IN THE NEWS - From BlueRio's Insights
Authenticity + Connection = Realization©
Brand leadership – more than a manufactured message for awareness.
This March I am launching a new series for you – my dedicated readers and supporters: Commentary focusing on leadership issues, mind and brain science and strategic brand communications.
The first segment gives a very brief window into the concept of fairness and compassion.
The connection between brain science, fairness and compassion goes deep into leadership styles and outcomes. Brand leadership is always about reaching goals while manifesting healthy relationships to sustain growth. There is a direct correlation of brand awareness and bottom-line success. There is also a strong connection between healthy leadership of the brand throughout an organization and overall growth in areas such as employee retention, innovation, client management and crisis management. Understanding more about the science of relationships will empower you to achieve improved brand leadership – wherever you are in life and work.
The social implication of positive behavior may seem apparent. We behave well and those around us, in turn behave well. We encourage positive thinking and others react more positively and we can make real impact on those around us. But where does this idea or behavior start?
Neuroscience is teaching us a lot about our own brains. Interpersonal Neurobiology is also teaching us about the relational brain and developing mind. This approach studies the potential for personal and professional growth in relationships as well as actual brain growth and development of people interacting in healthy relationships.
I am finishing a very fascinating book right now: The Neuroscience of Fair Play – by Donald Pfaff.
“Pfaff explains how specific brain circuits cause us to consider an action toward another as if it were going to happen to us, prompting us to treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Into this picture, he brings various brain hormones that produce or induce forms of moral behavior such as individual heroism, parental love, close friendship, and violence and aggression. Pfaff solves the mystery of our universal ethical precepts, presenting a rock-solid hypothesis of why humans across time and geography have such similar notions of good and bad, right and wrong.” From DANA:
Let’s take a very quick look at some interesting points from neuroscience:
- People react out fear.
- Fear can evolve from memories – old and new.
- People who have repeated exposure to other specific people may be more inclined to help them first – even before others and self in a state of crisis.
- Isolation and rejection show up in a brain scan in the same areas that actual, physical pain shows up in a brain scan.
- Compassion and ability to develop compassion has been measured in brain scans and shown in positive light in same areas of brain for problem solving potential.
- The brain developed as a social unit – wanting and needing to be around others – we are socially inclined beings.
- While strength in numbers shows us that shared fear could indeed instigate violent acts, science is also exploring the ability of shared fear to inhibit violent acts.
- Memory of fear may be a predictor of ethical behavior.
When you look at even just a few of these concepts you can see self-centered reasons for being more attentive, caring, respectful and for committing to improved teamwork. From someone always saying to give to the world and you will receive the benefit this may seem like an add thing to point out. I see selfless reasons all the time – but I also know as human beings we are very inclined to do what’s right – not just because it’s right – but because it also benefits us. So, if behaving better to others actually helps us achieve our goals – that’s great!
A quick example looks like this:
Jake used to work alone – 90% of the week. He was never overtly rude – just never too welcoming to others or outwardly supporting. He started reading more about brain science, attunement and improved communication styles. For the next 6 weeks, Jake made conscious efforts to become more involved with others at his company. He offered to help with projects where he could. The 7th week there was a rather large fire at the company headquarters. He and 6 of his teammates became trapped on the 9th floor and panic set in. Because of his determination to become a better communicator and team player he made neural connections with others in his department. Their minds were often on “the same wave-length.” They were better connected. During this crisis – it seemed that at least 4 of the 6 were naturally doing what needed to be done to help the others. Emotions and behaviors were mirrored in each other. The two remaining either feeling peer pressure or just being affected by the shared fear, behaved more ethically by most standards, in the last hour of the experience. Six months later when the same people faced another crisis, all six pulled together without hesitation. In between those six months – the team worked better and Jake actually received more benefits in his working environment than he had ever imagined.
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These are not step – by step, sure-fire development actions. Understanding fear, compassion and ethical behavior as predictors of success and as tools for success comes with time. But certainly the more we know, the more we may begin to understand the power in unlocking leadership potential in all – ourselves and those around us.
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Coming next issue: On Branding with Founder and former UGG Boots Business Owner.
An Interview with the founder of UGG USA, Brian Smith, now the founder of Ecolite USA.
“In 1978, as a Chartered Accountant from Australia, Mr. Smith came to California looking for products to take back. He realized there were no sheepskin boots in America, so he registered the name “UGG” and began importing and distributing footwear through retail outlets in the U.S. With seed capital of $500 and over the next fifteen years as the sales volume increased to more than $15 million. In 1995, he sold UGG Holdings Inc. to publicly traded Deckers Corporation for $18 million. His product, UGG sheepskin boots continue their popularity today, and the brand has grown to be the largest in the Deckers portfolio, with annual sales of $712 million in 2009.
One participant of the live boot camp said:
'I'm so grateful to you and your Personal Branding Boot Camp! Your expertise proved positive when I took all the brilliant nuggets I learned and applied it to my new business venture. The Boot Camp was not only very professional, but clear, focused, structured and extremely informative. Thanks again." Amie Hoff, Hoff Fitness, New York City • www.HoffFitness.com
ASK THE SPECIALIST
Also – since I work with many people across many fields – leadership, communication coaching, personal branding, small business development and even non-profit management, I find it hard to speak to everyone in each newsletter. Today I will start another program – Ask the Specialist. Feel free to send me 1 – 2 questions- something you are curious about – or would ask if you had hired me as a coach or consultant. Each month I will answer a question – for free – no strings attached.
RESOURCES
Article Published in Affluent Magazine, Personal Branding: Can it increase your happiness? - visit to read.
Interviewed in University of Balitmore Alumni Magazine: Ask the Experts: Surviving a Tough Job Market - FALL 2009, read here
Article published in Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce: Maximise Your Company's Brand - October 2009, read here.
Article published in Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce: Is Your Thinking Holding You Back? - November 2009, read here.
Mentioned in: More Great Tips (And An Invite) For Running Interactive Webinars - July 2009, read more here
HR Guru, Meet Jessi LaCosta, HR OD Strategist/Coach, BlueRio Strategies, 2/25/09, read here.
Review: SDSU Daily Aztec, Finding strength after assault, 2007, read more here.
