of electronic communication we are exposed to as well as the interpersonal kind. The kind that drives us crazy—or

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rings eep satis action. A growing o y o researc is revea ing t e ro e c imate p ays in an organization s ong-term ea t an per ormance, an we a now w at it ee s i e to wor in a team we love versus one we don’t. This is where dynamic three will lead us. Dynamic four describes, through additional tools and case studies, the strategic need for renewa in the culture of an organization. The ob jective of all this is increased coherence in all aspects of individual and organizational life, leading to sustainable business outcomes that insure an organization’s viability and well-being. (Chapter 2 will introduce the four dynamics in greater depth.)


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It’s A ive! Consider that all organizations are living systems composed of people who think an feel. Each organization is a large complex organism whose health and resilience depends on the same factors that determine an individual’s health and balance. Smart organizations—like smart people—are now paying attention to the elements that are working as well as to those that are not. Any number of factors can weaken and diminish the effectiveness o t e ot ers: c ange in mar et, c ange in ea ers ip, c ange in government. C ange o any in increasing y a ects an organization s resi ience, its perspective, an its c arity o purpose. It s air y easy to spot t e usiness outcomes o suc c ange. But it s more important to rst un erstan t e e ects at t e in ivi ua eve .

Dynam c 1. Interna Se -Management If you have spent much of your career working in a medium to large corporation, health care system, or government agency, you have no doubt been trained to improve quality, think strategically, outpace the competition, or keep the customer satised. More than ever, organizations have to see outside themselves. Isolationism and myopia don’t cut it today. It’s all about connections, partnering, collaborating, and leveraging what we have through the strengths and talents of others. Many organizations are realizing that it’s the adaptability, the creativity, and the innovative intelligence within the individual t at is t e on y rea competitive a vantage any organization as. In some ways, t e mi itary as ocuse on t is more t an t e private sector, istorica y. Its num er one o jective must a ways e orce rea iness. T ere is no question, in t e min s o mi itary ea ers, t at t e in ivi ua must e prepare menta y, emotiona y, an p ysica y to ea wit anyt ing, inc u ing

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i e-an - eat situations. Too o ten ot er organizations orget t is critica emp asis on sustaining, nurturing, an preparing t e in ivi ua an , ecause o a asic emotiona im a ance in that organization, twist mundane problems into life-and-death dramas. People making the transition from military to business careers are often shocked by the craziness in for-prot companies over issues “it ain’t worth losing any sleep over.” One of our clients, a veteran of the military and intelligence communities who served during the Persian Gulf War, told us of his shock at the wasted energy he has seen in corporate America over mundane issues magnied be yond reason. Internal self-management is based on these insights: 1. T e pressure on t e in ivi ua wi increase in t e years o come. 2. Understanding human processes—mental, emotional, and physical—is essential to the individual and the organization. 3. Identifying and plugging the leaks in your own system saves energy. 4. You can increase your capacity for intelligence.

Dynamic 2. Co erent Communication The success of internal self-management techniques is rst tested in interactions with others. In an increasingly connected world, communication is more prevalent and demanding than ever. Organizationa an persona ine ciency compoun s w en t e qua ity o communication is ow, w en t e importance o it is ignored, or when we simply tell ourselves “other things are more pressing. Co erent communication is a mo e or e ective in ormation trans er an meaning u conversations etween


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co wor ers, wit customers, patients, or constituents, an wit in onese . Co erent communication is ase on our princip es: 1. chieve understanding rst. 2. Listen nonjudgmentally. 3. Listen for the essence. 4. Be authentic.

Dynamic 3. Boosting t e Organizationa C imate Signi cant researc as emonstrate —an most peop e s persona experience con rms—t e necessity o a positive workplace climate for effectiveness. This topic should not just be the domain of the human resources or personnel department, since everyone in the organization contributes to the climate, as do factors external to the workplace. Anyone who has been through a merger knows rst-hand just how dramatic a climate change can be and how potentially devastating to personal productivity. This dynamic creates the internal environmental factors that support or, if ignored, undermine dynamics one and two. The key principles here are: 1. An Emotiona Virus is insi ious in many organizations to ay. 2. A healthy organizational climate heals the virus through supportive management, contribution, self-expression, recognition, clarity, and challenge. 3. Human qualities such as adaptability, shared core values, care, and appreciation are the hallmark of great places to work. . Understanding the distinction between knowledge and wisdom leads to smarter decisions and smarter organizations.

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Dynamic 4. Strategic Processes of Renewa Moving from theory, conceptual models, and case studies to practical application is essential for ongoing organizational coherence. This is the nitty-gritty of how the organization applies its learning. This is also the dynamic that allows the organization to renew itself at a strategic level, provided that the internal, communication and climate dynamics are well balanced and positive. The principles of this dynamic are: 1. Balance is the keynote for self-renewing organizations. 2. Building effective teams and coaching skills can leverage an organization’s human capital. 3. Creativity and innovation arise out of coherent people. 4. Complex decision-making requires “big picture” thinking.

T is oo provi es speci c too s or t e inte igent orchestration of each dynamic. Weakness in any area strains the whole system and hinders performance. Progress in any area boosts overall efciency and effectiveness. It’s all about dynamic balance.

chapter

The Coherence Imperat ve

, well as those who study biological systems, understand the concept of coherence . The difference between an ordinary household light bulb and a laser illustrates the concept. A light bulb produces light waves or particles that spread out from the light source, bumping into each other and diluting the potency of the output. Scientists call this incoheren light. Not terribly efcient, but this is the inherent nature of a light bulb. As a result, the light from such a bulb illuminates only a limited range: the higher the wattage, the more far-reaching its effect and the more energy required to power it. But signicant energy must go into a bulb for it to create signicant light because of the incoherence—or inefciency—of its light waves. Most ordinary bulbs also burn out fairly quickly. However, if these waves could be brought into coherence—ma e more ocuse an organize —a ramatica y new eve o power an e ectiveness wou e ac ieve . T is is t e un er ying princip e e in a aser. A aser pro uces co erent ig t waves t at are ig y e cient or ere , not waste or issipate ouncing into t emse ves. As a resu t, commercia asers nee operate on y on a tiny wattage ecause o t is e ciency. T ey are incre i y precise in a growing array o surgica procedures and commercial applications because they are so focused, coherent, and penetrating. The shift from incoherence [9]

[ 10 ]


to co erence is stunning: a 60-watt ig t u w ose ig t waves cou e ma e co erent as a aser, wou ave t e power to ore a o e t roug t e sun!1 We all have experienced moments of coherence, where things were in sync, we were in “the ow,” our actions and intentions matched, and the outcomes were productive, efcient, and fullling. For many, how rare and random these moments are. They often emerge out of chaos. Imagine if we could bring our lives and our organizations into a new level of coherence, focus, and clarity. What if an organization is doing an admirable job, providing decent customer service, good products or services, while, unbeknownst to itself, canceling out much of its effectiveness because of internal distortion, static, and stress? Light bulbs burn out; so do people, and so do organizations. If employees are constantly brooding over negative comments from coworkers or thinking about a problem at home, coherence within those individuals is compromised. How could it not be? They may try to be attentive to their work, but the menta an emotiona processes t ey are going t roug wi rain t em o vita ity an i ute t eir e ectiveness. Just as in t e examp e o t e ouse o ig t u , t ey wou e pro ucing ran om y, an it ta es a ot o power to eep t e ig t urning. In t e wor p ace, peop e sometimes n t is power t roug rawing on raw nerve energy or t e ear o not meeting management s expectations. I t is pattern continues, t ey can urn out and productivity ceases. Here’s the puzzle: Chaos can be appealing. In the ’90s many talented people left predictable, ordered, routine jobs with successful companies (many with great stock options and benet plans) for the unpredictability and adventure of dotcom start-ups. While the organizations these Gen-Xers and boomers eft may not have been models of coherence or balance, chaos

e Co erence Imperative

wit

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un soun e a ot etter t an c aos wit rone. T is ecame a pro oun management c a enge or o er companies unti t e recession too u e ect. An sta retention remains a critical issue for health care systems every where. When the economy rebounds, staff retention will be critical in the private sector too, in order to maintain coherence in the organization and attract the kind of talent they need to grow and prosper. People—employees and customers alike—want individual attention and customized solutions. The days of one-size-tsall—for anything—are long gone. How can coherence emerge out of this seeming chaos? Putting emphasis on learning how to deal effectively with workplace and personal problems will create more coherence in the individual. Attention span, mental clarity, and creativity will naturally increase. Coherence is efciency in action. Coherent people thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically. Coherence is not a static, rigid state. When a system is coherent, virtually no energy is waste ecause o t e interna sync ronization. Power is maximize —t e power to a apt, ex, innovate. T is co erent power resu ts in a major eap in e ciency an e ectiveness. Co erence wit in peop e can a so e measure iome ica y, wit pro oun imp ications or pro uctivity, menta c arity, an car iovascu ar, immune system, an ormona ea t , as we as t e aging process. Car iac co erence is a term use to describe the state of the cardiovascular system when the electrical and mechanical systems of the heart are synchronized and operating effeciently.2 Internal coherence can be measured by monitoring the electrical synchronization of brain and heart and determining whether the nervous system is full of noise or static free. (More on this in the next chapter.) The effect of increased individual coherence means we spend less energy to maintain

[ 12 ]


ea t , we waste ess energy t roug ine cient t oug ts an reactions, an our o y oes not strain to eep us ocuse an pro uctive. Coherence is a progressive state—the more we build it, the more we have in reserve. The aim is to increase the ratio of time spent, personally and organizationally, in coherence. Increased personal coherence yields greater exibility, adaptability, creativity, and perhaps most important, the self-security to regain hope. Organizations—being the sum total of the intelligence, creativity, self-management, and coherence of their people—operate the same way. As coherence increases within individuals and teams, a much higher level of organizational coherence and alignment is possible—coherence between the organization’s mission, its vision, its strategies and its ac tions. Coherence is consistenc between customer expectations and customer satisfaction. Coherence is continuit in every internal process and communication modality. Coherence is balanc within the persona i e o eac sta e o er in t e process. Does t is imp y or require a static externa environment? Har y. T e increasing c aos in a t e wor s system requires a ig y exi e, a aptive, inte igent response. Co erence is t e energy-e cient mo a ity in a c aotic wor . Because so many corporate, pu ic an ea t care organizations ac muc co erence, even a itt e co erence goes a ong way. Organizational coherence can also be measured. Research conducted by the Institute of HeartMath labs, as well as by other researchers cited in this book, conrms what many organizational thinkers and businesspeople have known intuitively for years: Organizations which simultaneously address personal dynamics and organizational structures are more successful and sustainable outperform their competitors.


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Entra nment Through HeartMath's work with teams in many types of private an pu ic sector organizations, it ecame c ear t at in ivi ua s rst must earn too s or t eir own se -management. Wor s ops and offsite seminars abound to address “team building” but most ignore t e un amenta menta an emotiona processes wit in t e in ivi ua . We questione ow teams cou ever e more e ective unti t e in ivi ua s ecame more in sync wit t emse ves. We egan to un erstan a p enomenon nown to scientists but quite lacking in most organizations—the phenomenon of entrainment. Entrainmen is the scientic term for the synchronization of systems (see Figure 2–1). Flocks of birds, schools of sh, the pacemaker cells in the human heart—all are examples of entrainment. Teams that are entrained function smoothly, capitalizing on the creativity and intelligence of the individual members with minimal distortion or static. To use Faith Popcorn’s term, they are “clicking.” They are more coherent in everything they do. There is less distortion and internal conict and greater resilience and exibility in the face of challenge or crisis. Opinions and perspectives within the group are diverse; they don’t all think alike, but there is respect and the desire to collaborate. They are “in sync.” oherent individuals are the prerequisite for entrained teams. In ivi ua s w o are co erent enjoy greater a ance in t eir wor an persona ives, an n ecision-ma ing easier. You ve experience entrainment an its ac —orc estras, sports teams, an ance troupes t at ac ieve ig eve s o entrainment an move e ort ess y as one co erent w o e, ce e rating in ivi ua exce ence an uniqueness; companies t at grew too ast an ecame incre i y isjointe ; at etes w o performed “in the zone” only to lose it and grow despondent. common thread is the heart. Was their “heart” in what they were doing? Were they operating from a deep intuitive in-

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In Sync

Out of Sync

 copyright 1994, Institute of HeartMath

FIGURE 2–1 Entrainment. The concept of entrainment was rst discovered

in 1665 by the Dutch clock maker Christiaan Huyggens, who observed that pendulum clocks fell into synchronized rhythm if their pendulums were of the same length. Even after breaking their rhythm they fell back into synchronization. Numerous examples exist in the biological world of this innate tendency to conserve energy.

telligence or had personality differences overridden common goals, common values, and a common mission? Were love and appreciation guiding principles fueling their actions? Doc's and Bruce's professional careers have been extremely varied—manufacturing, music, business, biotech, publishing, and now personal and organizational effectiveness consulting. The high points always happened when our hearts were fully engaged in what we were doing. That process always yielded creative insight and efcient solutions. And we had a lot more fun.

T e State o W at Is How is t is era o unprece ente c ange a ecting persona an organizationa co erence? For corporations an ea t care organizations a i e, increase customer an consumer awareness as resu te in greater expectations an eman s. Increase competition as increase interna pressures—many o w ic

T e Co erence Imperative

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are emotiona —w i e re ucing pro t margins. A more comp ex mar etp ace as require ever more sop isticate sa es an mar eting tec niques. T e rapi pro i eration o in ormation technology has created a mountain of information to manage and respond to. The public sector has faced many of these same profound changes with the added burden of an electorate deeply cynical about the relevance of governmental institutions and policies. Gridlock now is used to describe political impasses as often as free way trafc. Downsizing, also known euphemistically as right sizin and darkly as capsizing has arrived in every segment of society, with numerous military base closures in the United States causing wrenching change in the communities grown dependent on them. Reengineering and outsourcing have been initiated to boost internal efciency, while new skills to manage the changes have been required. Feeling tired yet?

T e Impact o C ange Many organizations ave gotten atter, an t e re uction in ureaucratic ayers as meant peop e ave to e muc more exi e, ave mu tip e s i s, an strugg e wit ro es t at o ten are ess e ne . Even t e wor o science as e t t e pain an promise of change. In the United States, managed care has totally altered how disease is treated and dramatically affected already strained doctor-patient relationships. At the same time, the fragmentation of science into thousands of subspecialties is seeing a backlash into more integrated approaches that build on interdisciplinary strengths such as psychoneuroimmunology, the study of mind-body interactions. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study discovered that signicant effects occur in employee productivity and actual behavior as a result of change. As a direct consequence of organizational change—whether brought upon by changing market,

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ownsizing, a merger, c ange in ea ers ip, or simp y a series o a ecisions, • Productive work dropped from 4.8 hours per day to 1.2 ours per day, a loss of 75%. • ocial chat and gossip increased from 1.5 hours per day to 3.2 ours per day, an increase of more than 100%. • Retraining time went from 0 hours to 1.8 hours, now occupying nearly 25% of the employee’s time.

T e Emerging Cost o Stress Accor ing to t e U.S. Department o La or, t e wor p ace is t e greatest sing e source o stress, no matter w at you o or ow muc you earn.7 Stress may now account or 75–90% o a visits to physicians, according to the American Institute of Stress.8 The price tag to American businesses for stress is at least $200 billion a year. Until very recently, this was the “Emperor’s new clothes” of organizational effectiveness—we knew stress was out of control, but most of us were afraid to speak up about it. Thankfully, that has started to change. The coherence momentum is picking up speed.

T e G o a ization o Stress America has no exclusive franchise on workplace stress. A 1997 New York Times article noted that the word stress has become so universa it oes not nee to e trans ate into t e oca anguages. Say “stress” in virtually any country of the world and t e oca s wi now w at you mean. A Unite Nations Report ca e jo stress t 20t -century isease. In t e Unite King om, as muc as 10% o t e GNP now goes to stress-re ate costs. A recent stu y in t e UK s owe t at 60% o managers wor in excess o t e norma wor wee ,


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and 52% claim to be suffering from too much work, up from 40% in 1993. Furthermore, 40% of male respondents felt they i not spen enoug time at ome. Over 50% cite t e a ance etween ome an wor as stress u . T is stu y a so oun t at 47% of those interviewed found their workload had “increased great y uring t at year. In Cana a, at east 12 i ion is spent eac year on trac a e stress-re ate costs, an 46% o Cana ian women an 36% o Cana ian men cite eing too usy as t e main cause o wor stress. 3 Their colleagues in Japan, Hong Kong, and the developing economies of Asia have similar issues. In fact, Asian managers have mirrored many of the same stressed out behaviors and consequences of their European and North American counterparts. 4 In Japan, the word karoshi literally means dying at your desk and is considered a national health crisis affecting we’re worried... tens of thousands each year. n one recent study, 44% of ccording to the National Pothe workers questioned lice Agency, suicides in Japan believed their workload was in 1996 totaled about 23,000, excessive, 46% worried about more than double the number layoffs, 55% worried about the of trafc fatalities. “The decompany’s future, and 50% felt mise of the job-for-life system is especia y toug or t e Japtheir jobs were not secure. This anese sa aryman, w ose socia equates to millions of people ran is etermine y is trying to work through worry company an is position, and insecurity, on a daily basis. reporte Time magazine in a Another study found that 42% Fe ruary 1998 cover story. t of Americans had looked for a east 200 awsuits ave een new job because of the struggle led by families of people who to maintain work-personal life dropped dead after too many balance. all-nighters. 6

I

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These statistics amount to a global mountain of inner turmoil and incoherence. The typical organizational response as een enia or a an -ai x. O er a unc -an - earn or t ose trou e y stress. Encourage managers to spen more time istening. Sen an executive to a ea ers ip course to e p im smoot out his style. Systemic solutions that address core human emotional processes have been largely absent.

“On y t e Dea Have Done Enoug ” T ere c ear y is muc t at cou e eare to ay. Incoerence reigns. T ere a so is muc t at cou e appreciate . Co erence emerges. W ic is it? W ere o we ocus our attention? If we appreciate only what’s good, will we not ignore the real problems and issues that cry out for attention? A recent high-level meeting of a global telecommunication company shifted course considerably when an

h C o e r e

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t

reduce stress

S

tress is the main disabler of personal and organiz-

ational performance. Addressing it has become a critical business strategy. People’s perceptions about events create internal stress, so solely addressing structural and organizational issues, and not addressing emotional perceptions, will fail to resolve the roblem. Helping people widen their perspectives about work oads, employee relationships, management, customers, etc., can signicantly reduce stress levels, freeing up energy to address external factors that encourage a stress undertone. Changing perception requires new intelligence. llocate resources to increase eart intelligence within your organization and take steps to romote mental, emotional and work/life balance. Your efforts and expenditures will signicantly increase organizational coherence and performance.


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exhausted manager stated, “Only the dead have done enough.” This statement, cynical and desperate though it was, was met with complete understanding and sympathy from the other over worked and underappreciated managers and executives in t e room. In er exce ent oo Lea ers ip an t e New Science Margaret Wheatley asks: “How do we create organizational co erence, w ere activities correspon to purpose? How o we create structures t at move wit c ange, t at are exi e an a aptive, even oun ary ess, t at ena e rat er t an constrain? How o we simp i y t ings wit out osing ot contro an differentiation? How do we resolve personal needs for freedom and autonomy with organizational needs for prediction and h ontrol? . . . Is there a magnetic C e n G force, a basin for activity, recogn ze o attractive that it pulls all change will accelerate behavior toward it and creates oherence?” 7 To this we omplacency is out. would answer yes. That force Adaptability is in. Every oes exist. It can and must global trend forecast for the be tapped for the future of economy, health care, political rganizations and ourselves. t

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systems, education and family life, points to a period of un-

precedented change. New intelligence is needed to deal effectively with changes that stretch our capacities, personally and professionally. Make your own internal coherence a priority. The future will demand this more than ever.

esting t e T eory s a researc organization, a un amenta o jective o t e Institute o HeartMat as een to in orm ea ers in scince an usiness o its iscoveries and to leverage previus work into more extensive projects. Demonstrating the Institute’s ideas of organiza-

[ 20 ]


tiona co erenc tiona nce e in a wo worr -c as asss or orga gan niza zati tion on wa wass a ig pr prio iorrity. it y. In 19 1994 94,, t e ir irec ecto torr o em emer erg ging tec no ogies or a For Fortune tune 50 company approac e Bruce a out one o t e rm s core o jectives: jec tives: enhancing the human perfor performance mance of its people. people. The company already had a global repu reputa tation tion for product product inno innova vation tion and an unusually strong focus on its people. It entered en tered markets markets where it had no expert expertise ise and quickl quickly y dom domiinat nated ed them. The company often often credited the organizationwide focus on training train ing as funda fundamen mental tal to its market market leadership. 8 But now the company’s issues were changing. Technol Tech nolo ogy advanc ad vances es in their key indus industries tries were becoming so rapid, leadership er ship no longer was assured. Stress on people was increas in creasing, ing, partly due to the orga organi niza zation’s tion’s size and challenge to sustain its healthy growth, partly partly due to societal and family issues issues unrelated to the organization. The HeartMath team was asked to design a series of programs for a wide range of staff members mem bers to address and measure multiple issues, such as produc pro ductiv tiviity, teamwork, commu communi nica cation tion effectiveness, health and stress, creativity, an an inno nova vation. tion. P an anss we were re ra rawn wn to re recr crui uitt t re ree e te team amss o em emp p oy oyee eess or t e pi pi ot pr programs, w ic wou e e in two i erent oca ca-tions in t e Unite States. T e pi ot groups wou consist o one grou gr oup p o ex exec ecu utives, mi e managers an a min minis istra trattive sta mem er ers; s; one in inta tact ct so t ware engi engineer neeriing team am;; an a team o assem y in ine wor ers. T is was HeartMat s rst signi cant research-based corpo corporate rate intervention19 and the rst to test the validity of its concepts. con cepts.

Improvements n Pro uct v ty, Teamwor , Hea t , an Empow power erment ment The program was conducted over a six-month period. Dramatic improve im provements ments in produc productiv tiviity were measured in the assembly ine wor ers (see Figure 2–2):

e Co Co er erenc encee Imp Imper erat ativ ivee

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• • • •

93% had increase increased d productivity. 90% had improved teamwork. 93% acknowledged an increased sense of empowerment. 93% felt felt healthier, healthier, including signican signicantt gains gains in energy and vital vi taliity, less tension, fewer physical problems, a reduced re duced need for medi medica cation, tion, and greater personal and profes pro fession sional al fulllment. • More than 20 rec recom ommen menda dations tions made by the asso as soci ciates ates for improving produc productiv tiviity were imple implement mented ed by the management team. • 22% decrease in defects.

T e grap s ows c anges in pro uctivity, teamwor , empow pow-erm er ment, an ea t in wor ers w o ea earne HeartMat co erence tec nique uess, co comp mpa are to a contr tro o grou oup p o wor ers per orm rmiing t e same jo jo . FIGURE 2–2

A key factor factor of concern concern to the the company company was cardio cardiovas vascu cular lar health and efciency. Of the adult working popu pop ula lation tion in America, 33% hav have e high high blood blood pre pressu ssure. re. The g gures ures are simi similar in Europe. High blood pressure pressure (or hyper hyperten tension) sion) is the leading risk factor for heart disea disease se an and d str strok oke e an and d can can dr dra amat matiical cally ly inhibit hib it performance and and pro interven vention tion had produc ductiv tiviity . While this inter

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not ee een n po posi siti tion one e as a we nes esss pr pro ogr gram am—t —t e in inte tent nt wa wass inintuitive itively ly knew the creasing business produc productiv tiviity— ur clients intu relationship between between individual health and produc productiv tiviity: • 26% of the executive, administrativ administrative, e, and engineerin engineering g teams were hy hyper perten tensive sive at the start of the study. • After six months, all participant participantss had had regained normal blood pressure. pres sure. They had also learned to lower blood pres sure during highly highly stressful situations.

T ere ere were were sig signi ni cant cant im impr prov ovem emen ents ts in ot er pro pro uc uctiviitytiv y-a a ec ectting actors: 18% ess ess anxiety • 26% less burnout 20% ess osti osti ity • 32% increase in contentm contentment ent

There was a 36% reduction in overall stress symptoms, which in included cluded the following: • 56% reduction in sleepless sleeplessness ness 31% decrease in rapid heartbeats • 27% reduction in headaches 33% reduction in heartburn • 30% reduction in trembling due to stress

Bruce Bruc e a so re rece ceiv ive e ma many ny co comm mmen ents ts re ec ecti ting ng gr grea eatt y inincrease person sona a an team co erence. “More inventions were disclosed in the last six months.” “Since my stress levels are now lower, I am more relaxed and able to think more clearly. My negotiation skills have improved.” • “My number of patents per month literally doubled.”

e Co Co er erenc encee Imp Imper erat ativ ivee

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“I feel happier with myself. I perform better with my job. I commu com muni nicate cate more—without being afraid.” “I’m handling family life a lot better with less worries, and I’ve resolved re solved a lot of prolonged issues. I can listen to oth ers, be open-min e , wi ing to train co wor ers, an come to wor feeling feel ing happy happy and ready to work.”

In co corp rpor orat ate e sp spea ea , we it a om ome e ru run n —g —gre reat at at ata, a, gr grea eatt person per sona a ent usiasm, p ans to expan t e imp emen menta tation tion throughout through out at least one facto factory. ry. The fact that the company was Motorola gave us enormous enormous credi credibil biliity and leverage to begin speaking speak ing with other organizations about the poten po tential tial benets of the Institute’s technology. We were even rewarded with a special prize at an internal competition held by the company. The primary division where these tools were implemented saw record growth and the corpo corporate rate university began offer offering ing IQM at headquar headquarters. ters. So we offer this story as an exam ex ample ple of what could be. In an age when organ organizati izational onal strai strain n and uncertain cer tainty ty predom predomiinates, when our most productive hours and years remain remain dedicated to orga organi niza zations tions that often show little little or no loyal loyalty ty to us, there are compel compelling ling reasons to do things different fer ently. ly. And they can result in measur measurable able improve improvements ments that orga or gani niza zations—and tions—and people—require. Perception—t e ens t roug w ic we view i e—is at t e root o t e so utions. As Victor Fra ran n , a Ho ocaust survi vivvor an autt or au or,, put it so e oquent y, everyt ing can e ta en away rom a man ut one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to freedoms—to choose one’s atti attitude tude in any given set of circum circum-stances, stanc es, to choose one’s own way.” 2 Doc has spent years showing that it is one’s attitudes that under un derlie lie every every aspect aspect of person personal al and organizational coher coherence. ence.

[ 24 ]


Too o ten it is t e an -me- own min -sets, in erite rom gener gen era ati tion onss o ma man nag ager erss e or ore e us us,, t at re rein in or orce ce or orga gani niza zation tiona a rigi ity an in exi i ity. By ree reeiing ours rse e ves rom t ose attitu es, coher co herence ence becomes becomes possi possible, ble, espe especial cially ly in an age where all the rules have changed.23 As Albert Einstein said, “The world we have created is a product product of our way of thinking.” thinking.”24 We need a new way of thinking. thinking. We need a new intelligence.

DYNAMIC 1

INTERNAL SELF-MANAGEMENT Understand the Human Process

Increase Capacity for Intelligence

Internal SelfManagement

Recognize Internal Stresses

Plug the Leaks

1. Understanding human processes—mental, emotional and phys-

ical—is necessary to create sustained organizational transformation. A new model of human intelligence provides clues. 2. The pressure on the individual will increase in the years to

come as societal, family, and internal stresses mount and the pace of change accelerates. 3. As individuals learn to identify and plug the leaks in their own

personal systems, they stop draining energy and effectiveness personally and organizationally. 4. Individuals can learn to increase their capacity for intelligence , resulting in more effective decisions, greater resilience, and a heightened sense of well-being. This provides enormous value to any organization. [ 25 ]

chapter

3

A New Model of Human Intelligence INTELLIGENCE USED TO BE SO SIMPLE. GOOD GENES guaranteed high IQ, which got you into a rst-rate university, which paved the way for a great job, a beautiful family, and a ne career. As long as you were part of the intelligentsia or the business elite. Then reality set in. Many people began to doubt IQ was an accurate predictor of real intelligence, the kind it takes to lead a good life, have great relationships, and really be successful. Intuitively many people knew IQ didn’t measure street smarts, creativity, artistic brilliance, or emotional sensitivity.

Plaque seen in a rural store in North Carolina: “The brain said, ‘I’m the smartest organ in the body.’ The heart said, ‘Who told you?’” The human body is an incredible system—roughly 7 trillion cells with a mind-boggling level of physical and biochemical coordination necessary just to turn a page, cough, or drive a car. When you consider how little of it you have to think about, it becomes even more amazing. When was the last time you reminded your heart to beat, your lungs to expand and contract, or your digestive organs to secrete just the right bio[ 27 ]

[ 28 ]


chemicals at just the right time? These and a myriad of other processes are handled unconsciously every moment we live. Our intelligence manages the whole system, much of it unconscious. What is becoming increasingly apparent is that all our processes are profoundly affected by what we consciously do: what we think , what we feel , how we react . Research is now clear that the inability to manage oneself efciently leads to premature aging, diminished mental clarity, and even blocked access to our innate intelligence. The converse is also true: Increasing internal coherence leads to more efciency in all physiological systems, and greater creativity, adaptability, and exibility. This is the backdrop for the rst theme in the internal selfmanagement dynamic:

Understanding human processes—mental, emotional, and physical—is necessary to create sustained organizational transformation. A new model of human intelligence provides clues. The notion of multiple intelligences came into vogue over the last twenty years, each type of intelligence a unique dimension of what it means to be fully human. The parallels between the development of computing and the evolution in our understanding of human intelligence are striking. Thirty years ago, mainframe computers and the human brain were considered the supreme source of all intelligence in their respective domains: smart computer, dumb terminal; intelligent gray matter, organs that simply follow commands. The explosion in computational power of the microprocessor meant smart desktops connecting with other desktops. Soon the network became the computer and connectivity meant increased intelligence, or at least increased access to information. Simultaneously, scientists began to discover that human information processing was far more distributed than previously thought. Perhaps most chal-

A New Model of Human Intelligence

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lenging to our notion of centralized intelligence was the discovery that intelligence is not conned to the gray matter within the human skull. Neural circuits are pathways in our brains that develop as we learn new behaviors and skills. They grow and develop as we do. At birth, perhaps 100 billion neurons already exist in the brain, yet few circuits, relatively speaking, have been formed, which is why a human baby is so dependent on others for the rst few years of its life. How the neurons connect with each other is determined largely by what the child experiences and by the human social factors in the environment. Their connections with other neurons form the neural circuits—a grid that greatly affects perception and learned behavior. They are the storehouse of memory. Yet, neural networks exist in other parts of the body beyond the brain. The hunt for more intelligence had begun.

DNA and Development DNA is a complex molecule found in every cell in our body. It contains the genetic blueprint for the cells and how they will shape our bodies. In terms of brain development, DNA has coded within it the basic patterns for the brain’s structure. However, DNA does not determine the neuronal pathways (circuits) and connections that form nor the strength of those connections. These form as a result of our repeated experiences and the inuence of the environment in which we live and to which we adapt. Imagine a computer chip whose circuits formed through experience as the operator used the computer, not only through its intrinsic design. Every computer would be totally unique to its user. The essence is that, while DNA gives us a basic structure for brain development, the patterns formed by the neurons and the strength of their connections develop as a result of the input

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and experience we each have. Our intelligence is unique and pliable. As young children our neurons are rapidly forming new circuits in response to learning a new skill, such as walking, physical coordination, or adapting to the environment. If children are often stressed, circuits develop that are hypersensitive to stress in later life, and their ability to adapt is limited. Puberty is characterized by the start of sex hormone production, resulting in a variety of physiological changes, including a reduction of “plasticity” in the neural circuits. For example, learning a second language after puberty is considerably more difcult, neurologically speaking, than before. Or another—the rst generation raised with computers since preschool is now entering the workforce, and leading much of the Internet revolution. Their circuits formed in response to an entirely different set of stimuli than their parents. To them, technology is easy; it’s matter-offact. In very real terms it’s a natural extension of how they think and relate to the world. Back to the neural circuit story.

Unhooking Neurons It takes considerable focus and energy to recongure the neuronal circuits once a basic pattern has been set. This does not mean that the brain cannot be “rewired”; it simply requires more energy. Once a thought pattern is set rmly in place it becomes a “mind-set,” meaning our perceptions and responses are bound by that pattern. This limits our range of possibilities and adaptability. If you ever wondered why changing mind-sets can seem to be such a daunting experience, have you ever tried to unhook a neuron? The concept of intelligence has required some updating as this information has been uncovered. To limit our denition of intelligence to mental capacity would obstruct


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a new understanding of the entire human system as intelligent. Intelligence itself has many dimensions.

Intelligence Throughout It is now known that complex neuronal structures exist not only in the brain but also within the gut and the human heart. Neurochemicals, the carriers of nervous system information, are produced in vast quantities in these organs as well. These chemicals in turn affect brain processing and virtually every other organ in the body. For several years researchers have studied the enteric nervous system, a complex set of nerves found in the intestinal tract. This elaborate network of neurons and neurochemicals is so sophisticated and complex it is now called the gut brain. Its activity directly affects brain function. More neurons exist in the gut—about 100 million—than in the entire spinal column1, and this gut brain appears to be heavily inuenced by our emotions. Have you ever felt “butteries” in your stomach or a “knot” of worry? Most gastrointestinal disorders have a strong emotional component as any patient with colitis or student about to take an exam will tell you.

Gut Feelings The gut feeling many people trust has biological roots. “Considered a single entity, [the gut brain] is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons, support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember and, as the saying goes, produce gut feelings,” according to an article in the New York Times .2 In many martial arts traditions, this area of our anatomy is viewed as a source

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of power and intelligence. Here, martial arts teachers tell us, is where to center yourself and gain power.3 Troubling feelings land here, too, as the millions who obsess over share price can attest.

The Brain in the Heart Now new research has been published that is totally restructuring our views about intelligence yet again. This new data shows that a sophisticated intrinsic nervous system is now known to exist within the human heart. Research cardiologist J. A. Armour, M.D., of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, calls this intrinsic nervous system of the heart the little brain in the heart.4 It has powerful, highly sophisticated computational abilities and profoundly affects both heart and brain function. Neurochemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine, formerly believed to be produced only in the brain and nervous system, also are produced within the heart, as well as hormones such as ANF, known as the balance hormone. These appear to directly affect brain function.5 Just as the gut brain’s circuitry allows it to act independently, learn, remember, and produce “gut feelings,” so the existence of the heart’s brain helps to explain the wide range of feelings associated with the heart.

Networked Intelligence So it appears at least three brains—mind, gut, and heart— are networked together, inuencing each other 24 hours a day, much of it below our conscious awareness. Stress and emotional mismanagement appear to negatively impact the coherent functioning among these three intelligent systems. In his book Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason and the Brain , neuroscientist Antonio Damasio offers compelling evi-


[ 33 ]

dence that emotions and intellectual functions are processed in different parts of the brain, which then are integrated in the prefrontal cortex.6 The notion that intelligence is a purely cerebral, aloof activity uncontaminated and unaffected by emotions has been shown in this and much other recent research to be an outdated and misguided myth. Emotions play a primary role in the development and function of the mind. Emotions clearly play a role in day-to-day productivity. Think of the last bad decision made in your organization. Did mismanaged emotion play a part? Did someone overreact and create a policy based on knee-jerk reactions? Did reactive emotions in the organization play a key role in the hue and cry greeting the unfortunate decision? Chances are they probably did.

Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman, a Harvard-trained Ph.D. and New York Times science writer, has popularized the concept of emotional intelligence in his book of the same name, 7 and has spawned a movement of researchers and consultants seeking to understand the emotion-performance connection. Goleman cites example after example of studies showing that emotional balance and self-awareness are essential to success in all aspects of life. He argues that we must begin to value emotional skills at least as highly as intellectual ones, since standard IQ is so rarely an accurate predictor of personal or professional effectiveness. He summarizes what he means by emotional intelligence as these abilities: • Self-awareness • Self-management • Social awareness • Relationship management

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These could be summarized as self-management skills and interpersonal skills. Many researchers and educators have embraced the framework of emotional intelligence because it validates our experience of what determines organizational success or failure, and personal coherence or chaos. If we are honest, our organizations and our lives could use a lot more of these characteristics than they currently exhibit. We believe that: In an age of chaos, emotional management or mismanagement is more important in determining the longterm success of an organization than product success or process improvements. This is as true of start-up rms that experience rapid success but are unprepared for its operational realities as it is for the massive older organization or institution affected by large-scale emotional turmoil and malaise of its workforce. It is also true that 80% of the Fortune 500 companies of 1970 have disappeared off the list.

Hope and Resilience Without hope, no one can live fully. Organizations with hope are resilient and buoyant. They continue to learn and grow and are able to adapt to crises or challenges within the environment. The biological roots of hope and despair are becoming clearer. Child development specialist and author Joseph Chilton Pearce recounted research showing that, when we become “upset” for any reason, “all neural action, learning, memory, cognition, problem-solving, and so on, is adversely affected.”8 How often does this happen in your organization? Our emotional state is critical to what and how we learn in addition to how well we can recall and apply what we have learned. An unhappy experience while learning something can, in the future, bring up that same feeling as we try to recall the item we learned. Without conscious thought or choice, a person often


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avoids learning environments and challenges because of unpleasant feelings imbedded in neural tracks in our brains during earlier learning experiences. Early on in our careers, we began to understand the consequences of organizational incoherence. One biotech company we were associated with worked hard to land major national media coverage on a key product, knowing that would catapult the company into the consumer mainstream and success would be assured. In fact it had become highly focused on this idea, and determined to achieve it. The rm was looking for the quick bang, instant recognition, the sizzle, the stimulus of the quick hit. (Deeper discussion on the operational and human consequences was absent.) The media story hit, and business grew 500% in one month. Needless to say, the company was ill-prepared for this kind of growth. Not only were all the essential systems not effectively in place, the human foundation had not been solidly built so the employees began a revolving door syndrome of coming and going that sapped the organization’s effectiveness. Incoherence reigned. The company never again reached the sales level of that one rocket-ship month.

Emotion and Intellect Emotion, not intellect, is the fuel that drives the organizational engine. Intellect provides the direction, but not the fuel. In most organizations, this understanding has not been activated, so the fuel being used is not high octane, but more like kerosene, fast-burning but low quality. How an organization reacts, how it prepares its people for change—the emotional “eld” of a company—all have underlying emotional components that organizations can no longer ignore. Smart organizations will learn to harness and manage coherent emotional intelligence to unleash

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tremendous power within that organization. One of the great ironies, and opportunities, is that the mind becomes far more effective, sharp, and clear as the emotions become balanced and understood. The mind itself can tap into another dimension of intelligence, clarity, and creativity when unmanaged emotions are not leaking all the fuel. What biology underlies this concept of emotional intelligence? Built into the emotional-cognitive structures of the brain are many evolutionary functions that date back to our species’ struggle for survival and the mechanisms that evolved to cope with that stress. Brain structures like the amygdala in the “emotional” or limbic region of the brain can “hijack” intellectual processes when intense emotions are experienced in the system.9 This is why even very smart people can make very foolish choices when under emotional stress. And, even scarier for organizations and people today is that millions of us have maladapted to the stress in our lives and are just beginning to realize how much stress we have.

Evolution, Intelligence, and Stress A commonly held view in neuroscience is that different brain structures perform different functions that have evolved over time (see Figure 3–1). In a general sense, the human brain can be thought of as having three main structural regions, which are associated with differing levels of control and a variety of functions and basic drives. We call these the rst, second, and third brains. The first brain is comprised of the brain stem structures in the modern human brain processes, including hypothalamus, pons, medulla, and reticular formation. It governs reex and instinct, and is responsible for many basic functions necessary for survival, including:


• • • • • •

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approach/avoidance behavior hormonal control temperature control hunger/thirst control basic respiration and heart rate control reproductive drive

The second brain consists of the subcortical (also called limbic) areas, including hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and pituitary. This region of the brain exhibits control over the rst

FIGURE 3–1 This diagram depicts the three generalized stages of brain

evolution and the levels of control, functions, and behaviors that are associated with the three main structural regions of the modern human brain. © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

level and is capable of hindsight , the ability to see, after the event, what should have been done. This is an aspect of the development of memory, which is an important evolutionary addition. Its functions and basic drives include: • • • •

territoriality fear, anger, attack maternal love anxiety

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• hate • jealousy Emotional information appears to be processed in this brain region, yet it is not where we actually experience the physical manifestation of the feelings. Positive feelings, such as love or appreciation, are usually experienced around the heart area; negative emotions, such as fear or anger, are often experienced in the solar plexus, where the gut brain clues us in to things that do not feel right, and heartache is an experience felt by many in both the heart and solar plexus. The third brain has the highest level of control and is capable of foresight and many other important functions, including: • • • • • • •

perception and differentiation of thought and emotion self-reection discrimination of appropriate behavior problem resolution guilt goal satisfaction forgiving

The third brain, including the isocortex, frontal lobes, temporal lobes, parietal lobes, and occipital lobes, constitutes roughly 80% of the human brain. An organization hires you largely based on what it thinks it can squeeze out of this portion of your brain. Higher order human capabilities like language, creativity, self-reection, complex problem solving, and the ability to choose what is appropriate behavior are believed to emerge from these structures. From our teen years onward, specialized circuitry continues to develop in the prefrontal lobes that helps us chart a moral course in life. We learn to manage and balance reaction and emotion in making the little and big choices in life


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through the development of the frontal lobes.10 Institute of HeartMath (IHM) research suggests that emotional reactiveness and stress, which we often experience as feelings of inner turmoil, can inhibit the cortical regions in the third brain.11 With the cortical functions inhibited, problem-solving is hampered, reaction speeds and coordination are impaired, and we cannot think as clearly. Higher intelligence can be jammed by the reactions and pulls of the rst and second brain regions. Our decisions are less effective, our listening skills impaired, our creativity obstructed. Fortunately, the reverse also is true. When we feel harmonious and balanced, cortical (higher brain) function is enhanced. We can see possibilities where previously we could perceive only dead-ends. (Many people intuitively know this to be true. It is fun to have the research catch up with intuition.)

Perception and Stress Let us look deeper into the role of perception and stress. For many years, it was believed we consciously perceive an event prior to the awareness that it could be dangerous or a threat to our survival. However, in recent years, research has revealed the role of an almond-sized structure that profoundly inuences both perception and behavior. Called the amygdala and located in the region of the second brain, one of its key roles is to compare incoming information with past experience, looking for a match (see Figure 3–2). It also is believed to be the storehouse of emotional memory, so the matches it is looking for are emotionally signicant. The amygdala is not terribly precise, so if new information appears to match, messages are sent to the brain that indeed a match has been found. This can result in what has been called emotional hijacking , where we have an immediate emotional reaction to something based on past experience, whether or not that experience is relevant to the new situation. This emotional

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reaction not only bypasses the higher centers of the brain but also profoundly affects perception and ultimately behavior.

Cortex

Frontal lobes

Thalamus

Visual Cortex Amygdala Cerebellum

Activation of ANS and stress hormones

1997, Institute of HeartMath

FIGURE 3–2 The amygdala is an almond-sized structure in the subcortical area of the brain. It “eavesdrops” on information received through the thalamus, looking for an emotional match to previous experience. Working at high speed, if a match appears to be found, it communicates to the higher regions of the region affecting our behavior and decision making. © Copyright 1998 Insti- tute of HeartMath Research Center

The Physiology of Stress When we perceive or anticipate a threat of any sort, no matter how small, we re up our nervous system, or more specically a branch of our autonomic nervous system (ANS) called the sympathetic nervous system. The inner emotional turmoil that often accompanies the activation of this “ght or ight” response is what we call stress. This state of arousal results in the production of chemicals such as adrenaline. In contrast, when we relax, other chemicals such as acetylcholine, which help slow our systems down, are produced by the parasympathetic nervous system in greater amounts. This is what has been called “the relaxation


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response.” There is a considerable body of evidence suggesting that overdominance of the sympathetic drive can result in hypertension, and imbalance in these two branches underlies many chronic diseases. (See Figure 3-3)

Sympathetic

Dilate bronchioles

Speed up heartbeat Secrete adrenaline

Parasympathetic

Constrict bronchioles

Slow down heartbeat Increase secretion

Decrease secretion Increase motility Decrease motility

FIGURE 3–3 Autonomic nervous system. The ANS consists of two branch-

es, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. It regulates over 90% of the body’s functions automatically. The heart, brain, immune, hormonal, respiration, and digestive systems—all are connected by this network of nerves. © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

The Emotional Axis In addition to the autonomic nervous system there is an additional axis of human experience that profoundly inuences our response to threat: the emotional or hormonal axis. If negative emotions, such as fear, anger, worry, or anxiety are present, the body produces more cortisol. If these “negative” emotions persist cortisol levels can increase to the point that they can negatively impact health, productivity, immune function, and sleep patterns. The detrimental effects of raised cortisol levels are frequently exacerbated by simultaneous increases in adrenaline levels. These chemical changes not only cause long-term damage

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but they accelerate the aging process.12 In contrast, when we’re in a consistently positive emotional state, production of hormones such as DHEA is increased, and we feel a sense of well-being and success, hardiness, and resilience. Most traditional stress management techniques focus on relaxation and seek to bring down the level of arousal. While it is very important to be able to relax, the effects of relaxation are often short-term. Therefore relaxation is only part of the answer, because low arousal, relaxed states can be detrimental if associated with a “negative” emotion such as boredom, apathy, resentment, or withdrawal. In other words, relaxation isn’t the answer if the passion is gone. (See Figure 3-4)

FIGURE 3–4 The physiology of stress. The vertical axis represents the au-

tonomic nervous system described in Figure 3–3. At the top is sympathetic activity, indicated as high arousal/effort . At the bottom is parasympathetic activity, indicated by low arousal/relaxation/sleep . The horizontal axis represents the emotional domain. Negative emotion on the right is associated with excessive levels of cortisol, while positive emotion leads to increased DHEA levels. © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

Emotional Alchemy Positively transforming the internal emotional state has a profound effect on our hormonal balance, increasing the production


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of DHEA 13 and reducing cortisol levels. DHEA is an essential hormone and is known as the vitality hormone because of its anti-aging properties. If our emotional state is more positive and coherent, even difcult external factors do not destabilize us, and we are able to move between excitement and contentment more of the time. The generation of a “stress response” with increased adrenaline and cortisol levels should not be seen as negative. They can be perfectly healthy so long as the chemical activation does not persist and become chronic. Similarly “stressful situations” should not be viewed as negative but as a wake-up call, an opportunity to switch gears and nd more productive perspectives and solutions. Chaos isn’t the problem; how long it takes to nd coherence is the real game.

The Perception Loop The crucial factor here is that we have control over the whole process. We have control over our perceptions and the underlying reactions we generate, which create a cascade of events that either enhance or limit our effectiveness. Perceptions generate thoughts and emotions, which in turn produce measurable changes in heart rate, hormonal balance, immune system strength, and a host of other internal processes. These physiological effects, in turn, alter the neural circuits themselves, which affects our perception. This is a feedback system. When we are in a negative mood, for example, a distorted perception can generate negative thoughts and emotions, causing physiological imbalances in the heart, immune, and hormonal systems, which reinforce the circuitry, and the negative cycle continues. Research in emotional intelligence has shown that the most successful people in life are the ones who have learned to manage their emotional reactiveness, neutralizing or transforming negative emotions and in the process gaining a new richness of

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experience.14 Emotional intelligence can be taught and learned. The human heart provides the key.

Perception

Neural Circuits

Thoughts & Emotions Physiological Effects

Heart-Brain Communication Improving heart-brain communication is key to developing emotional intelligence. One of the greatest changes in scientic understanding over the last twenty years, has been the detailed understanding of how different bodily systems interact. One of the most surprising ndings is that the heart plays a critical role in a whole array of brain processes. The heart communicates to the brain in a variety of ways. It communicates electrically through two sets of nerve pathways. It also communicates electromagnetically by radiating a signal that reaches every cell in the body, including the brain. And, it communicates mechanically through pressure waves conducted along blood vessels. The inuence of the heart on the brain should not be underestimated. We often speak of the importance of “heart” in getting things done, in having pride in our work, in having the courage to take risks or speak our truth. However, in North America and Europe, mainly over the past 50 years or so, having "heart" is often seen as a sign of weakness, irrational behavior, or being “soft.” It has been barred from most business discussions on the grounds of imma-


turity and over-emotionalism. Ironically, many organizations today act in remarkably immature, overemotional ways because of a lack of heart, understanding, and compassion. Meanwhile, heart disease has become the number one killer in much of the world. Research over the last two decades has revealed that emotional states profoundly affect the rhythmic beating of our hearts, and the signals they transmit.15 These signals in turn cause measurable changes in our brains’ ability to think and process information. Researchers in the 1960s found that the heart acted as if it had “a mind of its own.” 16 In the fetus, the heart starts to beat before the brain and nervous system have developed, and it appears to have its own type of intelligence. The electrical energy in each heartbeat and the information contained therein is pulsed to every cell of the body. When the electrical patterns of the brain synchronize with the rhythmic patterns

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Listen

The modern-day Chinese pictogram for “listen” is composed of symbols for ear, king, eye, and heart. The meaning is to listen with the ear, giving respect as you would to a king, watching with the eye, and doing this with a full heart.

The ancient Chinese pictogram for “think” represents a baby’s skull connected to the heart. The meaning is that to think requires an open mind connected to the heart. An ancient dictionary denition describes the “silk threads” that connect brain and heart.

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of the heart, people operate with greater physiological coherence, resulting in increased conscious awareness and greater intelligence. The ability to self-generate feelings such as care, appreciation, and compassion is key to greater brain efciency, enhanced learning, and a more emotionally balanced life. This is one reason why heart intelligence is such a powerful metaphor for increasing personal and organizational effectiveness. More importantly, it works.

Cortical Inhibition A negative reaction to an unpleasant interruption can cause the signal generated by the heart to become chaotic, which in turn can inhibit cortical activity.16 You have been jarred, focus is lost, and it requires an additional expenditure of energy to get back on track. Understanding this heart-brain interaction helps explain the relationship between emotional and cognitive processes in early childhood development as well as later in life. In practical terms, it is now clear that negative emotional states cause more chaotic heart signals so the information being sent to all these structures in the brain is less coherent .17 Desynchronization within the brain is a common result, leading to poor or short-sighted decisions, impulsive communication, lack of physical coordination, and other no-win outcomes. The resultant chaos and confusion in the brain, rst discovered in the 1960s,18 is called cortical inhibition . (See Figure 3-6)

Coffee in Your Keyboard Cortical inhibition manifests itself as less efcient decision making or hesitant speech as people struggle to nd the right words to say what they really mean. Reaction speed is also measurably slowed at these times. Usually, it is when you are rushing or pan-


100

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FRUSTRATION

E 90 T A R80 T R70 A E H60

50 100

APPRECIATION

E 90 T A R80 T R70 A E H60

50 1

50

100

150

200

TIME (SECONDS)

FIGURE 3–6 Your changing heart rhythms affect not only the heart but also

the brain’s ability to process information, including decision making, problem solving, and creativity. Jagged rhythms, shown at top, lead to cortical inhibition, while smoother rhythms, below, are associated with cortical facili- tation. © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

icked that you accidentally knock a cup of coffee onto the pile of papers or into the keyboard. Focusing on internal self-management starts to help you gain control, as you become a master, not an unwitting victim of the normal “knee-jerk” response. Organizations of the future will study closely how learning happens at the biological level and help all the players maximize their learning within the organization.

Amplied Contrast Organizational incoherence—the accumulated noise, turmoil, pressure, and conict—can increase the internal distortion people feel, strengthening and reinforcing the negative, chaotic pattern in the individual. The good news is that a positive environment can play a signicant role in making coherence more familiar and help dissolve the negative patterns. Even in people with lifelong patterns that are nonproductive or unhealthy, a core remains that yearns to be productive, be effective, and feel fullled. Increasing levels of stress in the world only amplify the contrast between the

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drive and desire for coherence and the ever-present incoherence. As the gap widens between how people feel and how they want to feel, despair or resignation too often lls the gap. Biologically, this only makes matters worse and our effectiveness in dealing with problems is weakened or distorted. Identifying personal reactive patterns and understanding their consequences is the rst step in reprogramming them. Research suggests that reprogramming inefcient thought and emotional processes indeed is possible.19 If you want to be effective personally or keep good people in your organization, it may be required.

Big Babies and the Storefront Emotional states are contagious. Smile at a baby, and the baby smiles back. Treat a customer sincerely, and the customer appreciates you and rewards you with loyalty. You get upset, and the baby cries. Treat employees with anger and disrespect, and employees internalize their resentment and lose the motivation to do their best. You can sense an immediate shift in a baby’s emotional state by virtue of muscle tone and the way it holds its whole body. Ever noticed the same shift in an uncomfortable staff meeting or customer interaction? Usually, this is much more subtle and covert than with babies, who have no social conditioning to edit their behavior. By adulthood many of us have perfected the “storefront,” hiding our real feelings behind a facade of strained niceness while the internal engine of discontent revs furiously. This requires massive quantities of energy, and is in stark contrast to the spirit of connection that has emerged in the last few years.


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Learning in the Workplace In adult learning, the effectiveness of the “teacher” or coach, who is often the supervisor or manager, has everything to do with the internal coherence of that teacher. But the level of insecurity is so high in many organizations, interactions between supervisor and supervised are lled with the silent noise of uncertainty, the fear of criticism, and the resistance to input. A supervisor’s warmth and coherence can do much to dissolve this resistance and tension. Conversely, a manager’s discomfort, frustration, or anger will reinforce the resistant attitude on the part of the employee. In the excellent book, First, Break All the Rules , the authors remind us that most people quit bosses, not companies. It is the all-toooften incoherent leadership decisions that convince people it’s time to move on.20

Emotional Buying Let us take this discussion of internal emotional coherence to a very practical business situation: the sales call. The rst impression within the buyer usually is an emotional one: feelings of discomfort and distrust or security and comfort with the salesperson. The emotional state of the salesperson sets the tone for the exchange that follows. When people are being “sold” they tend to observe more acutely and, rightly or wrongly, form opinions about the salesperson at high speed. People often buy from someone they like, and if a salesperson seems insincere, pushy or emotionally unstable, the buyer often has reservations about making a purchase. An old axiom in the sales profession is that nothing is as ineffective as a desperate salesperson. Conversely, increased coherence in the salesperson fosters greater respect and trust in the buyer, deeper, more effective listening, more

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understanding and clarity, and greater potential for a successful sale. Now we can see the biological and electromagnetic roots of that observation.

Rewiring Neural Tracks People can learn to “rewire” maladapted neural tracks that inhibit the learning, growth, and emotional maturity necessary for success in any aspect of life. With practice, profound results can occur. These changes can be measured using spectral anal ysis of the ECG as improvements in cardiac coherence,21 with concurrent brain wave entrainment,22 enhanced immunity,23 and improved hormonal balance24. These powerful effects are brought about through the application of techniques that foster the entrained state. Caring and appreciation, consciously applied, are perfect examples of how “heart intelligence” changes physiology.

More Than a Pump The term heart intelligence implies that the heart is far more than just a pump, mechanically beating at least 110,000 times a day. In fact, its electrical, magnetic, neuronal, and hormonal properties make it a truly remarkable part of the human system. The surprising conclusion of a number of recent strands of research is that the heart possesses even more intelligence than those functions suggest. We know the heart is fundamental to our existence, and in fact use the word heart to describe anything that is core, central, or foundational. Ironically it was only during the last century that the West assumed the supremacy of the brain and intellect, the heart fell out of favor and was viewed as a sentimental trap. But viewing the heart as weak, emotional, and irrational is an old-fashioned mental model that is not only incorrect and outdated but also no longer serves our highest


[ 51 ]

interests. It’s time to stop blaming the heart for mismanaged emotions and to start to see the heart for what it is—the source of our core power and essential in helping us to access new intelligence. The heart we are talking about is not synonymous with emotion. Research conducted at the Institute of HeartMath and elsewhere suggests that the heart possesses an intelligence be yond the emotional or analytical. The heart does indeed sense emotional information and is capable of transcending the traps of unmanaged emotion. Evidence is mounting that the heart’s intelligence is a core operating system in the human being, capable of the coherent organization of mental, emotional, and cellular intelligence.

Frequencies of Intelligence Frequencies are everywhere. We can see light frequencies, hear sound frequencies, and sense the varying frequencies of thought and emotion. Eyes are receiving stations designed to pick up certain but not all frequencies of light. Ears are designed to detect audible frequencies in a specic range. People can’t hear what a dog’s ears are designed to hear, although the sounds a dog hears are just as real. AM radio is designed to receive frequencies in the AM range of a radio dial; FM stations broadcast in another frequency range, which an FM radio is designed to pick up. Although the heart and brain each radiate electrical frequencies vibrating within yet another range, primarily 0–30 Hz, the amplitude of the heart’s signal is 40–60 times stronger than that of the brain. At the same time, these intelligent organs also “receive” incoming information and can produce a host of biochemical and electrical changes in response to this sensory input. (How interesting something as

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fundamental as the electromagnetic spectrum is now licensed by the federal government for use by all the tech companies needing “bandwidth.”)

Heart Intelligence Dened Heart intelligence can be dened as the intelligent ow of insight that arises once the mind and emotions are balanced and coherent. Appreciation, caring, courage, and compassion are examples of core “frequencies” within the bandwidth of heart intelligence. Each time you generate one of these frequencies, or positive emotions, your physiology shifts into a more efcient mode. Activation of heart feelings is an intelligent use of the body’s emotional power and serves as the ignition key for intuitive intelligence. Often, in moments of peace, stillness, or appreciation, intuitional insights start to “ow.” Even the most restless mind gains new perspective and understanding in the presence of a caring heart. Positive emotions have a specic frequency pattern, as seen in HRV (heart rate variability) traces, and their frequency is quite different from “negative” emotions.

Intuitive Intelligence We dene mental intelligence as that range of human intelligence in which the brain can analyze, deduce, reason, and memorize. Emotions inuence and perturb these processes, which are central to human interaction. HeartMath denes heart intelligence as that part of human intelligence that operates in a bandwidth embracing mental, emotional, and even cellular intelligence. As one’s mental process comes under management by this heart intelligence and the fuel of emotion surrenders to the intelligence of wisdom, intuitive intelligence unfolds. New understandings about oneself, the organization, the market, or anything important are quicker to emerge. You engage heart intelligence each time you attempt to step back


from chaotic situations to gain a more balanced, emotionally neutral perspective. Intuitive insight often emerges. Mental intelligence is to analysis as heart intelligence is to intuition. The management of one’s emotional nature— and the ability to consciously generate positive emotion— provides the doorway for unleashing intuition. Without active intuition, life becomes rigid and inexible, so we easily miss important cues on lessons to be learned or opportunities to be created. Many decisions in this accelerating business environment seem to be based more on a keepup-with-the-Joneses mentality than balanced, mature insight. Ironically, intuition operates at high speed, so we can keep up without blowing up when we activate intuition.

Intuition is a Bandwidth One of the key insights that has shaped our research over the last 15 years was the suggestion that intuition is a type, or

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develop intuitive intelligence to round out intellectual capacity

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ntuition exists in a “bandwidth” of intelligence beyond what

most people have developed. Everyone is born with the capacity for intuition—the ability to know something without knowing how you know. The propensity towards rational, linear methods of problem solving has muted the voice of intuition in most of the developed world. What if the human system actually possessed a high level of intuitive intelligence, but we just hadn’t learned to operationalize it? The accelerated age in which we live demands that we optimize it. The kinds of personal and organizational breakthroughs that are needed to move through the inertia and the old ways of doing things will not come from an anal ysis that is based primarily on past experience. The development of intuition is the next frontier in optimizing human performance. Ask your heart how to have more of it.

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bandwidth, of intelligence central to the design of the human being. All people are born with the capacity for intuition. It is just as central to humans as the drive to survive or to care for others. It can be blocked and obstructed, but that makes it no less powerful in its potential to guide people’s lives or guide the organizations in which they work. Consistently tapping into one’s innate intuitive intelligence represents the most efcient method of internal self-management available. We suggest that the human system is preprogrammed to operate with a high level of operational intuitive intelligence, and that in this accelerated information age we have created the perfect conditions to optimize it. With consistent practice, it becomes automatic instead of random.

Tamed Complexity Intuition does not always appear as the ingenious breakthrough or something grandiose. Intuitive thoughts, feelings, and solutions often manifest themselves as good old common sense, which as we all know is not that common. Common sense is efcient. Simple, common sense should be respected. Simplicity is complexity that has been tamed and reduced to something that easily can be applied. It is like a complex math equation that nally results in “equals.” The equation can be quite long, but eventually it resolves itself and produces just a few very appropriate and accurate numbers. Intuition often leads to simplicity and common sense. How many situations do you face right now that you wish could be made simple and dealt with through common sense?

New Way of Thinking—The First Priority The kind of personal and organizational insights needed to break through the inertia and old ways of doing things will not


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come from analysis or reason based primarily on past experience. Did it for you? Consistently? Probably not. A new way of thinking—collaborative, compassionate, and creative—will be required for success and coherence in the future. Activating heart intelligence will be key to creating the internal coherence to make it possible. A mind (or organization) without heart is scattered, impulsive, and easily distracted. Emotions (and organizations) without the intelligent balance that comes from the heart create ash res of instability and waste, causing people to stay locked in self-justied mental loops, missing a heart intelligent perspective that could offer deeper understanding. Incoherence rules. (People leave.) Groups operating only on instinct arising from gut feelings and often based in fear stay constrained in modalities that imprison the spirit and age prematurely. The heart puts rst things rst, from the 7 trillion cells it nourishes to the life it sustains to the vitality it ensures—intuitive, intelligent, businesslike; core, fundamental; the rst priority.

c

apter

Grow ng Up in the Hudson River: vercom ng Adaptat on MANY YEARS BEFORE I MET DOC, I WAS AN ACTOR AND appeared in about 700 performances of the New York production of The Fantasticks . Early on, the process of speaking the ines, singing the songs, and bounding around the stage became automatic; for an actor, the challenge in a long run is mechanicality, not memory. One night, about 400 performances into my run, I went totally blank. Time warped for a split second and I experienced total terror until, without my conscious mind nowing what I was saying, the words started coming out of my mouth, automatically. I was relieved and amazed words were being spoken with no apparent conscious input. I had been saved by the medulla. A portion of the brain—the medulla—helps us “bail out” o t e conscious t oug t process ecause o w at are ca e s ereotype e aviors . T is is t e part o t e rain w ere we earn unctions t at soon can ecome automatic. Wit stereotype e aviors, we o ten are unconscious we are oing t em. Peop e w o commute to t e same p ace ai y o ten ave no actua reco ection o ow t ey got to wor , ecause t ey may e so preoccupie wit usiness pro ems or persona issues. Yet t e innate intelligence of the brain and muscular system handles it [ 56 ]

Growing Up in t e Hu son River

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a automatica y w i e our primary ocus o attention ies e se w ere. We o many t ings utomatica y, wit out rea y un erstanding the impact of the behavior or its cellular consequences. As a boy growing up in northern New Jersey in the 1950s and 1960s, I made frequent trips into Manhattan. The Hudson River was in bad shape in those days and I wondered how sh—or anything—could survive in such murky, oily, garbage-infested water. Later, in the context of what I had learned about human adaptation, I mused how a sh raised in the Hudson perceived life. Growing up in there, the sh knew nothing else, had no other life experience to compare it to, no benchmark of a clean, fresh river. Born and raised in that environment, the sh was forced to adapt, no matter what the health or survival consequences might have been. Indeed, we heard stories of a depleted sh population, we were warned not to eat sh caught there, and we saw pictures of diseased sh being caught on poles off the old docks in lower Manhattan. What if one of those poor Hudson River sh won a “dream vacation” to La e Ta oe? T at s mig t at rst e s oc e y t e purity an pristine nature o t e a e ut wou quic y a apt an t rive an pro a y wou n t e casinos on t e Neva a si e especia y intriguing. A aptation. Many peop e are so ami iar wit a certain eve o anxiety, tension, or rustration in t eir organization or in their lives in general, they think that is the only alternative; another way of functioning seems a distant or cruel dream. They have adapted. Then, if they hit the jackpot, their company goes public, or they achieve a new status in life or move to a nic er neighborhood, within a few months they can “adapt” again and take that for granted. The novelty, and the regenerative power of appreciation, has worn off.

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One of the truly remarkable aspects of life on this planet is adaptability. The adaptive power of the human system is essential in accelerated times. Yet, people have a tendency to maladap to their environment, blocking the very intelligence that would lift them out of the pain or suffering they feel.

Ma a aptation Maladaptation means adapting in an unhealthy way to circumstances in ourselves and/or our environment. Maladapting o stress u events means we ive unconscious o t eir consequences, t in ing t ere is no a ternative or, worse, t at it is o ay to e ave in certain ways, etrimenta or not. We perceive everyone aroun us t in ing an acting in a simi ar manner, so we ecome semiconscious, a owing our ma a aptive e avior to s ow y rain us. T is resu ts in t e conviction we are oing just ne, but in fact we could be taxing our bodies unnecessarily and operating with far less effectiveness and fulllment than we actually could. The way in which many people respond to stressful situations provides a perfect scenario for this maladaptation process. Management implements a new policy, so many employees complain about the change. It appears as if it is not only okay to moan and groan, but that is the appropriate response to the situation. The complaints spread like an infectious virus, and once on the rampage, it can seem as if a contest is going on to see who can come up with the most creative gripe. Whether the policy change is for the best or not makes no difference to our bodies. The stress created by negative, judgmental thoughts and feelings creates a hormonal imbalance, taxes the nervous system and the heart, and burns a lot of energy. Cortical inhibition resu ts, an we t in ess c ear y. We ee tire an o not now w y ut convenient y ame it on t e pressures o t e jo or t e


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o vious y out-o -touc management team. A ter a , isn t t at w at your co wor ers are saying? B ame urt er amp i es t e negative impact o t e response to t e require c ange, an people sink further into a quicksand of their own making while thinking they are responding appropriately. How many in your organization aladapt to daily stress, rather than adapt healthfully? Even the positive benets of regular exercise can mask the causes of stress—nonefcient perceptions—while soothing only the symptoms, such as fatigue. As stress mounts, most people internalize the strain and react—that is the extent of their adaptive process—so that a new level of tension and internal distortion seems normal. This process continues unchecked, but because it is so gradual, most cannot see its devastating effects. You could call this “death by a thousand paper cuts.” Physiologically, maladaptation is blamed for contributing to certain chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. Our bodies maladapt to the mounting external stress, without neutralizing its effects; and our biology reacts to t e new more renetic pace. Now t e ar as een raise , p ysio ogica y spea ing, we ave a sor e t e noise instea o quieting it, an a new eve o interna inco erence egins to seem norma . Hig oo pressure too o ten comes wit t e territory. T is process is at t e root o t e secon t eme o Interna Se -Management:

T e pressure on t e in ivi ua wi increase in t e years to come as societa , ami y, an interna stresses mount an t e pace o c ange acce erates. The word stress has old roots in the Latin word strictus and ancient meanings like “afict,” “punish,” and “pull asunder.” Soon after World War II, the medical community began packaging a new concept of stress , the notion that the trials and trib-

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u ations o i e trigger a p ysio ogica stress response, resu ting in measura e p ysica an menta i ness. Hans Se ye coine t e mo ern use o t e term s ress an described it as “the rate of wear and tear on the body.” 2 New research has found that what creates more stress than any other stressor measured is people having to shift concepts, shift intention and focus, to many different tasks, many times an hour. The stress is worse when you also feel worry, anxiety, insecurity, or feel that you have no control. It’s not the shifting, per se, that is damaging; it’s all the mind-emotional reactions that come with the shifts. Unlike 30 years ago, in the fast pace of life today, research suggests the average person in an organization is called on to shift concepts—or shift the focus of attention—dozens of times each hour. The advance of technology insures this number will keep increasing. E-mail, voicemail, interruptions, faxes, phones ringing, people (including spouse and children) demanding attention while you are trying to get something else done—all are examples of concept shift demands. When you consi er t e num er o peop e in air y routine jo s wit ew interruptions, t at means many peop e are ea ing wit 10 to 20 or more concept s i ts per ou . W en you consi er an 8–10our ay, t is concept s i ting easi y cou trans ate into 80, 100, or even 150 s i ts a ay. At eac o t ese s i t points, you ave a c oice: react an et stress accumu ate, or stay neutra an a ance wit u access to your inte igence. Do you s i t and grind the gears internally or, with more applied intelligence, could you shift through “neutral” before activating the next gear and save yourself a lot of wear and tear? This can sound abstract or idealistic, yet most of us know someone who seems to glide effortlessly from task to task, with feathers unrufed and productivity remaining remarkably high. These people are incredibly valuable to organizations.

Growing Up in t e u son River

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Stress u reactions ave an impact on your ea t , s eep patterns, communication e ectiveness, ea t care costs, ecision ma ing—t e ist goes on. C ear y, t e s eer vo ume o stressful reactions most people face—many of which are automatic and unconscious—represents the most serious challenge to health, productivity, and organizational coherence. It is nonstop. Focusing on self-awareness and internal self-management of your mental and emotional processes begins by identifying when you are feeling stressed or operating below par, then neutralizing the dozens of internal reactions to increase your internal coherence. Recognizin whether you have adapted or maladapted, however, can be especially challenging, since many people are like the sh in the Hudson River with automatic, programmed reactions to the environment and no apparent alternative. More than once, HeartMath facilitators have heard workshop attendees describe how they have no stress in their lives and are wondering why the facilitator is spending so much time ta ing a out it. T en, w en as e , t e participants exp ain t at t ey o not get a ong wit t eir co wor ers, ate t eir oss, an ave ew rien s, ut ortunate y, no stress!

Hormona Ma a aptation Maladaptation results in increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol and depressed levels of the vitality hormone DHEA. DHEA and cortisol have very different effects on human cells. When chronic maladaptation causes the ratio between these two powerful hormones to be imbalanced, the body responds in several ways: Insulin drops; bone density goes down; muscle mass is decreased; fat accumulation around the waist and hips goes up; and skin repair, tissue healing, and immune activity slow down—all leading to accelerated aging. This is because,

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ioc emica y, t e o y is in surviva mo e as a resu t o t e unseen ma a aptation. I t ese reactions continue, t e ypot a amus in t e rain is reset to ig er cortiso eve s. T is eventually destroys brain cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that causes memory, while spatial and other learning abilities diminish. REM sleep is impaired, resulting in sleeplessness or waking up depressed. Increased cortisol and decreased DHEA levels are a predisposing factor to many age-related diseases, including obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries), and some forms of cancer. Other than that, no problem. Recent studies on aging by the MacArthur Foundation reported that, “The way people age—whether they end up sick, demented or sexless in their 70s or 80s or vigorous, sharp and ibidinous—is mostly a matter of how they live. Only about 30% of the characteristics of aging are genetically based; the rest—70%—is not.” Genetics play the greatest role in health characteristics early in life. But, by age 80, for many characteristics, ar y any genetic in uence is e t. Accor ing to Jo n Rowe, geronto ogist, ormer presi ent o Mount Sinai Me ica Center in New York, and now CEO at Aetna, “People are largely responsi e or t eir own o age.

F exi e Attitu es Bui

F exi e P ysio ogy

“This job is killing me” may make literal sense, according to a pair of reports in the British Medical Journal .4 According to the researchers, men who showed large increases in blood pressure as they anticipated an exercise test and who reported high job demands had 10–40% greater carotid artery thickness than men whose perceived job demands were low. These ndings were strongest among men who showed at least 20% carotid artery thickening on their baseline ultrasound exams. Moreover, in


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t is su group, men wit ig jo eman s an w ose oo pressure went up a more t an 46% greater progression o at erosc erosis t an t e ot ers. Perception rears its ea again. An important axiom here: flexible attitudes build exible physiology .

Emot on an Immune Hea t A study conducted at the Institute of HeartMath demonstrated a link between emotion and immune function. Groups of volunteers were asked to focus on two different emotions—anger and care—while a key immune system antibody, secretory IgA, was being measured. IgA (immunoglobulin A) is widespread in the immune system, acting as a protective coating for the cells against invading bacteria or viruses. Stress is known to decrease IgA eve s, eaving us more vu nera e to respiratory pro ems suc as co s or us. T e stu y oun t at a ve-minute perio o reca ing an angry experience cause a six- our suppression o IgA eve s. Five minutes o sincere y ee ing care or compassion, on t e ot er an , ooste IgA eve s or six ours. You come out o a sta meeting ee ing annoye an angry at ow your proposa was ismisse . You rep ay t e scene in your mind, scripting the perfect defense, anger simmering the whole time. (You are lucky if you spend only ve minutes doing this; many people spend hours.) More effectively than most environmental factors could do, you have created hormonal imbalance and suppressed a key part of your immune function—for hours. Chronic replaying of the event runs static in your thinking and decision-making and can lead to an increasingly common state—burnout.

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Burnout Hits t e Wa Street Journa The malaise hitting the workplace clearly is not an isolated instance. A respected writer for the Wall Street Journa covered such issues for years, then felt compelled to come clean about er own challenges: Though I’ve written about burnout as a workplace issue, I secretly believed it was a malady suffered by others. Studies have said as much as 25% of the work force is at risk of burnout. Nevertheless, I thought of the term as a pop-culture label for fatigue, or a scapegoat for bad work habits. With a exible job I enjoy, I thought I was immune. That’s what I thought. And with that attitude I ran my life— straight into the ground.7

Emotion an Stress A ect Heart Surviva More and more studies are demonstrating a link between one’s emotional state and long-term health. A study conducted at the Georgetown University School of Nursing in Washington, DC, shows that psychosocial factors can contribute to heart survival even more than the person’s physiological status. In an article published in the American Journal of Critical Care Dr. Sue A. Thomas, lead researcher in the study, said: Patients who suffer serious cardiovascular disease are at higher risk if they have changes in their emotional status, too. We can’t just treat one and neglect the other and expect that people are going to get well. We can’t just treat the physical. We have to treat the whole person, the mind and the body. . . . The pattern of higher numbers of past stressful life events, lower expectations of future life changes, and increasing levels of depression in the period after myocardial infarction [heart attack] presents a consistent psychosocial prole of cardiac patients with increased risk of dying. . . . This study and others show that the emotional state and relationships of patients in the period after [the heart attack] are as important as the patient’s cardiovascular disease severity in determining their prognosis.


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A stu y at Du e University in Nort Caro ina sugges s t at re axation, ee ing etter a out yourse , an managing emotiona an psyc o ogica stress can pro oun y re uce t e risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD affects 13.5 million Americans and hundreds of millions world wide, at a price tag to the U.S. economy of at least $117 billion in lost pro ductivity and treatment. Published in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine , the ve-year study with 107 patients with heart disease showed that patients who learned to manage stress reduced their risk of having another heart attack or heart problems by 74% when compared with patients receiving medication only. Reducing mental stress also proved more benecial than getting exercise.

Stopping Emotiona Drain T e t ir t eme o interna se -management is critica :

As in ivi ua s earn to i enti y an p ug t e ea s in t eir own persona systems, t ey stop raining energy an e ectiveness persona y an organizationa y. You obviously have a choice in how you respond to these statistics about the relationship of emotional balance to health: react with fear that you are on the road to a life of misery, deny it, or greet the news with hope that intelligent solutions may exist. We suggest t e ast response. Any para igm s i t to increase peace an inte igence in t e new mi ennium wi ave to inc u e managing t e emotions an ringing t em in p ase wit t e inte igence o t e eart. T is process ui s emotiona power so you can manage rapi c ange. Peop e are taug t in sc oo to manage emotiona out ursts, ut an emotiona rain o energy sti goes on insi e t at most peop e o not recognize. Most people think managing emotions is just about

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contro ing anger or t e more o vious isp ays o emotiona mismanagement. It a so is a out a t e itt e urts, isappointments, anxieties, ear u pro jections a out t e uture, an so on. These more subtle emotional states drain away more vitality and intelligence capacity than people know. They are the real robbers. Once emotional energy is leaked away, deep exhaustion sets in. When we are emotionally drained, we become more vulnerable to angry outbursts and caustic behavior. The accumulated drain of emotional mismanagement is a major cause of severe anxiety and depression. If that isn’t warning enough, a 32-year study of more than 2,000 men showed that anxiety is one of the strongest risk factors for sudden cardiac death. Men h with anxiety had six times in C e n G creased risk of sudden cardiac ncrease your death than men who reported capacity for intelligence no symptoms of anxiety. t

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T ere as een muc trage y in my i e; at east a o it actua y appene . —MARK TWAIN

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tion, anxiety, or inner turmoil operate. Such emotional states cause incoherence in the rhyth-

It takes emotional buoyancy to experience a continuity of rich textures in life. When you feel buoyant, it is easier to deect problem situations. What at times could make you angry does not seem to matter t at muc . Buoyancy s you wit energy. Qua ity o i e is not just a question o i esty e or career c oice ut is ase

mic and electrical output of the eart, diminishing neurological efciency. It’s one of the reasons smart people can do stupid things. When you make internal coherence a daily priority, you save time and energy. Internal coherence “oils” your system. Without oil in an engine, it burns p. So can you.


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on w et er your emotiona reserves are e or raine . Peop e o ten try to men emotiona energy rains wit p ysica stimuation— oo , exercise, rugs, sex— ut sti n t emse ves tire and worn out once the buzz has worn off. This is because the mind has continued to justify the emotional bleed-off of the unresolved situation, resulting in an ongoing inner dialogue that perpetuates more emotional drain and fatigue. The energy required to sustain a “storefront”—looking good on the outside while feeling bad on the inside—is expensive. You can be mild tempered yet full of internal emotional reactions that leave you continuously below par. It takes signicant energy to sustain emotional reactiveness, energy you other wise could use for creativity, enriching your relationships, and increasing he C n your fulllment in all aspects G f your life. A higher ratio of make exibility motional management will your aim bring a higher return in perlexibility and adaptability sona power an e ectiveness. do not happen just by reEngaging positive emotions is acting fast to new information. n instant energy ooster t at They arise from mental and ustains. Justi ying negative reactions is an energy rain emotional balance, the lack t at a so sustains. As you p ug of attachment to specic outt e ea s—emotiona y—your comes, and putting care for self nergy starts to accumulate. and others as a prime operating Energy for clear thinking, creprinciple. Flexible attitudes ativity, quick solutions and build exible physiology. Flexuman connection. ible physiology means more reThere’s a simple tool to silience in times of challenge or lear up the murky waters and stra n. Stay ng open—emot onmove into the domain of heart ally—insures internal exibility. intelligence—Freeze-Frame. t

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Freeze-Frame : One-Minute Sel Management AS KIDS WE WERE TAUGHT: STOP, LOOK, LISTEN. AS ADULTS, the new mantra has become: stop, shift, listen. The research described in Chapter Three indicates that the eart-mind-body complex is inherently designed to work in energy-efcient, harmonic, synchronized ways. This is as much to maintain our energy levels when dealing with external environmental or social factors as to maximize the potential for growth. Awareness of the natural inner workings of our system, if applied with even a fraction of the energy we apply to learning externa systems suc as computers, tec no ogica conveniences, or any s i we t row our eart into, can ave a uge payo . T e payo starts wit paying attention. reeze Frame is a power u too to neutra ize any negative or ine cient reaction—or he next theme of internal prevent it e ore it starts— y self-management is this: capita izing on t e ui t-in Individuals can learn to increase eart-brain communication their capacity for intelligence ink. Freeze-Frame is a way resulting in more effective decito stop the action (much like sions, greater resilience, and a pressing the pause button eightened sense of well-being. on your VCR or DVD remote his pro vides enormous value to control), shift your focus of any organization. attention, and scan for energy-

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Freeze-Frame: One-Minute Se Management

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saving so utions. W i e Freeze-Frame is y no means a too just to re uce stress, regu ar practice o t e tec nique great y eig tens your awareness o t e noise in your system an a ows you to hear a common-sense voice inside. You gain increased access to intelligence. Freeze-Frame is a fast-acting power tool for transforming stressful thoughts and emotions into clarity, allowing you to take efcient and effective action. With practice, you gain increased power to come to balance and quickly change a negative, draining response into a proactive, creative one. Here are the steps.

Freeze-Frame Steps 1. Take a time out so that you can temporarily disengage from your thoughts and feelings—especially stressful ones. 2. S i t your ocus to t e area aroun your eart—now ee your reat coming in t roug your eart an out t roug your solar plexus. Practice breathing this way a few times to ease into the technique. 3. Make a sincere effort to activate a positive feeling. T is can e a genuine ee ing o appreciation or care or someone, some place or some thing in your life. 4. Ask yourself what would be an efcient, effective attitude or action that would balance and de-stress your system. 5. Quietly sense any change in perception or feeling and sustain it as ong as you can. Heart perceptions are o ten su t e. T ey gent y suggest e ective o utions t at wou e est or you an a concerne . Step one requires self-awareness and the realization that learning about your internal communication network will maximize every aspect of your fulllment. This is like scanning to

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see w at seems out o p ase, trou ing, or con using. Step two sets t e stage or a new approac . Focusing in t e area o t e eart is un ami iar to many peop e ut quic y becomes natural. People usually feel their most positive feelings of love, appreciation, or joy as warm sensations around their eart. Do not try to feel the heart beating or any other physiological sensation in the organ; rather focus your attention gently in that area. Try to be neutral. (Focusing rst on your big toe for a few seconds, then the palm of your hand, then the center of your chest helps give you a feel for this focusing process. Once you feel comfortable focusing in the area of the heart there is no need to repeat the focus on the big toe or hand.) Breathing deeply helps increase the sensation. The essence of step two is to anchor yourself in your heart so you are not dragged back in to the inefcient mental loops that caused you to Freeze-Frame in the rst place. In Step three you activate a positive feeling. This both neutralizes the negative emotion you had and brings increased e ectrica co erence to t e o y. T is step goes eyon visua izin a pretty scene or having a “happy thought.” The intent is to actua y ee it. Just as t e amyg a a in t e rain as t e power to conjure up negative emotiona memories t at can ro c ear perception, you can generate positive ee ings w ic restore a ance p ysio ogica y w i e wi ening perspective. Step our ena es you to revisit t e pro em rom a new emotional state. At worst, you have neutralized the stress reaction and stopped a mental, emotional, and physical drain. At best, you also have gained insight that helps you solve problems or take action. Step ve ensures that you listen to and act on any new insights.


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W y Does Freeze-Frame Wor ? By consciously shifting focus from the problem causing stress and focusing instead in the area of the heart on a positive feeling, you are withdrawing amplitude from the problem and allowing your perspective to widen. In Freeze-Frame, the process of shifting focus to the heart enables the power in the electrical system of the heart to work for you, resulting in new intuitive insights for dealing with the problem. Even if no new insights appear, Freeze-Frame can get you into neutra , uying you time or more c arity w i e re ucing t e strain on you.

T e a airs o t e eart are irect y connecte to t e rain an it’s t e eart’s natura inte igence t at must e un o e or t e rain to operate wit greater e ciency. —JOSEPH CHILTON PEARCE, E VOLUTION ’S E ND

Like Bruce, the realization that asking the heart for guidance could result in intelligent solutions came early on in my pro essiona i e. A native o Nort Caro ina, i e many o my rien s, I egan wor ing at a urniture actory a ter a tour in t e mi itary. Con icts erupte on t e jo , particu ar y w en I e t un air y ju ge . Sti air y ot-tempere , a eeper inte igence remin e me t at to ose it over somet ing trivia cou jeopar ize my jo . Arriving ate or wor one ay, I was soun y umi iate y a supervisor. I was etermine to te o my supervisor, over the principle of it, but I realized this was shortsighted and foolish. Heart intelligence had saved the day—and saved my job. Freeze-Frame provides direct access to heart intelligence. As you practice, you are retraining your physiology. Your mind and body have become quite familiar with the reactive patterns—they have become habit. These are habits it clearly is in your self-interest to break. As you shift focus to your heart and

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Freeze-Frame, eart rate patterns ecome smoot er, so t e messages t e eart is sen ing t e rain aci itate t e rain s activities instea o in i it t em. T e more a ance emotiona state Freeze-Frame gives you also allows for greater electrical coherence in your body, so all systems can run more effectively. The essence of the Freeze-Frame process is • Shift • Activate • Sense S i your attention to t e area aroun your eart. Activate a positive ee ing rom t e past or even somet ing un in t e uture. ense a new, more e ective attitu e or action to ta e. Remem er, eac time you act counter to your va ues, w ic spring from your heart intelligence, you are ghting yourself. It is a battle you cannot win.)

Neutra Neutral is one of the most efcient psychophysiological states on the planet. Neutral is a state where you are not jumping ahead too quickly nor moving too slowly. Neutral does not mean being inactive, complacent, or passive. It is a calm poise that allows new information and new possibilities to emerge before rushing to action. When in neutral you actually increase your sensitivity and intuitive intelligence. Neutral is fertile ground rom w ic new possi i ities can grow. It is not a state you cou sustain a your wa ing ours—at east not yet— ut t e minutes an ours you are a e to e neutra ave tremen ous ene ts in increase c arity, increase energy, an re uce aging. Neutra means putting t e overactive min in c ec , s owing own t e constant stream o t oug ts an ta ing a eeper,


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un iase oo at situations ig an sma . Neutra saves wear an tear on our o ies. It eeps our systems wor ing smoot y, in a ow. It is an economica approac to i e. I we constant y react to every conversation, assignment, change, or random perception, we drain away valuable energy that can be needed when a denitive action needs to be taken. Neutral is not an unfocused, unproductive state. It is a highly intelligent, ordered awareness that observes without boxing you in. Neutral takes practice because the mind works at high speed and quickly forms opinions and perspectives about everything, right or wrong. E-mails are ying with rumors about a management change in your organization. You project negative scenarios into the future, and experience a cascade of “what ifs,” devitalizing your system and compromising productivity in the process. What actually happened is that someone overheard a comment that the manager of your division is going to be transferred. They did not really hear the whole conversation, just a few words. You only heard the rumor. Without going to neutral you can start to think things like, “Does this mean the department is going to ave to go t roug anot er reorganization? I et Bi wi get t e manager s jo instea o me. I just new it. T at s just not air! I it s true an I on t get a promotion I t in it s time to start oo ing or anot er jo . One pro jection ea s to anot er an anot er an e ore ong you ve painte t e entire picture o a possi e scenario on w ic you ave very itt e information. All of that mental processing adds stress to your system and accelerates the aging process needlessly. At times like these, a dose of neutral would go a long way. In neutral, you would put the mind projections on hold. Stay balanced and wait and see what happens. You really do not know the outcome of the change or, in this example, if a change really will take place.

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Let s continue wit t e examp e: A cowor er as s you i you a ear anyt ing a out a possi e manageria c ange an ow you ee a out it. You say t at you are oing ne, you are neutral about it. On deeper review you could be feeling lowgrade angst inside. You believe that you have really gone to neutral because the potential change no longer is causing anguish and anxiety, but in truth you continue to subtly process the potentially unpleasant possibilities all day, devitalizing as you go. You might say you feel neutral about it—but not really—not to the point where you’re really at peace with it. From a heart inteligent perspective, you would see there still is unnished business to take care of, a deeper state of neutral to be actualized. Neutral can be disguised in internal conversations: “Whatever. I guess it will be all right. Somehow I’ll probably nd a way to deal with it no matter how it goes.” This kind of approach often is accompanied by feelings of resignation. You feel beaten down and have not really surrendered enthusiastically to the situation. Real neutral contains self-security. You peacefully a ow t ings to p ay out an use your avai a e energy in more pro uctive ways. Getting ac to a neutra state is ecoming increasing y essentia or en ancing persona a ance an e ectiveness. One stu y oun t at i you wor too ong at menta tas s, your pro em-so ving time can increase y up to 500 percent. W en you are in neutra , energy is not raining, you are not wasting gallons of energy in worry or anxiety.

T e Power o Becoming Neutra Becoming neutral several times each day, even if you cannot nd a positive feeling to focus on, gives you these benets:


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• It prevents su en surges o a rena ine t at rain energy. • It stops c aotic messages in i iting t e rain, w ic s ows t in ing. As you pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that go on each day, deeper levels of neutral can be achieved. This can seem paradoxical, but as you increase in self-management, you become more sensitized to subtle noise and incoherence in your system. W at seeme neutra w en you starte can ecome progressive y eeper awareness. From t is state o neutra , your system can rec arge an new insig ts can un o .

Stress Prevent on Most people have numerous predictable situations that throw them off balance or cause stress—the weekly staff meeting, the daily commute, the perforh C e n mance appraisal, telephone G how do you get calls with clients, customers neutral? or vendors. A 30-second hat does it feel like? Freeze-Frame prior to any of Neutral is a state of quithese events helps you manetude inside—not total silence age yourself, save energy and or the total absence of thought, increase your coherence. but a state of greater balance Sit quietly at your desk, than usual, a dynamic peace. eyes open or closed, shift your Use the rst two steps of Freezefocus internally to the center of Frame to get you there: your c est an reat e eep y. Reca t e most positive ee . Recognize how you feel. 2. Shift your attention to the ing you can muster. I you area of the heart and breathe are a out to meet wit or ta through the heart and solar to someone wit w om you plexus. ave a con ict e ore, n Stop. Shift. Listen t

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somet ing in t e person to appreciate. Stay anc ore in your eart an remin yourse to at east stay neutra i t e waters get roug . (In ater c apters, we escri e ow Freeze-Frame can be incorporated in all communication to ensure authenticity in what you say and depth in how you hear.)

Button Pus ers Have you ever experienced a negative irrational reaction merely on seeing the name of the sender of an e-mail message? (Of course you have. If you haven’t, you probably are in e-denial.) Do you ever think, “Oh boy, here he goes again!”? Do you ever jump to conclusions and start accusing your child of naughty behavior before nding out the truth? In all these examples, you could be “right” to justify the reaction—based on the emotiona memory store in t e rain. However, rig t or not, your reaction is raining your energy, it cou e c ou ing a more accurate perception, an it can rive a spi e into t e eart o an important re ations ip. Staying neutra a ows you to save energy just in case t e ot er person was not to ame, t e e-mai actua y was a t an you note, or t e c i was innocent o t e crime accuse . Neutral is a tremendous energy saver.

Energy E ciency Focusing on internal self-management results in more efcient use of your energy on all levels—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Stop to Freeze-Frame, then ask yourself, “What is the most energy-efcient response in this situation?” The concept of energy efciency became popular in the gas-guzzling 1970s, when the skyrocketing price of oil forced a rethinking of how we spend our nite energy resources. Applied to the human system,


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h C o e r e

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ecoming more energy e G cient persona y can e p you learn to manage see a igger picture, save en- your “button-pushers” ergy now, and untold amounts veryone has things or of energy later on. Increasing people that “push their butpersonal energy efciency is tons.” Those “button pushers” analogous to increasing prots: are generally fairly predictable, More spare energy is available as irritating as they may be. Make to “invest” in fun, creative, or a list of these seemingly minor irregenerative activities. ritants for a deeper look at things Each day brings multiple that cause a reaction on a regular new opportunities to explore basis. The fact that you continue increasing energy efciency. As you begin to Freeze-Frame to react means you are also being several times a day, you will predictable, the victim of neural become more sensitized to circuits that engage whenever subtle stresses in your system. the button-pusher does “that You will notice more often thing.” Freeze-Frame or nd a w en your actions contra ict neutral perspective to let your inan intuitive insig t. You wi telligence perceive the situation anticipate uture pro ems n new ways. ear ier an ave increase energy avai a e to prevent pro ems or mitigate t eir amage i t ey a rea y occurre . App y t is concept to customer or patient interactions, w et er or not to o meetings, or w at type of communication is appropriate around a specic issue. Considering energy efciency immediately shifts you into a more expansive perceptual frame work, more options are seen, and wider consequences understood. Considering energy efciency inherently involves whole-system views. If a particular course of action seems expedient to you or a key stakeholder but would dramatically alienate other key players, it clearly e

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From C aos to Co erence h C o e r e

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freeze-frame during meetings

M

eetings can sometimes begin to slow down and

descend into chaos. People start talking over each other, differences of opinion begin to arise and the original focus of the meeting starts to disappear. s a manager, once you realize this is happening, it can help to stop proceedings for one minte, disengage from the meeting process and ask the group to do

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wou not e energy e cient. T e extra energy you expen to ea wit t e a out cou neutralize the positive benet of the expedient decision. As you consider various scenarios this week or this year from the point of view of energy efciency, a new balanced picture begins to emerge, often yielding surprising insights. A process for deepening these insights in problem-solving or decision-making modalities is called the asset-decit balance sheet

a Freeze-Frame. This will help signicantly to get the group and your meeting back on track and moving forward with clarity

T e Asset-De cit Ba ance S eet

The asset-decit balance sheet and balance. is designed to systematically uncover new information about personal or business problems while reducing the drain of negative or unbalanced emotions. The concept is that, when making decisions that require deeper reection, a careful weighing of the assets and decits of the proposed course of action yields clarity and more energy-efcient decisions. This process, by the very act of carefully considering upsides and downsides from a neutral perspective, reduces emotional drag. Many times in our own organization, people have made proposals opposite to their original emotional impulse, once they had considered deeply all the assets and decits. Sometimes unexpected assets


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an asset-defcit exercise

S

can the past week and jot down all the signicant positive events that occurred, both personally and professionally. Write

them down on the left side of a sheet of paper under the heading Assets . Feel appreciation for each item you jot down. Now shift to the decit side and,

from a neutral perspective , jot down the negative personal and professional events during the same period. Note if any of the decits occurred because you failed to listen to intuition. Also note if any decits could be transformed—at least neutralized—through Freeze-Frame. Notice if the type of assets and decits you have fall into a pattern. For example, many people say their assets are relationship based but the decits reect situations be yond their control. Often times, people are surprised how much energy can be drained by one or two decits, while signicant assets go unnoticed. FreezeFrame one last time, then summarize to discover the essence of your week. How balanced was it?

came to mind that were unseen when the idea was rst own. Also common was the realization that potential decits are easily manageable in the face of the over whelming assets. At other times, signicant decits were revealed that would have been ignored if the rst “evangelical” instinct had been followed.

Business an We -Being Improvements A t e c ients we wor wit ave critica usiness issues t at need improving. At Royal Dutch Shell in the United Kingdom, several operating companies instituted programs in the HeartMath technology after a successful initial pilot program involving middle and senior level managers. In the pilot program, several signicant positive changes were noted, including an overall drop in blood pressure from 126/80 to 118/78 within six weeks. Signicant improvements were noted in the group

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rebounding

P

atricia Chapman attended a HeartMath program after a six-

year bout with arrhythmia and ventricular tachycardia (an elec-

trical malfunctioning of the heart). Her condition had in volved several serious attacks, surgery, and an extended work absence. A longtime employee of one of Silicon Valley’s legendary companies, her job in volved overseeing in vestor relations, a high pressure job to be sure! She stated, “I was so used to the adrenaline rush that I did not know what it was ike not to have it.” After she attended a weekend HeartMath seminar, Patricia’s colleagues immediately noticed a difference—less stress and tension and more ease, even during a particularly hectic work period. Her arrhythmia specialists at Stanford Uni versity were also impressed and within ve months after her program, they reduced her medication by 50%. “After my weekend at HeartMath, whenever that adrenaline would start to rush again, I could stop the trigger. Now I can pull myself back into balance at will.” Her health improvement has now sustained for ve years and there have been no further episodes of ventricular tachycardia or need for surgery.

with the highest level of stress. These included reductions of 65% in tension, 87% in fatigue, 65% in anger, and 44% in intentions to leave the company. A further assessment six months after HeartMath tools were introduced saw a further reduction in virtually all key parameters (see Figure 5–1).2 At one of the world’s largest and most powerful technology companies, similar results occurred for a high performance engineering team. Tracked against a control group of engineers from the same division, the program was conducted during one of the most intense periods of growth and strain in the division.


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FIGURE 5–1 A summary of stress-related improvements seen in three orga-

nizations utilizing the IQM technology. Pre- and post-IQM technology values represent a six-week period. Number values represent the percentage of participants who reported the stress symptoms “often or most of the time.” © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

• The test group saw a 17% reduction in fatigue compared to the control group’s 1% increase. • The test group had a 7% increase in vitality while the control group saw vitality fall 7%. • Sleeplessness improved 8% in the test group while it worsened 18% in the control group. • Social support rose 11% in the test group while it declined y 6% in t e contro group.

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• Anxiety fell 13% in the test group while increasing 1% in the control group. • Rapid heartbeats declined 17% in the test group, while rising 10% in the control group. Among the tens of thousands of people worldwide who have learned the IQM tools, one of the most common benets people cite is having more time. The next chapter explains how.

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a p t e r

Time, Expectations, and Other Th ngs It’s Difcult to Manage ; Internet arrive . 24/7, t e pressures o oing usiness wit severa continents ( et a one severa time zones) in a sing e day, the need to generate clinical outcomes when managed care forces cost and quality compromises, all add to the collective impression time is racing ahead and the brakes aren’t working. How do we step back without falling behind? More daringly, how do we see ahead with clarity and vision without compromising our own health and balance? One of the biggest energy drains for most people is their love-hate relationship with time. Time was a major challenge while the rst edition of this book was being written. All the training and consulting activities of our non-prot organization had just been licensed to a new for-prot company, HeartMath LLC. Some reporting relationships changed, no one lost his or her job but many new jobs were added and many of our relationships were changed profoundly. Anyone who has been involved with a signicant business restructuring understands the comp exities invo ve . A to t at t e ega , accounting, an tax imp ications o creating a new or-pro t company out o a not-

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or-pro t one. Time e t crunc e as peop e were c a enge to o t eir regu ar jo s w i e spen ing consi era e time p anning an organizing t e transition. While this transition was essential to the expansion of our work, we did not rush it. We set milestones and goals, marshaled resources hoping to meet them, but stayed exible in the face of business and legal realities. This change was not one we would undo, so taking our time and doing it properly—with minimal strain on the people and existing business momentum—has been essential. We launched the Institute’s corporate training activities in 1993 and watched them grow at a rate of 70% per year for four years. While juggling four training and international consulting divisions, with all the strategic partners and players that implies, we remain focused on the foundation of all our work: the inside job . When we contracted for this book and agreed to a completion date, we thought: “Whoa! We’ll need a time shift to get all this accomplished and maintain personal balance.” Since the oo was rst pu is e , HeartMat merge wit a pu is ing an mu time ia company, urt er pus ing t e enve ope in our re ations ip wit time. W at o we mean y a time s i Time s i ting cou soun i e a concept out o t e movie Bac to t e Future or anot er time-warping movie. T e sense we mean is ar more practica yet pro oun . Time s i ting is surviva in t e Internet age. It describes an internal state so coherent that your perception of time—and your ability to shape it—changes dramatically. Every time you catch yourself before falling into a negative reaction, you have time shifted. Every time you stop long enough to nd an intuitive solution instead of rushing ahead impulsively, you ave time shifted. Every time you allow your intuitive inteligence to propel you out of inertia or confusion, you have time

ime, Expectations, and Other Things It’s Difcult to Manage

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s i te . I you arrive at a so ution to a i cu t persona or organizationa issue in ve minutes instea o ve ours, you ave time s i te . You ave jumpe out o t e se - imiting menta frequency that says, “Certain things just take time,” into a new dimension. Time shifting means moving past standard linear time ows. Staying in the Now, more aware and sensitive to whatever is going on would be efcient use of time. We call this being resent . Most people, however, at any given time, have a percentage of their thoughts assigned to reliving the past or projecting into the future. Not having enough time, especially with the crush of information overload, is a high-ranking source of stress yet most people do not stay as present as they could. By learning how to stay present, time is used more efciently and stress overload is greatly reduced. Some would say, “There is an objective reality to time; 24 hours in each day, no more, no less.” Yet your perception and effectiveness in regard to time clearly changes as your perception changes. Love what you are doing and “time ies.” Hate it an time stretc es ma ening y. Stay stuc in an ine cient t oug t oop, an your e ectiveness wit in a given time span can iminis ramatica y. Many pro ems peop e ave na y o reso ve ut not e ore t ey ave use up a ot o precious time. For examp e, two sta argue over patient treatment. A ter t e argument t ey eac rep ay t e uncom orta e inci ent over an over. In an e ort to feel justied, they may tell someone else about it, making their points about what they said and why. Later in the day, the mind begins to run out of gas and new thoughts like “perhaps I was a little too emotional in that exchange” or “I wish that hadn’t happened. I really do like her” start to arise. Soon, a more ob jective review of the argument comes on-screen and a desire to apologize or make things right starts to dominate the mental process.

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T e next ay, t e apo ogy is ma e an ot parties ee a reease. T ings go ac to norma an a ance is regaine . In t is case, w at i e ciency an e ectiveness a een diminished by 10, 20, or even 50% during the hours this person complained and resented? His use of time clearly was not efcient, and emotional mismanagement was the culprit. Learning to Freeze-Frame and neutralize the petty annoyances and disturbances saves enormous loads of energy and, in this example, could have shifted this scene in the movie of life ahead several ours. A time shift. How many situations face you each day where time feels ike the enemy or at least a hungry competitor for your sanity and sense of balance? Snapping h C e out of a judgmental thought n G process causes a time shift. use freeze-frame Catching yourself replaying the several times a day same inner dialogue over and reeze-Frame brings over—and stopping it—causes increased coherence to a time s i t. We mean t is iterthe autonomic ner vous system, a y. Your re ations ip to time un amenta y s i ts w en enhancing hormonal and im you engage eart inte igence mune system balance and cardioinstea o re ying so e y on t e vascular efciency. Freeze-Frame min . Scientists on t e e ge elps to maximize your coherpropose an e astic view o time, ence, balance, poise, and mental that in an expanding universe, clarity. Practice Freeze-Frame time is stretching. We know during transition times — from the sense of satisfaction that ome to work, when changing comes when we’ve completed between different tasks at work, a difcult assignment, or made from work to home. Try it ve it through a troubling convertimes a day for a month and see sation with minimal emotional t

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turmoi . We enjoy t e next span o time in nite y more t an a t e issue not reso ve .

Time Wizar s Some of the most effective people are those who are not imprisoned by incomplete perspectives of time. They are the ones who say, “Why are we rushing this decision?” Their patience usually pays off. They also are the ones who, at other times, can be quite decisive and intuitively recognize the importance of quick action because of how much time and energy could be saved by not delaying. The emotionally intelligent people recognize the ob jective reality of time but deeply understand how easily its grip on our perceptions can be loosened and transformed. Temporal alchemy. W en ace wit o vious y con icting priorities t at “cannot possibly be accomplished in the time frame,” what a ternative is t ere ot er t an min -num ing stress? T e rst t ing is to assume t ere is a so ution t at can e ac ieve once you get interna y co erent enoug to perceive it. Interna co-

southwest time

H

igh performance teams seem to operate in a parallel uni verse of time and effectiveness. South west Airlines is a model of organiz-

ational coherence. Time efciency is one of their bottom-line outcomes and their on-time performance beats the competition every year. They ave time shifted into a new dimension of effectiveness that their customers love and their competitors envy. When you watch many other airlines perform the same tasks, it is easy to see a marked contrast. Internal coherence—loving what they are doing and having fun doing it—is the springboard for time efciency at South west.

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erence is t e priority an can ea to surprising time saving convenience. Spee wit a ance.

T me Conven ence The number of conveniences that occurred for us once the decision was made to produce a nished manuscript in nine months—while maintaining a 50–60 hour "regular job" work week—have been amazing. Meetings to discuss the content and direction of the book occurred just at the “right time” on sev eral occasions, saving us considerable energy and time. A key client, for example, postponed two sessions at a time when we needed extra writing time. Two free writing days resulted. Two divisions of another client independently decided important meetings should be held on the same day, saving several hours of travel time. We scheduled more than 60 “book days”—unbreakable appointments—an in orme sta mem ers we were unavai a e t ose ays. Li e ecame more co erent as we i . Ba ancing a t ese priorities ecame a ai y c a enge an a game to mas er. T en anot er rea ity set in: T e rapi growt o our usiness ma e it increasing y i cu t to put consistent qua ity time” into writing. Many issues came up regarding our restructuring and new strategic direction that required input. To keep saying, “We are working on the book,” was starting to sound ollow and even a bit irresponsible. And yet our contract with the publisher had a xed date. The only possibility was to request a signicant extension, despite concern that publication of the book would be delayed for a full season. Meanwhile, the publisher had independently realized the following season would be better any way, so an extension was willingly granted. Time had shifted, and the shift occurred because of an internal attitude shift that acknowledged that, in the name of balance,


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ie

a to s i t. W at are some o t e ey attitu es an interna perceptions un er ying your pro ems wit time? How o you manage something as absolute and uncontrollable as time? The rst point is to remember the obvious: time itself is unmanageable. What you can manage is your perception of it and the events within it. Ponder deeply on this. Numerous programs exist to help us “gain mastery” over time and many systems offer practical formats and guidelines. Yet the mastery people need is over inefcient thoughts, judgments, and expectations.

Expectations Few things can devastate personal or professional relationships and inner peace—or cause a bigger drain on your mental and emotiona a ance—as muc as unme expectations. T e raise we expecte to get, t e recognition we expecte to get, t e commitments we expect our co eagues to eep, t e qua ity o wor we are expecte to pro uce—a o t ese unmet expectations an our reactions to t em can generate a stream o isappointe t oug ts an ee ings. T ese emotions so easi y can move into a torrent o rustration, resentment, an anger, a o which affect productivity at every level of life. We nally realize we have to neutralize expectations if we want to enjoy life. The problem is how easy reactions are to justify . After all, you expected to be treated a certain way: “any rational person would have expected the same treatment,” you tell yourself and anyone who will sympathize. The free-agent economy—Me, Inc., and all its variations—have created unspoken expectations of entitlement, expectations that are almost impossible to consistently meet. Expectations often are based on some form of idealism. They set us up for disappointment and allow for no new possi-

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i ities to emerge. W en rea ity oes not matc your menta image, t e gap etween your expectation an t e perva ing rea ity creates a tension t at can e ar to re ease. T e paper wea t catapulting employees’ net worth into the stratosphere brings with it post-IPO depression when the share price dives. Supercharged emotional expectation is the cause. If you could release or transmute the tension, you could move on quickly and adapt to the new reality. In fact, the new reality might turn out to be better than the one we expected, but if we see things through old mental models about the way things have to be, we are cut off from new possibilities. Tough to do in the high-speed, hypercompetitive new economy. If your expectations have become crystallized, it takes emotional adaptability and exibility to regain balance and security. In the absence of such powerful intelligence, the emotional residue of the expectation lingers, creating the perfect opportunity for disappointment, the primary by-product of expectation. At a more subtle evel, disappointment is a convenient hiding place for judgments. You ju ge peop e, p aces, issues, h C e n an yourse or not meeting G your expectations. You say you manage your feelings around were not ju ging, you were just unmet expectat ons isappointe a out t e situation. But, i you oo e eeper, can your awareness you mig t n t at ju gment regularly for subtle as well was at the root of your disapas overt expectations of yourself pointment. and others. Consider how to stay A team member you reemotionally balanced if things spect promises a report by 3: do not work out as expected. Will 00. By 4:00, nothing; 4:30, still all life as we know it really expire nothing; 5:30, not even a hint. if the expectation is not fullled? t 5:45 the report nally arProbably not. rives via e-mail, putting you t

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a y e in sc e u e on your project. You say you are not ma , just isappointe t at t is person was not as responsi e as s e s ou e. ome w ere in t is examp e a ju gment is ur ing. I you could see a transcript of the thoughts and feeling you had between 3:15 and 5:45 it would reveal a lot about how expectation led to judgment and then to disappointment. When the team member who was late tells you her child had fallen down at school and cut his hand, requiring stitches, and that she was called to the school to take the child home and just forgot to call to say the report would be late, you quickly forgive her, but the damage of expectation has already been done to your body and your mental and emotional energy reserves. As the broken expectation lingers, a lot of energy is used to sustain the disappointment, energy no longer available for productive activities. Your mind is preoccupied, the internal dialogue races, and time once again is the enemy. Your physiology slides deeper into incoherence, making it harder still to shift perspective. Your cells actually age. It does not have to be t is way. In t e process o increasing your interna se -management t roug eart inte igence, scan your awareness regu ar y or su t e as we as overt expectations o yourse an ot ers on your team or in your ami y. Consi er ow to stay emotiona y neutra i t ings o not wor out as expecte . Deeper management o expectations requires un erstan ing t e excitement that often spawns them and where it originates. Many scenarios would tell the story equally well, but the sales process provides a convenient model.

“Ratios” We both have known many salespeople who were excellent at attracting a buyer’s interest but then, in their overenthusiasm

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over t e potentia o a arge sa e, s ort-circuite t e process. In t e ong run, t ey ost more sa es t an t ey ma e. Eac time t is appene , t e isappointment grew, ma ing t e expectation for the next sale even harder to manage. This kind of negative feedback loop can be devastating to self-condence. Many good salespeople give up because of the disappointment from unmet expectations about the “sure thing.” Successful salespeople know about “ratios”: Some deals close, some do not. As long as the ratio stays consistent with their goals, everything is ne. They intuitively know that overexcitement about potential sales creates the perfect breeding ground for failure. Salespeople with a balanced internal attitude understand the unpredictability of life, so such people can bounce back quickly even when the sure thing evaporates. The concept of ratios is central to rapid progress in internal self-management. First you use it to balance your own expectations, then apply it to other areas. You may make rapid progress in stopping the leak of a long-standing mental habit, t en ee your progress stymie w en a toug situation causes you to ose your coo . You ee i e you s i ac war ecause you reacte negative y, an t en you ju ge yourse or t e s ip. S ipping oes not negate t e genuine progress you ma e. W at you o nex in your interna attitu e, owever, sets t e stage or eit er more progress or inertia. Losing ope, ecoming esponent, or ou ting yourse wi ea massive quantities o energy and intelligence. Appreciatin the increasing ratios of time you already spent in greater coherence provides a booster for sustaining them, especially when challenged. Understanding ratios elps you have sensible expectations about people, yourself, and your work instead of demanding absolute perfection and being continuously disappointed. We have learned, from personal experience, the need to


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stay a ance an positive w i e eeping energyraining expectations to an a so ute minimum. T is attitu e o a owing i e an peop e to e t eir unpredictable selves, while maintaining a positive inner atsales titude that has security either turnaround way, can bring ever-increasing rates of success, personally regional ofce of a large and professionally. What an computer reseller saw its irony: manage expectations revenues and customer satand watch them be surpassed. isfaction plummet over a six And if they are not, you have month period, going from $5 accumulated extra energy to million per month in revenues move on to the next potential. to $1 million per month. Things Become overly crystallized got so bad they even had a streak and attached to a potential of 34 consecutive proposals lost. outcome and you block a comprehensive HeartMath more positive potential from rogram was instituted for all un o ing. 125 people in the di vision, along Muc o t e noise an with special strategy sessions inco erence in organizations with the management team, to ay resu ts rom overpromising an un er e ivering. In sales team, and executive coach your ent usiasm to convince a ing. Increasing personal and oruyer o t e va ue o your pro ganizational coherence was the uct or a colleague of the value of target so the company could atan idea, it is easy to set expectract and keep good customers. tations at unreachable levels. Six months after the program Overenthusiasm based in the was launched, during one threemind’s need for stimulation is week period the rm won $45 the real culprit. The greatest million in new contracts. antidote is building more ac-

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understand the science of “ratios”

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nderstanding the concept of ratios will accelerate

your progress in internal selfmanagement. First use it to balance your own expectations. Appreciate all the good already in your life, even though one thing didn’t work out. Then, apply it to other areas. Appreciating the increasing ratio of times you’ve spent in greater coherence pro vides a booster, especially when challenged. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about improving on the ratios.

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ceptance an appreciation or w at is. A se -secure person nows it is muc smarter to unerpromise and overdeliver, but it takes inner security to hold true to that perspective. Espeially when the hype machine blares from TV sets, banner ads nd spam. Freeze-Frame is a great tool to scan your inner radar creen for simmering expectations in yourself or those you ould have created in others. s soon as you do this scanning, you will begin to get a picture of how much more nergy and intelligence you ou ave avai a e.

Ju gmenta ness Another signicant energy drain already mentioned is being judgmental. Judgment of others or yourself results from assessments made without benet of heart intelligence. They often result from an overactive mind “sizing up” a person or situation based on limited or emotionally distorted information. Judgments have no payoff. They throw your system out of balance physiologically—in fact, you are most vulnerable to being judgmental when operating at a decit emotionally. Being judgmental drives a wedge between yourself and the person you are judging. Judgments of oneself are particularly insidious, cloaked as they are in the robes of self-improve-


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ment. We ju ge ourse ves over a stupi mista e, not eing quic enoug on our eet, not eing con ent in t e c ient presentation. We say we are not improving, or we ear an unchanged pattern will doom us personally or professionally, all the while draining our emotional reserves and limiting the potential for growth. We judge others because their behavior fails to “match” our expectations, but all too often, when overstressed or overrushed, we “default” to judgment at the rst sight of a certain person or before even reading the boss’s e-mail. At our most immature, we feed judgments based on gender, race, generation, profession, or academic background. The big secret is this: h C e n everyone else is doing the G same thing to themselves! under-promise and over-deliver In all these cases, judgment drains and robs us of n this age of hype and hyperthe clarity needed to build competition, the noise of relationships or take decisive outlandish guarantees can be action. W i e it can seem stimdeafening. Over-enthusiasm u ating, even un, to ju ge, based on the mind’s need for ju gmenta ness actua y constimulation is the real culprit. sumes tremen ous quantities By building more acceptance o energy. Its on y use u ness and appreciation for what is, is as a wa e-up ca , etting you’ll gain a sense of balance us now we et unmanage and maturity that will feel solid emotion cloud perception to you and those around you. A while accelerating our aging. self-secure person knows it is Appreciating that we spotted much smarter to under-promise the judgment, then quickly neutralizing the unmanaged and over-deliver. It takes inner emotion, can restore balance security to hold true to that perand full intelligence. ception. t

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Ju gment is one o t e stop judgmental most pervasive rains on t e attitudes p anet. Ju gment un er ies all ethnic, racial, and regional e dene judgmentalness conict. It underlies teams as the tendency to make refusing to cooperate with assessments of people or situaothers, strategic alliances and tions without the benet of commergers gone bad, executives passion or understanding from overly critical of subordinates, the heart. Judgmental attitudes even nations out to destroy a drive a wedge between you and neighbor. Often the judgment that which you are judging. Realseems justied, based on past ize these judgmental attitudes experience. “This was a takeare often based on misperception over, not a merger.” The mind or lack of information. Despite constructs its memory of a the fact that the tendency to past abuse, then carefully probe judgmental is culturally intects its viability. Judgments rarely retreat without a ght, grained from an early age, there so eep y em e e can t ey is wisdom in learning to unlearn e in our menta , emotiona , this pattern. Use Freeze-Frame to an ce u ar ma eup. catch judgmental attitudes and Heart inte igence, acneutralize the effects by asking tivating positive emotiona your heart for a more complete states to yie increase intuiperspective. Extra credit: avoid tive un erstan ing, can pop the trap of judging yourself for the balloon of judgment so catching yourself in a judgmental we regain balance. Once their attitude. fangs have been removed, judgmental attitudes can be seen as merely the inefcient product of mental-emotional imbalance. Neutralizing judgment will not rob you of the power to discriminate, assess, or evaluate. In fact, once the judgmental mind is recognized, clarity, balance, and poise all can increase. t


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Dynamic Ba ance For those of us who love to work at high speed and pride ourselves on being able to thrive under pressure, the notion of balanc could seem cute but frankly rather bland and unproductive. So think of high-wire artists. Clearly these performers understand the importance of balance; in fact, for them it is a life-and-death issue. They must make hundreds of micro-ad justments to stay balanced on the wire and keep their nerves, anxiety, an visua istractions rom ruining t eir ay. Ba ance is ey, ut t ere is no ac o a venture, excitement, or ris . In act, wit ou a ance t eir un wou e a one-s ot t ing. Loo at a ance rom anot er perspective. In t e 1960s an 1970s, a great American trac star, Lee Evans, set wor recor s in t e 400 meter, 500 meter, 600 meter, an 1,600 meter relay and many other distances. Many of these records were not broken until the 1980s. In his track days, Lee was known as an extremely hardworking athlete, but what set him apart was something different. Lee was not the most graceful runner, but he had learned that to go faster, the answer was not to tense up, but to relax more deeply. While running, he would tell himself to relax and nd a more owing style; he would accelerate and win nearly every race. A deeper level of balance helped him nd more speed and grace. A third analogy is a high performance car. For a Ferrari to pick up speed, you need to shift gears intelligently. Each time you shift gears, the engine is able to run more efciently so you can drive faster with less wear and tear on the engine. High performance cars like a Ferrari need constant tuning so that a dynamic balance is maintained and higher speed is possible. Wit out constant a igning an a ancing o t e engine, t e w ee s, proper ue an vita ui s, t e car runs poor y or, worse yet, can spin out o contro . Spee sti is t e o jective, ut a -

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ance is t e way to ac ieve it. Paying attention to t e car s nnovate—try alance nee or a justing is a constant priority. alance is a dynamic state Think about how these of maximum exibility, analogies relate to your day not a bland unproductive state or your organization: Are of mediocrity. Balance requires you racing to get more done, moment-by-moment re-cali while causing increasing wear bration to changing conditions, and tear? Could you create attitudes, and opportunities. “personal strategic moments” Balance is unique for each to slow down, step back, and person. True balance means discover a more balanced, internal distortion is minimized efcient way to get the job so your full intelligence is maxdone—with less strain on you? imized. A high-wire artist is a What effect might that have on prime example of balance in your sense of time, your prothe midst of adventure and risk. ductivity, your relationships, or t e qua ity o your commuDon’t mistake boredom for balnication? W ere is t e organiance. zation pic ing up riction y going too ast wit out c ec ing t e oi , re ue ing, an re-strategizing? Yes, spee matters in t e new economy. C a enge your assumption t at spee an renzy are t e same t ing. G

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DYNAMIC 2

OHERENT COMMUNICATION

1. Ac ieving un erstan ing rst is essentia or e ective commu-

nication. How easy it is to t in we un erstan t e views o a customer, co eague, or constituent wit out tru y nowing. 2. Listening nonju gmenta y a ows u inte igence an un er-

stan ing to un o . It requires care u attention to min -sets a out peop e an ourse ves. Hig spee ju gments o ot ers oc u un erstan ing o t eir point o view. 3. Listening or t e essence o a communication means earing

eep y t e core message wit out eing istracte super cia tone or qua ity.

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4. Aut entic ia ogue rings increase c arity an re uces t e

noise in any system. Heart- ase aut enticity represents an inte igent trans ormation o unmanage iatri e, antagonism, or wit o ing. [ 99 ]

c h a p t e r

7

Authentic Communication: It’s Time for Some Serious Consideration

ORGANIZATIONS TODAY ARE CHOKING ON MYRIAD communication problems—from conict avoidance to systems confusion to sheer information overload to male-female posturing and wariness. In an era when the primary reason people leave their jobs is the inability to get along with their supervisor, improving communication rapidly is becoming a personal and strategic necessity. What is missing? An obvious answer would be the heart. But, again, we do not mean just that communication needs more sentiment or emotion. Rather, compassion, mature understanding, and intuitive sensitivity are needed to transform the communication distortions we experience daily. We need some real conversations. Authentic communication implies listening and speaking with sincerity, security, and balance. Using your own voice and deeply respecting the voice—the heart—of the other. It implies a fullness, a completeness, a directness to one’s communication that arises from the core of oneself, not the storefront. As Robert Frost said, “Something we were withholding made us weak, until we found out it was ourselves.” Sincerity is the oil that lubricates communication, dissolving the metallic friction so prevalent in this information-inundated world. Security arises [ 101 ]

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rom a core nowing t at everyt ing is o ay; its Latin roots mean “without fear.” Balance provides the self-calibration so eart intelligence is the core frequency—the central operating system—guiding how we speak and listen. If organizations would ever muster up the courage to measure the lost productivity and stress generated because of the unexpressed concerns, fears, and antagonism present, they would be shocked. The gap between what most people fee and what they a is huge and costly. National surveys in the United States suggest 70% of employees are afraid to speak up at work. In some other countries, this percentage is far higher. ) We have trained ourselves—and most organizations abet this training implicitly—to speak in a voice other than our own. As a young actor I would occasionally muse what it would be ike to have a career in which you were paid to be yourself. I did quite nicely putting on the personas of various characters, but al ways talked in the voices of others. Sure, “I” came through t e c aracter, ut I was a ways aware o t e ters, t e mas s, t roug w ic I spo e. I romanticize a out wor ing in t e corporate wor an eing pai to e myse . Soon a ter eaving t e t eater in t e ate 70s I earne just ow naive I was. I egan to see rst an ow muc peop e ee t ey must compromise t emse ves, in t e name o usiness. A we site, w ic t en became a book and a “movement”— he Cluetrain Manifesto — sees the Emperor’s new clothes, and isn’t afraid to speak up. We don’t believe what we’re saying at work. We know no one else believes it either. But we keep saying it because because because because the needle’s stuck. The record’s broken. Because we just can’t stop. Because who would we be if we didn’t talk like that?2

We are not advocating a free-for-all of truth telling for its own sake; in fact, that can be quite destructive in an emotionally im-

Aut entic Communication [ 103 ] h C o e r e

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mature environment. Some use G aut enticity, or eing a straig t achieve understanding rst s ooter, as a mas or unmanaged emotion and judgment. f your mental engine is Real authenticity is not rerevving too fast, you can action; it is expression from the jump to conclusions or make core—the core of compassion, assumptions that could be understanding, and intuition. completely wrong. Discipline Nor is authenticity soft or tenta yourself—especially in the face tive. The failure to be authentic of unpleasant news, rumors, and the resulting incoherence or delicate personal issues—to is costing more than we want make sure you understand what to know. How do you feel when a customer, colleague, or friend you fail to speak up over an inreally means, rather than unsensitive decision, knowing your derstanding just what they are courage could be greeted with blackballing and isolation? saying. What people mean and What examples in your pro what they say may not be the essiona career ave you seen same thing, particularly when w ere t e ai ure to a ress people are under pressure. an issue prove cost y? T ere are some tragic examp es. T e pro em wit t e O-rings in t e space s utt e C a enger was nown prior to aunc . Fai ure to spea ort rig t y—an or t at communication to e ear — cost t e ives o t e entire crew. Every ay in organizations around the world, people notice things that could be costly, but often out of fear, many of these observations go unexpressed. The personal guilt and self-blame you can experience for not speaking up can haunt you for years. Any book on organizational theory states the obvious: Effective communication is essential for successful relationships and successful organizations. But we are suggesting something

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muc eeper: aut entic, essence eve communication t at catapu ts spea er an istener into a new imension o c arity, resonance, an entrainment. Is authentic communication merely an interpersonal imperative between us and our colleagues or between management and employees (not that this is exactly easy to accomplish)? Don’t our customers want the same truth and directness we hope for in our close relationships? The Web has opened up conversations like never before in human history. Everything your organization is doing—or not doing—is grist for the mill for some chat room or listserv and myriad other forms of impartial, instantaneous communication. Again the Cluetrain provocateurs: Marketing has been training its practitioners for decades in the art of impersonating sincerity and warmth. But marketing can no longer keep up appearances. People talk. They get on the Web and they let the world know that the happy site with the smiling puppy masks a company with coins where its heart is supposed to be. They tell the world that the company that promises to make you feel like royalty doesn’t reply to e-mail messages and makes you pay the shipping charges when you return their crappy merchandise. The market will nd out who and what you are. Count on it. That’s why you poison your own well when you lie. You break trust with your own people as well as your customers. You may be able to win back the trust you’ve blown, but only by speaking in a real voice, and by engaging people rather than delivering messages to them.3

Underlying these fundamentals is the deep principle that to authentically communicate with others requires self-honesty and increasing levels of self-maturity. Authentic communication starts with listening to yourself, especially the sometimes challenging prompting of your heart. So many things in life can convince people to justify their reactions, throwing them back

Aut entic Communication [ 105 ]

into ear or insecurity. Freeze-Frame an neutra are two too s to ring you ac to a ance an e p you ecome more eep y aware o w at you are ee ing, t e consequences o t ese ee ings, and possible true-to-yourself solutions.

E ectr c Commun cat on Some researchers suggest that our comprehension of a conversation is only minimally based on the words expressed. As much as 58% of our understanding is due to our interpretation (perception) of body language 35% on our perception of the tone of voice , with only 7% based on our interpretation of the words themselves. Obviously, this leaves lots of room for misunderstanding and incoherence. “What a radiant person she is!” “He has such magnetism and presence.” “The room was electric as she announced the p ans or next year. T ese an ot er p rases revea a eep intuitive un erstan ing t at communication is not just au itory ut a so visua ; an it is e ectromagnetic. Researc as emonstrate t at t e eart pro uces an e ectromagnetic e t at can e measure at east ten eet rom t e o y using current tec no ogy. As soon as you come wit in ten eet o someone else, your elds interact. (Another reason why crowded subways are so hard on the nerves?) Research has established that measurable changes occur in the heart’s eld, depending on one’s emotional state: Frustration causes “static” in the eld, while appreciation or care creates increasing levels of coherence in the eld (see Figure 7–1). So, while your words communicate one message, your tone of voice another, and your body language yet another, your own heart is radiating an undeniable, hard-to-hide electrical message. Quantum theory would suggest that, although the electrical component of human communication may only

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ECG F Fr Frequency Spectrum 0.30 .30 0.25 0.25

Frustr tra trattio ion tiio on

Appreccia iat ion ciia attio tiio on

( Inc Incoherent )

( Co Coherent )

.20 0.1 0.15 0.10 0.10 0.05 0.00 0

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Freq requency (H (Hertz rtz)

30

0

10

20

Frequency (He (Hertz)

30

Feelings affect the information contained within the heart’s electrical tri cal signal, which is transmitted to all the cells in your body. The graph on he left shows the “noise” created within the heart electrically when we ex pe pe-ience a nega negative emotional state such as frustration. It is called c alled an in inco coher herent ent pattern be pattern because cause the signals are distorted. The graph on the right shows the oher herent ent electri electrical cal patterns created by the heart during a positive emotion emo tional al state, in this case, appre ap preci cia ation. Notice how the lines are clear, ordered, or dered, and armonious. FIGURE 7–1

transmit 10 or 12 feet, the quantum level knows no such limi transmit lim itations. ta tions. Once again it is clear: We live in a sea of frequencies. Information is every every where. We each broadcast broadcast and receive. receive. The clarity of the reception has every ev erything thing to do with the clari clarity of the receiver—you. Have you ever listened to someone a bit impatient pa tiently, ly, tried to speed the conversation along by nishing the speaker’s speak er’s sentence and letting him or her know you under understood, stood, only to nd out you were dead wrong and complete com pletely ly missed the point? Or if you cannot remember ever doing this, no doubt it has been done to you and it drove you crazy. cra zy. Internal noise from unmanaged emotional stress is one of the greatest inhibitor orss o c ea ear, r, e ec ecti tive ve,, es esse sen nce ev eve e co com mmu muni nica cation. tion.

Aut enti enticc Commun Communicat ication ion [ 107 ]

the electricity of touch

A

dditional research at the Institute has shown that, when touching touching someone through a handshake or hug, a measurable transfer trans ference ence

of electri electrical cal ener energy gy between the two people takes place. Happy, sad, loving, or insecure—it insecure—it does not matter: Touching gener generates ates an electri electrical cal transfer trans ference. ence. In fact, even close proximity between between two people people registers an electri electrical cal effect, when people are as close as 18 inches.4 If the heart’s electromagnetic eld acts as a carrier wave for emotional turmoil turmoil or posiitive feelings, we would be wise to pay closer attention to our atti pos at ti-tudes and feelings. We We may be affecting others more than we real realize! ize!

Electricity of Touch

rtMath Research Research Center

The electrical signal radiated by the human heart is transferred trans ferred between between people when they touch, as shown by these two graphs. Two subjects were being measured measured simultaneously: Subject A’ A’s brain waves and and sub ject B’s B’s electro electrocar cardio diogram. gram. The graphs on the left le ft show their respec respective tive measure mea surements ments while sitting four feet apart. However, when they touch, as shown in the graphs on the right, the electrocardiogram of subject B appears in the brain wave pattern of sub ject A, showing showing a measur measurable able electri elec trical cal transfer transference ence while the two touched.

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Deep Listening If deeper, more authentic communication with others is the goal, how could you avoid starting with yourself—the gut feelings, the instinct, the still small voice within? How often do you ignore an intuitive sense because the mind’s rationality or past experience (that pesky amygdala) blocks the way? Remem Re member ber that in intu tuiitive intel intelli ligence gence represents an under underde devel veloped oped frequency quen cy range within within each person’s intel intelli ligence gence capacity . rom time ti me to ti time me yo you u ma may y ge gett a as o in inssig t or g impse o t e o vious, ut ow ran om or unpre icta icta e t ese intuitions can seem. Attempting Attem pting to isten to t e inte igen igentt voice o t e eart requires re quires pract practice, especia y w en t e min s eci e eve is is pea ing. But it is a practice t at yie s payo in every imen mension sion of life. Mastering listen listening ing to yourself is facilitated by disciplined attempts at tempts to do so. Freeze-Frame throughout your day and ask yourself yours elf to pick up subtl subtle e sign signals als telli telling ng you that some something thing is out of phase, something something needs attention, “I need to deal with so and so.” Pick specic specic times in your day to scan the inner radar ra dar screen for unat unattend tended-to ed-to issues issues or concerns. Early Early moni monitor toring ing during the daily commute, lunch, and other breaks are excel excellent lent times to step back, check the inner voice and respond, re spond, save, or delete. A major part of everyday stress results re sults from failure to isten is ten to one’s own intelligent input. Can you recall re call any times in the past week, month, or even year when you kicked yourself for not doing doing something, or you regretted saying saying something something that in your heart heart you knew knew was not ap appro propri priate? ate? For most people, this is fairly fairly common. If exam examples ples are hard to come by, look for it in others. You’ll get the picture. Listening to yourse as you wou a c i or a rien wit a pro em can quic y increase compassion or yourse an t en or ot ers. Most peop peop e ave mastere one overuse aspect o

Aut enti enticc Commun Communicat ication ion [ 109 ]

isteniing—t e art o istening to t eir own se -ju gment an isten se - aming. T ey p ay ours o person sona a ize se - e p ess tapes, esigne to imprison t em in t e ami iarity o e spair and unfulllment. It requires a new, more compassionate focus to become become neutral and quiet long enough to listen to a deeper intel in telli ligence gence beneath beneath the emotional pain or turmoil. turmoil. Of course, once you get adept at listen lis tening ing to yourself, authen authentic tic action is mandated from within. In the face of intel intelli ligent gent choices, choices, failure to act conrms the self-defeating behaviors you are trying try ing to transform. transform. Acting from the heart represents a new level of self-empower self-em powerment, ment, a new platform from which to build more inter in ternal nal coher coherence ence and more authentic a uthentic communication. Whether Wheth er your role is to lead others or simply to lead yourself, acutely acutely understanding what you are feeling and perceiv perceiving ing is the prereq prerequi uisite site to understanding what others think and feel. It is easy to master the “storefront” “storefront” we talked about. In a society where “loo “looking king good while feeli feeling ng bad” bad” is is having having ever more serious consequences, it is time to let the heart’s wisdom wis dom guide our actions. actio ns. Start y payin paying g c os oser er atten attenttion to your su t e inter terna na ee ings. Attempt to ver a ize t em on paper or to c ose rien s. Nev ever er st sto op t is pro proce cess ss i co con ntin tinu ua growt an un o ing your intte igence is in is a goa . S arin ing g on one e s ee eepe pest st in insi sig g ts in invari varia a y yie s unex unexpect pecte e c arity. Int Inte igence is every every w ere.

Barr ers There are two types of barriers to effective, authentic commu com mu-nica ni cation: tion: encoding encoding errors and decoding errors. Encodin involves the meaning we ascribe as cribe to the communication we send; meaning out of what we hear. decodin is the process of making meaning Encoding errors occur when we as the speaker:

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re no nott c ea earr w at we wan wantt to sa say y ue to ex exce cess ssiv ive e em emootiona tion a no nois ise. e. • Do not now w at we rea y mean. • Use words words that that have have meanin meaning g only only to us, with no clear clear transla trans lation tion for the listener. Decoding errors occur when we as the listener: • Misinterpret the essence based on our perception of body anguage, an guage, tone, or words. • Form judgments about the speaker. • Listen at only the surface lev level. el. • Make an inappropriate “match” between what the speak speaker er is saying saying and some previ previous ous experience. • Have so much internal noise that the signal we are listening to is drowned out. Intuitive listening provides a technique for reducing these “errors” “er rors” so greater coherence can be achieved.

Intuitive Listening If you have taken a manage management ment development, custom customer er service, sales training, training, or parenting course, you probably learned funda fun damen mentals tals of good listen lis tening: ing: steady eye contact, open receptive body language, paraphrasing key points. All good storefront commu com muni nica cation. tion. Intuitive commu com muni nica cation tion imp imp ies t at a eeper eve o inte ige genc nce, e, e ci cien enc cy, an e ective tivene ness ss are are at at p ay w en you you get past t e mannequi mannequins ns in in t e win ow. Goo istening requires ot t e ar ware an so t ware, earing an un erstan ing. T ere are t ree istinct eve s o isten is tening: ing:


1. T e wor eve is w ere muc miscommunication appens. How many arguments or misunderstandings are over the words said and not the real meaning? The words themselves are just the tip of the iceberg of the real communication a person is trying to make. Many times people cannot nd the words to describe accurately what they want to say; others are simply not adept with words, although they might communicate their feelings in a very expressive way. What one person means by heart , for example, could be totally different than what someone else means. Words are cages around frequencies. They are often crude attempts to capture the essence of an idea and convey it with clarity and specicity. They are necessary but not al ways sufcient, and often the cause of confusion. 2. Beneath the words we speak is the eeling level where a deeper meaning can be found. We all have listened to people who were saying one thing, but we thought they meant something quite different. Feelings are an area most people are uncomfortable discussing, and clear differences exist between men and women. Yet, this often is where relationships are made or lost. Feelings often are exh C e n pressed, especially in business G settings, t roug tone o voice practice an o y anguage. Less o ten listening intuitively are t ey expresse aut enreat leaders hear the tica y. t

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3. The deepest level of communication is ca e t e essence eve . Remem er a conversation wit someone in w ic you e t so in sync, it was as t oug t e person new exact y w at you meant

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meaning behind the words.

They are able to anticipate problems before they occur, and pay attention to feelings, not just the data. Focus in the heart and be neutral to listen for subtle signals that could be easy to miss.

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or e t. T is is very e cient communication t at cuts t roug w en wor s are ina equate or o not convey t e eepest meaning. Getting to t e essence saves time, aci itates un erstan ing, and establishes a true connection. Finding the essence means getting past the storefront to the stockroom. What is on the shelves inside, is it organized, is it carefully managed? We are using this metaphor guardedly, not so you actually will seek to understand the “inventory” in a conversation, but rather to intuitively understand the core, the real substance, underneath the surface. There is no downside for seeking to understand the essence of an issue or another he C n person’s point of view. While G it could sound time conlistening as an suming, intuitive listening inno vation tool has as its aim a tremendous t’s amazing how much more increase in mutual respect, creative and innovative understanding, and energy efpeople are when they feel heard ciency. By uti izing intuitive and appreciated. Organizational inte igence, you operate out cultures that pride themselves o a eep part o your own eson biting critiques of new sence, w ic is w y you more easi y can ear t e essence ideas—often masking an intelo anot er person or mesectual arrogance—inhibit the sage. Not on y o spea er an spirit of innovation that seeks listener ee better about the freedom, needs space to operate, exchange, coherence is higher, and will grow in value if appreleading to creative solutions ciated. Listen sincerely to new that surpass what is possible ideas, honor the intention of the when the air is lled with disoriginator, and, even if the idea tortion and contention. In fact, is premature or incomplete, enthis type of communication courage more! is highly energizing. When t

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you ee ear , especia y i t e issue is emotiona y c arge , a tremen ous re ease can occur, reeing up energy or more prouctive t ings. Intuitive listening requires being neutral or even positive emotionally while listening to another person: • Try to ee appreciation or t e ot er as a person so you see a u er picture, not just a imite view create y t e message eing e ivere or an o memory you ave. • T is means a owing t e person t e time an space to comp ete t oug ts wit out interrupting, ju ging, or rus ing. • It means giving your complete attention, not having your mind on other tasks because “you have so much to do.” • It involves, when necessary, repeating what you believe to be the essence of what the other person has said—to make sure the person feels heard—before responding with your perspective or opinion. • It requires a measure of emotional maturity to not simply react defensively if the message contains feedback for you. From this foundation of maturity, a deeper relationship can be built. For customers and clients this is essential, just as it is for friends and colleagues. Each of these principles can and should be applied both to ourselves and to our communication with others. Several years ago a new member of our staff was having a challenge adapting to our unique organizational culture. An MBA with extensive consulting experience on Wall Street, she found the degree of cooperation, collaboration, and camaraderie appealing but some what disconcerting because of how different it was from her previous highly competitive professional experiences. At one point, she began grumbling about the dynamics within

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t e team. I as e i s e wou e wi ing to ring up t e issue open y in a team meeting. S e agree , a t oug it too some courage on er part. During t e meeting s e orce u y s are er concerns, which related to a perceived gap between the senior members and the junior ones, and the intense frustration this caused her to feel. I tried to listen nonjudgmentally (though this was not entirely easy), realizing I could have had the same perspective being in her shoes. I locked in to the essence of her words, trying not to get thrown by the emotional delivery (neutra came in very handy). As I listened, I appreciated her courage for speaking up and her anxiety over the gap she felt. But, before making any comments, I made sure I had understood authentic the essence by paraphrasing it intranets? back to her, then asked if I had eople want to talk. They heard her correctly. She threw also want to be heard. The her arms up in the air and said, Web is quenching this thirst “Finally, someone has heard for some, but many want to me! T e re ie in er ace an talk openly about your orgao y was tremen ous. Gone nization—what’s working, what’s was t e tension, t e ear, an not; what wild, new ideas could t e insecurity t at, i poor y expresse , er wor s cou jumpstart the rocky new product resu t in reprisa or iso ation, launch; what attitudes in the cula common pattern in so many ture would make people want to corporate environments. I stay when the head hunter calls. concluded the exchange by Your intranet can be a place to suggesting we talk “off-line” encourage open con versat ons. to make sure I understood her Don’t try to control them. Fat concerns fully. chance, any way. But do make a Here is where the power sincere effort to hear what they’re of intuitive listening became

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trying to say


so pro oun . W i e ta ing private y s e rea ize t at once s e na y e t ear , it ecame c ear t at most o t e pro em was in er perception. S e t an e me or istening, an a on of openness, security, and respect remains to this day. Time after time, we have seen the power of intuitive intelligence transform ordinary communication. Performance reviews that neither party is looking forward to, difcult negotiations, client interactions—all these continually become more fullling and efcient when internal coherence is maximized, noise is reduced, and the heart provides the playing eld. A software company president from Australia offered this story: Today, one day after I nished the HeartMath program, I went into what I expected to be one of the most difcult negotiations of my life. I was negotiating the [company name] distribution agreement, which was like many agreements that I have negotiated in my life, except that this time I was negotiating with my life savings, resulting in a not insignicant increase in pressure. The agreement that I had received from [company name] about two months ago did not reect the true spirit of the agreement that we had made on a handshake, and I started to feel very conicted about this. From the distance of Australia, I felt that [company name] wanted to draw back from the agreement that we had made verbally. Actions subsequent to my challenging the basic conditions of the agreement were also not helpful in changing my opinion that they were reneging. They did not respond to phone calls or e-mail. Finally, and most critical, they did not send me a nal draft of the contract as I requested. Hence, I had every reason to expect the worst (from a normal business point of view). Having changed my perceptual position with respect to [company name], these were the smoothest negotiations that I have ever been in. I Freeze-Framed often and poured love out of my heart for the negotiators as often as I could. They conceded every major point in the negotiations, about 15 in all, and only on one oint did they not concede, which, from my point of view, was a minor consideration. This negotiation went like clock work and major

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issues like term of contract, continuity, arbitration procedures, and quotas all fell the way that I wanted.6

At rst glance it seems tedious to have to make sure you understand the essence of what someone is saying. After all, don’t most people talk in slow, circuitous sentences anyway? It is much more “efcient” to cut in and help the other person clarify his or her thoughts, isn’t it? Hooked on speed, al ways rushing to keep up, how easy it is to justify insensitive, ineffective communication, veiled as it is behind the screen of judgment. T e irony is ow muc avoc is create y t e rus e ecisions an rantic t oug t processes we convince ourse ves are essentia to our organization or career. S owing t e menta c atter w i e neutra izing t e emotiona c atter a ows t e ig spee re ne inte igence o intuition to e ear . T e eart as t e power to neutra ize runaway menta missi es an isarm t e emotiona grena es. As a si e benet of listening intuitively for the essence, a study conducted at Johns Hopkins University showed that married people who were able to accurately summarize the feelings of their spouse were able to lower blood pressure. Think of the great leaders of our time or a mentor who made a lasting impact on you. We suspect a part of your heart was awakened by the sincere spirit of that person. Most likely the person had the gift or developed the skill of deep listening, and that depth infused the words he or she spoke as well. The power and authenticity of their expression seemed to resonate from a deep passion and knowingness.

Communication We s Anot er important imension is t e co erence o a team s communication wit ot er parts o t e organization, as we as t e net wor s o re ations ips it is a e to ui outsi e its imme iate


sp ere. Maintaining co erence wit in necessitates co erence wit out. In one stu y at t e Harvar Business Sc oo , t e way a team or unit was in e to ot ers a a ramatic e ect on its performance. In one multinational electronics company, for example, the best connected business units were able to bring products to market 30% faster than average.7 As anyone who’s ever talked on a cell phone or transmitted data through a modem knows, it’s one thing to be connected, and quite another when that connection is distorted or intermittent.

Organizationa App ications T e app ications o co erent communication to an organization are many.

• Meetings . Before a meeting starts, review the key principles: listening non ju gmenta y, istening or t e essence, ac ieving un erstan ing rst, an spea ing aut entica y. Write t em on a ip c art or grease oar as a remin er. Summarize key points of any discussion or presentation to make sure the whole group is in sync. Continue discussing until there is shared clarity. An intact team

commun cat on leaps

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any organizations have seen measurable benets

from applying tools of coherent communication. At a global energy company, a key strategic team had only 14% of its members feeling meetings were well organized. After six months with IQM tools, this gure had jumped to 53%. Only 43% felt they listened to each other prior to IQM training, but six months later 73% felt listening was good. And in this same team, only 57% felt free to express themselves prior to IQM. Six months after the IQM inter vention, 93% felt free to express their views.

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rom Hew ett-Pac ar use t is process to ma e sure t e announcement o a new strategy was un erstoo y veryone. T e announcement too ess t an ve minutes to make but more than an hour to distinguish the various interpretations from the real message expressed. Had they not taken this time, considerable uncertainty nd confusion would have resulted, wasting many hours nd possibly culminating in misguided decisions. Has this appened in your organization? • Phone conversations . Whether dealing with a customer, vendor, or patient, applying the principles of intuitive istening an aut entic communication e ps ensure a pee ier, mutua y ene cia outcome t at can e energizing. Especia y w en you ave no o y anguage r ot er visua c ues to re y on, ocusing on eeping yourse emotiona y neutra or positive w i e ma ing sure you ear t e ot er person is ar ess raining than being judgmental or making unfair or inaccurate ssumptions. • Performance reviews . Performance reviews are one of the most emotionally draining and commonly avoided organizational activities. Yet, they can be a rich opportunity for growth. Authentic communication in this context means putting the person’s highest good as your primary ob ective. Make sure your appraisal allows adequate time for t e person s assets to e iscusse —an ma e sure t e person ears your appreciation, sincere y. W ere ee ac is necessary, ma e sure t e tone is not ju gmenta ut is supportive an irect. Using Freeze-Frame at t e tart o t is process can neutra ize or re uce anxiety w i e reating a stronger e or rapport instea o antagonism.


• Externa re ations ips . Eva uate t e qua ity o communication between your team and other key divisions within the organization. Where is coherence lacking? Where is it strong? Particularly examine any areas of extended communication where people have become resigned to incoherence or antagonism. This is a high leverage point for boosting productivity. Typical examples of hardened relationships include manufacturing with marketing, sales with accounting, marketing with sales, and medical staff with administration. • System noise . Continue to as w ere t ere is noise in any part o t e system: —Sa es peop e rustrate over eve o services an suppor , —A ministration sta in i ite y in rastructure or process inefciencies, —Production people resentful over design delays or constant changes, —Nurses stuck in a no-man’s land between senior management preoccupation with shareholder (or board) perception, and physician attitudes and patient expectations. Then ask your people what solutions they see, which recognize the needs of the whole system: employee, manager, department, company and customer. Fun amenta y, eneat a t e researc an t e suggestions for how to increase coherence personally and organizationally, it boils down to this: the human need to connect with others in a meaningful way is more urgent than ever. The emergence of the Web and a dizzying array of communication tools and devices has only made obvious what our hearts knew we

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wante a a ong. T e C uetrain writers envision: New types of connections. The heart owing to other hearts. A new rhythm. A new causality. A new understanding of power. Conversation that understands that it isn’t a distraction from work, it’s the real work of business.8

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8

Technology, Inner Technology, and the Measure of Human Capital AS WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY FACET OF SOCIETY TODAY, technology is in massive transition, facing signicant choices for its future direction. The picture is chaotic to be sure. With computing power now exceeding even Moore’s Law of doubling of microprocessor speed every 18 months and devices becoming smaller, more compact, and more versatile, the future looks like a gadget freak’s paradise. Much of this new technology will add immeasurably to our ability to learn and understand across borders and across time zones. Our glee in successfully using a GPS (global positioning system) navigation system (provided at no extra charge by Hertz) and the ease it afforded us going from appointment to appointment all over the Chicago metropolitan area, was yet another example of how fun and energy-saving technology can be. So what's the downside? Concerns about cyber-crime, children glued to computer screens, breakdown of traditional communities, the digital divide between rich and poor—connected and unconnected—are just some potential effects.1 The debate rages. None other than Bill Joy, a founder of Sun Microsystems, and one of the industry’s most thoughtful

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pioneers, as pu ic y questione t e un ri e tec no ogyor-tec no ogy s-sa e menta ity. T e IPO renzy surroun ing a t e Internet start-ups urt er amp i e an o ten irrationa , eep-up-with-the-Joneses mindset that embraces every technological innovation without considering the social or human consequences. Bill Joy: For Aristotle, an argument based on a poem was as valid as one based on science. We’ve lost that. I don’t sense in this community that an ethical, spiritual-based argument carries nearly as much weight as a capitalist imperative or the notion that progress is the ultimate. That whatever happens happens. It’s scientic fatalism and it could be fatal for us.2

Or this from Tom Valovic, author of Digital Mythologies : There is a tremendous, market-driven haste to get into invisible technologies that are unstable and dangerous to life. It requires this religious leap of faith that science knows best.3

The point is not that technology is evil. It’s neutral. The ack of emotional management—at this critical stage of human evolution—is the wild card. Increasingly, communication is becoming electronic. The good news is that there are more ways to connect than ever; the bad news is that there seems to be no escape. As bandwidth (the range of available frequencies) expands to satisfy our craving or in ormation, so oes t e potentia or in ormation over oa . T e more in ormation to w ic we gain access, t e more our interna circuitry over oa s, ma ing e ective processing i cu t at est. A Reuters stu y suggests we are witnessing t e rise o a new generation o ata o ics. Base on a survey o 1,000 people in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany,

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Singapore, an Hong Kong, t e survey cite t ese responses: • More than 50% feel unable to handle all the information accumulated in their jobs. • 61% believe information overload is present in their workplace, with 80% predicting the situation will worsen. • 47% ta e materia ome or wor onger ours to eep up wit t e amount o in ormation accumu ate . • 55% are concerne c i ren wi ecome in ormation jun ies, wit 36% extreme y worrie t eir c i ren were overexpose to in ormation. • Near y a o a parents sai t eir c i ren pre er PCs to peers. The picture has not brightened since 9/11. Two researchers have determined that as much as 85% of the population feels uncomfortable with technology. The 15% who are comfortable sti a prey to rustration, intimi ation, or istress. Even t e tec no- iterati ee t e pressure. T e num er o messages an ot er eman s on our attention—w et er p one ca s, e-mai , TV a s, Internet jun mai (a ectionate y ca e pam ), or ot er in s o messages—num er in t e tens o t ousan s ai y. As we were wor ing on t is oo , a ca came in rom a c ient, a senior executive o a g o a tec no ogy corporation, w o was amenting the incredible drain on his energy required to deal with the 200–250 daily e-mail messages he receives. Most get deleted without being read. And yet the senders thought they had “communicated.” E-mail can rapidly aggravate organizational incoherence. React negatively, even mistakenly, to a new policy or any situation, and you can instantly broadcast your displeasure to dozens of people. Here is a simple story. In a large nancial services rm, an irate employee gave hostile feedback via e-mail to a co-

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wor er an sent copies to 15 ot er peop e, inc u ing t e oss o t e cowor er s oss. T e team irector t en a to sort out t e issue, w i e respon ing to two ig er eve s o management an calming down the co worker who had been publicly and unfairly umiliated, electronically. Similarly, customer complaints electronically can snake their way very high into an organization, involving many people emotionally in the drama. In both examples, e-mail is not the villain; it is neu tral. But e-mail has become a convenient vehicle in the transmission of incoherence and emotional mismanagement. The information overload phenomenon increasingly is global. Another survey done by Reuters, 6 conducted with management personnel in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, revealed a tremendous amount of mental anguish and physical illness resulting from “information fatigue.” •

• •

•

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ne in four of the 1,300 managers surveyed admitted to uffering ill health as a result of the volume of information they must handle. 8% agreed that the Internet will play a primary role in further aggravating the problem over the next few years. Two thirds of managers reported that tension with work olleagues and loss of job satisfaction arise because of tress associated with information overload. 3% of senior managers suffered from ill health as a direct onsequence of stress associated with information over oa . 62% testi e t at t eir persona re ations ips su ere as a resu t o in ormation over oa . 4% e ieve t e cost o co ecting in ormation excee s its va ue to usiness.

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How muc o t is craze or in ormation arises out o insecurity an ear— ear we wi e e t e in , ear someone e se wi o t e ea or get to t e mar et aster, insecurity t at i we are not constantly “connected” our value and worth will be questioned and ultimately cast aside? It is fascinating to step back and realize how quickly information technology became h C e n central to our lives. Can you G remember when you did not examine how to own a VCR, nobody sent faxes, reduce information overload nobody used e-mail, personal computers were a novelty (even echnology facilitates in business), pagers did not exconvenience and efciency ist, and phones in cars were for —and also creates challenges. presidents and prime ministers? Healthy organizations of the fuThis pastoral scene is 1980! Fast ture will balance the acquisition for ward to the present and we, of information with indi vidual in the developed countries, well-being and productivity. c ear y ive in an entire y i Unbridled assimilation of inforerent wor . To ay, many o mation grinds individual producus—more a t e time—wor tivity under a mountain of needan ive in tec no ogy-intensive less data. Make sure information environments. Our omes insystems and processes make it creasing y re ect t e tec no ogy easier for people to do their jobs, renzy in organizations. An , y not feel more over whelmed. Use all accounts, the intensity and speed of change will only inthis same principle to examine crease. There is no end in sight how to make it easier for cusfor this trend to slow down or tomers to do business with you. shift direction. Only when the Connectivity is great when there’s negative consequences cost us meaning in the connection. dearly are we ikely to challenge the basic assumption that an t

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ever-increasing vo ume o raw in ormation is in erent y goo . One can ie o too muc o anyt ing inc u ing water.) In a very s ort time—15 years or so—computers an in ormation technology rapidly became the primary physical asset of corporations and central to their operations. Today, close to half of all capital expenditures made by companies are on computers, networks, and software, the largest single category of expenditure. Almost every employee of public and private sector organizations must be able to operate at least one but usually several kinds of information technology device: computers, laptops, modems, fax machines, e-mail, pagers, cellular phones, and other similar equipment.

A Co erent Response to In ormation Tec no ogy How o we cope wit a t is? Pu t e p ug on tec no ogy an go ac to simp er iving? Unp ugging is not practica nor possible for organizations, though we clearly have a choice at home. Furthermore, our perceptions of technology and the kinds of demands and changes on our lives that come with it are key to whether technology’s value exceeds its price. “Technology does not place us into an idyllic garden of paradise but rather into an unsettling garden of paradox,” asserts David Glen Mick of the University of Wisconsin in Madison.9 “The essence of a paradox is that it cannot be resolved. It creates an emotional conict within a person that can be a source of considerable stress, and the need to cope with that stress affects how the person behaves as a consumer.” Mick and fellow researcher Susan Fournier of the Harvard Business School have identied seven paradoxes that characterize the relationship between consumers and technology:


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• T e way in w ic tec no ogy insures greater contro acerbates chaos . • Whether technology promises freedom or creates new enslavement . • The need for the latest new technology versus the fear of becoming obsolete . • The way technology boosts our intelligence while at times humiliating us into a feeling of stupidity . • The promise of increased efciency versus the reality of extra new chores creating inefciency . • The premise technology will ulll needs while in fact creating ew needs . • The value of technology in increasing assimilation and connection between people, versus its tendency to create isolation by diminishin face-to-face contact. Technology serves us when it enhances understanding. Information is useless without an agile mind and a balanced heart. The Cluetrain boys again: We don’t need more information. We don’t need better information. We don’t need automatically ltered and summarized information. We need understanding. We desperately want to understand what’s going on in our business, in our markets. And understanding is not more or higher information.10

The information age requires a new type of intelligence for people to sort through, lter, and effectively process all the data and choices now available. Whether you are a consumer of technology or a product developer, learning to develop “ eart intelligence” gives you increased insight to assess the essential value of information—or a new product—from a wider perspective. Without heart intelligence—when operating solely

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rom an overtaxe min —peop e quic y are over w e me an respon to on y t e ou est an most persistent in ormation or e au t to o , ami iar processes. An inte igent assessment o new information is difcult at best. In the extreme, you may defensively shut down and not really assimilate much information at all. As the knowledge base is built and you achieve competence in reducing your internal noise, you can use intuition to search the internal knowledge base at lightning speed, bypassing a more linear search process. The internal knowledge base, coupled with intuition, allows one to leap be yond known possibilities to nd unique new solutions when necessary. This represents tremendous leverage for anyone in business today . When trying to sort information at high speed, focus on your heart, get neutral, and ask yourself for the most important understanding you can gain. So if technology has radically increased the bandwidth of possible information transfer—more ways in which to connect, more conduits for knowledge ow, and more opportunities to e over w e me —w at i tec no ogy was active y eing use to en ance t e qua ity o t at in ormation? Watts Wac er an Jim Tay or, aut ors o T e 500-Year De ta , ma e t is o servation: It was Arno Penzias, the 1978 Nobel laureate in physics, who rst theorized that computing had met communicating to form connectivity and that, in effect, everything eventually will be connected. Computing, in short, was never about data crunching. Data crunching was the means; connectivity was the end, which is why the datapigs and cyber-pioneers will never inherit the Earth. Nor was the communications revolution about the machines and services that spawned it. Fax machines, modems, interactive TV, and Internet providers were all the means; connectivity was the end. Computing and communicating did more than intersect; they fused. And when they fused, connectivity was born. But connectivity nally is not the end, either. Connectivity is a state of existence, nothing more. The


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true end is what happens when things are in connection, what hapens when connectivity itself fuses with information.11

To which we add: Connectivity is great if the signals are clear and the content has enduring value. But, how much noise is present in the connection, the noise of incoherence on the part of the sender or receiver? What is the enduring value of the messages being sent? How do we improve the inner quality of the people operating the technology? Torrey Byles is a business economist and writer on electronic an igita commerce. By es points out t at computers, i e any ot er too , a ove a are inten e to en ance uman pro uctivity. For examp e, ca -center an customer support epartments use computers to quic y ring up t e account e o a customer w o ca s in. Ca -center representatives are ar more pro uctive in ea ing wit t e speci c issues, requests, an ot er pertinent in ormation concerning t e customer than if they had no ready access to the customer les, which the computer provides. The result, we all hope, is a customer who remains loyal to the company and satised with his or her interaction with it. But what about the internal attitude of the representative? Does the customer feel understood or respected during the interaction or just efciently handled so another call can be taken? Technological efciency can enhance, but never replace, the warmth of human respect and sincere listening. Another example is the researcher in a governmental health agency. She uses computers for many purposes including searching databases of research papers or other information, building simulations and models of natural processes, and conducting statistical analyses of laboratory experiments. In both of these examples, computers make a big difference in allowing workers to achieve the desired outcomes. Without computers in these examp es, eit er rastica y more wor ers wou e require to

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ac ieve t e same resu ts or e se don’t use t e same resu ts just cou not technology as a e accomp is e in t e same substitute for human period of time and for the warmth same cost to the organization. t’s easy to re off an e-mail, Unfortunately, computer sysfull of comments you would have tems can be poorly designed never said in person. It’s also handy and implemented into workto leave voicemail messages at odd places, so that they counteract hours, knowing you can avoid direct productive human work. In contact and real con versation. Rethese cases, computers only member, you like people to commufrustrate, over whelm, or other wise block the efcient ow nicate with you with some warmth, of work. care, and directness, rather than Byles goes on to suggest sing half sentences, symbols and that the heart—and personal abbre viations. Remember the heart. emotional balance—plays a critical role in getting the most pro uctivity out o in ormation systems. t

I

In the design and deployment of computers, balanced emotions on the part of the designers will result in effective computer systems for the end-users. In the day-to-day use of computers by end-users at work, balanced emotions will allow workers to use the systems in the manner in which they are intended, and to avoid being frustrated and overwhelmed by them. In other words, by combining emotionally balanced people with the powers of information technology, companies can achieve breakthroughs in performance. 2

T e Heart an Human Capita To w at extent computers ave tru y a e to uman pro uctivity is a signi cant e ate among economists an usiness ea ers current y. At a c ient unc w ere t e oo ti e o e-mai


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over oa was eing amente , one ig -tec company executive sincere y as e w et er we e t tec no ogy a enoug positive ene ts to outweig its o vious stress-pro ucing ownsi e. In an age where the mass consciousness seems to assume more technology is inherently better, many say that no well-grounded measurements unequivocally show that computers have enhanced workers’ output. Others say that, because computers wholly change the nature of output (in terms of quality of product, ability to customize product to individual customer preferences, speed of production, worker skill requirements, and other factors), the impact of computers is almost impossible to measure in an “apples-to-apples” fashion. Nevertheless, most economists and others in the nancial community agree that computers and information technology are features of a new understanding of human economic growth: intellectual apital and the knowledge economy. In this new understanding, the content of people’s intellect (their imagination, knowledge, creative ideas, skill sets, assessments, esigns, a i ity to ma e requests an promises, uture expectations, etc.) is t e source o a wea t . Materia pro ucts are on y y-pro ucts o t e inte ect. Materia , tangi e t ings come into existence on y a ter peop e ave conceive o t em, wor e to attain t em, an use speci c practica ways o attaining t em. T e intangi e an inte ectua prece es—an is in erent y more va ua e t an—t e tangi e an materia . (Clearly our view is that intellect is only one aspect of human and organizational intelligence. But how refreshing that something as intangible as intellect actually is being measured in organizations.) Leif Edvinsson, the world’s rst vice president of intellectual capital at Sweden’s Skandia, and Michael S. Malone, a noted business writer, sum up this point well in their book, Intellectual Capital :

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All individual capabilities, the knowledge, skill, and experience of the companies’ employees and managers, is included under the term human capital. But it must be more than simply the sum of these measures; rather, it also must capture the dynamics of an intelligent organization in a changing competitive environment. For example: Are employees and managers constantly upgrading their skills and adding new ones? Are these new skills and competencies recognized by the company and incorporated into its operations? And are these new skills, as well as the experiences of company veterans, being shared throughout the organization? Or, alternatively, is the company still drawing on a body of aging and increasingly obsolete skills, ignoring (even punishing) new competencies gained by employees, and locking up knowledge as a way of cornering power and inuence with the organization?13

Given that we are beginning to see how important—and measurably valuable—the intellect is, what does this tell us about the emotional and intuitive sides of being human? What would happen if we could coherently orchestrate a balance of all uman factors, changeable and dynamic though they are? The ruits o t e inte ect s powers are con itione y t e emotiona state o t e person. An angry or epresse scientist is a scientist w ose inte ectua capita is ow. A joyous, ent usiastic p um er is a p um er w o rings tremen ous inte ectua capita (creativity, now e ge, s i s, etc.) to ma ing a won er u uman a itat. At t e same time t at some usinesses ave iscovere inte ectua capita , we are iscovering uman capita . Goo uman capital—in other words, intellectual and emotional balance—is a prerequisite for a person to gain access to his or her intellectual capital. Byles makes a further point worth pondering. Humans have invented many incredible tools over the millennia. (Anthropologists say that tool making is a fundamental human trait.) The species has now advanced to the point where we recognize that our tools are not only physical but nonphysical as well. We are


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now wor ing to systematica y create an exp oit nonp ysica too s—in so t ware programs, e ucation an training, an now e ge t at is recor e in various e ectronic me ia. he information age with its information tools (namely, computers) is the dawning of an age where a common and widespread practice in human society is to use intangible tools at work. Computers are some what of a bridge tool: part physical and part nonphysical. They connect the physical world with the intellectual world, the world of ideas and intellect. 14 Emotional management practices are another set of intangible tools. Where information technology has been viewed as the tool of the intellect, the intellect is a far more powerful tool when fueled by managed emotions. Heart intelligence is the upgrade for the human operating system. he Institute of h C n HeartMath has created an in G strument that measures key coaxing the aspects of human capital and knowledge out pinpoints w ere stress is ins our harried quest for more i iting its u everage. T e information driving real Persona an Organizationa knowledge and wisdom underQua ity Assessment (POQA) ground? How much knowledge measures more t an a lies buried in the hearts, minds, ozen separate constructs, and hard drives of our best and trac ing se -management brightest, but we’re all feeling too competencies, personal qualoverloaded to share it? How can ity, organizational quality and we encourage, honor, and reward organizational climate. The organizational constructs the open sharing of what we’ve measured by the POQA inlearned in ways that don’t add to clude social support, goal our burden, but could lighten the clarity, mental clarity, job satload? t

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is action, pro uctivity, an communication e ectiveness. T e se -management competencies inc u e g o a negative a ect moo ), sa ness, epression, anger, istress, atigue, positive affect (mood), peacefulness, and vitality. The stress symptoms measured are sleeplessness, anxiety, body aches, indigestion, and rapid heartbeats. Attitudes to ward the job, toward management, and intention to leave the job are just a few of the organizational issues explored. The POQA is used to compare the health and human capital of an organization against a database of world-class organizations, and to measure changes resulting from the application of the IQM technology. (The case studies data cited in the Appendix were generated through the POQA, with the exception of the biomedical data, which was generated through standard medical monitoring.) As this information is fed back to participants and management, clear steps can be taken to reduce the noise, resulting in higher value human capital and business solutions.

Co erent In ormation S aring C ear y, t e co erent s aring o in ormation is a ey to success in t e uture—an a primary way to re uce persona an organizational strain. As technology continues to expand the band width of communication, people still must oversee the quality. Inner quality management emphasizes helping individuals understand how to boost their own inner quality—to improve the internal communication within themselves—then take that to their team (or family), their department (or social circle), their organization (or community). We found that this sharing of information is easy to sermonize about but harder to actualize when business operates at ever-increasing speeds. For people to stop long enough to remember the importance of sharing (when they have “a mil-

ec no ogy, Inner Tec no ogy, an t e Measure o Human Capita

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ion ot er t ings to o ), t ey nee speci c too s or t e process o stepping ac . T e ability to pull back and recognize frustration, irritation, anger, or anxiety is the rst important step to ward nding an effective energy-saving solution, to move from chaos to coherence.

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e internet economy has caused a tremendous ac-

celeration in business activity. Without balance, this high-speed connectivity can lead to rushed decisions, strained systems, and over whelmed employees. Seek

Living In ormation

balance in your strategic discus-

sions. Stay visible and attentive Getting off the treadmill for one minute to reeze- rame to rapidly changing markets and can instant y wi en t e an world conditions, but act with wi t o avai a e inte igence: maturity and care for people and more in ormation wit w ic balance any tendency towards to ma e ecisions an more emotional reactivity or strained care to a to onese an t e impulsiveness. situation one is in. In terms o t e communication process itself, this creates what we call value-added information , with the potential for much greater impact and broader application. When true care is at the core of the desire to share, the quality of all subsequent activities shifts into another domain of power and effectiveness. Another way to look at this: it is one thing to recognize the importance of a broadcast, another to spend the time ensuring that the receiver is properly tuned and distortion free. Most organizations are fairly good at the former but completely ignore the latter. Real sharing of information requires understanding the subtleties and nuances of information transfer between

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peop e . T en it ecomes t e trans er o iving in ormation. As soon as humans are involved, we need to remember that we are dealing with nonlinear systems who ee as well as think . The human being, physiologically and psychologically, is a living example of chaos theory in action. Skill in human understanding provides the resonant eld to allow seamless, staticfree information transfer. Put simply, when you remember to be compassionate, authentic, and caring in your communication, it is much easier for the listener to hear the message. This is a skill that requires practice to develop and the positive, public reinforcement of its merits. For example, stopping to deeply consider the range of responses to a piece of e-mail you are about to broadcast can save considerable stress and increase productivity. Considering the most appropriate means of communication—even multiple modes—ensures a higher level of receptivity to and sustainability of the message. “But I sent you e-mail a out t is! is no excuse or insu cient communication.

A Creat ve V s on Information technology today is very primitive compared to what it will be in the future. In 20 years, we will look back at to day’s computers, wireless communication devices, the Internet, and so forth and think that these are very simple tools, some perhaps even misguided. Byles believes “information technologies will be designed around principles of emotional management and other core human characteristics.”15 Arguably there is no other alternative. What do we do in the meantime? Practical examples of stress-reducing ways of handling technology overload include the following. Take a moment to Freeze-Frame be fore logging on to e-mail. Then as you scan the inbox, ask yourself, what is the highest priority information here and what is the most efcient way to respond? Stay “neutral” to keep


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your reactions in c ec as you pore t roug ot er wise nonessentia in ormation. Remaining emotiona y neutra means stress wi not su t y accumu ate on t e ac o ju gmenta t oug ts, concerns, or frustrations. Be strategic as to when and how you respond. Remember that if you are operating in a reactive mode, you will not respond with full intelligence or care. At HeartMath LLC, we implemented a simple method that has saved considerable time in e-mail reading and setting priorities. Since some e-mail messages need be only a simple phrase, such as “Be there at 3 for the meeting” or “Report needed by 4: 30,” we established a protocol that any message that could be summarized in a few words would start with a * symbol. This * symbol in the subject line h C e n lets the reader know the en G tire message is contained in be connected, the sub ject line, therefore no not enslaved need to open the e-mail since e lure of technology and there is nothing else there to the pressure to constantly rea . For examp e, our a minexpand one’s knowledge base istrator sen s us a remin er creates a dilemma. Do you stay p rase i e t is: *Itinerary in continuously connected in an your in ox! increasingly desperate attempt We simp y rea t is su to stay informed, or learn to ject ine in t e ist o e-mai s, use technology as a tool, not a t en e ete. You wou e surprised how much time drug? Technology can aggra vate this simple process can save, personal incoherence. Use your especially when you consider intuition to know when to unplug. the number of employees, Look for balance in how to use it. the number of hours spent on Let its power to create systems efe-mail, the number of days at ciencies be the guideline. Learn work. While this does not solve t

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t e w o e pro em o overuse o e-mai in many organizations, it oes encourage an attitu e o e cient, concise communication t at is sensitive to t e nee s an wor oa o t e receiver. We heard of at least one multibillion-dollar organization giving permission to overworked employees not to respond to e-mail for 24–48 hours, to encourage greater balance in the face of e-overload. The policy achieved mixed results since the culture continues to covertly reward overwork and employees’ work habits are slow to change. The attitudinal level is where the real work must occur. Organizations also need to discuss how communication is working, in what ways people are feeling over whelmed, where they feel underinformed, so the mind and heart together can design effective ways to communicate that are efcient for all concerned. Intuitive intelligence increases as you continuously step back for a moment and ponder a more effective response. One of the most precious commodities for all of us is time, and we could all do a lot better job of respecting each other’s and our own. Voice mai is yet anot er u iquitous orm o communication t at as ra ica y c ange t e nature o ow we communicate. (W en was t e ast time you ca e a arge organization an ear a usy signa ? We ear one recent y an , or a moment, i n t now w at to o.) Respon ing to t e num er o voice mai messages an an occasiona y straine or angry tone is a signicant source of anguish and dread, sapping coherence in virtually all organizations. What if your computer system could monitor the incoherence generated during and after istening to voice mail and could track the impaired decision making, the health consequences, and the loss of productivity? You probably would be shocked at the data. Taking a moment to Freeze-Frame and nd “neutral” before and during listening


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an respon ing to voice mai can eep your system more in a ance, as we as e p you ear eneat an angry or impatient tone to t e un er ying essence o t e message. Intuitive istening can ensure you are hearing the essence of the message and responding from that depth. The alternative is ever-increasing levels of incoherence, personally and professionally. Technology can be a vehicle for positive experience be yond intellectual stimulation in many ways. Screen savers could remind you to value important elements of your life. Digitized images on your computer monitor could help you recall a feeling of peace and rejuvenation. While some organizations frown on personalized use of computers, ever-worsening productivity and deepening malaise eventually will reveal that computers and information systems must become vehicles for the positive reinforcement of behaviors that boost the organizational climate. One of the most popular follow-up tools we ever devised is a simple Internet group subscribed to by past IQM program atten ees. Eac wee t ousan s o peop e aroun t e wor receive a two to t ree paragrap e-mai message a out t e app ication o one o t e too s t ey ave earne . We continuous y ear t at t ese simp e e-mai messages quic y are rea an a sor e , so sure are t e rea ers t at t is wi e a tota y positive, use u , an caring message. Not ing e se to o, no response require , no reports to out. Just a rie inter u e to remin them what is important, to regain coherence, to move past mechanical habits and get the mind and heart in sync. We have helped client organizations set up similar discussion groups to keep organizational coherence themes alive amidst the din of work. What if computers and other information devices in the future were able to monitor your physical or emotional state and

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remin you ow to s i t per G ception? W at i t ey cou isp ay on t e screen your lug the leaks out-of-sync heart rhythms, nything unresolved— then at the touch of a button, even s or concerns you you could rebalance them continue to expend unnecessary and refresh your entire system energy on—drains energy not only for the next few hours? (Just ersonally but organizationally. such a tool was developed by Stopping any drain saves energy our research team since the and also helps restore hormonal rst edition of this book was and cardio vascular balance. Use published. Called the Freezethe Freeze-Frame technique to Framer , this award-winning identify areas you’re leaking energy. computer learning system gives users immediate feedback on You can learn to use this high perthe rhythmic patterns of their formance technique to plug leaks hearts, which respond dynamibefore they become oods. cally to changes in stress and emotion.) W at i ar ware an so t ware engineers in t e uture continuous y exp ore ow to ma e t ese too s servants o our growt as peop e, not just ve ic es or more in ormation? In t e visionary wor s o Singapore s prime minister, Go C o Tong, We s ou ocus on ui ing capa i ities, resi ience, an eartware or t e uture. 16 T e caring an e cient integration o too s or interna se -management an co erent communication underpin the next dynamic: organizational climate. h C o e r e

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DYNAMIC 3

BOOSTING

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CLIMATE

1. An emotional virus is attacking many organizations today. It is the result of emotional mismanagement and shortsighted management practices. And a corollary of this is organizational learning thrives when the organizational “immune system” is strong and vibrant . 2. A healthy organizational climate is now proven to boost productivity. These elements include supportive management, contribution, self-expression, recognition, clarity, and challenge . 3. Shared core values such as adaptability, exibility, care , and appreciation underlie sustainable organizational climates. 4. Understanding the distinction between knowledge and wisdom is essential to organizational leadership. Building wise companies through developing wise people is the next organizational frontier. [ 141 ]

chapter

9

There’s a Virus Loose and It’s Got Bob

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. THERE’S A VIRUS SPREADING IN your organization, but it didn’t come through the e-mail system. It spreads person to person, department to department. Across cubicles. Across time zones. Across cultures. Thank goodness there is an antidote. From a systems perspective, an organization is an organism—a living, breathing, mutually dependent entity. It requires a wide variety of nutrients and resources to be healthy; it can get sick in response to external stressors or internal imbalance and, unless it learns to what’s got bob heal itself, eventually becomes sick and dies. n “emotional virus” is Typically today when an attacking many organizorganization recognizes someations today. It is the net effect thing’s not right, the solutions of emotional mismanagement are to focus on cost cutting, and shortsighted management process reengineering, product practices. And its corollary is improvements, or improving this: organizational learning customer service. While these thrives when the organizational well-intentioned initiatives “immune system” is strong and are usually necessary, they are vibrant. not sufcient. They focus on

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[ 144 ] From Chaos to Coherence

the symptoms, not the cause . In many organizations, this classic Band-Aid approach actually creates more frustration, anger, and anxiety, while the organization, or organism, becomes even sicker. Once people are drained emotionally, the creative energy needed to develop new innovations is sapped. Additional energy is then expended in inefcient ways that put added strain on the people, and the downward spiral accelerates. Acrimony, mistrust, antagonism, and blame are just a few of the emotional reactions that take up residence in the workplace. Finger pointing becomes the preferred exercise program, and left unchecked, the very creative source for the organization is drained. A CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation) Index “State of Reengineering Report” revealed these statistics undermining many organizational climates: • 50% of the companies studied reported that the most difcult part of reengineering is dealing with fear and anxiety in their organizations. • 73% of the companies said that they were using reengineering to eliminate, on average, 21% of the jobs. • Of 99 completed reengineering initiatives, 67% were judged as producing mediocre, marginal, or failed results. Consider this analogy. Bob, an executive with your rm, goes for his annual physical. Nothing seems to be wrong health wise, just a routine checkup. Of course, he had been feeling a little tired lately, but who wouldn’t be with all the international travel, round the clock pressure, and “never enough help.” The doctor reviews the lab reports, checks the vital signs, then rechecks. His face turns serious. Bob expects the worst. “Your blood pressure is at the edge of stage two hypertension, cholesterol is nearly off the chart, and you have the beginning stages of arrhythmia. I’m putting you on a program of increased exercise,

There’s a Virus Loose and It’s Got Bob [ 145 ]

no-fat diet, and no more stress!” To Bob, life has just been turned upside down. A radical rethinking of his entire lifestyle has been necessitated by the doctor’s shocking discovery. No second opinion is going to lower that blood pressure or cholesterol. And how is he going to have no stress?!? Bob’s problems are not just physical. He’s been struggling for the past 12 months with a poorly conceived merger. The two cultures have clearly not meshed, and the antagonism between the factions have gotten extreme. Now he’s the target of employee hostility and it doesn’t feel fair! Compare this to the business that is humming along successfully, taking its market by storm, feeling indomitable. Its new technology is the buzz of Wall Street and a cover story in Fortune is in the works. A few systems seem to be straining every so often, but this is considered just growing pains. However, a series of late product releases and the departure

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ment within an organization can prevent increases in productivity and inhibit sustained long-term growth. An organization with an unhealthy climate permeated by judgmentalism, anger, blame, constant complaining, overcare, and an “us versus them” attitude, impairs the organization’s ability to innovate and to remain resilient. In a highly competitive, rapidly changing business environment, failure to address these cultural issues will ultimately lead to corporate failure. Make these cultural issues a priority. Obtain the resources needed to identify the “emotional virus” in your organization. Implement a strategy to create a new level of emotional coherence to help ensure the long-term success of your organization.


of two key executives have people edgy. Before long stock analysts worry the share price is overvalued, and the company cannot meet the demand for its technology, so management brings in a consultant team that says the company needs to reengineer. But the situation quickly turns critical. After two consecutive quarters of losses, the Board of Directors steps in and orders a downsizing. Now everyone feels like they have just been hit by the u, but there is no Alka-Seltzer for this sickness. In an era of corporate chaos, we are now seeing a new phenomenon: the emotional virus . The virus hits its victim organizations unexpectedly, seemingly without symptoms, until suddenly the organism is quite sick and may be in need of radical surgery. The roots of the sickness are emotional. The virus grows and thrives on emotional imbalance, insensitivity, and overreaction in the organization. It is the antithesis of organizational coherence. The greater the incoherence, the more nutrients the virus has to feed on.

What Is the Virus? Doc rst coined the term emotional virus while he was consulting with a CEO who had attended an IQM program in California. The executive was concerned about the internal backbiting among several of his management teams, which was clearly affecting not only morale but also productivity in a key division. The emotional virus was described this way: It is the net effect of emotional mismanagement within an organization. As with other viruses, the emotional virus is highly infectious. People think it is okay to complain, whine, and sarcastically laugh about the imbalanced coworker, the stressed out boss who ignores voice mail or e-mail, the department that just cannot get its act together—not realizing they have caught the emotional virus bug.


Each casual complaint and unconscious judgment is like coughing in a coworker’s face, thus spreading the germs of negative emotions and creating a caustic, unfullling environment. Once an outbreak of the emotional virus has been detected, the workplace should be quarantined until proper medicine arrives, but that is not the way business works—yet. In evaluating long-term growth, companies that spend time and money on eliminating the emotional virus will see a big return on their investment. Ignoring it and staying on the track of believing “that is just the way it is” is a dangerous move on the chessboard of future business. People are changing and the knowledge worker of tomorrow will have a different set of standards for evaluating job satisfaction. This already is happening. The workforce already is demanding more harmonious working relationships.

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ability as a manager and within your team or division is crucial. However, a team permeated with negative, judgmental attitudes, constant criticism and blaming, is a team with limited coherence and a limited chance for success. As a manager, start by making a concerted effort to eliminate blame concerning the people you manage. Then, encourage or even insist, that the people you manage stop judging and blaming each other. When you see it in meetings, in the lunch room or in the hallways, point it out, with care. Creating a culture within your team that supports each other, offers balanced feedback when needed, but stops the use of blame, is an important key to team coherence.


Salary, although still important, is not as high on the list as it used to be. Workers often are “cashing out,” taking less pay and moving into jobs more in line with their core values. Working in an environment where people do not stab each other in the back, where management and employees can have a more open dialogue, and where the employee feels connected to and proud of the company and its products are among the career core values people are adopth C e e n e ing. The emotional virus eats G away at these organizational demonstrate sincere appreciation qualities and many people are seeking a place to work where incere appreciation, not they do not have to witness just a cursory or contrived watercooler and break room gesture, is a powerful motivator. character assassinations. It A simple act of appreciating isn’t that people can’t take it. someone for a job they’ve Millions do daily. Times are done, for their commitment, changing, however. As Doc or for simply being who they told the CEO, “In the name are, adds a boost of energy that of smart business, increased pays big dividends. Managing productivity, less employee often requires giving feedback, turnover and lower health encouraging others to improve care cost, the emotional virus performance, and in some cases eventually will have to be dealt with.” delivering reprimands. Here’s The workplace is not the a tip. Always try to express as only location where an emomuch or more sincere appretional virus is on the attack. ciation as you do criticism for Many employees leave home the people you manage. Your or community environments employees will appreciate this full of viral activity. Without and appreciation quickly builds tools for effective self-manageteam coherence. ment, people become drained t

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emotionally because of the increasing pressures in society, family life, and their workplace. They are unable to recoup the lost energy, and the people around them soon become affected or infected. Like any virus, it spreads quickly if the organizational immune system already is weak. The only way we have seen to eliminate the emotional virus or stop it before it gets out of control is to educate individuals who make up an organization on how to manage their thoughts and emotions. It has to come from the individual change of perspective within the people who make up an organization. It is usually essential to start right at the top with the senior management but it can start in a team of line workers and be highly effective. Just as the emotional virus spreads from person to person so does the antidote. As people in the organization, especially the most visible and inuential ones, begin to actualize change within themselves, others soon will follow suit or move on to another environment that resonates with their attitudes. Start by fostering an atmosphere of appreciation. Do not allow judgments to go on without pointing them out. Put more care into communication and use heart intelligence to make decisions, big and small, especially when the decision affects others. There is more but these suggestions, if applied with sincerity and consistency, at least will save you from becoming infected and go a long way toward helping your coworkers and your organization.

There Must Be Someone We Can Blame Executives like Bob often take the blame for being the carriers of the virus that has hit the company. And sometimes they are indeed a major source of incoherence. Witness the unpleasant public departures of CEOs at Apple three times within ve years, a company once noted for its innovative vision and peo-

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ple-oriented culture. Or the blindness of American autoBLAME #2 makers to their companies’ sickness while the Japanese lame is denitely a “losegained dominance and marlose” strategy. The physioket share. Many business magazines write gloating logical impact of blame on the postmortems of once-hot exbody and the effect it has on ecutives, helping their demise those blamed should be motibecome public. No company vation enough to eliminate it. is immune from the emoSince people have unconsciously tional virus or its ravages. Yet, created, over a number of years, rarely do analysts look at the neural circuitry that often supemotional coherence of the ports blaming and judgmental organization, so easy is it to attitudes, it can take some time blame missed product deadto adjust these patterns. Recoglines, bad decisions, or other nize when you’re blaming manexternal factors that have a agement, the system, a client, deeper cause. a spouse, then shift to neutral It could be tempting to and look for a more balanced see the emotional virus as perspective. While the blame an isolated phenomenon. “It won’t happen here.” Remay seem justied, remember it consider some of the global actually drains your energy and statistics cited earlier. The inhibits creativity. sudden collapse of several Asian economies in 1997 forced a major reexamination of business potentials in that part of the world while affecting global commerce. What role has emotional mismanagement —greed, unhealthy competition, and the like—played in that drama? Similarly, could many of the stress-related health care and productivity-related costs of doing business today in Europe and North America be based,

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at least in part, on underlying emotional mismanagement and organizational structures that ensure a fertile environment for continued viral growth? We anticipate the situation will worsen as increasing globalization creates conditions perfect to mutate new strains of the emotional virus. As with populations that were isolated for centuries then devastated by disease brought by their conquerors, few have built the emotional resilience required to manage unprecedented change and uncertainty. In an age of connectivity, no one is isolated anymore.

How to Strengthen the Organizational Immune System Recent research in human physiology has revealed key aspects of immune system health with remarkable parallels in organizational behavior. In the human body, feelings like anger, frustration, and irritation weaken the immune system and drain vitality, leaving you more susceptible to colds, u, and more serious illnesses. An Institute of HeartMath research study, 1 published in the Journal for Advancement of Medicine , shows that even a ve-minute episode of recalling an angry experience can suppress a key component of the immune system for as long as six hours. This research is showing the converse is also true: Attitudes like appreciation, care, and compassion signicantly boost the immune system, and give you more resilience and strength to withstand sickness (see Figure 9–1). With these positive feelings operating in your system, even if you do get sick, you recover more quickly and recoup lost energy. The more your system is balanced, the more intuitive insight you are capable of—intuition that can anticipate problems before they turn ugly. Organizations are strikingly similar. Work environments characterized by excess stress, contention, and anxiety breed


FIGURE 9–1 Emotions can affect the body’s rst line of defense against bacteria, viruses, or pathogens. In this study, IgA (secretory immunoglobulin A), a key immune system antibody, was found to be suppressed for nearly six hours after a ve-minute period of recalled anger. On the other hand, a ve-minute period of feeling sincere care caused a signicant short-term rise in IgA, and a gradual increase over a six-hour period. © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

insecurity and nonproductivity and inhibit creativity. People do not want to come to work in these rigid, inexible environments. The negative attitudes compound the pressure on an already strained organization. The last place most people look for answers is within; the rst thing many will do is nd someone or something to blame, reinforcing the organizational rigidity. Bob’s an easy target. The same attitudes proven to boost a person’s immune system are the ones known to create a harmonious, productive and creative workplace. Where people are valued, appreciated and cared for, they produce more, have greater loyalty to their employer, and have higher levels of creativity (see Figure 9–2). Attitudes like appreciation, care, and compassion are not just sweet; they are powerful medicine for the virus.


FIGURE 9–2 Attrition improvements. A summary of improving employee attitudes in three companies utilizing the IQM technology. Data reects responses to questions on home and work conict, desire to leave the organization, desire to quit the job, and feeling good about the job. Data was collected over six months, showing a signicant improvement in all measures. For each category, three bars represent pre-data, post-data (six weeks), and post-post-data (six months). © Copyright 1998 Institute of HeartMath Research Center

How to Spot the Emotional Virus The challenge in tracking and curing the emotional virus again is one of perception. Like the sh growing up in the Hudson River, assuming the polluted water was “real” water, many of the symptoms of the emotional virus are so prevalent, there seems no alternative, or they seem invisible, so maladapted are


we to their effects. Common symptoms include: • • • • • • • • •

Caustic humor Constant stream of complaints Defeatism Resentment Us vs. them mentality Suspicion Frequent communication breakdowns Ongoing fatigue or an overrushed pace of work Anxiety, fear, intolerance, resignation, antagonism, despair

All these symptoms can be seen, heard, and felt in lunchrooms, around the coffee machine, by the copier, in mail rooms and boardrooms, and around the dinner table. Early detection and prevention is the best insurance policy.

Climate How does your workplace feel? Dynamic, energized, a magnet for talent? Frantic, rushed, burning people out? Downbeat, discouraged, rats leaving a sinking ship? Most of us intuitively understand that the climate of one’s workplace has an impact on how people feel and on how they perform. In using the term climate , we refer to the collective atmosphere of a workplace: the attitudes, perceptions, and dynamics that affect how people perform on a daily basis. Climate, like the weather, is not static and unchanging. Nevertheless, as with any locale, certain climate patterns are unique to each organization. More important, unlike the weather, we all are involved in creating our organizational climate on a daily basis. For almost a century researchers have explored the causes of work-related injuries, a major cost to any organization and


one of the earliest measures of organizational incoherence. At rst, it was believed certain employees were more “accident prone” than others, but studies failed to support this contention as a denitive personality trait. Research then shifted to uncovering the personality traits that differentiated workers who were hurt from those who avoided injury. Looking into the psychology of safety became essential as organizations such as OSHA and the National Safety Board in the United States determined that 90% of all accidents are caused by unsafe acts, while only 10% are caused by unsafe working conditions.2 The vast majority of workers today are employed in nonmanufacturing jobs, where workplace safety concerns focus more around issues such as ergonomics, workload, and mental and emotional processes, as opposed to the heavy labor of our forefathers. Yet workers’ compensation claims are soaring in many nonmanufacturing sectors of the economy. And health, safety, and environmental issues are growing in importance, especially in industries such as technology, petroleum, and aviation, where disregard for these issues can be catastrophic. According to Dr. Phil Smith, an organizational psychologist working in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, a review of 61 studies of job burnout concludes that of the three facets of burnout—emotional exhaustion , depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment —emotional exhaustion is most sensitive to factors which negatively inuence workplace climate, and is the strongest predictor of attachment to the organization. Interestingly, job stressors such as role stress, workload and role conict have a disproportionate impact on emotional exhaustion, not equaled by the relief provided by resources such as social support, job enhancement and reward structure. This implies that attempts to compensate for the effects of stressful work environments by the provision of additional resources may not be successful.3


Dr. Smith goes on to suggest that, “While a good emotional climate is not by itself sufcient to ensure success, a bad climate is certain to prevent it.”

The Brown and Leigh Study Underlying the inner quality management model is the understanding that your effectiveness in anything you attempt—career, marriage, relationships, fun—is based on activating the most intelligent perceptions of yourself, your environment, and those with whom you interact. Most of us would agree with this. Research showing a direct, measurable link between one’s perception of the climate of one’s workplace and one’s own performance has been lacking, however. A ground-breaking study by Steven P. Brown and Thomas V. Leigh, published in 1996 in the Journal of Applied Psychology , sought to investigate the process by which workplace climate is related to employee involvement, effort, and performance.4 A refreshing aspect of the study was that the researchers chose 178 salespeople in three different companies as the test subjects. Sales results were monitored and correlated with the study’s predictions, providing a bottomline context for the study outcomes. Based on numerous previous studies, Brown, a professor at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, and Leigh, a professor at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, designed their study to examine six dimensions of a workplace’s psychological climate (see Figure 9–3):5 • Supportive management . The extent to which people feel supported by their immediate manager. • Clarity . The degree of clarity about what is expected of an individual. • Contribution . The feeling that one’s contribution is worth while.


• Recognition . The feeling that one’s contribution is recognized and appreciated. • Self-expression . Feeling free to question the way things are done. • Challenge . The feeling that one’s work is challenging. Each of these was considered to be an indicator of how psychologically safe and meaningful the employee/salesperson perceived the organizational environment to be. The dimensions build on the work of the past century in linking job satisfaction and specic organizational outcomes. The 178 salespeople, one group of which represented a paper goods manufacturer and the others represented ofce products companies, were surveyed on these six aspects of their managers’ attitudes and the workplace climate. The salespeople in turn were measured by their managers on three dimensions of work performance: achieving sales objectives, extent of tech-

Climate boosts performance

FIGURE 9–3 Brown and Leigh study of organizational climate. Source: Reprinted with permission from Steven P. Brown and Thomas V. Leigh, “A New Look at Psychological Climate and Its Relationship to Job Involvement, Effort and Performance,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, no. 4 (1996), pp. 358–68.


nical knowledge, and administrative performance. The study results were signicant and supported the researchers’ predictions: An organizational climate perceived by employees as psychologically safe and meaningful positively af fects productivity. This occurs when • • • •

Management is perceived as supportive. Work roles are well-dened. Employees feel free to express and be themselves. Employees feel that they are making a meaningful contribution. • Employees are appropriately recognized for their contribution. • Employees perceive their work as challenging. Then, employees are more involved in their job and exert greater effort.6 This leads to measurable improvement in sales, administrative performance, and product knowledge. (Described later is a way to measure and productively address these aspects of climate.)

Ignoring the Climate The health consequences of ignoring the workplace climate was researched in a long-term study of British civil servants. The study indicated that employees with little control over their working environment face a signicantly higher risk of heart disease than those with authority to inuence their job conditions. “Our research suggests that illness in the workplace is to some extent a management issue,” says Michael G. Marmot, director of the International Centre for Health and Society at University College in London and lead author of the report. 7 “The way work is organized appears to make an important contribution” to the


link between socioeconomic status and heart-attack risk, he adds. The study, which tracked nearly 7,400 men and women in London civil-service jobs for an average of more than ve years, found that those in low-grade positions with little control over their responsibilities were at a 50% higher risk of developing symptoms of coronary heart disease than those in higher level jobs. Since 1992, the United Kingdom has made companies liable for employee stress. Numerous lawsuits brought by employees against employers who created stressful environments have been won. Similar legislation in the United States so far has been blocked. In the highly litigious American culture, one can imagine the economic and social chaos that would be wrought by such legal actions. Liability issues aside, organizations the world over must deal on a daily basis with the consequences of unhealthy climates.

Assessing Organizational Coherence: The Organizational Coherence Survey Building on the considerable organizational research of the past 100 years, the Institute has developed a survey instrument that carefully assesses how employees feel about their organizational climate. The Organizational Coherence Survey,8 created jointly by Edgecumbe Consulting Group Ltd. (UK) and the Institute of HeartMath, gives management focused information on the state of the organizational climate and how to improve it. Edgecumbe’s chairman, Dr. David Pendleton, an organizational psychologist and codeveloper of the survey, says, There is an increasing body of evidence that coherent organizations do better than their misaligned counterparts. They outperform the market and bring out the best in their people. We believe that they outperform their competitors because they bring out the best in their people. They certainly gain clear and predictable advantage because


they are more efciently coordinated. In the public sector, they provide consistently superior service to their constituents.9

The survey is designed to provide insights into the extent to which an organization is coherent. Pendleton views coherence as the state in which those features that are considered important by the stakeholders are performed to a high standard in the organization. It is the consistency between expectations and reality that goes beyond mere “alignment,” a buzzword of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Aligned organizations may consistently implement norms that do harm to their people. Coherent organizations are aligned around norms that bring out the best in people at work.10

Organizations usually do not become incoherent by deliberate actions. They usually are not sabotaged into an incoherent state, nor do most managers act maliciously. They are undermined by subtle factors that are easily ignored or missed in the high speed world experienced in most organizations. The survey is designed to act as an early detection mechanism and identify how appropriate actions may be taken. A unique aspect of the survey’s design is that questions are asked two ways: “How do you feel about the issue?” and “How important is it to you to feel good about it?” The distinction between importance and current feelings shows the gap between expectations and reality and the sources of organizational noise and incoherence. The emotional virus lives and thrives in the gap between expectations and perceived reality.

Content The survey investigates how the respondents are feeling in general. It seeks to determine the extent to which they enjoy their


work, feel motivated, feel (un)stressed, feel valued, feel proud to be a member of their organization, and feel committed to it. It also asks how they feel when they have nished a typical day. These outcomes represent their responses to how they are treated at work, and how they feel about their experiences there. The six topics explored in the Organizational Coherence Survey (see Figure 9–4) are as follows: 1. Taking care of business . The extent to which each key group of employees takes care of the interests of its customers, staff members, and shareholders. 2. A sense of well-being at work . How people feel in their workplace. 3. Relationships at work . How people feel about their relationships with key individuals and groups. 4. Managing people . The style of management that brings out the best in the employees surveyed and sustains their efforts in the longer term. 5. Managing the organization . How people feel about the balance between their work effort and the rewards they receive. 6. The working climate . How people feel working for their particular manager (this topic investigates the six dimensions explored in the Brown and Leigh study). Once the information is clear on how the organization perceives itself and its management practices and behaviors, clear priorities can be established and action plans built for continuous improvement. Many organizations do annual or biannual employee satisfaction surveys. Because most such surveys ask only how employees feel , while neglecting to ask the importance , the information is far less focused and meaningful. One client is a rapidly growing company within a large


FIGURE 9–4 Organizational coherence survey. All items within each of the six topics are plotted in a scattergram format, yielding information on priority and importance. Depending on where in the graph each item falls, it can be characterized as x , celebrate , ignore , or question question..

health care organization. Rapid growth meant new systems and processes were required that had been unnecessary when the company was small and entrepreneurial. Rapid growth also meant lots of hiring, so the unique West Coast culture of innovation and friendliness began to be diluted. The strain in the company was showing up in declining employee satisfaction scores. In 1995, an outsider was named VP of marketing while the popular previous VP assumed a larger role. The new VP was greeted with mistrust and suspicion, and satisfaction scores in marketing plummeted. Hoping to turn around the decline in her organization and uncover the emotional virus, the VP asked us to provide the Organizational Coherence Survey to pinpoint the areas of incoherence and nd the virus. Several parallels with their own employee satisfaction survey were found, allowing for


targeted discussions and solutions. Six months later, satisfaction survey scores had doubled or tripled, even though it had been a period of signicant turbulence in the department. Along the way,, the com way company pany saw rev rev-how do you create a start-up enues increase to record levels and market share increase, climate? while whi le the top prio priority rity in mar mar-he lure of a start-up is not keting and customer service only stock options and had become “organizational IPO wealth—it’s the climate of climate.” challenge, fun, risk-taking, beThe survey was not ing part of something new, and, administered in isolation. especially, feeling you can reMarketing and customer service ally make a difference. Larger staff members were trained in technology companies who have IQM tools, the tools became traditionally been magnets for integrated in staff meetings and talent—like Microsoft, Sony performance reviews, and a or Cisco—are nding growth coaching series was initiated for managers. The Organizational has made them big , with all Coherence Survey is designed the problems that implies. Infor continuous feedback. novative managers are now Afterr an init Afte initial ial surv survey ey of the realizing they need to create a entire organization or division, start-up environment to attract representative samples or retain great people. To pull it are frequently tested—say, off requires autonomy, accountevery three months—so the ability, and more than a little information is kept current chutzpah. How could your comand feedback to employees can pany or division have the spunk happen quickly. and energy of a start-up, with The assumption, too, the maturity and wisdom you’ve is that employees must be

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given tools to manage their perceptions and emotional reactions so they become active creators of a healthier climate, not just whims.. Analy Analyzing zing organ organizati izational onal victims of management whims incoherence—while giving employees practical tools for managing and leveraging their emotional and intellectual processes—represents a powerful parallel approach to regaining organizational vitality. But the work on climate should not rely solely on information and perceptions from within. Your customers, your key partners and your major vendors are also interacting with your organization organization.. They’r They’re e experi experiencin encing g rsth rsthand and the effec effects ts of a virus, or hopefully being delighted to do business with such a healthy, resilient organization. Do you know how each of these constituents would rate your climate, or what suggestions they could make to create more coherence? Conversations—deep and ongoing—with each of these groups can be like a fresh breeze into a stale or dark atmosphere. At times the feedback is liable to feel like thunder and lightning. But the electricity could be just the energy needed to wake up a sleepy town. By the way, Bob sends his regards. He’s on a beach in Maui exploring his options.

chapter

10

Core Values: The Foundation of Sustainability With the demise of the myth of job security, the accelerating pace of change, and the increasing ambiguity ambiguity and complexity of our world, people who depend on external structures to provide continuity and stability run the very real risk of having their moorings ripped away. The only truly reliable source of stability is a strong inner core and the willingness to change and adapt everything except that core. —JAMES C. COLLINS AND JERRY PORRAS1 UNSWERVING AT THE CORE—REMAINING TRUE TO ONE’S heart—is the prerequisite to building resilience and exibility mentally, emotionally, and physically. The model of coherence suggests that coherence at the heart of a system, personal or organizational, is the foundation for rapid shifts in effectiveness, growth, and motivation. Our research into human efciency, performance and fulllment has yielded this conclusion, the third principle of Dynamic 3:

Shared core values such as adaptability, exibility, care, and appreciation underlie sustainab sustainable le organizational cultures. Core Values as a Foundation As we and other otherss have delve delved d deeply into the commo common n principles and best practices of great companies, that search has [ 165 ]

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yielded a commo yielded common n conc conclusio lusion. n. At the heart of all succe successful ssful organizations—and indeed successful people—is a set of rmly held core values for which the organization feels passion. These values, more than just prots or the thrill of competition, are the source of the organization’s creative energy. Business leaders and their organizations need to make sure that as business strategies change, adapt, and morph into new activities uniquely suited to the time and the market, core values and purpose remain stable and protected. It is no different personally. When we are fullled, it is because of coherence between the values of our hearts and the actions we carry out in our professional and family lives. While our relationships will vary dehe C e n pending on the depth of trust, e G love, and commitment, the reect on, and feel, core—the heart—out of which your core core values we act does not change. change. In fact, hese are the values that the more consistently we act truly matter, not the New from our core values, the more Year’ Y ear’ss resolution variety variety.. These the intelligence of these values are the values that sustain you in unfolds, increasing our abiltimes of crisis or tragedy tragedy.. Start ity to adapt intelligently to the the day by remembering what world aroun around d us. really matters to you—your aims Indeed core values are powerful because they are the in life. When you remain conembodiment of intelligent opnected with your core values, erating principles for our lives your life will more more readily reect reect or our organizations. Values as them. Developing your core val may be a new twist intelligence may ues through increasing levels of on this fundamental principle, self-care and care for others will and yet each of us could see impact the quality of your life how the values we hold most and your contribution to life. dear indicate the direction t

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Core Values: The Foundation of Sustainability

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for a highly intelligent use of our energy. Intelligent not in the context merely of being intellectually astute, but in being energy efcient. Our perceptions are clearer, decisions more balanced, communication more caring and well-reasoned. Core values do not lead to mushy actions or sentimentality; they are the battery chargers for wisdom. We are smarter when in phase with our core values. As internal coherence increases by becoming more consistently in phase with the heart’s core values, leaps in perception, creativity, and adaptability are possible. That’s heart intelligence.

Adaptability Revisited Why would adaptability be an essential characteristic? Certainly the pace of change would demand it. According to research conducted by the authors of The Service-Prot Chain ,2 the clear differentiator between high and low performing rms, all with strong cultures, was the ability of each rm to adapt to changing environments, whether legal, technological, social, or competitive. The authors discovered that the single most important indicator of adaptability was the adherence by management to a clear set of core values stressing the importance of delivering results to various constituencies, especially customers and employees , as part of an effort to deliver prots to owners. They concluded: 1. Strong cultures don’t win as consistently as adaptable ones, 2. Adaptability is a “state of the management mind” resulting from a set of core values that include an emphasis on the importance of change, and 3. Organizations that vigorously practice these core values and install devices for maintaining adaptability not only greatly improve their chances of sustaining high performance over time, they increase their chances of achieving successful transitions from one leader to another.3

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The true meaning of adaptability implies healthy adjustments to external factors, as opposed to the maladaptation process discussed earlier in the rigidifying way most people react to stressors. True adaptability is the ability to assess from the mind and the heart—to analyze and feel—then shift attitude and action. How we respond to a crisis or unexpected occurrence underpins true adaptability. Adaptability allows speed without the negative consequences.

The Role of Signicance How you adapt to each event of your day is based largely on the signicance you ascribe to it. Consider signicance from an emotional perspective. How signicant something becomes is directly proportional to the amount of emotional energy you assign it. When you feel secure and condent, unpleasant events have much less signicance than when you are emotionally imbalanced. You see things in perspective. But when operating at a decit, the tone of voice, the inection or the implied message in a conversation can easily become magnied in your perception. Then, your internal video machine replays the “story” repeatedly while you work yourself up into greater emotional turmoil. All of this because of the signicance you placed on the event. Certain people overinvest in making things signicant. They make a big deal out of nearly everything. From a balanced, heart-driven perspective people can see more easily how much of their own vital, precious energy needs to be given to each daily event. If everything is signicant it becomes difcult to not eventually feel drained and victimized by emotions. People who do well long term and can handle pressure are often the ones who naturally are more even keeled. They do not make things overly signicant. This does not make them better or worse than


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others, but it is a gift that saves energy and sustains personal productivity. All of us can learn to take the signicance out of things. The concept and practice of “taking out the signicance” is powerful. It seems so simple and it is, but when applied as a tool or technique the amount of your unnecessary, inefcient energy expenditures will decrease signicantly. There is a ne line between an attitude of irresponsibility or simply brushing things off as opposed to intelligently withdrawing some of the signicance out of life’s tricky events. It is intuitive intelligence in action to know how much of your emotional energy to give to something. Some things are more important than we at rst perceive, while other things are not as important as we make them out to be. Overdramatizing and adding signicance to anything amplies it, just like throwing a log on a re causes the re to burn brighter and hotter. Use heart discrimination to decide what kind of res you really want to build. Taking out the signicance is an important skill for developing adaptability. Adaptability is an energetic exing of our inner muscles when a situation requires extra energy. It builds reserves in the system that manifest themselves as more genuine care. As you learn to take the signicance out of things that you know will not serve your best interests, you will see a natural increase in your ability to care. It is much easier for people to adapt to change when the environment supports them, as the Brown and Leigh study implies. However, if your organizational climate clearly is lled with an emotional virus, it is still in your interest to adapt as fully as possible, even if that adaptation process involves an intelligent exit from the unhealthy environment. (Being a “doormat” for abuse or incoherence is not the intelligent insight of truly caring perspectives.) This is as true at the individual level as

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at the team or organizational level when faced with unhealthy competition, unethical practices, or attitudes that contradict your deeply held core values. Adaptability in this context, especially, requires centering ever more deeply in your core values and, from that position of strength and wisdom, determining the most energy-efcient, coherent response possible. Organizational life today is full of such bombardment that true adaptability rests on your ability to heartfully adapt to all the mini-crises and disturbances, using heart intelligence as an inner guidance system. This can be as simple as stopping long enough to ask yourself, “What is the best way to adapt to this situation, for the good of all involved?” Your heart, if asked, can supply surprising wisdom. When you learn to adapt by becoming internally coherent, you can discover more coherent solutions. Learning to take the signicance out of situations that really are minor blips on the screen saves energy for those issues of real signicance—the core values and viability of you and your organization. With unnecessary signicance kept to a minimum, the energy to adapt, ex, and innovate is maximized.

Care A basic human instinct is to care. In our work, we have seen that care is central to personal or organizational effectiveness, when balanced with efciency: Efciency + Care = Effectiveness Consider this simple equation both personally and organizationally. Biomedical research cited in the last chapter suggests that feeling sincere care for something or someone actually boosts immune system function, as measured by the


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antibody IgA. A study by Harvard psychologist David McClellan and C. Kirshnit in 19884 showed that inducing the feeling of care could boost levels of IgA, the body’s rst line of defense against pathogenic invaders such as viruses or bacteria. Clearly, care is a good investment of energy. You receive a payoff for you when you care, beyond just being nice. Care is rejuvenating for both the giver and receiver. It acts like a lubricant on mental, emotional, and physical levels, increasing adaptability mentally, emotionally, and physically. Here we present one of the prime personal and organizational challenges in this age of transition: Care is its own reward, as poets and philosophers have said for centuries. Whether or not the other person sees your actions as caring, by adapting to stress through the heart, you have saved untold amounts of energy, potentially saved a decision that could have proven costly to the organization, and stopped an emotional and physiological drain in your own system.

Reviving the Corporate Heart The research cited in the last chapter revealed organizational benets of caring. Consider how you and your organization could apply care to the six dimensions of climate: • • • • • •

Recognition Clarity Contribution Supportive management Self-expression Challenge

Even asking the questions would be an act of caring, but be prepared to follow through sincerely on the responses or the efforts

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will backre, being viewed cynically as yet another example of management paying lip service to employee perceptions and concerns, with no intention of acting on them. A practical application for caring in the workplace is to ask your managers to have their people assess their own assets and decits on each of the six dimensions of climate, then discuss with them key patterns in the feedback and how to best address them. Do the same yourself with those who report to you or, if you do not manage others, with your closest colleagues. Discuss in your next staff meeting how your department or division, as well as the organization as a whole, stacks up on each merger dimension. By evaluating mayhem decits and assets you can unou don’t need more derstand what areas require statistics to know many attention, while appreciating mergers succeed only on the those areas deserving apprepre-merger spreadsheet. Just ciation and celebration. This ask any merged employee who activity can lead to a sense of excitement and pride as you has seen their budget, their recognize what is good in the authority, and their internal netclimate you have all created. works freeze as the merger “sets Sincere appreciation builds in.” Most often, a fundamental a solid foundation for future clash of values is at the root of growth.

Y

the turmoil. The promised busi-

ness efciencies may eventually result, but at what cost? Cultural integration—connecting in the heart—may be the only life preserver if the culture collision is too extreme.

Sincere Care Underlying the application of care in your workplace is sincerity. Without sincerity caring acts ring hollow. Sincere care is required to achieve a


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true service attitude with people. When care is mechanical or insincere, it causes resistance and reaction in others, undermining adaptability. Coworkers, family, clients, and superiors can tell the difference between required courtesy and sincere care . Put simply, it is much easier to adapt healthfully to unpleasant or unexpected circumstances when we feel our workplace or social environment is caring. Care is the glue that keeps relationships together once the novelty has worn off. This is as true in organizational life as in the personal domain. Tom Peters has echoed this point: Store shelves groan under the weight of new products, but few have heart. Service offerings are about as lifeless. Most hotels, for example, spent the last decade bufng their customer service. The mechanics are better. Bravo. But the heart is usually absent: the sincere sense of “Welcome to my home” as opposed to “I’ve gotta remember to act like I care.”5

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco is different. An award-winning hotel in the heart of San Francisco’s nancial district, it has consistently provided exceptional value and service to its guests since opening in the late 1980s. And yet like any other high performing organization, management recognized its staff members were being held to ever-higher standards while facing greater personal pressures as societal stress increased. IQM tools were instituted at all levels of the hotel staff to help ensure a high level of balance of personal and professional effectiveness. At the Mandarin, there is an understanding that care for oneself and for colleagues goes hand in hand with exceptional care for customers. “Caregivers”—whether social workers, health care professionals, or counselors—are at their best when providing the kind of support that makes it easier for the patient to adapt to and recover from the illness, injury, or personal setback. The caregiv-

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ers themselves, however, must learn when the care is enhancing their own and others’ adaptability and when it is detracting. A 1990 study 6 on caregiving among nurses observed that caring did not lead to burnout but it was the lack of caring or overcaring that did. The study reported that “caring itself allows nurses to access a very important source of energy and renewal.” When nurses became overly emotionally identied with the plight of their patients, their care turned to burnout. Whether your job involves caring for patients, caring for customers, or requires extra care in times of high stress and pressure, keeping your care balanced and rejuvenating requires vigilance and close attention. This is one of the greatest challenges in an age of chaos and complexity. When care depletes, it becomes overcare .

The Drain of Overcare Overcaring is caring that crossed the line into anxiety and worry, ceased to be nurturing for the giver and receiver, and is close to the top of the list of personal and organizational energy drains. Overcaring begins as caring, but because of unmanaged emotions such as unrealistic expectations, emotional attachment, or mental preoccupation, the caring becomes tainted and diminished in its effectiveness. In the extreme, overcaring is debilitating for all concerned, driving a wedge between you and the object of your overcaring. Clear examples of overcaring would be these: • The micro-manager who must have a hand in every detail of his division, causing stress and inefciency in those he supervises, and conning himself to a self-created environment of obsessive mental activity, cut off from the nourishing power of the heart. • The parent who hovers over a sick child, creating an en-


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vironment not of caring support but of overbearing intrusion. Overcaring is tricky because, in our achievement-oriented society, the only alternative to overcaring seems to be uncaring or apathy. The truth is that overcaring is so emotionally and physically draining, chronic overcaring eventually leads to not caring . But there is a healthy, balanced alternative. The challenge is to identify overcaring early on and utilize heart intelligence to determine a more balanced and caring response. A simple question can help distinguish caring from its kissing cousin overcaring: “Is my care stress producing or stress reducing ?” If it is overcaring, you will sense stress in your system; if balanced caring, you will experience more contentment and peace.

Identifying Overcare Overcare is dened not by the specic behavior or action but by the underlying attitude. This often is experienced as ongoing anxiety and concern, which may briey subside in moments of appreciation but continues to drain energy and occupy our attention. While there are no pat rules for what actions are overcaring and what are caring, here are some examples. Working overtime to complete a project is not always driven by overcare; it could be an act of true caring, so long as the internal attitude was not fueled by worry and fear. How much more energized do you feel by any project when you are positively motivated to complete it instead of fearing the consequences of its lack of completion? When worry or fear is the fuel, you still may complete the project in the allotted time—maybe even faster—but at a signicant cost to your health and balance on all levels.

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Similarly, failing to address a difcult employee issue could be the result of overcaring about how the employee might react. The caring action would be to ask the heart for a clear perspective on the situation and how to most effectively resolve the situation for the good of all concerned. A reminder: the effects of these stressful, overcaring behaviors do not just go “poof!” and disappear. They live on in our bodies as diminished vitality and the emotional memories of the overcaring events that replay themselves. In our work with organizational clients, we continuously ask ourselves if the “something extra” we think we should do for the client truly adds value or if it is just going to add stress to us and provide nothing benecial to the client. Keeping overcaring in check is a tremendous energy saver, with the added benet that the effect of care on clients, customers, and staff members is increased signicantly. In staff meetings we ask each other what areas of overcare we have around workload, deadlines, or performance, then get help to diminish the load or explore new perspectives on the reality of the pressures. Stopping overcare in its tracks frees up tremendous energy that allows you, or your team, to jump to a whole new level of efciency and effectiveness that translates into improved business results. How easy it is to spend hours watching an internal movie of possible horric future scenarios, all the result of overcaring! If they fail to manifest themselves, we still have aged our bodies in the hours or days or weeks we spent overcaring. Clearly, not an efcient investment of energy. But, once again, the healthy alternative to overcaring is not apathy but rather balanced caring . It is incumbent on us as leaders, managers, or parents to take seriously potential threats to the health and safety of our organization or our loved ones. Overcaring can be the wake-up call that a new perspective and action are necessary to deal with


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a potential threat. However, once overcaring is recognized, we would do well to adapt our attitude, neutralize our stress reaction, then proceed with whatever balanced caring would be appropriate. Overcaring blocks effectiveness, personally and professionally. It is noise that distorts clear communication, whether you are the receiver or the transmitter. It limits our ability to satisfy internal or external customers or be as productive and fullled as we can be. The good news is that all overcaring starts out as caring, but unmanaged emotions dilute the caring and keep us stuck in perspectives that tend to perpetuate the overcaring. The challenge is to bring the caring back into balance. Overcaring creates the breeding ground for actions and attitudes that will self-fulll the underlying

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overcaring. Overcaring breeds more overcaring. Unchecked, overcaring can lead to reactions and attitudes that allow the emotional virus to thrive. What examples of overcare in yourself or others can you think of? Take a moment and list a few key examples of overcare in your life. Then, recognize the current effect on you, the other person, your energy level, effectiveness, health, and so on. One of the most powerful tools for neutralizing overcaring is FreezeFrame. Most overcaring is he C e n just “one attitude adjustment e G away” from a caring, balanced care without attitude and action, but withovercare out stopping and consulting earning how to maintain a the heart, the answers easily state of balanced care can evade your awareness. Use without falling into the trap of Freeze-Frame to ask yourself worry, anxiety, and overload how to bring the overcaring about your job and/or the people back into balance and uncover you manage is essential. Care is intelligent alternatives. t

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regenerative. Overcare drains your energy and compromises your effectiveness as a manager while at the same time negatively impacting the people you manage. Make an effort to identify your “overcares.” Then, use the Freeze-Frame technique to eliminate these overcares and bring yourself back to balanced care. Take things one step at a time and appreciate your successes.

Jobs That Magnetize Overcare Certain segments of an organization are especially vulnerable to overcaring, such as customer service and sales. Because these positions deal directly with the customer, most reps live in a precarious world of loyalty to two masters. Caring for both, it is often hard to discern the appro-


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priate action—look after the needs of the customer or look after the company? The pat answer would be that in taking care of the customer the company will be taken care of. In a general sense, this is true, but when an irrational or out-of-control customer is in your face, such a perspective lacks credibility and practicality. In the real world, people get upset, expectations are not met, insecurity is high, and things are said or done that do not reect the deeper core values of that person. Recognizing, neutralizing, then moving past the overcaring can bring balanced solutions or, at least, minimize the drain. Neutralizing any emotional reaction from a negative interaction with a customer—before dealing with the next one—has immediate payoff. Overcare is a powerful inhibitor of personal and organizational effectiveness, cloaked as it is in the robes of care and concern. In many organizational cultures, we are rewarded for overcaring. Our commitment is questioned if we fail to display the proper overcare. “How dare you leave the ofce at 5:00 to be with your family, don’t you care?” “Why aren’t you worried about the production delay, don’t you care?” “Why aren’t you anxious about the client presentation, don’t you realize the signicance of this account?” In our extremist, stimulus-addicted culture, there appears no alternative to chronic, debilitating overcaring, other than total apathy or self-centeredness. Yet research on the effects of chronic anxiety or worry on health, let alone the emotional drain on the organization of constantly being on edge, should suggest overcaring already is costing us dearly. If you manage people, you would do well to examine areas of overcaring in your management style. Overcaring disempowers others. Overcaring in leaders robs them of the magnetism necessary to inspire condence and hope. Overcaring is caring made incoherent. When people resist change, overcaring accumulates. As you adapt intelligently to change, that is caring.

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Care regenerates; overcare depletes. When overcaring is recognized in a team or in yourself, specic steps can be taken to regain balanced care.

Self-Care Revisited A powerful element in the reduction of overcaring and achievement of organizational adaptability is self-care . In many cultures, self-care is almost taboo, because the fear is that any focus on self-care will lead to self-obsession and attitudes that undermine the collective well-being. The Asian focus on collective culture makes it challenging to justify the importance of self-care. American culture by contrast could seem to be selfindulgent and self-caring to the extreme. And yet, for many, balanced self-care is nearly nonexistent, going no deeper than self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, or a once-a-year vacation that is often stressful, a strain to prepare for, and over far too quickly. The notion of self-care can conjure up images of mandatory exercise, no junk food or high-cholesterol meals, severely restricting or eliminating ingestion of substances such as alcohol or tobacco—in short, self-care seems to be self-denial . What we are suggesting is something much more core to each person—the balanced care of oneself. People take for granted that children need care to grow and mature, that plants need regular attention and care to thrive, that pets need care to be the happy playmates we want them to be. Are you any different? Deep self-care would mean regular reection on your core values, assessing where your life lacks coherence and balance, evaluating how much and in what way you want to attend to physical health—in short, caring for all the dimensions of your life. And, if fun is not on the list, good luck not feeling deprived.


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By focusing self-care in the mental and emotional domains and achieving balance there through the activation of heart intelligence, signicant jumps in effectiveness can occur. An organization where self-care is a valued quality is far more resilient than one that denies its importance. Imagine a car refusing the offer of a fresh tank of gas!

The Heart Lock-In® A powerful tool for increasing internal coherence through selfcare is the Heart Lock-In. In this tool, the objective is to practice staying focused in the heart “frequencies” of care and appreciation. It is called a lock-in because you attempt to lock in to the heart feeling domain, like a jet ghter pilot directs radar to lock onto a target or a great athlete stays locked in to “the zone,” keeping mental and emotional distractions to a minimum so performance is optimized. Heart Zones 7 is music specially designed to facilitate Heart Lock-Ins. This four-song concept (composed and performed by Doc) takes you through a “cardiovascular workout” for your mind and emotions, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized. The overall intention is to calm and reenergize. As with a Freeze-Frame, you attempt to keep your focus in the area of the heart, but if thoughts or concerns arise, you note them, then return to a focus in the heart. Many organizations today incorporate this simple 5–15 minute centering tool in meetings or planning sessions. The rationale? By increasing internal coherence, you increase team coherence. Over the past 25 years, we explored many tools for adaptability, increased intelligence, and self-care. We have found the Heart Lock-In technique to be extremely powerful, providing a daily boost and surprising clarity. With consistent practice, levels of physical, mental, and emotional resilience increase dramatically. As a state of internal balance more frequently is reached,

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it becomes much easier to quickly adapt to unexpected change. The Heart Lock-In was designed to help people build a strong muscle for internal self-management, making it much easier to nd a neutral or positive perspective when they Freeze-Frame. An entire organization using this tool enhances its adaptability, creativity, and climate. We had an example of the benets of frequent Heart LockIns in Kuala Lumpur. While testing the presentation technology, we realized the power converter had been broken in transit. When an alternate converter was nally found, we plugged in all h the equipment and watched C e n e G as a key biomedical device began to smoke, while brown lock-in to your heart three times oil leaked from the switch. a week (or more) Our hosts became quite conreat athletes, musicians cerned, while all our attention went to how best to adapt. and leaders know the We stayed calm, scanned for importance of mental and emoalternatives in the event the tional balance. They also know unit was damaged beyond that if your heart is not engaged repair, knowing the nearest in your work, you will be less efrepair shop was 10,000 miles fective and less fullled. A Heart away. By staying in balance, Lock-In—practiced regularly—is we helped our hosts keep a powerful tool for increasing their concerns to a minimum. your mental and emotional balBy the time the unit was sucance. It’s well worth the time incessfully repaired by a highly vested to truly “lock-in” to deepingenious man named Siva, er heart feelings, giving you a we had kept stress from grabrefreshing break from the mind bing our vitality. Heart Lock-In and helping to activate your techniques had helped us susheart intelligence—intuition. tain health, clarity, and focus. t

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In the past two chapters, we discussed the role of climate in organizational performance, the primacy of core values to organizational longevity, and essential qualities such as adaptability, care, self-care, and appreciation. In the background during this discussion lurked the fourth principle of Dynamic 3:

Understanding the distinction between knowledge and wisdom is essential to organizational sustainability. Building wise companies through developing wise people is the next organizational frontier. It is no longer enough to be smart—all the technological tools in the world add meaning and value only if they enhance our core values, the deepest part of our heart, and our connections with others. Acquiring knowledge is no guarantee of practical, useful application or depth. Wisdom implies a mature integration of appropriate knowledge, a seasoned ability to lter the nonessential from the essential. Self-management and internal coherence are central to the emergence of wisdom personally and organizationally. A healthy, adaptive climate makes the journey all the easier. Wisdom also will emerge as information overload—knowledge addiction—pervades more corners of our lives. For some, pain or tragedy will force the issue. For others, deeper promptings from the heart will urge a shift in perception, an insistence on living in integrity with our hearts, of putting care for self and others as a prerequisite to survival and fulllment in the next millennium. The markets, the customers, the constituents will expect this from us. They want it, too.

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DYNAMIC 4

STRATEGIC PROCESSES

OF RENEWAL

Balance

Decision Making & Project Planning

Strategic Processes of Renewal

Team Work & Coaching

Creativity & Innovation

1. Balance is the keynote for self-renewing organizations. 2. Key management skills will be seen as strategic imperatives: • Building effective teams can be achieved based on the model of entrained systems. • Coaching guarantees ongoing learning and continuity of the coherent organization. 3. Creativity and innovation arise out of coherent people and coherent processes and underlie competitive advantage. 4. Complex decision making and project planning require “big picture” thinking. [ 185 ]

chapter

11

Leading from Chaos to Coherence THE GRAND BALLROOM WAS BUZZING WITH PRE-CONCERT anticipation. The conductor strode condently to the podium, plainly comfortable in his role despite the odd khaki safari outt he was wearing. He introduced himself to the orchestra, dressed in evening wear, which seemed pleased to meet him, although many of us in the audience of 1,000 CEOs 1 and spouses were perplexed at the apparent unfamiliarity between orchestra and conductor. The conductor placed his baton on the podium and invited the orchestra to play the rst movement of a Beethoven symphony—without him. Startled but professional, the concertmaster (rst violinist) raised his bow and with a nod of his head the orchestra began, playing awlessly—leaderless, in sync, harmonious. Whatever nervousness they may have had about the conductorless performance quickly dissolved in the coherence and professionalism of their effort. The conductor then turned with a challenge to the CEOs. “How many of you have such faith in the professionalism and skill of your people to attempt something like this? Do you really appreciate their talents and creativity or do you assume everything will collapse without you?” He was not done. The conductor then demonstrated how, with the caring application of intelligence, even greater potential could be realized

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in the orchestra. He rehearsed each section of the orchestra (a group of professional musicians who had been assembled for one night only) through the same symphony, singing passages where subtle nuances would bring the symphony to life. He encouraged balance and coherence among the sections, orchestrating an entire performance with eloquence and passion. He left the stage, changed into a white tuxedo and returned to conduct. With his coaching, they now performed again, this time with even greater brilliance, grace, and passion. Thunderous applause greeted their nal note. Many in the audience were stunned by the rapid transformation they had just witnessed. Entrepreneurial and driven, the CEOs were being asked to appreciate more, to care more, to go beyond “living life from the neck up,” and to share their insight and wisdom with their people. We all had witnessed a coherent organization take shape in front of our eyes. The CEOs now had a new challenge: how to translate this inspiring metaphor into practical application that recognizes the realities of business and organizational life. Excellent organizations are self-renewing systems, nding continuous nourishment, internally and externally. They are alert to subtle or profound changes in the environment inside or outside the organization that can be intelligently adapted to. This is the imperative for success in an age of unprecedented acceleration. Whether you are the leader of many, leader of a few, or simply leader of yourself, renewal is a strategic necessity. Typically the term strategy is used to describe the clear vision and comprehensive plans that are designed to accomplish specic organizational or personal objectives. The problem today is the rapid obsolescence of most strategic thinking. Excessive strategizing based solely on analytical thinking or competitive analysis is contradictory to the very principles of innovation

Leading from Chaos to Coherence

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and exibility required today. So many corporations link strategy only to short-term protability, to the great detriment of the organization’s viability. In the future, strategy will be seen as simply one factor—albeit an essential one—ensuring viability, with individual and organizational coherence as the foundation. We believe the critical strategic imperatives for success in the 21st century are building adaptability, coherence, and innovation into all levels of the organization. The rst theme in Dynamic 4 is this:

Balance is the keynote for self-renewing organizations. A balance of all four dynamics of IQM—internal self-management, coherent communication, boosting organizational climate, and strategic renewal—can ensure that the organization is resilient, nimble, and always innovating. Balance in this context does not imply that the organization is static or still, but rather intelligently and dynamically aware of itself and its environment, ne-tuning itself when it gets thrown off course. Aware of the market and its customers, communication is rich and frequent, the lifeblood of the organization’s rapid evolution. Renewal at the organizational level can go deep as the individuals themselves are encouraged and rewarded for renewing themselves.

The Service-Prot Chain How do high-performing organizations consistently renew themselves? Patterns of organizational renewal were described in the mid-’90s when James Heskett, W. Earl Strasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration reported ground-breaking research around an idea called the service-prot chain .2 The ser-

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vice-prot chain (see Figure 11–1) was developed from analyses of successful service organizations such as Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart, Intuit Corporation, Taco Bell, and MCI. It establishes clear relationships between protability, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity. The links in the chain are as follows: • Prot and growth are stimulated primarily by customer loyalty. • Loyalty is a direct result of customer satisfaction. • Satisfaction is inuenced largely by the value of services provided to customers. • Value is created by satised, loyal, and productive employees. • Productivity is largely the result of employee satisfaction. • Employee satisfaction , in turn, results from high-quality support services and policies—the internal quality of an organization—that enable employees to deliver results to customers. • Internal quality results from leadership , which understands that frontline workers and customers need to be the center of management focus. The ow of organizational care and appreciation must especially go to those key stakeholders. The IQM model of organizational coherence maps well to this research. The absence or presence of internal self-management, coherent communication, a healthy organizational climate, and strategic renewal can be seen in every link in the chain. The service-prot chain focuses management thinking on two very important ideas:


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1. Do what is necessary to detect the needs and ensure the satisfaction and loyalty of targeted customers. 2. Achieve this, in most cases, by giving employees the latitude and support necessary to deliver high value to desired customers. In short, create coherence and balance within the organization around each link in the chain. In looking deeper at the service-prot chain model, some interesting observations appear. Heskett and his coauthors note that the accomplishments of the organizations they cite did not happen by chance. Nor did they happen completely by excellent planning and design alone. They resulted from extraordinary leadership by a small group of exceptional people who understood implicitly the relationships embodied in the service prot chain, who put them to work to create organizations capable of detecting and adapting to changing customer needs, and who have seen to it that cultures have been

The service-proft chain

FIGURE 11–1 The service-prot chain. Source: Reprinted with permission from Simon and Schuster, New York, 1997.

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created in their organizations that will sustain them during future ups and downs.3

The story of Southwest Airlines has been told many times, but its lessons bear repeating. Their focus: high value for customers needing frequent transportation over relatively short distances at a cost comparable to the cost of driving their own car. For these customers, Southwest means high quality, reected in frequent departures and on-time arrivals. High quality also means rst-name recognition by loyal employees who have worked the ticket counters long enough to be able to recognize hundreds of frequent yers by name.4 It is arguably a highly coherent organization, clear and focused on its people and those they serve. As any jazz musician knows, it takes exibility and adaptability for improvisation to create beauty. This clearly has become the hallmark of Southwest Airlines’ organizational culture. In an article in Leader to Leader , a brilliant magazine published by the Peter F. Drucker Foundation, Herb Kelleher, Southwest’s maverick founder and CEO, says this about people in the organization: What’s the secret to building a great organization? How do you sustain consistent growth, prots and service in an industry that can literally change overnight? And how do you build a culture of commitment and performance when the notion of loyalty—on the part of customers, employees, and employers—seems like a quaint anachronism? I can answer basically in two words: be yourself .5

How effective do you feel this approach would be if there was not a fairly high level of balance and coherence within the individuals serving the customers? It is impossible to mandate this kind of attitude. If the organizational culture did not help the individual feel good about his or her job, resources, au-


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tonomy, sense of family, and sense of balance, how effective would the efforts really be? If the culture is supportive, then it still is up to the individual whether or not to be himself or herself . In high-performing organizations, management recognizes the value of collaboration. Antagonism and unhealthy competition are the antitheses of the qualities needed by nimble, adaptive organizations in the future.

Management Skill What management skills are primary in the development of such adaptive, authentic, dynamic workplaces? We suggest two: • Building effective teams can be achieved based on the model of entrained systems. • Coaching guarantees ongoing renewal and growth of the coherent organization. Leaders today have unprecedented levels of responsibility. Not only must they master ever-changing technology, be aware of workplace policies and laws, and study market conditions, they also must attend to the needs of their people. They are asked to be supportive, to appreciate, to provide clear direction without micro-managing, to delegate authority for the empowerment of others—all this while balancing their own home and work priorities. It can be daunting, to say the least. As a leader’s responsibilities grow, self-management becomes increasingly important. So does improving communication and neutralizing incoherence. Diversity in the workplace also requires attending to the climate managers create. The load can be overwhelming, yet the potential for personal and professional development possible through the development of heart intelligence, along with a focus on developing teams and

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From Chaos to Coherence h C o e r e

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increase customer care

O

rganizations are learning the value—and fragility—of customer loyalty. “Service,” not price, and not quality, has become

the new proving ground when competing for and keeping customers. Many organizations emphasize caring for the customer, but how do you become a leader in this area? First, you can’t give what you don’t have. The organization must genuinely care for its employees, giving them what they need to take care of themselves. Providing them with skills to attain a new level of mental and emotional management is an essential aspect of showing care for employees. Second, the individuals within an organization must demonstrate care for each other. The care you want the employee to show the customer must be modeled in the day-to-day operations of the organization. Third, there is a huge difference between required courtesy and sincere, authentic care. If you can help your employees develop more caring, heart-based qualities while eliminating overcare, they will bring great value and authenticity to the process of consistently demonstrating customer care.

coaching skills, can springboard any manager into the next level of efciency and effectiveness. A study at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management6 found that compassion and building team work will be two of the most important characteristics business leaders will need for success a decade from now. The study involved interviews with executives at Fortune 1000 companies. By contrast recent MBA graduates in the same study ranked results orientation much higher and disagreed with their more seasoned counterparts about the importance of social issues. “The results may indicate that experience cultivates a broader denition of corporate responsibility. It would be interesting to


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survey the MBA students 20 years from now and see if their positions have changed.” We described earlier that entrainment is a natural state of synchronization seen throughout the biological world—ocks of birds, schools of sh, the pacemaker cells in our own heart, all working in a synchronized way, are just a few examples. We have all experienced entrainment in our social or professional lives or at least we have admired it from a distance. The principle here is that complex systems such as teams require coherent individual parts to attain new levels of coherence as a whole. As the individual components—team members, become more self-managed and communication distortion is reduced— the system entrains. Once entrained, a jump to a new level of effectiveness is possible. Without entrainment in your system, energy is wasted. Without coherence between your core values and actions, there is a lag in your system and the energy of spirit is blocked from fully manifesting itself. The same is true organizationally. Teams lacking entrainment often have conict, withhold critical information, and are separated from a common vision. Lip service is useless, while the outcomes of such teams are unmistakable. It is essential to get at the root of what inhibits teams, what unspoken dynamics jam frequencies for potential coherence, what resentments keep the whole system from clicking in to its next level of power and effectiveness. Perfection is not the goal; consistent improvement in coherence is.

Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together. —PHIL JACKSON, S ACRED H OOPS

When teams lack entrainment, there is a gap between what the head sees and what the heart wants. Without heart intel-

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ligence engaged, the head often will see the myriad of tasks and details and easily feel overwhelmed. Teams stuck in the mind lack the compassionate qualities that foster sharing and easing of each other’s workloads. They see only the burden, the deadlines, the pressure. No coherent vision can penetrate the density of the collective malaise, unless the noise increases to the point a h crack in the facade appears. All C e e n e G too often these days the openlead with your ings occur because of pain or vulnerability tragedy—sickness or death of a teammate, colleague, or ld school managers keep even an employee in another a stiff upper lip, are proud division. The wake-up call can of being stress athletes, and be stunning in its effects. model behavior that can lead Before becoming a client, others to burnout or breakdown. one of the world’s largest and Today’s great managers know most successful global orgathat being open about personal nizations saw three suicides and professional challenges, and among its executive ranks in sharing information about yourone year. One of the executives self appropriately, magnetizes stabbed himself in the heart, people to you. Leading with he was in such emotional vulnerability means openly acpain. Another multinational knowledging how you’ve worked recognized it needed to deal through professional issues that forthrightly with the stresscoherence issue after two were emotionally challenging, suicides, one on the shop oor, and admitting issues you have. rocked its employees. “Going It also means being receptive to postal” has become a cynical the input of others. A balance of cliché to describe the behavior clear direction with sensitivity to of any disgruntled employee. people creates effectiveness. t

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Transforming Organizational Culture at Delnor- Community Hospital Diane Ball, R.N., of Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva, Illinois outside Chicago was looking for a way to help her cardiac rehab patients deal with stress effectively. Learning about HeartMath research at a cardiology conference, she was later trained to teach patients the stress-reduction techniques. What surprised her was just how helpful the tools were in helping her deal with her own stress. She noticed surprising boosts in energy and clarity, and Diane felt compelled to share her experience with hospital leadership, including Jim Elsner, VP of Health Systems. Hospital executives attended HeartMath programs and recognized the potential benet for staff in reducing stress and improving communication and care. They hoped patients would also feel the effect of a more coherent hospital environment. The timing was perfect. The previous year, Delnor had set goals to become a national leader in patient satisfaction, as well as the rst choice for health care delivery in their primary market. Tom Wright, Delnor’s Chief Operating Ofcer, was leading the new corporate initiatives with Craig Livermore, CEO. These initiatives included the goal of becoming Employer of Choice in the area and these executives recognized HeartMath could provide the “glue” to help the strategic pieces t together. The executives soon offered HeartMath programs to the entire leadership of the hospital and then to the entire employee workforce, board members and physicians. By 2003, 60 percent of the workforce had been trained in the HeartMath Staff Retention and Development Program, and the program is now part of new employee orientation. Results have been signicant: • Employee turnover—improved from 26.9% in 2000, to 21% in 2001, to 14.5% in 2002, 14.4% in 2003.

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—Turnover for the HeartMath-trained group was only 5.9% the rst year; after the second year, turnover in this group was down to 1.4%, and stabilized at 4% for the HeartMath group in the third year. —This turnover reduction has saved the hospital more than $1.3 million in the rst two years. • Improved patient satisfaction from the 73rd percentile to 98th percentile based on the Parkside Survey national database; • Ranked #1 in employee satisfaction based on Sperduto and Associates national database of over 300 health care organizations. Delnor was honored with the 2002 Corporate Health and Productivity Management Award and has become a national model for how coherently a health care system can operate, and just how dramatic those results can be. Tom Wright observes, “HeartMath has given us tools to make the difference between required courtesy and genuine care. We have achieved our benchmarks in excellence in patient satisfaction and employee satisfaction. I believe without HeartMath, we could not have reached our potential.”

Appreciation Of all the building blocks that underlie effective teams, appreciation is one of its cornerstones. Appreciation, as said earlier, implies an increase in value. Anything that is appreciated increases in value. This is as true for relationships and the creativity and skills of a team as it is for tangible assets such as real estate, stock, or the family car. (Tangible goods in most cases depreciate after purchase, of course, but the rate of depreciation is signicantly slowed if care is applied to the upkeep of the asset.) Many teams regularly examine the gaps in their performance to continuously improve. This decit-


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focused approach clearly can boost performance but at what human cost? An individual who never feels good enough, whose performance is never quite to the highest standard, probably lives in a world of nonstop anxiety. (In a booming economy, their options to leave look all the more enticing.) Such people second-guess themselves regularly, so their performance is marked by stops and starts, rushing and hesitating. There is no ow to their work; anxiety blocks the pathways to greater coherence. Biologically, we know such anxiety equates to noise in the heart-brain communication system, impairing performance and obstructing optimal health. While old-school management theories still insist that encouraging anxiety in employees keeps them “hungry,” appreciation is a far more efcient modality and one that enhances every link in the service-prot chain. For appreciation to have value organizationally, it must be sincere . Employee of the month awards and special parking places are well-intentioned efforts to appreciate the individual, but in many cases inbred cynicism in the workplace neutralizes the positive effect of such efforts. Many overburdened managers are taught to show appreciation to employees to boost morale. In one case we recently heard from the U.S. Air Force, a training ofcer complained of insincerity on the part of her supervisor. “Super job!” was the consistent reply from the boss on every memo or report she delivered to him. Tiring of this lack of authenticity, she questioned coworkers who reported to the same supervisor, only to discover everyone’s reports always were greeted with “Super job!” The lack of sincerity had bred an emotional virus the supervisor was too aloof to detect. Yet the intent had been to show appreciation.

When pure sincerity forms within, it is outwardly realized —LAO TZU, 6TH CENTURY B.C. in other people’s hearts.

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If lack of sincerity runs counter to all efforts in appreciation, sincerity multiplies its effectiveness . Sincere appreciation reduces static in an individual or team and gives a power boost to all subsequent efforts. Recall a time when you were sincerely appreciated by a supervisor, coworker, or customer (if this is difcult to remember, your organizational culture may be in need of heart). The appreciation you received was energizing, motivating, and conrming. It still brings a feeling of accomh plishment if residual doubts C e e n e G or fatigue linger after a project activate sincere is completed. It boosts conappreciation dence and frees the spirit to do more of what was already nything that is appreciated worthy of appreciating. Some increases in value. This inold-school managers still cludes appreciation of yourself, believe appreciation makes your co-workers, your organizapeople complacent or egotistion, your life—you get the point! tical, yet if done from the heart For appreciation to have value, the opposite occurs. Teams it must be sincere. Sincere apthat sincerely appreciate each preciation gives a power boost to other’s efforts, skills, and diindividual and team efforts. It is versity are far stronger than energizing, motivating, and prothose constantly competing motes cohesion. Appreciation for the spotlight. Many teams can help shift your perspective would say they value and apto more balance and keep you in preciate each other, yet in our touch with the big picture and experience, sitting down to go over the assets of each team what’s really important. Find member can create an ensomething to appreciate and trainment few other activities watch how your perspective and could. Highly touted experieenergy shift. ntial team-building activities, even though they can create t

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shared memories and fun, rarely build the kind of rapport as does the consistent expression of sincere appreciation borne out of increasingly authentic conversations. Time after time, we have seen teams move from mediocre to exceptional when appreciation becomes an operating principle.

Big Picture/Little Picture Finding something to appreciate during a difcult situation quickly moves the perspective to the big picture from the little picture . On hearing of a mistake by someone you supervise, you have a choice—immediately criticize the individual for a lack of critical thinking and overdramatize the potential effect, or appreciate what other strains may have been affecting the performance and still give the necessary feedback. Seeing the bigger picture involves understanding the life of this individual, the stress he or she is under, the long-term viability of the organization, how well you are feeling at this moment, as well as the problem that needs addressing. Stuck in the “little picture” you see only the problem, often magnied beyond reason. Appreciation is a tool to keep your perspectives refreshed and balanced.

Overachieving? The concept of the overachiever is an intriguing one when considering effective teamwork. Whether in sports or business, teams we call overachievers invariably are performing “above their level.” How do they do this? Our view is that the overachievers are so in sync, so unself-conscious, so entrained and balanced, that they achieve a whole new standard of performance. Appreciation of each other is a hallmark of overachieving teams. Sometimes, external “lucky” events are

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the catalyst, or it could be a powerful leader whose magnetic expression of unifying core values inspires the team members to move past self-limiting beliefs or mind-sets. Once the old mind-sets are put to rest, the team is primed for a jump into a surprising level of effectiveness, creativity, and potency. Calling such teams overachievers is inaccurate. These individuals and teams actually have reached a state of optimized potential, made possible by the achievement of coherence. Underachievers are the opposite. High on talent, rich in intelligent capacity and potential, they fail to meet expectations because of some underlying incoherence or imbalance in them or the environment. Often emotional mismanagement is spoiling the talent and isolating them from teammates. Sometimes, an inordinate ego-centrism is so off-putting to fellow team members, the static and distortion becomes deafening, undermining coherent effectiveness. Such individuals or teams drop well below the plateau of their potential, creating a new subpar standard of disappointment and negative self-worth.

Service Straight from the Heart The cabin crew of a 747 must be a model of synchronized activity. In the competitive world of long-haul international ights, the care and efciency given to passengers while onboard the plane has a powerful inuence on a passenger’s future decision on a carrier. Hong Kong–based Cathay Pacic Airways has long been considered one of the premier airlines ying in and out of Asia, winning numerous awards in the process. Seeking to differentiate itself from other high-quality carriers, a new marketing campaign was launched in 1995, Service Straight from the Heart. As with all marketing campaigns promising unique, memorable service, the challenge then became to deliver on


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the promise. Peter Buecking, then general manager for inmaximize the talents of the people ight services, recognized that you manage providing unique customized xceptional managers service to passengers was key identify the key talents of to differentiating Cathay from its competitors. But he also each of the people they manrecognized that the capability age and do whatever they can of the individuals within the to design their roles to maxcabin crew to consistently proimize those talents. It’s not vide exceptional service was uncommon for managers to fall related directly to their abilinto a pattern of focusing on ity to reduce stress and keep people’s decits and blaming work-life priorities in balance. them for not producing enough The strategy was to initially or at the desired level. Discover introduce the IQM technology ways to acknowledge and work to the ground staff for in-ight with the assets of the people you services, so the ight crews manage. Do your own appre would see a model of extra carciation list of the key qualities ing and efcient service at the and talents of each person. Ask home base. Through the lead yourself how to maximize those. ership of David Ling, training director, nearly 300 staff memThen ask them the same quesbers have gone through the tions. program and increases in team entrainment, efciency, and effectiveness have been signicant. In 1998, the airline received the Air Transport World Passenger Service Award, the Oscar of the airline industry. G

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Coaching Great managers and leaders are those who, in spite of their obvious individual talent, intelligence, and creativity, choose to spread their innate skill and grace, helping others become far better in their presence . Such people are magnetic and inspiring because they have chosen to radiate their gifts, instead of internalize them. We delight in the expansive presence they create. Their very heart-based coherence, absent as it is of any meanness of spirit, enhances the talents, the capabilities, and the very processes around them. Business (and politics!) could do with a lot more of them. And yet, in an age of such rapid transition and acceleration of intelligence, the temptations to waver from that coherence are everywhere. How demoralizing it is, how stung we feel in our gut, when a hero falls or a human frailty nally is exposed. We long to believe there is, somewhere or in someone, a coherence that can rise out of the chaos and the confusion. It brings hope when we see it in another. Which brings us back to ourselves. Hope, fulllment, and inspiration can be ignited externally for us, but we must stoke the re daily. We must recognize the personal inefciencies, the unconscious drains in our thoughts, the external and self-judgments. We must be responsible for ourselves and then make the necessary adjustments so we can explore and unfold our own heart intelligence and, in relationship with others, continue to rene the capacities that are our gifts. Margaret Wheatley, a brilliant author and organizational theorist, has similar views on how to create coherent leadership for coherent organizations: We will need to stop describing tasks and instead facilitate process . We will need to become savvy about how to build relationships, how to nurture growing, evolving things. All of us will need better skills in


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listening, communicating, and facilitating groups, because these are the talents that build strong relationships. It is well known that the era of the rugged individual has been replaced by the era of the team player. But this is only the beginning. The quantum world has demolished the concept of the unconnected individual. . . . Those who relate through coercion, or from a disregard for the other person, create negative energy. Those who are open to others and who see others in their fullness create positive energy. Love in organizations, then, is the most potent source of power we have available.7

Most managers and leaders, by the sheer volume of their life and professional experience, have much to share that can make any organization far more efcient. Time spent coaching people in the behaviors, attitudes, and skills known to produce results is time extremely well spent. And when the race to keep up with the explosion of new knowledge captures most of our attention, stepping back to remember the value of deep conversations is essential. One organization that has operationalized coaching is Thorlo, a premium manufacturer of sock products, activityspecic socks for every occasion—walking, hiking, trekking, running, tennis, basketball, you name it. Their patented designs and innovative use of textiles have created a fanatically loyal customer following (us too!). Their sock products are simply so comfortable, you quickly become spoiled by how good your feet feel. These are high-priced products, but most customers feel the value easily exceeds the price. Thorlo also has a fascinating corporate culture. Located in the heart of North Carolina’s textile region near Charlotte, the 350-employee company has built a culture where coaching is practiced actively at all levels of the organization. Thorlo chairman Jim Throneburg 8 recognized that, to create an enduring company in which core values infused everything, constant coaching would be required. An early adopter of team processes, Throneburg was quick to see that the

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team could ounder without a seek input on coaching mechanism to enhow to create a fun, sure appropriate knowledge challenging team and wisdom transfer. His was environment not a mild commitment: Four he people you manage are hours each week—10% of the full of ideas that could enemployees’ paid time—are ergize your team’s overall comspent in team formation, building coherence around mitment to the organizational every aspect of the Thorlo mission and goals. Regularly culture. Each of Thorlo’s 40seek their input, to enliven the plus teams has rotating coach team atmosphere. When team facilitators who are “coached” members feel that their contriin performing their role clearly butions are valued, their care but without excessive domifor the team and organization nation. grows, and the team’s synergy Several aspects of Thorimproves. Encourage, apprecilo’s culture are striking and ate, and remember to “lighten support the observations of up” from time to time. the other authors cited here. A strong, unwavering set of core values is at the heart of the Thorlo culture. People, employees and customers, clearly matter. Helping employees gain exibility and adaptability is also key. Thorlo U., an internal curriculum for personal and professional development, has been developed, unusual in a company of less than 500 employees. For all its progressive policies and people-friendly climate, this company is not without signicant challenges: Key product patents expire in the next few years, making it all the more essential for the organizational culture to have heightened innovation, creativity, and resilience. While the Thorlo model represents a highly structured commitment

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to a coaching model, the principle of mentoring and guiding employees into greater coherence will be even more essential as the pace of business accelerates.

Military Coherence The military arguably is a model of operational coherence. Patrick L. Townsend and Joan E. Gebhardt, writing in the journal Leader to Leader , point out the coherence throughout the military on its three leadership priorities: “The rst is to accomplish the mission; the second, to take care of personnel; and the third, to create new leaders.” There must be coherence around each of these interdependent priorities.9 Incoherence and lack of focus around any one dramatically weakens the others and the chance of the mission’s success. Townsend and Gebhardt then ask some tough questions of their corporate colleagues: Can the same be said about a civilian organization? Does everyone share not only the commitment to the mission but the commitment to their colleagues? Ask most civilians about their second priority at work and the response is likely to concern personal career enhancement. Military people are not angels; they are as concerned with their careers as anyone else. They know, however, that advancement is a by-product of success in meeting leadership priorities, not a goal in itself.

Increasingly managers and executives are realizing the very talents that catapulted them to the senior levels of their organization may not be the ones that keep them there. Also true is that each new level requires a broader, more global view. We usually do not “know what we do not know” until we get there. Most organizations are operating in uncharted territory, and the challenge to continuously renew oneself is becoming ever more critical.

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But who is doing the same for the senior executives themselves? Often isolated and removed from the day to day operations, no longer doing some of the “roll up your sleeves” jobs that make business fun, executives nd that their perspectives and attitudes can grow stale and cut off. Increasingly coaches are being brought in for these executives for the kind of private mentoring around professional growth and strategies necessary for renewed vitality. Whether coaching teams in a factory or coaching an executive whose performance has been found wanting, coaching is yet another opportunity for the activation and transfer of heart intelligence, a caring and bottom-line approach for organizational renewal. Clearly, effectiveness in teams will be a prerequisite in the future. Getting hearts and minds in sync will be expected. With the world marching inexorably toward collaboration and cooperation, a practical tool for synthesizing the complexity of h the mind with the clarity of the C e e n e G heart is Mind and Heart Mapping. help your team t

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nternal coherence is the foundation of exible, agile

people. Flexible attitudes build exible physiology. Do the best you can to model exibility and agility from the inside out. Openly discuss with your team how to help each other be balanced and reduce feelings of overload and overwhelm. Be compassionate with each other.

Heart Mapping ® Mind Mapping was developed in the 1960s by educators hoping to synchronize both hemispheres of the brain into a coherent whole, leading to breakthroughs in creativity and innovation. Mind Mapping is a highly creative approach to complex planning and decision making. To this well-researched technique,


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we integrated heart intelligence. Once a traditional Mind Map is developed, participants Freeze-Frame, reect on their core values, and ask themselves how to integrate these values and how they want to feel during the project they are mapping. A second map is created, which usually reveals information totally absent from the Mind Map, which by intention is more tactical and pragmatic. The combination of the two maps, mind and heart, creates a compelling, coherent vision of how to proceed. It provides a practical tool for individuals or teams to get a broader, more global view of key issues so that the perspectives generated are strategically sound, not just tactically driven. Mind Maps normally generate ideas as to what the group or individual needs to do. The ideas tend to be action oriented, theoretical, and already known. This is good, so that an individual or group producing the Mind Map clearly sees all the known items as well as links between issues and potential redundancies. In some cases, the ideas generated tend to be either already done, successfully or unsuccessfully, or too theoretical to actually drive any concrete changes. Experience suggests that concentrating solely on the ideas generated in a Mind Map usually does not produce the signicant improvements desired nor does it keep a focus on the human dynamics and balance of the team. This is why creating a Heart Map adds more depth to the process and often uncovers new information. The Heart Map normally generates a completely different set of ideas than the Mind Map, as seen in the example that follows. The ideas tend to be much more to do with how the group needs to change—the feeling or climate a team is seeking to achieve—rather than simply what the group needs to do. The ideas tend to be more people based, pragmatic, and qualitative, and less theoretical. If the group is to make the signicant improvements it desires, it needs to address the human qualities

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generated by the Heart Map to enable the good theoretical ideas generated by the Mind Map to become a sustainable reality. If the task being mapped is particularly large or complex, key branches of the maps often require their own maps. In a group Heart Mapping session, this is accomplished by a subgroup taking on the task of Heart Mapping that branch. The nal crucial phase of Heart Mapping is creating an action plan from the two maps. This involves stepping back again from the maps to consider the timing, resources, and personnel needed as well as to assign specic timelines. While the entire Heart Mapping process resembles other planning processes, the emphasis on coherent communication and the utilization of heart intelligence yields much richer information than most traditional planning methods.

Heart Mapping Improved Teamwork Chris Sawicki led a European team for a global electronics rm utilizing the Mind and Heart Mapping tool to enhance their teamwork skills. Ideas generated by the whole group during the Mind Map exercise included: 1. Have effective leadership. 2. Establish common goals, identifying targets, timetables, and sense of urgency. 3. Ensure correct composition and diversity of team members. 4. Assign specic responsibilities to team members. 5. Pay attention to building teams. 6. Identify resources available to teams. 7. Run meetings better, with attention to schedule and venue. 8. Improve communication.


9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

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Identify key information for sharing. Establish rewards and incentives for all team members. Identify win-win solutions. Be competent, have clarity. Trust team members. Deliver results. Celebrate success and have fun.

Ideas generated by the whole group in a Heart Map (after a four-minute Freeze-Frame) were 1. Promote friendship and camaraderie. 2. Place higher importance on appreciation and understanding. 3. Help each other, inter-individual coaching. 4. Promote a sense of togetherness. 5. Learn and evolve together. 6. Promote harmony. 7. Reward openness. 8. Pay attention to “team chemistry.” 9. Celebrate more often and put greater value on a “positive atmosphere.” 10. Identify and work from the “team’s spirit and soul.” In this example, there are similarities in the ideas generated on each map, but there is a qualitative difference. The Mind Map is more tactical and theoretical; the Heart Map more collaborative and people driven. The combination of the two creates a powerful vision for improved teamwork. Six months later, signicant business improvements in the team were being sustained. A project team at National Semiconductor used this process powerfully as part of a cross-functional team offsite sem-

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inar using IQM tools. Participants came from National and ve other vendor companies working with them on a major global project. The technical complexity of the project was amplied by the fact that local standards in several countries had to be integrated into the plan. The cross-functional team was spread out on three continents, so meeting times were also a major challenge. During the seminar, subgroups Heart Mapped key areas of the project, then reported back to the whole team for feedback. (All team members had learned Freeze-Frame, intuitive listening, and the concepts of appreciation and overcaring prior to the start of the Heart Mapping session.) In a ve hour session, more than 30 pages of action plans were developed from the Mind and Heart Maps, a process the team said normally would have taken several months to complete. As important as these tangible outcomes was the fun and efciency of the process. Several months later, the team still was marveling at how much more effectively, and with so much less stress, this team had been able to perform. The message once again is this: Create individual and team coherence rst and highly efcient results will follow (see Figure 11–2).

Heart Mapping Applications The Heart Mapping tool has a variety of powerful applications because it is fun, surprisingly efcient, and reinforces the need to step back out of the high speed routine to get a bigger picture. In a group setting especially, it is essential that the process be nonjudgmental and founded on the principles of coherent communication. This means encouraging and mapping out all potential ideas, not just those voiced most strongly. It means not debating any ideas at rst because you are building coherence within the team doing the Heart Mapping. Hearing all perspec-


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tives is critical to creating the most comprehensive and effective outcome while uncovering creative ideas that otherwise could have been missed. Also essential is that the facilitator not edit or show any bias toward any particular theme but merely guide and draw out all possible ideas. In our organization, Heart Mapping is used regularly by teams during product brainstorming sessions. All possible ideas, customer needs, market issues, pricing considerations, and so forth are mapped out in creating an initial picture of the parameters of the product. It is best not to be linear and sequential at this stage, so you do not stay locked in traditional ways of thinking about the idea. It is also an excellent h C e e n tool for client development e G or enhancing customer satisuse faction as well as to assess the heart mapping status of a project. Using Heart to prioritize Mapping for setting personal ou have an extremely full priorities is particularly powplate of projects, budgeting erful. To set priorities for the responsibilities, individual tasks, month (or any other dened and sensitive people issues. time period), start by building Each month do a mind map a Mind Map of all potential of all the critical issues within and urgent tasks to accomplish your current focus. Then, do a during the month. Be as thorHeart Map to uncover those that ough as possible, especially are the most essential for your including those easy-to-avoid items you are dreading or growth personally and profesthat are particularly tricky sionally, as well as the growth of and complex. Freeze-Frame your team and those you manthroughout the creation of the age. Where appropriate, share Mind Map to ask yourself what your insights. t

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FIGURE 11–2 Mind and Heart Maps were generated at the start of the session to give an overview of the entire project. Out of these maps, subgroups developed more detailed maps and plans (opposite), resulting in numerous plans for the successful implementation of the project. Source: Reprinted by permission from the Institute of HeartMath.


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FIGURE 11–2 continued

other items have not been mapped out. Then, once you feel the map is complete, Freeze-Frame and ask your heart what are the key priorities, the highest leverage activities that absolutely must get done. Build a Heart Map from the answers to your questions. Keep Freeze-Framing to remember this is the time to ensure that balance is at the core of your activities. This is not the time to rush back into the details and become paralyzed by the sheer volume of work you could be doing. Then create an action plan

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from both maps, letting the core values revealed in your Heart Map drive the plan. Heart Mapping represents yet another way to activate your full intelligence, instead of relying solely on a linear, analytical approach or responding only to the loudest needs. It opens up new creative potentials where noise once predominated.

chapter

Creat ng a Quantum Future , t ere must e eart or t at science to ave meaning. T e too s presented here have been built not on dogma and rigid principles but on coherence and the liquid intelligence of exibility and adaptability. The four dynamics of IQM are not rules to follow so much as frequencies to bring alive and integrate uniquely to your culture. The perception of each reader will determine to a great extent how these ideas and tools come alive in the organization.

Critica Mass By creatively implementing the four dynamics of Inner Quality Management—Internal Self-Management, Coherent Communication, Boosting Organizationa C imate, Strategic Processes o Renewa —you can create a greater egree o organizationa co erence. As we ave seen at De nor Hospita , Motoro a an Cat ay Paci c Airways, once a critica mass o in ivi ua s wit in an organization reac es a new eve o menta an emotiona se -management it wi create a co erence momentum t at is extreme y e ective. You sti must execute, you sti must listen to and care for your customers, your key partners and your people, but your organization will begin to operate with the competitive advantage of greater access to the intuitive intelligence of the heart. As a result, the organization will become more resilient, adaptable, innovative, productive and efcient. [ 217 ]

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P ace a new emp asis on se - eve opment to c ange t e organization rom one wit now e ge into one wit wis om. Core va ues an t e organization s mission statement wi ta e on new meaning (or require some adjusting). Your people and your organization have a “heart.” Reviving that heart will allow the organization to achieve coherence even in the midst of chaos.

Creating t e Future Perception rules our world. During our lifetime, as for many generations e ore us, uman perceptions o w at is inte igent an w at is power, an in ee w at is time an t e nature o our u ment, ave un ergone ra ica s i ts. As in ormation as exp o e , t e sc o ars among us ave soug t to ui ri ges an see connections etween ot er wise isparate e s o stu y. Laws o c aos t eory an quantum p ysics are iscussed in business schools; biomedical information inuences our hiring practices and employee training; psychological studies inform our workplace designs. It is also safe to say “we ain’t seen nothing yet.” Every generation looks at its breakthroughs as startling when compared to the past, and arguably the speed of transformation today is greater than at any time in human history. It is tempting to beieve the latest breakthrough insight is the nal answer. Yet, for every insight, another far more powerful set of understandings awaits our intelligent exploration. For centuries people were absolutely convinced—and their observation conrmed—that the earth was at. Later observation convinced them the earth was the center of the universe, with the sun rotating around it. Now expanded lenses of perception at both ends of the spectrum—from the Hubble telescope revealing never before seen wor s to t e t eoretica viewing o quantum partic es—stretc t e imits o w at we can o serve an remin us o t e power,

Creating a Quantum Future

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an t e imits, o w at we perceive. We suggest ere t at t e ens o eart inte igence presents t e next rontier o ow to see an interact wit i e. Each age of human history has been marked by profound increases in human intelligence, but the aws and distortion in human interaction have kept the impact of much of this intelligence limited. As a planet we have progressed in technology and in personal convenience, in information availability, in transportation, and in a myriad of other ways. Our standard of living has improved in many parts of the world, but fundamental social relations remain mired in immaturity and antagonism. Murder is justied by religion, race, nationality, or tribe. Viewed through the lens of history, nothing we know now could be seen as nal, as the last word, or even as a resting point for knowledge. An irony here is that, in the search for meaning, the answers often get quirkier and more basic. Quantum scientists develop names for particles like quarks and mesons; astronomers theorize the existence of MACHOs—massively acce erating compact o o o jects—t at emit no ig t. T e computer wor an most organizationa c u tures are e wit c eer u acronyms an new wor s, or o wor s wit new meanings. T ere is a emusement in muc o t e iscovery going on to ay; a sense t at t e rea answers we ave een oo ing or are at once simp er an even more ironic t an we wou ave imagine . Human beings show an impetus for self-organizing, from the formation of our identity to the way we manipulate our environment—how we make our beds, brush our teeth, le our papers, develop strategic or vacation plans. We attempt to manage the present with the future in mind. Left to the mechanicality of habituated mind-sets and emotional programs from our past, we usually do an adequate job. But, what are we not seeing, what subtle signals of our intelligence are we too busy to listen

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to? How are we, unintentiona y, tripping ourse ves up? Creativity an innovation are centra acets o a uman activity. Dar win saw spontaneous genetic mutations t at provided adaptability and competitive advantages and, therefore, survivability. It has been noticed that these mutations happened in discontinuous jumps, not a steady progression of minute changes. To a bird, growing one extra feather made little difference to ying ability; growing many would make a signicant difference. In the world of physics, electrons shift orbital states in discontinuous jumps, absorbing or emitting energy in quanta as they do so. The Internet existed for thirty years before something arcane called a browser created a discontinuous jump called the World Wide Web.

Innovation T e s i ts in organizations can e just as su en. We e ieve co erence is t e un er ying princip e t at wi gui e quantum eaps in uture e ectiveness. Hindu myth has it that the Out o no w ere a new organization wi ecome gods were trying to decide prominent. T e sustaina e where to hide the secret of life. organizations will be those One god suggested, “Let’s hide founded on unshakable core it in the mountains.” But anvalues providing the operatother god said, “No, they’ll look ing system for coherence. As there.” So one of the gods said, these organizations hit each “Let’s hide it in the sky,” but this new level of coherence, innosuggestion again was met with vations will occur out of the “No, they’ll look there.” At which self-renewing creativity. When point the wisest among them faced with adversity, instead said, “Let’s hide it in the heart; of overreacting emotionally they’ll never look there.” to the challenge, they will


organize t emse ves t roug inte igent co erence to ea wit t e oca con itions. T is is real innovation. The consistent ability to innovate will emerge from the underlying exibility and coherence in every aspect of the health of the organization and the individual. In the past it appeared leaders could antagonize a person or a system into innovating, just as they could use fear as a motivator and point to positive outcomes later on. But, with the new intelligence, these old methods will be seen as w o y ine cient, energyraining strategies. Nature oes not see c aos; it inte igent y organizes to ensure its surviva in spite o t e c aos. Co erence rings energy e ciency to a c aotic wor . Innovation is the spurt, the discontinuous jump of intelligence, applied in a new way. Innovation is not pat or static; there is no bes way that is universal. The Internet is proving that. Local solutions that work are critical, just as,

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challenge your assumptions!

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s Albert Einstein said, “The signicant problems we

face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” Organizations use the same business practices over and over again assuming that they will continue to produce the desired results. Openness to new ideas and a sincere desire for positive change are more important than ever. Learn to move beyond rigid mind-sets, “knowing what you know,” and learn to be more adaptable and exible. Consider all options in making strategic and tactical decisions. Use all of your available intelligence, logic, informed intuition, experience, and compassion, to make decisions. Engage the power of the heart to eliminate fear of change and instead embrace it with a sense of excitement and adventure. Move quickly, but move with balance.

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on t e in ivi ua eve , eing present means aving u inte igence avai a e to ea wit eac unique situation.

Quantum Management Being in the moment—alert, awake, and neutral—will become a eadership imperative. Living in the past or excessively worrying about the future wastes energy and resources. No organization can long survive living with time warped by history or distorted by future anxiety. Popular culture leads us to believe that quantum means arge. In fact, quantum means an elemental building block, too small to be actually measured. Small, even innitesimally small, owever, does not mean insignicant. In fact, the paradox may be that the smaller you look, the more powerful is the potentia e ect. C ear y, size is not everyt ing: Massive stars exp o e into supernova or en up as ac o es. Massive companies, ureaucracies, an empires ave een orce to get sma er or crum e. AT&T, Soviet centra in ustria p anning, an t e Britis Empire are just a ew ce e rate examp es. Wi Microso t e next? Wi t e merger renzy ave its own ay o rec oning? Quantum management imp ies using u inte igence to deal effectively with each elemental building block—this moment. Organizations will be challenged to nd local solutions—no that work in an era of increasing complexity, chaos, and stress. The challenge will be to achieve the coherence and internal quiet necessary to perceive the deeper order embedded in what appears to be chaos. Unmanaged emotion is expert at turning discomfort into misery. Finding that deeper order is a key to adaptability and survivability. Leadership of any organization must be involved in the detection, management, and direction of change with adaptation strategies taught at the individual level. Key strategies will be uncovered by unfolding


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t e inte igence an se -organizing potentia o peop e in t e organization. T e our ynamics o IQM can provi e an evo ving, exi e roa map or inte igent y meeting t e c a enges o adapting to a new future.

Se -Security Self-security will be a hallmark of the leaders and exceptional organizations of the future. Self-security in an individual or a system brings a high ratio of coherence. Leaders or organizations with self-security can push power and authority downstream and develop centers of innovation and excellence at all levels of the organization. Sweden’s Skandia, a global nancial and insurance services rm and a key innovator in the drive to value and measure uman capita , as esta is e utures centers to exp ore new tec no ogies centra to its uture. But, more important, as its operations, pro uct o erings, an wor orce ecome ever more iverse an comp ex, it as create a eart o ce to ensure t at t e company s core va ues are e ective y transmitte . Se organization wi appen at t e oca eve , ut S an ia ensures t at it wi un o in co erence wit t e inte igence o t e core. Quantum management involves guiding the evolution of people and systems in response to change, creating “genetic” adaptations in discontinuous jumps in the blueprint of how the organization sees itself and how it transmutes itself to offer new capabilities. Quantum management will ensure that the “small and insignicant” will not be ignored. It will be clear when the problem is that we are moving too fast in a mental or emotional mode and failing to understand the signicance of an event and not that the individual or issue is too small to warrant our at tention. This requires paying attention —attention that is balanced, coherent, and aligned with our core values. Quantum jumps

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wi appen t en, a owing an organization to eep an grow its nic e in t e economic environment w i e maintaining meaning. Quantum management requires t e co erent gui ance o uman and system capability into self-regenerating, up wardly spiraling patterns, unfolding in the individual new layers of embedded DNA potential, while unfolding new layers of market potential, human potential, and innovation potential. Pulling out of the gravity and density in ourselves and our organizations will be key.

Creating Your P an Your opportunity now is to maximize the investment you made in reading this book and create your own plan to apply the tools and insights gained. Where are you headed? What questions ave een stirring a out your persona a ance, your career, t e via i ity o t e organization you wor in? A g ossary o ows, wit e nitions o t e ey concepts an too s in t is oo , ut we rie y summarize t e too s ere. • Internal self-management — reeze- rame —Asset-decit balance sheet —Neutral —Managing time and expectations • Co erent communication —Intuitive istening —Aut entic ia ogue —Creating conversations t at count • Boosting t e organizationa c imate —Distinguis ing caring rom overcaring


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—Se -care —Hea ing t e emotiona virus —Heart Loc -In • Strategic processes of renewal —Heart Mapping —Asset-decit balance sheet —Coaching —Teamwork —Managing the moment W at are your core va ues, t ose qua ities an experiences t at ma e your eart come a ive? Consi er now your asic routine on a ai y, wee y, an mont y asis. How muc o your ay is spent on t e p one, in meetings, p anning, trave ing, respon ing to voice mai an e-mai ? How cou your va ues ecome more integrated in what you do each day? How would you feel if they were more integrated? What actions would be different? What attitudes would be different? Of all the concepts and tools outlined here, which seem easiest to integrate into your schedule? Which seem challenging, yet the pay-off probably would be worth it? Create a Mind Map of all the possible ways you can integrate and apply the tools, referring to the preceding list. Then create a Heart Map of the highest leverage activities, the ones most in sync with your values. Include in these maps the need to meet with any individuals to resolve conict and build more coherent communication. Remember, especially, to focus on developing greater balance and coherence in you . The next to last step is to build an action plan of those tools you can commit to doing. The nal step is doing.

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Presence Presence is a rare quality in a world of 20-second sound bites, nonstop stimulation, political gridlock, and gnawing anxiety. What underlies presence? Clearly, it is not intellectual prowess or Mensa would rule the world. One of the most agonizing experiences is listening to the ramblings of someone disconnected from everyday reality, adrift in a conceptual universe of his or er own creation. In the world of the performing arts, many ave great ta ent ut ew ave rea presence. Cou presence e eart-generate co erence in t e wor o persona magnetics? Peop e wit presence ave an ine a e qua ity a out t em; t ey are present, surprising y attentive, an un istracte . A u ness, a centere ness, a w o eness ra iates rom t em. We en joy eing in t eir presence. You can ui presence. It is t e natural radiance of heart security. Many things can rob people and organizations of presence: • • • •

Unreso ve con icts. Living apart rom t e eart s core va ues. Unmanage menta processes t at spin out o contro . Ju gment o onese an ot ers.

Presence undoubtedly is more tangible than we know and probably one day will be measurable, a magnetic “eld of presence.” But, even before science veries the existence of presence, we are constantly aware of its existence in • The store we frequent because of the unmistakable warmth we feel there. • The great actors and actresses whose movies we never miss, so sure are we of the consistent presence and cha-


[ 227 ]

risma t ey exu e. • T e mentor or ea er w o, just y wa ing in a room, imme iate y oosts t e ynamic o t e environment. • An airline responding compassionately and openly to a tragedy. We also can see the lack of presence in • The news anchor who is merely a news reader, adding no humanity to “today’s top stories.” • The appalling staff meeting characterized by frequent interruptions, side conversations, and antagonism.

Einstein’s u nera i ity Although it took many years before Einstein’s radical theories became a part of mainstream science, he eventually became recognize as t e greatest p ysicist o t e 20t century. At t e eig t o is ame, a Cat o ic priest rom t e Vatican c a enge a key tenet of Einstein’s view of a “steady state” universe. Einstein summari y ismisse t e priest, pu ic y ran ing is mat ematics poor. At t at time, it was sti e ieve t at we ive in t e on y ga axy in t e universe, ut t e start ing pictures o t e great astronomer Hu e egan to present a muc iferent picture of the cosmos. The “clouds” that scientists like Einstein believed to be part of our own galaxy, in fact, were other huge galaxies traveling away from us at unbelievably high speed. The beauty of these images took Einstein’s breath away, and he publicly apologized to the priest, dramatically changing his view of cosmic reality in the process. How many leaders and visionaries are able to show the same vulnerability as Einstein— to not only publicly admit his mistake, but then to revel in the new discovery? This vulnerability and openness to truth was one

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o t e greatest gi ts Einstein gave to t e wor an ay power u y eneat is un erstate , s ig t y is eve e presence In t e uture, we wi see more an more to o usiness with organizations where we feel presence. We will want to work only for leaders who respect presence. We will be keenly aware of our core desire to build our own presence, not because we are egotistical, but because we must become our true selves. Presence will be an essential quality understood to determine effectiveness in whether we as people feel welcomed and understood, in the climate of an organization, and in the teams in which we work. Presence generates and increases coherence. There is a momentum of new intelligence that cannot be stopped, even though it may appear embryonic and fragile in the face of so much chaos and pain. Organizations of the future will have to uncover and nurture the heart of the organization. It will not be easy, but it will be essential. Heart-based organizations will encourage and enhance the self-development and self-management of all their memers. T ey wi see to maximize inte igence, not y aggravating peop e into oing more, ut y nurturing, supporting, an c a enging t em. T ey wi see t e menta , emotiona , an p ysica ea t o peop e in t e organization as essentia to pro uctivity an ong-term via i ity an not just an issue or t ose w o ac ar iness. T ey wi see communication as t e ow o iving in ormation, w ic as t e power to vita ize an regenerate. They will encourage conversation and the health and effectiveness of all communication methods, not to invade privacy but to recognize information ow as nourishment itself. They will understand and nurture the climate of the organization, not simply because it is good, or nice, or even the right thing to do; they could not conceive of doing other wise. They will understand that the unbridled acquisition of knowledge, as


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tanta izing as it may e, is a pa e su stitute or t e seasone maturity o wis om. Know e ge wit out eart is a ur en; wisom regenerates. An t ey wi create processes t at renew an revitalize both the individuals and the organization, serving the needs of all. For all this intelligent effort, they will be re warded with unheard of breakthroughs in innovation, customer loyalty, and personal fulllment. They will have moved from chaos to coherence.

References

C apter 1 1.

Global Studies, Civilizations of the Past and Present, Revised 1998, Amsco School Publications, Inc., New York, NY 2. Because of HeartMath’s extensive work in the military, we have had many conversations with military personnel from all four branches. Several bases, including McClellan AFB in Sacramento, have incorporated IQM programs in their training curricula.

C apter 2 1.

2.

.

.

5.

6. 7.

William A. Tiller, Science and Human Transformation: Subtle Energies, Intentionality and Consciousness (Walnut Creek, CA: Pavior Publishing, 1997), p. 196. William A. Tiller, Rollin McCraty, and Mike Atkinson, “Cardiac Coherence: A New Noninvasive Measure of Autonomic Nervous System Order,” Alternative Therapies 2, no. 1 (January 1996). The Institute of HeartMath has conducted numerous case studies with organizations applying IQM tools. A summary of several of these studies appears in the Appendix. Faith Popcorn and Lys Marigold, licking: Sixteen Trends to Future Fit Your Life, Your Work, and Your Business (New York: HarperCollins, 1996). Alan Watkins, ed., Mind-Body Medicine: A Clinician’s Guide to Psychoneuroimmunology (London: Churchill Livingstone, 1997). This is an excellent overview of the emerging eld of mind-body medicine edited by Dr. Alan Watkins. Several references are made in this book to research conducted at the Institute of HeartMath. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 20, 1997. “Taking the Stress Out of Being Stressed Out,” Business Week Health Wire (March 20, 1997). [ 230 ]

Re erences

8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13. 14.

15. 16. 17.

18. 19.

20. 21. 22. 23.

24.

[ 231 ]

Paul J. Rosch, “Job Stress: America’s Leading Adult Health Problem,” SA Magazine (May 1991). B. L. Seaward, Stress Managemen (Boston: Jones and Bartlett, National Safety Council, 1995). Richard A. Shweder, “America’s Latest Export: A Stressed-Out World,” New York Times (January 25, 1997). Cited in Seaward, Stress Management Karen Charlesworth, “Are Managers Under Stress? A Survey of Management Morale,” Institute of Management [London] (September 996). Statistics Canada, Carleton University, and the Conference Board of Canada were the sources for these Canadian statistics. In addition to two Reuters studies cited in Chapter Eight, our work in sia, especially since the collapse of several Asian economies in late 997, has revealed a signicant level of despair and anxiety in many sian managers. The collective cultures of many of these countries ave left them unprepared for the precipitous economic downturn in that part of the world. Irene M. Kunii, “Caving Under Pressure,” Time (February 16, 1998). Sandy Sugawara, “Japan Eases Its Killer Work Ethic,” Washington Post April 20, 1997). Margaret Wheatley, Leadership and the New Science: Learning about rganization from an Orderly Universe (San Francisco: Berrett-Koeler, 1992), p. 8. Robert W. Galvin, The Idea of Ideas (Schaumburg, IL: Motorola Univers ty Press, 1991), pp. 109–111. Bob Barrios-Choplin, Rollin McCraty, and Bruce Cryer, “An Inner Quality Approach to Reducing Stress and Improving Physical and Emotional Wellbeing at Work,” tress Medicine 13 (1997), pp. 193– 201. Common Sense About Feeling Tense,” Heart at Work Program , Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 1995. Ibid. Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1970). Several of Doc’s earlier books discuss this theme in great detail. Of articular interest are Self-Empowerment: The Heart Approach to tress Managemen and Freeze-Frame: ne-Minute Stress Management (both Boulder Creek, CA: Planetary Publications). Quoted in Joseph Jaworski, ynchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 1996), p. 9.

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C apter 3 1. Sandra Blakeslee, “Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butteries,” The New York Times (January 23, 1996). 2. Ibid. 3. Called chi or qi in the Chinese tradition, and ki in the Japanese tradition, the source of power is believed to emanate from the solar plexus region. Practitioners are taught to still the mind and focus attention in that area, so power is focused and balanced. In our view, this practice really is stilling emotional turmoil, thereby helping a person become more coherent. But our research also indicates the heart supersedes the solar plexus, electrically and biomechanically. 4. J. A. Armour, “Anatomy and Function of the Intrathoracic Neurons Regulating the Mammalian Heart,” in I. H. Zucker and J. P. Gilmore, eds., Re ex Control of the Circulation (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1991). 5. M. Cantin and J. Genest, “The Heart as an Endocrine Gland,” linical and Investigative Medicine 9, no. 4 (1986), pp. 319–27. 6. Antonio Damasio, Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain (New York: Putnam, 1994). 7. Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ (New York: Bantam Books, 1995). 8. From Joseph Chilton Pearce’s Introduction in Doc Childre’s Teaching Children to Love (Boulder Creek, CA: Planetary Publications, 1996), p. 9. 9. Goleman, Emotional Intelligence 10. Karl H. Pribram, Languages of the Brain (New York: Brandon House, 1971). 11. R. McCraty, W. A. Tiller, M. Atkinson, “Head-Heart Entrainment: A Pre-liminary Survey.” Proceedings of the Brain-Mind Applied Neurophysiology EEG Neurofeedback Meeting, 1996. Key West, Florida (pp. 26–30). 12. Rollin McCraty, Bob Barrios-Choplin, and Deborah Rozman, “The Impact of a New Emotional Self-Management Program on Stress, Emotions, Heart Rate Variability, DHEA and Cortisol,” Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science (1998, in press). Also, D. S. Kerr, L. W. Campbell, and M. D. Applegate, “Chronic Stress-Induced Acceleration of Electrophysiologic and Morphometric Biomarkers of Hippocampal Aging,” Society of Neuroscience 11, no. 5 (1991), pp. 1316–17. 13. McCraty, Barrios-Choplin, Rozman, “The Impact of a New Emotional

Re erences

14. 15.

16. 17.

18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.

24.

[ 233 ]

Self-Management Program on Stress, Emotions, Heart Rate Variability, DHEA and Cortisol,” Integrative Physiological and Behavioral cience (1998, in press). Goleman, Emotional Intelligence Rollin McCraty, William A. Tiller, Mike Atkinson, et al., “The Effects of Emotions on Short Term Power Spectrum Analysis of Heart Rate Variability,” American Journal of Cardiology 76, no. 14 (November 15, 995), pp. 1088–93. S. A. Rosenfeld, onversations Between Heart and Brain (Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health, 1977). William Tiller, Rollin McCraty, and Mike Atkinson, “Toward Cardiac Coherence: A New Non-Invasive Measure of Autonomic System Order,” Alternative Therapies (1996). Rosenfeld, Conversations Between Heart and Brain McCraty et al., “The Impact of a New Emotional Self-Management Program.” First, Break All the Rules iller et al., “Toward Cardiac Coherence.” McCraty et al., “Head-Heart Entrainment: A Preliminary Survey.” Rollin McCraty, Mike Atkinson, and Glen Rein, “Music Enhances the Effect of Positive Emotional States on Salivary IgA and Heart Rate Variability,” Stress Medicine 12 (1996), pp. 167–75. McCraty et al., “The Impact of a New Emotional Self-Management Program.”

C apter 4 1. Richard A. Shweder, “America’s Latest Export: A Stressed-Out World,” New York Times (January 25, 1997). 2. Cited in ibid. 3. Cited in Jane E. Brody, “The Good News About Growing Old,” Atlanta ournal and Constitution (April 14, 1996). 4. Job Stress Affects Arteries,” British Medical Journal 314 (1997), pp. 553–57. 5. Ibid., pp. 558–64. 6. Glen Rein, Mike Atkinson, and Rollin McCraty, “The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Compassion and Anger,” Journal of Advancement in Medicine 8, no. 2 (1995), pp. 87–105. 7. Sue Shellenbarger, “No, You’re Not Too Tough to Suffer a Bout of Burnout,” Wall Street Journal (June 25, 1997). 8. Cited in a Reuters article, “Emotion, Stress Affect Heart Survival,”

[ 234 ]


American Journal of Critical Care 6, no. 2 (1997), pp. 116–26. 9. Brigid Schulte, “To Help Your Heart, Just Take a Chill Pill,” San Jose Mercury News (October 20, 1997). 10. Cited in an Associated Press report, Circulation (May 1994). The study authors are Ichiro Kawachi, David Sparrow, Pantel Vokonas, and Scott Weiss.

C apter 5 1.

2.

Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf, Executive EQ: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Organizations (New York: Grosset/Putnam, 1997). See the Appendix for more information.

C apter 6 1.

2.

The Institute of HeartMath is a 501(c)(3) not-for-prot corporation incorporated in 1991. HeartMath LLC is the new training and consulting company, licensing the technology of the institute. HeartMath LLC is a limited liability company. Lee Evans and Bruce Cryer worked together during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. We had numerous conversations over several months about the disciplines and attitudes that made him a great track star, and those attitudes that kept other superb athletes mediocre.

C apter 7 1.

2.

. .

5.

6.

Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf, Executive EQ: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Organizations (New York: Grosset/Putnam, 1997), p. 68. Christopher Locke, Rick Levine, Doc Searls and David Weinberger, The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual (Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books, 2000), p. 179. Ibid., p. 103. Rollin McCraty, Mike Atkinson, Dana Tomasino, and William Tiller, “The Electricity of Touch: Detection and Measurement of Cardiac Energy Exchange Between People,” in Proceedings of the Fifth Appalachian Con ference on Neurobehavioral Dynamics: Brain and Values (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998). Dr. Alan Watkins, who has worked extensively with IQM tools in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia, contributed many of these ideas of encoding and decoding. From a conversation with Gerard McMullan, president, No Fear Soft-

Re erences

[ 235 ]

ware Services, Sydney, Australia. 7. Cited in Sarah Cliffe, “Knowledge Management—The Well-Connected Business,” Harvard Business Review, July-August 1998, p. 17. 8. Christopher Locke, Rick Levine, Doc Searls and David Weinberger, The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual , p. 159.

C apter 8 1.

he Institute for the Future is a not-for-prot research organization. Robert Johansen, its president, also is the author of Global Work: Bridging Distance, Culture and Time , with Mary O’Hara-Devereaux San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1994), and (with Rob Swigart) Ups z ng he Individual in the Downsized Organization (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1996). Contact the rm at 2744 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California, 94025-7020, phone at 415-854-6322 2. Michael Powell, “Are Humans Doomed?”, interview with Bill Joy in The Washington Post April 16, 2000. 3. Michael Powell, “Are Humans Doomed?”, The Washington Post April 6, 2000. 4. Study Reveals Growing Danger of Information Addiction,” Reuters December 10, 1997). 5. Conversation with Technostress authors Michelle M. Weid and Larry D. Rosen, October 25, 1997. 6. Information Fatigue Syndrome,” Reuters (October 25, 1997). 7. Many measurements of technology improvement, such as the all important price-performance ratio of silicon densities/microprocessors and data transmission characteristics of light, show that many core information technologies are in the early stages of commercial exloitation and that several generations are to come before we start running up against physical limits. The implication is that, while we may be awed—and stressed out!—by computers and the Internet today, we ain’t seen nothing yet. 8. From conversations with Torrey Byles, an economic analyst and consultant specializing in Internet commerce and the digital economy, August to December 1997. Torrey can be reached at Granada Research, P.O. Box 2601, El Granada, California, 94018, phone at 650726-3002. 9. Cited in David Champion, “Marketing: Technology’s Garden of Paradox,” Harvard Business Review (July-August 1998), p. 12. 10. Christopher Locke, Rick Levine, Doc Searls and David Weinberger, The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual , p. 148.

[ 236 ]


11. Jim Taylor and Watts Wacker, with Howard Means, The 500-Year Delta: What Happens After What Comes Nex (New York: HarperCollins, 1997), p. 115. 12. From a conversation with Torrey Byles. 13. Leif Edvinsson and Michael S. Malone, Intellectual Capital: Realizing Your Company’s True Value by Finding Its Hidden Brainpower (New York: HarperCollins, 1997), p. 34. 14. From a conversation with Byles. 15. Ibid. 16. Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s vision for Singapore 21, as reported n The Straits Times (June 7, 1997). Singapore 21 is a high-level government initiative for helping the country maintain its excellence into the 21st century, while ensuring increasing levels of balance for the people.

C apter 9 1.

Glen Rein, Mike Atkinson, and Rollin McCraty, “The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Compassion and Anger,” Journal of Advancement in Medicine 8, no. 2 (1995), pp. 87–105. 2. Jon Gice, “The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Workers’ Compensation Claims,” PCU Journal 48, no. 3 (September 1995), pp. 178–84. . Phil Smith, “Emotional Climate Is More Than Just a Feeling,” The Edge Newsletter, Edgecumbe Consulting Group (August 1997). The Edgecumbe Consulting Group can be reached at Edgecumbe Hall, Richmond Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1AT, United Kingdom, phone at 0117-973-8899. . Steven P. Brown and Thomas V. Leigh, “A New Look at Psychological Climate and Its Relationship to Job Involvement, Effort and Performance,” Journal of Applied Psychology 81, no. 4 (1996), pp. 358–68. 5. Ibid., p. 361. 6. Ibid. 7. Reported in article by Ron Winslow, “Underused Skills Raise Risks of Developing Heart Disease,” The Wall Street Journal (July 25, 1997). 8. Contact HeartMath LLC for complete information. 9. David Pendleton, Organizational Coherence Survey Manual , Institute of HeartMath, 14700 West Park Avenue, Boulder Creek, CA, 95006, phone at 831-338-8500. 10. Ibid.

Re erences

[ 237 ]

C apter 10 1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7.

James C. Collins and Jerry Porras, Built to Last: Successful Habits of V s onary Compan es (New York: HarperBusiness, 1994), p. xx. James L. Heskett, W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger, The ervice-Prot Chain: How Leading Companies Link Prot and Growth o Loyalty, Satis faction, and Value (New York: The Free Press, 1997). Ibid., p. 249. D. C. McClelland and C. Kirshnit, “The Effects of Motivational Arousal Through Films on Salivary Immunoglobulin A,” Psychological Health 2 (1988), pp. 31–52. om Peters, “You Gotta Have Heart,” Canadian Airlines Magazine February 1994). Carol Montgomery, “The Care-Giving Relationship: Paradoxical and ranscendent Aspects,” ournal of Transpersonal Psychology 23, no. 2 1991). n album of music designed to enhance mental and emotional balance. Doc Childre, Heart Zones , Planetary Publications, 1994.

C apter 11 1.

2.

3. 4. 5. 6.

7.

8.

he event was the 1995 YPO (Young President’s Organization) International University in Washington, DC. Bruce Cryer was presenting HeartMath technology in several workshops to the CEOs. Ben Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, was the conductor. James L. Heskett, W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger, The ervice-Prot Chain: How Leading Companies Link Prot and Growth o Loyalty, Satis faction, and Value (New York: The Free Press, 1997). Ibid., p. 237. Ibid., p. 238. Herb Kelleher, “A Culture of Commitment,” Leader to Leader, no. 4 Spr ng 1997), p. 20. Executive Survey: ‘Compassion’ Is Important for Future Business Leaders,” ornell Chronicle 28, no. 10 (October 24, 1996). Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management. www.gsm.cornell.edu/Newideas/leadershipsurvey2.html. Margaret J. Wheatley, Leadership and the New Science: Learning bout Organization from an Orderly Universe (San Franc sco: Berrett-Koehler, 1992), pp. 38–39. Jim Throneburg, chairman of Thorlo, has attended several HeartMath programs at our facility in California. We also provided train-

[ 238 ]

9.


ing and consulting services to the company at its facilities in North Carolina. Patrick L. Townsend and Joan E. Gebhardt, “The Three Priorities of Leadership,” Leader to Leader, no. 4 (Spr ng 1997), p. 13.

C apter 12 1.

Leif Edvinsson and Michael S. Malone, Intellectual Capital: Realizing Your Company’s True Value by Finding Its Hidden Brainpower (New York: HarperCollins, 1997), p. 49.

lossary

amyg a a T e ey su cortica rain center t at coor inates e aviora , neura , immuno ogica , an ormona responses to environmenta t reats. It a so serves as t e store ouse o emotiona memory wit in t e rain. Its unction is to compare incoming signals from the environment with stored emotional memories. In this way, the amygdala makes instantaneous decisions about the threat level of incoming sensory information. Due to its extensive connections to the ypothalamus and other autonomic nervous system centers, the amygdala is able to activate the autonomic nervous system and emotional responses before the higher brain centers receive the sensory information. appreciation An active emotional state in which one has clear perception or recognition of the quality or magnitude of that to be thankful for. Appreciation also leads to improved physiological balance, as measured in cardiovascular and immune system function. asset-decit balance sheet An IQM tool for evaluating the assets and decits of any project, pending decision, employee performance, or for a wide variety of other uses. In conjunction with Freeze-Frame, the asset-decit balance sheet can yield surprising insights and clarity on personal and professional issues. Note: reeze-Frame, Inner Quality Management (IQM), Heart Lock-in, Heart Mapping an HeartMat are registere tra emar s o t e Institute o HeartMat .

[ 239 ]

[ 240 ]


autonomic nervous system T e portion o t e nervous system t at regu ates most o t e o y s invo untary unctions, inc u ing mean eart rate, t e movements of the gastrointestinal tract, and the secretions of many glands. Consisting of two branches (the sympathetic and parasympathetic), the autonomic nervous system regulates over 90% of the body’s functions. The heart, brain, immune, hormonal, respiratory, and digestive systems are all connected by this network of nerves. a ance Sta i ity, equi i rium, or t e even istri ution o weig t on eac si e o a vertica axis. T e term a so use to enote mental or emotional stability. baroreceptor system Nerve receptors within the heart and arteries t at are sensitive to pressure c anges an transmit neura in ormation to t e rain to e p regu ate s ort-term oo pressure. T e neura signa s sent via t e aroreceptor system ave numerous e ects on t e rain an are a e to a ter perception in t e ig er rain centers. cardiac coherence A mode of cardiac function in which the heart’s rhythmic and electrical output is highly ordered. HeartMath research has shown that positive emotions such as ove, care, an appreciation increase t e co erence in t e eart s r yt mic eating patterns. During states o car iac co erence, rain wave patterns ave een s own to entrain wit eart rate varia i ity patterns, nervous system a ance an immune unction are en ance , an t e o y unctions wit increase armony an e ciency. cardiovascular system The system in the human body constituting the heart and the blood vessels. caring This is an inner attitude or feeling of true service, with

G ossary

[ 241 ]

no agen a or attac ment to t e outcome. Sincere caring is re juvenating or ot t e giver an receiver. cell The smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning. A complex unit of protoplasm usually with a nucleus, cytoplasm, and an enclosing mem rane. cellular Containing or consisting of cells. cerebral cortex The most highly developed area of the brain, which governs all higher order human capabilities such as anguage, creativity, and problem solving. The cortex, like other brain centers, continues to develop new neural circuits or net works throughout life. c aos Great isor er or con usion; inco erence. Comes rom t e Gree wor aos , meaning un orme matter. T e isor ere state held to have existed before the ordered universe. coherence Logical connectedness, internal order, or harmony among t e components o a system. T e term a so can re er to t e ten ency towar increase or er in t e in ormationa content o a system or in t e in ormation ow etween systems. In p ysics, two or more wave orms t at are p ase- oc e toget er so t at t eir energy is constructive are escri e as co erent. Co erence a so can e attri ute to a sing e wave orm, in w ic case it enotes an or ere or constructive distribution of power content. Recently, the scientic interest in coherence in living systems has been growing. When a system is coherent, virtually no energy is wasted because of the internal synchronization among the parts. In organizations, increased coherence enables the emergence of new levels of creativity, cooperation, productivity, and quality on all levels.

[ 242 ]


co erent communication Communication etween in ivi ua s t at is seam ess, ocuse , an ree o inner min static. T e coerent s aring o in ormation is a ey to usiness e ectiveness and a primary way to reduce stress. Coherent communication is Dynamic 2 of inner quality management and involves achieving understanding rst, listening nonjudgmentally, listening for the essence, and authentic dialogue. cortical inhibition A desynchronization or reduction of cortical activity, believed to result from the erratic heart rhythms and resulting neural signals transmitted from the heart to the brain during stress and negative emotional states. This condition can manifest in less efcient decision-making capability, leading to poor or shortsighted decisions, ineffective or impulsive communication, and reduced physical coordination. cortisol A hormone produced by the adrenal glands during stressful situations, commonly known as the stress hormone . Excessive cortisol, while an essential hormone, has many harmful effects on the body and can destroy brain cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory. DHEA An essential hormone produced by the adrenal glands known as the vitality hormon because of its antiaging properties. As the body’s natural antagonist of the glucocorticoid hormones, such as cortisol, DHEA reverses many of the unfavorable physiological effects of excessive stress. It is t e precursor o t e sex ormones estrogen an testosterone; an its varie unctions inc u e stimu ating t e immune system, owering c o estero eve s, an promoting one an musc e eposition. Low DHEA eve s ave een reporte in patients wit many major iseases.

G ossary

[ 243 ]

A comp ex mo ecu e, oun in every ce o t e o y, t at carries t e genetic in ormation or ueprint etermining in ivi ua ere itary c aracteristics. An essentia component of all living matter, DNA is a nucleic acid consisting of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and is the ma jor constituent of chromosomes. e ectromagnetic signa In p ysics, t e term is use to escri e a wave propagate t roug space or matter y t e osci ating e ectric an magnetic e generate y an osci ating e ectric charge. In the human body, the heart is the most powerful source of electromagnetic energy. emotion A strong feeling. Any of various complex reactions with both mental and physical manifestations, as love, joy, sorrow, or anger. Emotional energy is neutral, attaching itself to positive or negative thoughts to create emotions . emotional virus A metaphorical term used to describe the result of emotional mismanagement within an organization. This virus thrives in the gap between our expectations and the reality we perceive. The internal imbalances created by an emotional virus perpetuate ongoing distortion and obstacles until resolved. This concept is part of Dynamic 3, boosting the organizational climate. entrainment A p enomenon seen t roug out nature, w ere y systems or organisms ex i iting perio ic e avior wi a into sync an osci ate at t e same requency an p ase. A common examp e o t is p enomenon is t e sync ronization o two or more pen u um c oc s p ace near eac ot er. In uman eings, t e entrainment o i erent osci ating io ogica systems to t e primary requency o t e eart r yt ms o ten is observed during positive emotional states. This state

[ 244 ]


represents a ig y e cient mo e o o i y unction an is associate wit eig tene c arity, uoyancy, an inner peace. Entraine teams are t ose t at operate wit a ig er egree o synchronization, efciency, and coherent communication. epinephrine An adrenal hormone that stimulates the heart, increases muscular strength and endurance, constricts the blood vessels, and raises blood pressure. Also known as adrenaline. reeze- rame A ey too use in Dynamic 1, interna se management, t at consists o conscious y isengaging one s mental and emotional reactions to either external or internal events. The center of attention then is shifted from the mind and emotions to the physical area around the heart while focus is on a positive emotion such as love or appreciation. This tool is designed to release and prevent stress through stopping inefcient reactions in the moment to provide a window of opportunity for new, intuitive perspectives. Freeze-Frame has numerous applications for creative thinking, innovation, and planning, as well as improving overall health and well-being. frequency The number of times any action, occurrence, or event is repeated in a given period. In physics, it is the number of periodic oscillations, vibrations, or waves per unit of time, usually expressed in cycles per second. Human intelligence operates within a large band width of frequencies. eart A hollow, muscular organ in vertebrates that keeps the blood in circulation throughout the body by means of its rhythmic contractions and relaxations. It is the body’s central and most powerful energy generator and rhythmic oscillator; a complex, self-organized information processing system with its own functional “little brain” that continually transmits

G ossary

neura , rain.

ormona , r yt mic, an

[ 245 ]

pressure messages to t e

eart- rain entrainment A state in w ic very ow requency rain waves an eart r yt ms are requency oc e entraine ). T is p enomenon as een associate wit signi cant s i ts in perception an eig tene intuitive awareness. eart inte igence A term coine to express t e concept o t e eart as an intelligent system with the power to bring both the emotional and mental systems into balance and coherence. heart rate variability (HRV) The normally occurring beat-tobeat changes in heart rate. Analysis of HRV is an important tool used to assess the function and balance of the autonomic nervous system. HRV is considered a key indicator of aging and cardiac and overall health. hologram A three-dimensional image made of light, created by an interference pattern of two interacting laser beams recorded on photographic lm. Holo means complete or total. Gram means a writing, drawing, or record of the image. holographic principle A unique property of a hologram is that every portion of the image contains all the information necessary to produce the whole. The holographic principle that “every part contains the whole” is mirrored in the cellular structure of the human body, whereby every cell contains the information necessary to create a duplicate of the entire organism. hormonal system A hormone is a substance produced by living cells that circulates in the body uids and produces a specic effect on the activity of cells remote from its point of origin. The hormonal system is made up of the many hormones that act and interact throughout the body to regulate many

[ 246 ]


meta o ic unctions, an t e ce s, organs, an tissues t at manu acture t em. immune system T e integrate o i y system o organs, tissues, ce s, an ce pro ucts, suc as anti o ies, t at i erentiates se rom nonse wit in our o y an neutra izes potentia y pat ogenic organisms or su stances that cause disease. The organizational “immune system” is built on the core values known to enhance personal fulllment and well-being, eliminating the emotional viruses that can permeate and destroy the effectiveness and coherence of the organization. insight The faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth and apprehending the true nature of a thing; a clear understanding or awareness. interna co erence A eep state o interna se -management in w ic one is generating increase or er an armony in the physical, mental, and emotional systems. In this state, the cardiovascular, immune, hormonal, and nervous systems function with heightened efciency. States of internal coherence are associated with reduced emotional reactivity, greater mental clarity, creativity, adaptability, and exibility. internal self-management Dynamic 1 of inner quality management, the active process of reducing and neutralizing one’s automatic mental and emotional reactions to events or situations, instead of being their un witting victim. intuition Inte igence an un erstan ing t at ypasses t e ogica , inear cognitive processes. T e acu ty o irect knowing as if by instinct, without conscious reasoning. Pure, untaught, inferential knowledge with a keen and quick insight; common sense.

G ossary

[ 247 ]

intuitive inte igence A type o inte igence istinct rom cognitive processes, w ic erives rom t e consistent use an app ication o one s intuition. Researc is s owing t at the human capacity to meet life’s challenges with uidity and grace is based not on knowledge, logic, or reason alone but also includes the ability to make intuitive decisions. HeartMath research suggests that, with training and practice, uman beings can develop a high level of operational intuitive intelligence. intuitive listening A means of communicating that involves deeply listening to the other person while maintaining a neutral and emotionally balanced inner attitude. This communication technique enables us more readily to understand the essence of a conversation and often to perceive additional levels of subtlety within the information being communicated. limbic system A group of cortical and subcortical brain structures involved in emotional processing and certain aspects of memory. These structures include the hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, among others. nervous system The system of cells, tissues, and organs that coordinates and regulates the body’s responses to internal and external stimuli. In vertebrates, the nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and nerve centers in receptor and effector organs. neural circuits Neural pathways consisting of interconnected neurons in the brain and body through which specic information is processed. Research has shown that many of these neural connections develop in early childhood, based on our experiences and the type of stimulation we receive. Likewise, even later in life, different neural circuits can either

[ 248 ]


e rein orce or atrop y, epen ing on ow requent y we use t em. Speci c circuits orm an are rein orce t roug repeate e avior, an in t is way ot p ysica an emotional responses can become “hardwired” and automatic in our system. Any o t e ce s t at ma e up t e nervous system, consisting of a nucleated cell body with one or more dendrites and a single axon. Neurons are the fundamental structural and functional units of nervous tissue. neutral In physics, having a net electric charge of zero. With reference to machinery, it means a position in which a set of gears is disengaged. In human beings, it is a state in which we have consciously disengaged from our automatic mental and emotional reactions to a situation or issue in order to gain a wider perspective. organizational incoherence A state resulting from accumulated internal noise, turmoil, pressure, and conict among the individuals that make up an organization. This state is characterized by distorted perception, high levels of emotional reactivity, and decreased efciency, cooperation, and productivity. overcaring The result of caring taken to an inefcient extreme and crossing the line into anxiety and worry. Overcaring is one of the greatest inhibitors of personal and organizational resilience. It has become so natural that people often do not know they are experiencing it, because it postures itself as caring. As individuals learn to identify and plug the leaks in their own personal systems caused by overcaring, they stop raining energy an e ectiveness, persona y an organizationa y.

G ossary

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parasympat etic T e ranc o t e autonomic nervous system t at s ows or re axes o i y unctions. T is part o t e nervous system is ana ogous to t e ra es in a car. Many nown diseases and disorders are associated with diminished parasympathetic function. perception T e act or acu ty o appre en ing y means o t e senses; t e way in w ic an in ivi ua views a situation or event. How we perceive an event or an issue un er ies ow we t in , ee , an react to t at event or issue. Our eve of awareness determines our initial perception of an event and our ability to extract meaning from the available data. Research is showing that when the mind’s logic and intellect are armoniously integrated with the heart’s intuitive intelligence, our perception of situations can change signicantly, offering wider perspectives and new possibilities. quantum theory A mathematical theory that describes the behavior of physical systems. It is particularly useful in studying the energetic characteristics of matter at the subatomic level. One of the key principles of quantum theory is that we are not merely observing reality but participating in the way we create our reality. solar plexus The large network of nerves located in the area of the belly just below the sternum, named for the raylike patterns of its nerve bers. This neural network is distributed throughout the tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon, sometimes called the enteric nervous ystem or gut brain . stress Pressure, strain, or a sense of inner turmoil resulting from our perceptions and reactions to events or conditions. A state of negative emotional arousal, usually associated with feelings of discomfort or anxiety that we attribute to our circumstances or situation.

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sympat etic T e ranc o t e autonomic nervous system t at spee s up o i y unctions, preparing us or mo i ization an action. T e g t or ig t response to stress activates t e sympathetic nervous system and causes the contraction of blood vessels and a rise in heart rate and many other bodily responses. This part of the nervous system is analogous to the gas pedal in a car. ere to escri e t e time save w en we are time s i t Use a e to isengage rom an ine cient menta or emotiona reaction and make a more efcient choice. Time shifting stops a chain-link reaction of time and energy waste and catapults people into a new domain of time management, where there is greater energy efciency and fulllment.

Selected Reading utry, ames . Love an Pro t: T e Art o Caring Lea ers ip New Yor : Wi iam Morrow an Company, 1991. Block, Peter. Stewardship: Choosing Service over Self-Interest . San Francisco: Berrett-Koe er Pu is ers, 1993. Carter, Louis (editor). The Change Champion's Fieldguide: Strategies and Tools for Leading Change in Your Organization . oston, MA: Best Practice Publications, 2003. Childre, Doc. Overcoming Emotional Chaos. San Diego, CA: Jodere Group, Inc., 2002. Childre, Doc. Transforming Anger Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Press, 2003. Childre, Doc. Freeze-Frame: One-Minute Stress Management . Boulder Creek, CA: Planetary Publications, 1994; Revised edition, 1998. C i re, Doc, an Howar Martin. e HeartMat So ution . an Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999. Co ins, James C., an Jerry I. Porras. Bui t to Last: Success u Ha its o Visionary Companies . New Yor : HarperBusiness, 1994. Co ins, James C. Goo to Great: W y Some Companies Ma e t e Leap an Ot ers Don t . New Yor : HarperCo ins, 2001.

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[ 252 ]


Conner, Dary R. Managing at t e Spee o C ange: How Resi ient Managers Succeed and Prosper Where Others Fail . New York: Villard Books, 1993. Cooper, Ro ert, an Ayman Sawa . Executive EQ: Emotiona Inte igence in Lea ers ip an Organizations . New Yor : rosset utnam, 1997. Cooper, Ro ert. T e Ot er 90%. T ree Rivers Press, 2002. Covey, Stephen R. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Power ful Lessons in Personal Change . New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989. Cryer, Bruce, Rollin McCraty, and Doc Childre. "Pull the Plug on Stress." Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review , July 2003. DePree, Max. Leadership Is an Art . New York: Dell, 1989. DePree, Max. Leadership Jazz . New York: Dell, 1992. E vinsson, Lei , an Mic ae S. Ma one. Inte ectua Capita : Rea izing Your Company s rue Va ue y Fin ing Its Hi en Brainpower New Yor : HarperCo ins, 1997. Fran , Victor. Man s Searc Sc uster, 1970.

or Meaning New Yor : Simon an

rost, eter. Toxic Emotions at Work: How Compassionate Managers Handle Pain and Conict Boston, MA: Harvard Business Sc oo Press, 2003. Galvin, Robert W. The Idea of Ideas . Schaumburg, IL: Motorola University Press, 1991. Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference . Boston, MA: Back Bay Books, 2002.

e ecte Rea ing

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Go eman, Danie . Emotiona Inte igence: W y It Can Matter More t an IQ . New Yor : Bantam Boo s, 1995. Go eman, Danie . Prima Lea ers ip: Rea izing t e Power o Emotiona Inte igence . Boston, MA: Harvar Business Sc oo Pu is ing, 2002. Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership on the Line . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002. Helgesen, Sally. The Web of Inclusion . New York: Doubleday, 1995. Heskett, James L., W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger. The Service-Prot Chain: How Leading Companies Link Prot and Growth to Loyalty, Satisfaction, and Value . New York: The Free Press, 1997. Hesselbein, Frances, Marshall Goldsmith, and Richard Beckhard. The Leader of the Future . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. Jawors i, Josep . Sync ronicity: T e Inner Pat o Lea ers ip San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 1996. Johansen, Robert, and Rob Swigart. Upsizing the Individual in the Downsize Organization: Managing in t e Wa e o Reengineering, G o a ization, an Overw e ming Tec no ogica C ange Rea ing, MA: A ison-Wes ey Pu is ing, 1996. Land, George, and Beth Jarman. Breakpoint and Beyond: Mastering the Future Today. New York: HarperBusiness, 1992. Locke, Christopher, and Rick Levine. The Cluetrain Manifesto . Perseus Publishing, 2001. O Rei y, C ar es A., an Je rey P e er. Hi en Va ue: How Great Companies Ac ieve Extraor inary Resu ts wit Or inary Peoe . Boston, MA: Harvar Business Sc oo Press, 2000.

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Os orne, Davi , an Te Gae er. Reinventing Government: How t e Entrepreneuria Spirit Is Trans orming t e Pu ic Sector New Yor : Penguin Boo s, 1993. O’Shea, James, and Charles Madigan. Dangerous Company: The Consulting Powerhouses and the Businesses They Save and Ruin . New Yor : Ran om House, 1997. Pearce, Joseph Chilton. he Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit Inner Traditions, 2002. Peters, Tom. The Pursuit of Wow: Every Person’s Guide to TopsyTurvy Times . New York: Vintage Books, 1994. Rec tsc a en, Step an. Time S i ting: Creating More Time to En joy Your Li e. New Yor : Dou e ay, 1997. Schultz, Howard, and Dori Jones Yang. Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time . New York: Hyperion, 1997. Srivastva, Suresh, David L. Cooperrider, and Associates. Appreciative Management and Leadership: The Power of Positive Thought and Action in Organizations . San Francisco: Josseyass, 1990. aylor, Jim, and Watts Wacker, with Howard Means. he 500 Year Delta: What Happens After What Comes Next . New York: HarperCollins, 1997. iller, William A. Science and Human Transformation: Subtle Energies, Intentionalit and Consciousness . Walnut Creek, CA: Pavior Publishing, 1997. Wheatley, Margaret J. Leadership and the New Science: Learning about Organization from an Orderly Universe . San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 1992.

Index 500-Year Delta The,

a apta

ty, o organ zat ons, 167 amygdala escr pt on o , pprec at on, o teams, Armour, J. A., Dr., 2 Asset-decit balance sheet, ut ent c commun cat on, Autonomic nervous system divisions of, tress an , Balance escr pt on o , examp es o , Body language, 105 Brain esync ron zat on o , 46 rst, unct ons o , ase on anatomy, 6- 7 econd, t r , rown an e g stu y, o organizational cimate, 156 urnout, 6 , 155

[ 255 ]

Capital human, nte ectua , ar ac co erence denition of, 11 are equat on or, organ zat ona ene ts o , sincere, 172-173 Caregivers, 173at ay ac c rways, a enger, c ange in organization, 15 Climate, of organization oost ng o , e n t on o , ignoring of, 158 productivity and, relationship etween, c mate, o organ zat on description of, 4 , Cluetrain Manifesto, The , , oac ng, operat ona ze , 20 Coherence ene ts o , ome ca measurement o , business success and, 4 cardiac

[ 256 ]


e n t on o , daily experience with, 10-11 effect of negative thoughts on, e ect o percept on on, entrainment and, 195 military, progress ve nature o , sc ent c examp e o , Coherent communication description of, elements of, pr nc p es o , , Common sense as form of intuition, 5 description of, 54 ommun cat on aut ent c barriers to, 109-110 by body language, 105 escr pt on o , e ements o , requirements for, 10 voice mail, omputers pro uct v ty e ects, Cooper, Robert Ph.D., xiii Core Values as organ zat ona oun at on, Core values as intelligence, 166 escr pt on o , 165 types o , ort ca n t on, Cortisol, release of, effect of s ress on, reat v ty, , , amas o,

nton o,

eco ng, Delnor-Community Hospital, escr pt on o , maladaptation effects on, 61-62 , E-mail organizational incoherencerom, rea ng strateg es or, Efciency effect of listening on, 116 energy, rom reeze- rame, nste n, ert, Emotional hijacking, 9 Emotional Intelligence, 3 Emotional intelligence o og ca or g ns o , denition of, 3 Emotional Virus ow to spot, 153-154 mot ona v rus escr pt on o , elimination of, 146-149 globalization of, 151 n v ua s respons e or, strengt en ng o organ zat ona immune system to p, 151 symptoms of, 15 mot ons us ness success an , coherence of, 49 drain of, 65 unct on o , eart an , re at ons p etween, 64-6 immune health and, 63 rec proc ty,

In ex [ 257 ]

econ ra n process ng o , Encoding, 109 nergy ra n sources escr pt on o , judgmental, 94-96 unmet expectations, e c ent use o , ntra nment coherence and, 195 concept of, gure, 13 e n t on o , examp es o , for teamwork success, 195 , xiii xecutive xpectat ons rea ty an , a es, unme destructive effects of, energy expen ture or, irst, rea e u es , ran , ctor, reeze- rame description of, 68-69 effect on information, 135-136 e ements o , energy e c ency rom, for overcaring, 178 for reducing expectations, eart nte gence, reasons w y t wor s, eps, 69 reeze- ramer, requency e n t on o , Frost, Robert, 101

Goleman, Daniel,

ut ra n, ea t e ect o genet cs on, productivity and, relationship between, stress an , eart communication with brain, -45 entra nment o , ntr ns c nervous system n, stress effects on, 64 survival of, 6 eart at oun ng o , heart intelligence denition, 52 Heart intelligence e n t on o , 52 escr pt on o , for discriminating signicance of events, 168-170 reeze- rame access to, n ormat on tec no ogy an , listening to, 102 eart oc - n, eart app ng app cat ons, description of, 208-210 teamwork improvements using, es ett, ames, Human capital, 130-133 ness, n wor p ace, mmune system emotions and, 63 or organ zat on, strengt en ng

[ 258 ]


to prevent emot ona, Incoherence, organizational consequences of, 5 e-ma an , e ect on n v ua co erence, 47 Incoherence, organizational causes o , n ormat on sharing of, intuitive intelligence effects on, 13 value-added, 135 n ormat on over oa p enomenon, 124 Information technology future of, 136eart nte gent response to, Inner Quality Management development of, ynam cs o , stress re uct on, Innovation, 112, 208 220 Intellectual capital, nte gence comput ng eve opments an similarities between, 28 distributed, 1 str ut on n uman system, requenc es o , intuitive, 52-55 mental, 52 neural pathways of, va ues as, nterna se -management case study of, 79-82 principles of, 5 we - e ng mprovements, nternet, 136 139

nternet t me, Intuition common sense as form of, 5 compass on an , eart an , re at ons p eween, 2 Intuitive intelligence escr pt on o , 52-53 n ormat on s ar ng en ancements using, 13 signicance of events and, 169 Intuitive listening escr pt on o , elements of, 113 example of, 113 organizational applications, Jackson, Phil, 195 u gmenta ness causes for, 94 e e er,

er ,

aser, Leadership and the New Science,

sten ng intuitive, 110-113 levels of, to heart intelligence, Maladaptation escr pt on o , 58-59 ormona , to stress, 58-59 anagement key skills for, -195

In ex [ 259 ]

overcar ng y, quan um, 222 ervice-prot chain approach, an ar n r enta ote , McClellan, David, 171 Medulla, 56 emory amyg a a's ro e n, automaticity of, 57 ergers, Military coherence, n app ng, at ona em con uctor, , Neutral benets of, e n t on o , or negat ve react ons, importance of, 4 orkplace use of, 73

-

Organizational coherence case study of, effect of individual coherence , measurement of, 12 urvey o assess description of, 159-16 rgan zat ona nco erence causes o , consequences of, 5 e-mail and, rgan zat ons a apta ty o , changes in, 1 composition of, 5 ntu t ve sten ng app cat on

o, Overachieving, 201 vercare e n t on o , ra n ng e ects o , effect on effectiveness, 177 examples of, reeze- rame or, ent cat on o , in management style, 179 self-care for reducing, Perception amygdala's role in, 9 e ect on co erence, e ect on stress-re ate emotions, 9 or organization climate and productivity, relation, Personal and Organizational Quality Assessment , eters, om, resence, Productivity effect of computers on, e ect o organ zat ona c ange , health and, relationship beween, organ zat ona c mate an , re at ons p etween, uantum management,

-

at os, enewa service-prot chain, 189-190

[ 260 ]


enewa , o organ zat on principles of, acre oops Schlesinger, Leonard A., 189 Self-care a ance , co erence an , descripton of, 180 Self-security, erv ce-pro t c a n, ervice- ro t ain, e, Signicance, of events, 168-170 Sincerity, -173, an a, out west r nes, Strasser, W. Earl, Jr., 189 Strategy, tress annua costs assoc ate w t , cortisol release and, 41 effect on cortical brain regions, 46 g o a zat on o , ea t an , in workplace, 16 maladaptation to, 58-59 p ys o og ca e ects o , prevent on o , word origin of, 59

eams appreciation of, 198-199 overachieving of, ec no ogy ata ncreases, growths in, 121-122 informatin quality increases rom, -

or o, Time convenience, management o , pro em reso ut on a ter expenditure, 5-86 unmanageable state of, zar s n use o , me s t, Tone of voice, 105 zu, ao, Underachievers, 202 Value-added information, 135 Virus, emotional escr pt on o , 146e m nat ons o , g o a zat on, how to spot, 153-154 methods of attacking, trengt en ng o organ zat ona mmune system to p, ymptoms of, 154 Voice-mail, u nera ty, -

Web, , eat ey,

argaret,

,

-205

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[ 263 ]

Acknowledgments

DOC ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED THE INSTITUTE TO BRING together the elds of science, health, psychology, and business. It grew very quickly; so in 1998, we launched HeartMath LLC to provi e training an consu ting services g o a y in a t e mar ets ormer y serve y t e institute. In 1999 HeartMat merge wit P anetary Pu ications, a pu is er o oo s, CDs, CD-ROMs, an interactive so tware. T e Institute continues as a ea ing-e ge not- or-pro t researc organization. Many peop e wit in t ese two organizations, as we as c ients an co eagues, p aye ey ro es in e ping ring t is oo into existence. Sara Paddison’s editing help was central to the book’s coherence. Rollin McCraty was an invaluable research advisor, and Tom Beckman has scoured the Internet and World Wide Web for the ast several years in search of data related to the issues of workplace productivity, health care, stress, and corporate efciency. A special thanks to Dr. Karl Pribram and Dr. Lee Lipsenthal for their contributions to the chapter on human intelligence. Tricia Hoffman, Christiana Bramlet, Jennifer Barr, Dana Tomasino, and Veronica Yousooan added tremendously to this research effort, while Brandi Barchi and Sherye Woodley were essential in keeping the pieces organized and clear. Kathryn McArthur and JJ McCraty were invaluable in book design and layout, and Joseph Sundram’s perspective was a tremendous asset to the nal chapter, as was Sibyl Cryer’s throughout the process. Thanks also to Dan Drabek for his excellent cover design. As executive vice presi ent o HeartMat LLC, De ora Rozman e pe gui e every p ase o HeartMat s eve opment. Howar Martin, executive vice presi ent an c ie creativity o cer, a so [ 264 ]

[ 265 ]

ma e many va ua e contri utions to t is wor as we as assistance an irection in t e entire pu ication process. Eup rasia Carro an Dan Bis op s wor in e ping create t e CD-ROM based on the book’s rst edition, inuenced the creation of this new edition. We also want to thank our British partners, Chris Sawicki and Lynn Adamson of Hunter-Kane Ltd.; Wendy Parker; Robert Cooper, author of Executive EQ Vivian Wright of Hewlett-Packard; Torrey Byles of Granada Research; Cassandra Pulig of Silicon Graphics; Peter Buecking of One World Alliance; Jim Warren of the Warren Financial Group; and Wolfgang Hultner of Mandarin Oriental Hotels, all of whom offered encouragement and valued input. Enjoy!

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oc Childre 1991 IHM), a nonpro t researc an training organization e icate to researching the role of the heart in the human system, and putting the heart back into social systems. He assembled a talented team of research scientists, professional educators, and businesspeople who care deeply about the stresses people face today. HeartMath tools help people systematically learn ow to utilize “heart intelligence” for greater health, well-being, improved communication skills, and job satisfaction. Doc consults to presidents and leaders in organizations in ow to create profound shifts in decision-making effectiveness, time use, and productivity, while dramatically enhancing personal balance and well-being. HeartMath provides individuals and organizations with practical, scienticallyvalidated technology that Doc developed to release stress in the moment and nd inner peace of mind and new hope. In 1998 IHM icense its training an usiness consu ting activities to HeartMat LLC, o w ic Doc is c airman. T e HeartMat system as een eature in USA To ay, US News & Wor Report, NN, NBC s To ay S ow, CBS T is Morning, Psyc o ogy To ay, In ustry Wee , Army Times, New Yor Times, Los Ange es Times, San Francisco C ronic e, Truc ers USA, n numerous ot er pu ications t at span many facets of society. Doc is the author of several other books that explore applications of the HeartMath system: • The How to Book of Teen Self-Discovery (approved as a text oo in Ca i ornia) • Freeze-Frame: One-Minute Stress Management

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• Teac ing C i ren to Love: Raising Ba ance Un a ance Times • T e HeartMat So ution • Overcoming Emotional Chaos • Transforming Anger

Ki s in

Doc is also an acclaimed composer whose concept of “designer music” became internationally recognized through his rst a um, eart ones. His secon a um, Spee o Ba ance, is described as “a musical adventure for emotional and mental regeneration. Quiet Jo is is atest re ease. Doc founded Quantum Intech, Inc. in 2001, to develop and license technology to enhance health, performance and emotional balance. www.quantumintech.com.

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ruce Cryer BRUCE BRINGS MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN business management, human performance training, and organizationa c ange to t e position o Presi ent an C ie Executive O cer or HeartMat LLC. Bruce e pe aunc t e Institute o HeartMat an is t e ey arc itect o t e Inner Qua ity Management (IQM) programs. Bruce success u y gui e HeartMat programs into t e g o a corporate arena, wit projects at McKinsey, Dupont, Motoro a, Hew ett-Pac ar , CIBC (Cana ian Imperia Ban o Commerce), Shell, LifeScan (a Johnson & Johnson company), Liz Claiborne, and Cathay Pacic Airways. He has also trained trainers who deliver HeartMath programs in Fortune 500 companies, health care organizations, the U.S. military, and public and private sector organizations in Canada, Europe, and Asia. Bruce has edited more than 25 books on human performance, stress reduction, and education. For eight years, Bruce served as Vice President for a biotech company, where his broad-based, senior-level experience was in the areas of marketing, training, distribution, project planning, logistics, and implementation. Bruce is on the faculty of the Stanford Executive Program, as lectured at the Stanford Sloan Program, the University of California at Berkeley Haas Business School, the Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business, the Wharton Club, an t e Nanyang Po ytec nic University Sc oo o Business Management in Singapore. His views on eve oping a more co erent, e ective wor orce ave een presente to au iences suc as t e Fe eration o American Hospita s, Young Presi ent s Organization (YPO), T e Executive Committee (TEC), Lessons in Lea ers ip Distinguis e Spea er Series, severa con erences

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on emotiona inte igence an systems t in ing, an t e Society or Organizationa Learning. He as a so een interviewe in or written or suc pu ications as Harvar Business Review, Business 2.0, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Computerworld, CIO, Customer Service Professional, At Work, Entrepreneur Magazine, Advance, nd Executive Excellence . He has been a guest on hundreds of television and radio programs nation wide.

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