DO YOU HAVE THE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO BE A LEADER?

I have heard it said that you hire for attitude and train for the job tasks, rather than the reverse.  Most managers hire for technical expertise and then hope that the person will get along with others.  Also, it has been shown in various organizational studies that the majority of employees extruded from organizations are let go not because of their lack of cognitive intelligence or technical competence, but rather because they can not get along with others.  Does this make sense to you?  If so, what does it mean to get along with others?  Lately, there is a lot being said and written about the concept of emotional intelligence.

So what is emotional intelligence? It’s your ability to be aware of, regulate, and express your own emotions. Additionally, it is your ability to perceive others' emotions and communicate with them in the context of interpersonal relationships.  This is easier said than done, particularly in workplace situations.

What goes into good emotional intelligence?  Component skills include:

• Empathy
• Social skills
• Self awareness
• Self regulation

Let's review four reasons why every leader/manager/supervisor should master emotional intelligence:

1. Your ability to develop strong relationships is crucial.

Do you develop the kind of relationships which leave employees feeling connected to you and desiring to work with you to achieve the organization's goals?  This is the social skill part of emotional intelligence.  Without it, you will have to rely only on power and that does not promote cooperation and long term commitment to your organization.   Your ability to connect with others and have strong positive relationships will determine how well you will influence and lead them.  

2. Your ability to communicate affects all you do in the workplace.  

What do we look for in our leaders?  It was said of both former Presidents Reagan and Clinton that they were "great communicators".  What is this?  This is your ability to communicate your organizational vision and inspire commitment to changes in others needed to achieve the vision.  We always are communicating anyway. So, by being aware of your own emotions, others' receptivity to your message, and how you impact others allows you to craft your messages to connect to the motivations of others in your organization.  This is the self awareness component.   

3. You develop others.

How do you view your staff?  Do you see them as assets to be used and discarded as necessary?  Or do you see them as assets to be developed?  All really good leaders/managers/supervisors develop their staff.  Are you able to detect subtle shades of difference in behavior and emotion of your staff?  If so, you will be able to collaboratively develop solutions to their work challenges.  But you must be aware and capable of empathy. 

4.  Your ability to manage crises occurs regularly.  

All organizations go through difficult periods and experience emergencies or crises.  I have worked with too many organizations where the philosophy was described by disgruntled staff as "management by crisis".

How capable do you see yourself as handling organizational crises?  As a leader, your staff looks to you for guidance, structure, knowledge, and solutions in periods of crisis.  At such times your staff usually are more upset and emotional.  It is precisely at this time that your ability to self regulate your own emotions while having empathy for staff upset will influence how well you manage the emergency or crisis. If you are able to self regulate, support others, and be flexible in your decision making, you will be far along the way to excellent leadership. 

So you ask, "What do I do now?"  This is the time to begin to take inventory of yourself in the above areas of self awareness, self regulation, social skills, and empathy whether or not you think you are effective.  Don't despair, you can learn to do better no matter at what level you function now.  Seek out feedback from those who have your best interest at heart.  Consider using a mentor, coach, or consultant.  Your increased ability to use emotional intelligence will improve your relationships both personal and professional as well as improve your organization's team cohesion, reduce turnover, and improve productivity.  

Dr. Paul Longobardi

For more information on these and related topics, go to my website at www.successandmindset.com.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE POPE ABOUT SERVANT LEADERSHIP?

Did you follow the visit to the U.S. of Pope Francis?  I did.  In doing so I was reminded of the extent to which he embodies the spirit of servant leadership.  Just what is that?  Servant leadership is the philosophy that managing others with honesty, respect, trust, love, and spirituality empowers employees to respond to organizational goals and objectives more effectively.  The term has been in use for multiple decades through books such as Servant Leadership by Robert Greenleaf and Servant Leader by  Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges.

In your business do you think about your philosophy of leadership or management?  Do you think about your role as a leader and how you will implement this role with others?  You say no.  Don't worry, you're not alone as few managers/supervisors/team leaders take the time to establish a philosophy. I have observed this lack of reflection in many companies with whom I've consulted over the years.  Most managers live in a reactive mode, responding to issues based on past experiences, their feelings, or the examples of others.  Having a core philosophy can help guide you through the day-to-day moments of your leadership role at your job or business.  

What can you learn about servant leadership from the Pope?  Is he a "boss", in charge and giving orders to others?  He does not carry out his duties as a "boss" but instead with a servant mentality and a focus on influencing others.  What are you trying to do in your leadership role?  Is it not to influence others, actually something we do as leaders at work, as parents, or as members of other non-work organizations?  I don't think anyone would disagree that the Pope last week was trying to influence others on a variety of issues.   

One of the critical principles about servant leadership to note is that it is not about you.  The single most important thing you can do to inspire trust and motivate others is to remove your own self-interest from your motivation on the job.  When you focus not so much on your own success but on that of your team or organization, you naturally will move into a more servant role.

You ask, "That sounds good but what do I do as a servant leader?"  You do some of the following:

• You ask more questions
• You listen more carefully
• You value and esteem others' needs and contributions (after all, you really don't know it all, none of us do)

Your role as a servant in managing/supervising your employees is realizing that they do not work for you but rather for the organization and for themselves.  I have consulted with many organizations where the managers talk about "my employees".  In most cases, the managers are employees themselves, do not own the company or organization, and fail to see that their role is to enhance the relationship between the employee and the organization.  I encourage them to focus on what it takes for the employee to be successful and what does their organization need to provide. 

But you say, "Does this mean I can't tell them what to do, assign work, or correct them?"  The answer is no.  The key element is the manner in which it is done, whether more as an autocrat or as a servant.  In other posts, I discussed trying to best maximize the match of job with employee interests and skills.  This colleagueal approach helps the organization on both a neurological as well as a philosophical basis.  An employee who understands why they have been asked to do something is more likely to assume ownership for the assignment. You become more conductor or guide than director.  In working with companies, I have often likened the role of manager to that of an orchestra conductor who integrates the diverse instruments and sounds into a coherent whole.  You ask how you can support the employee and how the two of you will monitor progress.  You will gain the employee/supervisee's trust, respect, and will facilitate their growth.  

You say "It sounds like this servant leadership approach takes too much time".  It is true that it requires more thought and preparation.  After all, decisions are made far more quickly in a dictatorship than in a democracy.  But note that you are strengthening your employee's relationship with your organization while getting the work done.

How did the Pope convey feedback to America last week on issues such as immigration and the environment?  He used the servant leader approach.  He was not angry, frustrated, or resentful.  He realized that the issue was not about him but about the relationship between two parties.  As a manager, feedback is about the relationship between the individual employee or supervisee and the organization.  When you implement the servant leader model, you make conversations less personal.  You look for ways to correct anything getting in the way of the employee's accomplishment for the organization.  You look for ways to help the other person achieve success for themselves and the organization.   

In working with numerous organizations over the years in the military, health care, and corporate venues, I have observed that employment of a servant leader model has helped keep managers out of defensive, overcontrolling, and reactive patterns which interfere with organizational success.   It may take a different mindset to shift to this model.  But, as I always say, Change your thoughts and change your results.

Dr. Longobardi

For additional information on this and other topics as well as contacting me, go to www.successandmindset.com. 

MANAGING STRESS THROUGH SELF REFLECTION

Have you considered that your core thoughts, beliefs, and world view have much to do with how you handle the stresses of life?  Roman Stoic philosophers such as Epictetus believed that the ability to develop a self reflective attitude to life as well as to examine your thoughts toward events could lead you to a hardiness in dealing with the stresses, uncertainties, and challenges of life.  Epictetus argued that events in themselves do not cause you to feel stressed but rather it is your thoughts about them.  This actually is the foundation of modern cognitive psychology and therapy.

So when was the last time you asked yourself what are your core beliefs and worldview? What are your values regarding key areas such as work, family, love, money, spirituality, among others?  How important to you is kindness, serving others, etc.?  How do your answers influence your work and personal life?  Psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Beck, the father of modern cognitive therapy, says that there is a triad of worldviews contributing to your relative optimism or pessimism as well as your resilience to stress:

• What is your view of yourself?  Do you think of yourself as more good than bad, more competent than incompetent, more likeable than unlikeable?  You get the idea.
• What is your view of others?  Ask yourself some of the same questions but about other people.
• What is your view of the world?  Is it a friendly place?  Is it a fearful or dangerous place and why?

Attaining greater clarity on your view of self, the world, others, and your worldview helps you develop resilience in the face of life's challenges.   This has been known by philosophers for centuries.  I'm sure you've heard of Socrates imperative to "Know Thyself".  This reminds us to stop and reflect on our purpose and mission in life as well as the strategies we use to attain our goals consistent with our philosophy.

Are you aware that what you think affects your brain for good or bad?  As a neuropsychologist, I can tell you that self reflection stimulates areas of the frontal lobes of your brain that contribute potentially to calmness and tranquility. In fact, when you meditate, you ignite the brain's anterior cingulate cortex.  This area connects to brain regions linked to emotion and decision making.  In cognitive psychology, a major means to reduce stress is to use self-reflection to appraise or evaluate an event as more of a challenge than a threat to you. By doing so, you have reduced the likelihood you will feel overwhelmned and/or engage in anxious behavior.  

In my own work with clients, I spend considerable time inquiring about their core values, beliefs, and goals.  It is only in knowing about those three areas that I have a platform on which to help them devise strategies to assist themselves.  If they complain of feeling depressed and frustrated, value family over work, yet spend all their time at work and not with family, then reflection on values priorities is key.  I have had much success in coaching clients with such an approach.

So what are the key values, goals, and beliefs you hold?  If you are not sure, then when might be the right time to examine these?  How about now?

Dr. Paul Longobardi

If you need help doing this, contact me through my website at www.successandmindset.com as well as find more information on these issues.  
 

IS THE WAY YOU COMMUNICATE HELPING YOUR ORGANIZATION?

Have you ever thought that your well meaning communications actually don't reduce employees' stress, improve their health, or increase their productivity?  In my many years of working with organizations in the corporate world, the military, and the health industry, I often have seen that gains following an intervention are not sustained.  Why is that so?

We can glean some answers from research presented at the recent 11th International Conference on Occupational Stress and Health.  It was convened by the American Psychological Association, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Society for Occupational Health Psychology and held in May 2015.  

It turns out that your tendency to top-down communication may cause interventions to be unsustainable.  Do you do any of the following?:

• Encourage employees to share information about the factors that increase stress in the workplace
• Interview employees about the the causes of and solutions to problems
• Partner with employees to find ways to monitor progress in alleviating the problems

If not, you have plenty of company.  However, you can change things to do more of the above. It may even save you money by lessening the need to hire an expensive outside consultant.  After all, employees generally know what problems there are in the workplace but usually are not consulted in most top-down communication organizations..  Bottom-up communication is less likely in most organizations.  You ask, "How can I find out what is causing workplace stress?"  Try the following:

• Host an in-house workshop
• Use interviews or anonymous surveys with employees
• Hold focus groups
• Use the information to structure an agenda for a leadership or team building intervention conducted by in-house personnel

The above steps worked well for me in developing an intervention for a military drug and alcohol treatment agency.  That intervention resulted in greater team cohesion and improved patient care productivity sustained over several years.  Would you not like to find ways to maximize your employees' sharing of in-house information in a more systematic and structured way?  If you do, you will increase their commitment to new changes, save money, reduce stress, and increase productivity.  Good luck, it's actually easier than it seems.

Dr. Paul G. Longobardi

For other valuable information on team leadership and development as well as stress reduction, please see:

www.successandmindset.com

IS OVERWORK KILLING YOU?

Did you ever consider that your work is killing you?  If you are overworking, it might be true. Yes, I know that It is common for entrepreneurs to expect themselves as well as employees to put in long days, respond to emails at all hours, and spend off-hours without complaining. However, have you experienced any of these thoughts or behaviors lately?:

• I'm not in control of my work
• I'm less physically active because I'm at work so much
• I'm more tired and exhausted lately
• I find myself getting no more or maybe less done despite all the extra hours
• I've been drinking more to unwind from long days of work

If you answered yes to two or more of the above questions, you may be on your way to the kind of increased stress that could render you more susceptible to stroke.  Just this week, the medical journal Lancet published results of an analysis of more than half a million men and women studied over seven years from the United States, Australia, Israel, and eight European countries.  Those who worked at least 55 hours per week had stroke risk increased 33%, with slightly lower increases for hours over 40 but less than 55.  In case you say that no one works that long,  take note that the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that 11.3% of workers in the United States worked at least 50 hours per week.

If working overly long has so many bad outcomes such as stress, stroke, exhaustion, potential alcohol abuse, poorer performance, among others, why do you do it? There are multiple psychological reasons:

• Ambition
• Greed
• Anxiety
• Guilt
• Pride
• Desire to prove we're important
• Overdeveloped sense of duty

The above list is not exhaustive and there are some studies indicating that for some people work is less stressful than our home lives.  Given the above risks, the other question is:   Does all this overwork even work for you?  Are you really getting more done?

There’s a large body of research consistent with the conclusion that regardless of your reasons for working long hours, overwork does not help you. There are studies indicating that overwork doesn't result in more productivity.  As mentioned earlier, overwork leads to all kinds of problems:

• Health problems
• Absenteeism
• Turnover
• Rising health costs
• Impaired communication and judgment
• More mistakes because of fatigue or exhaustion

There actually is a reason why the work week was shortened to eight hours per day during the 19th century and one of the positive outcomes was that productivity increased and mistakes and accidents decreased. 

So what can you do?  Wouldn't you like to be more productive with less work? In working with thousands of individuals in corporate, military, and healthcare settings, I have found that one of the main reasons I consistently get increased productivity for the many individuals and organizations with whom I’ve worked is helping them clear out mental clutter.   If your limiting thoughts get in the way (e.g. "I don't need time away, that's weak or lack of dedication"), then consider that changing those thoughts or getting the help to do so will improve your life. As I noted earlier, often your deep-seated psychological needs and accompanying unhelpful belief systems get in the way of your taking care of yourself.  Wouldn't you like to change this.  Wouldn't you feel better if you did.  Well, you can.

Dr. Paul G. Longobardi

For other valuable information on team and leadership development as well as managing stress:

www.successandmindset.com (particularly recent post on Productivity and Taking Time Off)

HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE A GOOD OR A LOUSY MANAGER AND LEADER

Who doesn't want to be a better manager?  With all the demands upon you, do you have time to develop, mentor, and coach your employees?  Or do you just have time to get the necessities done, such as checking on performance?  I was reminded of some of the more effective things I have found from working with thousands of individuals in corporate, military, and healthcare settings while reading a Harvard Business Review article by Keith Ferrazzi on how to turn managers into coaches again.  

We know that formerly managers took on the roles of coach and mentor. Much information and discussion leading to growth and development occurred both informally and formally. We knew our employees better and could work with them around helping them develop and contribute to the team. Why doesn't this mentoring happen now?    Do you recognize any of these in your company?:

• Tighter budgets
• Flatter organizations
• Heavy workloads

If your answer is yes, you are not alone.  And yet, developing your team remains critical to the productivity and success of your organization.  These six practical tips help you move into a coaching/mentoring role more easily and efficiently:

1.  Use regular one-on-one check-ins.  Have regular contacts.  These allow you to work directly with your employees to offer insight, knowledge, guidance, and suggestions.  I used to meet weekly on a face-to-face basis.  When was the last time you did that?  If not, consider it. 

2.  Encourage more peer-to-peer coaching.   Do you use your regular staff meeting as a collaborative problem solving session?  What, you say you don't have a regular meeting.  Well, consider that this builds cohesion among your team, and inspires them to think creatively about how to solve pressing organizational challenges. You can also coach or mentor multiple people in one setting at one time, thus maximizing your time and efficiency.

3.  Create mentoring partnerships. This is where ‘reverse mentoring’ comes into play when a  younger generation employee partners with a more senior person and they agree to share lessons learned with one another.  I have used this many times to share voluminous life experience and knowledge beneficial to the younger employee, while the younger employee knew about the latest technology and other bits of information, which they passed on to me. 

4.  Tap into the potential coach within everyone.   Do you encourage your own team members to become coaches and trainers by allowing them to share their own specific knowledge on relevant topics or skills?  The sharing of such knowledge helps energize, engage, and encourage learning.  When one of my team went to a training or seminar, I encouraged them to share pertinent content with our team.  

5.  Support daily learning and development activities. Do you create an environment where it’s not only acceptable but encouraged to use office time to engage in learning activities?  Perhaps you can look for ways to bring learning and development into daily activities for your people.

6.  Seek formal training. Do you model seeking out training for yourself?  Do you encourage it for your employees?  Have you seen how energized and motivated they are when they return from a training?  There is considerable research around the monetary return from training to your organization's productivity, usually an increase of at least $3 for every $1 spent.  

 I have found that these six tips have increased productivity and team cohesion as well as reduced turnover and stress for both the teams I've lead as well as the many with whom I've consulted in the business world, military, and healthcare.  These all are learnable skills.  Here is my secret that I find makes these tips work even faster and better and produce more predictable results.  It  is to individuate your relationships with the people you supervise rather than use the same style with all.  Matching your style to theirs separates the really good managers from the lousy ones.   

Would you like to elevate not only your own performance, but that of your organization? When the above tips are combined with clearing out your mental clutter (limiting beliefs and mindset), you will be an unstoppable force.

Dr. Paul Longobardi

For more valuable information on team and leadership development:

www.successandmindset.com

PRODUCTIVITY AND TAKING TIME OFF

It might seem odd to put references to productivity and taking time off in the same title. However, if you want yourself or your workers to remain sharp and focused, you are well advised to consider doing this. 

Have you ever found that you do much more work the few days before a holiday?  Have you found that you solve big problems more easily when you are in relaxed state away from the office?   It’s very likely that you have disconnected from work and have more energy and engagement when back at work.  But you say “I can’t take a vacation, I have too much to do”.

Here are four main reasons why not taking time off will cost thousands to your organization in lost productivity:

•        Stress related illnesses
•        Medical/psychological problems including depression and substance abuse
•        Increased absenteeism secondary to the above
•        Increased turnover secondary to the above

Why is this so?  Research has demonstrated that people who do not disconnect from work suffer increased levels of exhaustion.  People who do disconnect recover from job/work stress and have increased engagement levels when back at work. 

What if you are a professional?  You have even more of a need to take time off.  The work of professionals involves much thinking and learning, the very activities which consume considerable brain energy.  If you don't build in periods of recovery you will reach a period of mental exhaustion, frequently referred to as burnout.  

What if you cannot take time off and enjoy a holiday?  One way is to select other activities during the week on breaks, after work, or on weekends:

•      Disconnect completely from work when the work is done.  Exercise or do a hobby that you like.
•      Take some small work breaks during the day, e.g. take a short walk, meditate briefly, and listen to music. 
•      On daily breaks or weekends, choose more engaging activities such as hobbies, reading, socializing, or exercise.  This is in contrast to passive activities such as sitting in front of computers or television.

These are easy to implement for staff and work great.  This is just one of many, but a powerful reason I have found that reduces burnout and stress for many of the more cohesive teams of clients with whom I’ve worked.  The second reason I consistently get increased productivity for the many individuals and organizations with whom I’ve worked is helping them clear out mental clutter.   If your limiting thoughts get in the way (e.g. "I don't need time away, that's weak or lack of dedication"), then consider changing those thoughts or getting the help to do so. For other information in this area, refer to my website at www.successandmindset.com.  

DEPRESSION AND CONNECTEDNESS IN LIFE

We all have been saddened this week by the murder of the Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee.   Of late, there has been discussion of the possible role of depression in the young man who committed the shootings.  Unrecognized and/or undiagnosed depression is rampant.  Estimates of depression co-occurring with medical complaints in primary care clinics range from 30-60% depending on the study.

It probably will not be known whether or how prominent or not depression was as a factor in the young shooter's actions.  It also will not be known soon how well connected socially the young shooter was.  He clearly had cultural adjustments to make living in one society with roots in another.  My point here is not to excuse any of his actions.  Rather, it is to highlight the often unrecognized role depression plays in the lives of many persons and how important it is for all of us to recognize depression in ourselves and others around us.  

We all have down days periodically.  That is not necessarily clinical depression  Rather clinical depression occurs when we experience depressed mood frequently to the extent that it interferes with our social, educational, or vocational life. 

More significant levels of depression include the following symptoms:

• Depressed mood most of the day; feeling sad or empty, tearful
• Significant loss of interest or pleasure in activities that used to be enjoyable
• Significant weight loss (when not dieting) or weight gain; decrease or increase in appetite
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Agitation; or slowing down of thoughts and reduction of physical movements
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Poor concentration or having difficulty making decisions
• Thinking about death or suicide

Five or more of these symptoms occurring daily for two or more weeks may well constitute a major depressive episode and the need for treatment.  Even lesser degrees of clinical severity warrant attention.  

In the mental health field, it also has long been known that even the presence of one confidante buffers to some extent the onset/degree of clinical depression. The confidante is defined as someone with whom we can share our most closely held inner thoughts.  This role of social support moderates the effect of life stresses for us. I discussed this in detail in an earlier post.

So when will you attend to possible signs of depression in yourself and others, to include co-workers and loved ones?  After all, there is help available.  When would be a good time to examine your social network and degree of social connectedness, both at work and in your personal life? They affect your degree of well being and health more than you might think. Unrecognized and/or poorly treated depression costs billions of dollars in lost productivity each year as well as lessened well being for all.  Consider if your possibly untrue and unhelpful thoughts might be interfering with your life, e.g. "I'm not a people person", "No one likes me". As always, change your thoughts, change your results.  For additional information on stress, please see my website at www.successandmindset.com for past posts on depression.  

STRESS AND YOUR HEART

In recent posts, I have discussed the many factors affecting your level of stress and response to it.  Stress is difficult for scientists to define since it is a subjective phenomenon that differs for each of us and we all respond to stress differently. Things that are distressful for some people can be pleasurable for others or have little significance either way.

However, the relationship between stress and heart disease has been recognized since antiquity. The incidence of heart attacks and sudden death have been shown to increase significantly following the acute stress of natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes and as a consequence of any severe stressor that evokes “fight or flight’ responses. Coronary heart disease is also much more common in individuals subjected to chronic stress and recent research has focused on how to identify and prevent this growing problem, particularly with respect to job stress.

Findings from the Health Advocate group show that nearly three-quarters of American workers surveyed in 2007 reported experiencing physical symptoms of stress due to work. According to statistics from the American Psychological Association (APA), a startling two-thirds of Americans say that work is a main source of stress in their lives – up nearly 15 percent from those who ranked work stress at the top just a year before. Roughly 30 percent of workers surveyed reported “extreme” stress levels.  Whatever the root causes, stressed workers tend to be fatigued, prone to mistakes and injuries, and are more likely to be absent. And most significantly, they incur healthcare costs twice as high than for other employees. The consequences of stress-related illnesses, from depression to heart disease, cost businesses an estimated $200 to $300 billion a year in lost productivity.  

While the causes for this stress vary with occupations and positions, most risk factors fall into the following categories:

1.  How Work And Tasks Are Designed

2. Management Style – e.g. lack of participation by workers in decision-making; poor communication in the organization; 

3.  Interpersonal Relationships – Poor social environment and lack of support or help from co-workers and supervisors.

4.  Vague Or Changing Job Description – e.g. Conflicting or uncertain job expectations; too much responsibility;

5.  Concerns About Employment Or Career – e.g. Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for advancement, or promotion; 

6.  Environmental Concerns – Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions in the workplace such as crowding, noise, or failure to address ergonomic problems.

7.  Discrimination – Lack of opportunity for advancement or promotion because of age, gender, race, religion, or disability despite legislation designed to prevent this.

8,  Violence, Physical And Verbal Abuse – An average of 20 workers a week are murdered and 18,000 are physically abused in the U.S. but the number may be higher since many such crimes are not reported. Workplace violence affects over 2 million Americans and costs an estimated $36 billion a year according to Business Insider. 

In many instances, we create our own stress that contributes to coronary disease by smoking, poor diet, substance abuse, and faulty behavioral lifestyles with  excess anger, hostility, aggressiveness, time urgency, inappropriate competitiveness and preoccupation with work. These behaviors are characteristic of Type A coronary prone behavior, now recognized to be as significant a risk factor for heart attacks and coronary events as cigarette consumption, elevated cholesterol and blood pressure. Type A behavior was first described by two cardiologists (Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman) in a paper in 1959. Friedman and Rosenman were the first to explain why specific behaviors could cause heart attacks and contribute to coronary artery disease. While Type A behavior also can increase the likelihood of these standard risk factors, its strong correlation with coronary heart disease persists even when these influences have been excluded. However, while there are scales to measure Type A proneness, there has been confusion about which is/are the key components. Hostility has been implicated frequently as the most critical risk factor in the Type A cluster. It is noted more often in men than women.

Individuals with Type A patterns exhibit certain characteristic activity patterns, including.

1. Self-imposed standards that are often unrealistically ambitious and pursued in an inflexible fashion. Associated with this are a need to maintain productivity in order to be respected, a sense of guilt while on vacation or relaxing, an unrelenting urge for recognition or power, and a competitive attitude that often creates challenges even when none exist.
2. Certain thought and activity styles characterized by persistent vigilance and impulsiveness, usually resulting in the pursuit of several lines of thought or action simultaneously, so called multi-tasking.
3. Hyperactive responsiveness often manifested by a tendency to interrupt or finish a sentence in conversation, usually in dramatic fashion, by varying the speech, volume, and/or pitch, or by alternating rapid bursts of words with long pauses of hesitation for emphasis, indicating intensive thought. 
4. Frequently unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships due to the fact that individuals with Type A patterns usually are  more easily angered, frustrated, or hostile if their wishes are not respected or their goals are not achieved.
5. Preoccupation with time, so called time urgency.  They are frequently hurried and rushed, checking the clock, worrying about getting things done.

Various rankings of the “most” and “least” stressful jobs usually are misleading since job stress is entirely dependent on the person/environment fit as assessed by the perception of having little control but significant demands. In the past, I have discussed employee/job mismatch on a cognitive basis which leads to stress secondary to the employee having to use more brain energy to do that which they do not enjoy.  However, some individuals with Type A patterns thrive with pressure, provided they feel in control.  The perception of having no control is always distressful.  As I have said on multiple occasions, in many respects stress is a choice.  Many times we create our own stress because of faulty perceptions. Your attitudes/beliefs about what you see as "stressing" you has much to do with how you feel. Just saying "I'm so stressed out", or "This is stressing me out", which I hear all the time, determines your level of stress response.   Stress is an unavoidable consequence of life but there are some stresses you can do something about and others that you can’t hope to avoid or control. The trick is in learning to distinguish between the two so that you don’t waste your time, talent, and psychological/physical energy.  The best way to accomplish this is in learning how to identify, challenge, and change your absolutistic beliefs (mindsets) about what you can and can not handle.  In so doing, you can focus on changing the circumstances, where you can, surrounding your upset.  You also will develop a better sense of control over your activities at work as well as at home. You can use the tools discussed in other posts as well to include meditation, massage, progressive muscle relaxation, increasing your social support (linked also to risk for coronary disease), among others.  This will not only improve your quality of life but also help protect you from coronary heart disease and other stress-related disorders. For access to other posts, go to www.successandmindset.com.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND YOUR BRAIN

In last week's post describing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and your general well being, I noted that you do not have to be a combat veteran to experience PTSD. Unfortunately, there are many occasions in daily life for traumatic events to be experienced or witnessed.  Among others, these can include physical/sexual abuse, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, accidents, violent crimes.  

What happens in the brains of people with PTSD?  Suffice it to say, there is no use telling them to get over it because PTSD changes the brain's structure.

Extensive neuroimaging studies on the brains of PTSD patients show that several regions differ structurally and functionally from those of healthy individuals. The amygdala, the hippocampus, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex play roles in triggering the symptoms of PTSD. Together, these regions impact the stress response mechanism in humans. Consequently, the PTSD victim, long after their experiences, continues to perceive and respond to stress differently than someone who does not suffer the results of trauma.

The most significant neurological impact of trauma is seen in the hippocampus.  PTSD patients show a significant reduction in the volume of the hippocampus. This area of the brain is responsible for memory functions. It helps us record new memories and retrieve them later. The hippocampus also helps us distinguish between past and present memories.

PTSD patients with reduced hippocampal volumes lose the ability to discriminate between past and present experiences. They have extreme stress responses when facing situations that only slightly resemble something from their traumatic past.   I have treated numerous patients who were victimized by physical and/or sexual abuse whose responses were overdetermined to current situations, often benign, as though the current situation was the one which had traumatized them initially.  This can occur decades after the initial traumatic event.

Severe emotional trauma causes lasting changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortical region of the brain.  This area is responsible for regulating emotional responses triggered by the amygdala. Specifically, this region regulates negative emotions like fear. PTSD patients show a marked decrease in the volume of ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This explains why people suffering from PTSD tend to exhibit fear, anxiety, and extreme stress responses even when faced with situations not connected, or only remotely so, to their experiences from the past.

Traumatic events appear to increase activity in the amygdala. This region of the brain helps us process emotions and is also linked to fear responses. PTSD patients show hyperactivity in the amygdala in response to stimuli that are somehow connected to their traumatic experiences. Sometimes, they show hyperactivity even to stimuli not associated with their trauma.

Hyperactivity of the amygdala is positively related to the severity of PTSD symptoms. To a large extent, this is a result of the hypoactivity of the hippocampus and the dysfunction in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in controlling the amygdala.  The excessive reactivity of the amygdala helps explain some of the major signs of PTSD - startle responses to the most harmless of stimuli and frequent flashbacks or intrusive recollections.

However, there are promising treatments for PTSD and these treatments have been shown in some studies to correlate with brain changes.  We certainly now know that the brain can regenerate more than we thought in the past.  Some drugs and behavioral therapies have been shown to increase the volume of the hippocampus in PTSD patients. 

So, if you or a loved one suffer from PTSD, or if you work with someone who appears to suffer from such a stress related disorder, get help as it is available.  There is no reason to suffer needlessly.  There is hope and you can change.  However, as usual, change starts with a mindset which recognizes that change is possible.

For other posts on this and related subjects, see my website at www.successandmindset.com

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND YOUR WELL BEING

Over the last several months, I have written many posts about all aspects of stress and its management as it affects your personal and work lives.  Yet another topic is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  At first glance, you might think this is questionably relevant. However, three things are true.  One is that you do not have to be a combat veteran to suffer PTSD. Second, PTSD affects your brain.  Third, you may be working with or living around someone with PTSD.

So what is PTSD?  PTSD is a pathological anxiety disorder resulting after exposure to a traumatic event.  An estimated 8% of the U.S. adult population matches the criteria for PTSD with women more likely to develop symptoms than men. While PTSD cases commonly involve combat or assault experiences, there is a wide range of events capable of triggering PTSD symptoms. Trauma events frequently associated with the development of PTSD include the following:

• • Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
  • Combat experiences
  • Terrorist attacks
  • Natural disasters such as tornados, floods, earthquakes, or fires
  • Life-threatening accidents, such as automobile accidents, airplane crashes, or boating accidents both experienced or witnessed
  • Violent crimes, both experienced or witnessed

There is growing research around the topic of vicariously witnessing traumatic events as well. With the explosion of violent traumatic events in the news of late, there is more interest and concern about the impact of these on people not directly accosted.

What are common symptoms of PTSD?  There are four:

• Intrusion: Recurrent recollections of the event
  • Numbing: Emotional distancing from surrounding people and events
    • Avoidance: Fear and avoidance behavior
      • Arousal: Agitated state of constant wakefulness and alertness

What happens in the brains of people with PTSD?  Suffice it to say, there is no use telling them to get over it because PTSD changes the brain's structure.

Extensive neuroimaging studies on the brains of PTSD patients show that several regions differ structurally and functionally from those of healthy individuals. The amygdala, the hippocampus, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex play a role in triggering the symptoms of PTSD. Together, these regions impact the stress response mechanism in humans. Consequently, the PTSD victim, long after his experiences, continues to perceive and respond to stress differently than someone who does not suffer the results of trauma.

In a subsequent post, I will outline how PTSD affects the brain.  For now, note two things.  One is to realize that there are treatments available for PTSD.  Second, consider the above and whether you or someone you know might be suffering from such a problem.  Depression and anxiety are common occurrences with PTSD and can affect well being in life and at work.  

No matter what has happened, you can change your thoughts, your life, and your response to stress.  See other posts at www.successandmindset.com.

MASSAGE AND STRESS REDUCTION

In many recent posts, I have identified and discussed multiple factors related to stress reduction.  These have included our thoughts and mindset, our brain, exercise, diet, progressive muscle relaxation, social support, proper goal setting and time management, maintaining a focus, workplace factors, and the role of depression.  During this past week, I had opportunity to remind myself of yet another helpful factor.  I had a massage.

We all seek positive well-being and control of our reaction to the stresses of life.  To have a good well-being you need to be fit, healthy, and mentally happy.  There are many different ways to reach a good well-being and reduce our life stressors.  Massage is often cited as a useful tool to reach a state of positive well-being not only because of its physical benefits but also because of its mental benefits. Essentially massage can make your mind, body and soul feel very good.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, in 2006, 39 million Americans, or one in six, received at least one professional massage. Clearly, Americans are seriously interested in stress relief as well as the many other benefits of massage.

The Mayo Clinic had identified massage as a valid medical method to reduce stress and pain and reported, "Massage reduced anxiety in depressed children and anorexic women. It also reduced anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in adults trying to quit smoking." The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry conducted a study that concluded, "Massage therapy had immediate beneficial effects on anxiety-related measures."The Franklin Institute reported, "Massage releases endorphins that calm the peripheral nervous system." The PsychoOncology Journal in 2008 reported that, "Massage in patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy reduces serum cortisol  (a stress hormone) and prolactin.  A significant reduction in cortisol could be safely achieved through massage, with associated improvement in psychological well-being."

What about the possibility of benefits from massage in the workplace?  In an article in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Shulman and Jones showed significant reductions in anxiety levels were found for their massage group compared to a control group who participated in break therapy. In some other workplace studies, reductions in blood pressure have been found as well.   In fact, on-site chair massage therapy programs are becoming more common in various organizations.  

In a statement from the Mayo Clinic it is noted, "Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being."  Consider adding this modality to your stress relief program.  By the way, yes, I experienced significant muscle and mental relaxation as well as reduced tension from my massage this week.  

For other posts on stress-related topics, consult my website at www.successandmindset.com. 

 

STRESS AND DEPRESSION

Between 2 to 4% of workers in the US suffer from depression and up to 50% of workers with depression experience short term disability.  There are significant financial costs to employers. For example, in studies from the University of Michigan Depression Center, the total economic burden of depression in 2000 was $83 billion and the majority of this cost (62% or $52 billion) was due to lost workplace productivity.  It is not uncommon for depressed workers to have poorer on the job performance.  

Stress increases susceptibility to depression.  Depression is also associated with activation of inflammatory processes, such as increases in circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). As readers of previous posts will note, inflammatory processes interfere with neural regeneration.  In a very recent study in 2015 in the journal Neuroscience, authors Cheng, Jope, and Beurel found that stress-induced changes in mouse plasma cytokines were measured following administration of one or two daily stresses of inescapable foot shocks using the learned helplessness paradigm for modeling depression-like behavior.

Acute stress broadly activated inflammation in the mice, and the inflammatory response was more rapid following repeated stress, actions that may contribute to deleterious effects of stress on depression and other stress-linked diseases.

There is growing evidence that abnormal inflammatory responses increase susceptibility to depression. This evidence includes consistent findings of increased serum levels in patients with depression of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines.  In addition to clinical evidence, studies in animal models provide further support that inflammation promotes depression-like behaviors. These studies suggest that the stress-induced inflammatory response may contribute to the development of depression. 

So, what is the message here?  Repeated stress episodes contribute to depression and the lost productivity in the workplace as well as reduced well being for individuals.  A systematic program to identify depression and promote effective treatment can improve not only clinical outcomes but also workplace outcomes.  If you are in chronic stress, use other strategies to reduce your stress to include changing unhelpful thoughts, using progressive muscle relaxation, exercising, maintaining your focus and managing your time well, as well as reaching out for social support.  If you think you are clinically depressed, seek out professional help. There are effective treatments available.  Take charge of your health.

STRESS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT

In past posts, I have discussed many factors which influence your levels of stress. These have  included your thoughts, diet, exercise, your brain, workplace issues, failures to set goals, lack of focus, and poor time management.

Yet another important factor is social support, namely the degree and quality of our connections with others.  In the mental health field, it has long been known that even the presence of one confidante buffers to some extent the onset/degree of clinical depression. The confidante is defined as someone with whom we can share our most closely held inner thoughts.  In the field of geriatrics, there have been many studies of the extent to which elder adults going into retirement with highly limited social networks are at increased risk for adverse health outcomes and earlier mortality.  Social support also moderates the effects of some of the other stress factors.

For example, as I mentioned in another post, exercise contributes to neurogenesis while stress lessens that process.  However, social support likely has a role.  In research, when rats living together in stable social hierarchies were given a running wheel,  exercise stimulated neurogenesis.  However, when they were living alone and in isolation,  exercise did not stimulate neurogenesis as much, if at all.  The two were very synergistic.

Our autonomic function and parasympathetic balance is also influenced by social connections. There is a balance between the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system.  The parasympathetic nervous system is calming and influenced by warm social contact and practices like meditation and progressive muscle relaxation. The sympathetic nervous system increases inflammation and increases  heart rate and blood pressure.  You want to have the proper balance.

Not all social contact is beneficial.  There is a toxic and unhealthy level of stress that comes from being at the low end of a social hierarchy.  In a study of baboons, the subordinate has to watch continually for attack while the dominant baboon only has to watch for a few predators. For humans, there is a more subjective perception of where we stand which affects health outcomes as well.  The lower we are or perceive ourselves to be, the more resentment there is.  It’s that perception that drives our sense of autonomy and other factors that can determine our response to stress.  To a large extent, it is our perceptions and thoughts about our situation, as discussed in another post, which determine our response to stress.

However, social support and contact can help mitigate and buffer negative effects.  For example, a person may be a custodian but is a deacon in his church, has a loving family, and various close friends (confidantes).  Those factors buffer the potentially negative effect of the socioeconomic and employment stressors.  

So, when would be a good time to examine your social network and degree of social connectedness, both at work and in your personal life? They affect your degree of well being and health more than you might think.  Consider if your possibly untrue and unhelpful thoughts about social connection might be getting in the way of improving this area of your life, e.g. "I'm not a people person". As always, change your thoughts, change your results.  For additional information on stress, please see my website at www.successandmindset.com for past posts on this topic.

STRESS REDUCTION AND THE WORKPLACE

If you ever have held a job, you have experienced workplace stress.  It is a part of work life no matter how much you enjoy your job and work.  You may have a project to complete on short notice, a demanding supervisor, or too many job demands, among other work challenges.  Yet, when the demands are chronic, you can feel excessively challenged and/or overwhelmned.  These demands can lead to decrements in your physical and mental health.  These effects can include problems such as headache, stomachache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress can result in anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system.

Workplace stress is common.  Management studies have estimated $300 million lost to work related stress conditions per year.  According to the American Psychological Association, 65% of Americans in 2012 rated their job as a major source of stress.  At the same time, only 37% of those surveyed thought they were doing a good job of managing their work related stressors.

Some common workplace stressors include: unchallenging work, few opportunities for growth or advancement, excessive workloads, and lack of control over work conditions.

While you can not avoid entirely workplace stress, you can manage it better.  In recent posts, I have written about the influence of diet on your brain and stress, identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts, exercise, goal setting, time management, and progressive muscle relaxation.  Here are additional steps to manage workplace stress, including from the American Psychological Association Help Center:

• Track your stressors and your thoughts.. Keep a journal for a week or two to identify which work situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. Record your thoughts, feelings and information about the environment, including the people and circumstances involved, the physical setting and how you reacted.  Taking notes can help you find patterns among your stressors and your reactions to them.
• Develop healthy responses.  Exercise is a great stress-reliever as I have discussed in other posts.  Also, you can learn to apply progressive muscle relaxation in the workplace. Make time for your hobbies and favorite activities. Set aside time for the things that bring you pleasure. Getting enough good-quality sleep is also important for effective stress management. 
• Establish boundaries. In today's world, you easily can feel obligated  to be available 24 hours a day. Establish some work-life boundaries for yourself. That might mean making a rule not to check email from home in the evening, or not answering the phone during dinner. Creating some clear boundaries between work and non-work parts of your life can reduce the potential for work-life conflict and the stress that goes with it.
• Take time to recharge. To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, you need time to replenish and return to your pre-stress level of functioning.  It's important that you disconnect from time to time, in a way that fits your needs and preferences. Don't let your vacation days go to waste. When possible, take time off to relax and unwind.  You will go back to work feeling reinvigorated and ready to perform at your best. 
• Learn how to relax. As I've mentioned in other posts, using techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, deep breathing exercises and mindfulness (a state in which you actively observe present experiences and thoughts without judging them) can help reduce stress. Start by taking a few minutes each day to focus on a simple activity like breathing, walking, or enjoying a meal. This will help you focus on a single activity without distraction. 
• Talk to your supervisor. Healthy employees are typically more productive, so your boss has an incentive to create a work environment that promotes employee well-being. Start by having an open conversation with your supervisor. The purpose of this isn't just to complain but rather to collaborate in helping you to manage the stressors you identify, such as having more control over your work and opportunities for growth for you.  
• Get some support. Accepting help from trusted co-workers, friends and family members can improve your ability to manage stress. Your employer may also have stress management resources available through an employee assistance program (EAP), including online information, available counseling and referral to mental health professionals, if needed. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by work stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behavior.

    If you are inclined to say that "my boss or workplace will never respond to me or give me any say in my work", be mindful that there are many actions I've discussed that you can take anyway on your own.  These will help you feel better physically and emotionally, feel more in control of your life, have more energy for activities outside of work, and get along better in your social and familial relationships.  As I've mentioned on multiple occasions, stress is inevitable in life.  Your reaction to stress is a choice.

For additional information, go to my website at www.successandmindset.com.

YOUR BRAIN AND STRESS

In many recent posts, I have reviewed much of what is known about the various factors influencing stress reduction.  These have included changing thoughts, maintaining focus, managing your time, progressive muscle relaxation, and exercise.  As I mentioned in the last post, stress is bad for your brain.  Recent developments in biology as it relates to neuroscience further inform us about the mechanisms and the strategies to overcome these bad effects.

How do you maintain the fitness of your brain during periods of stress?  Earlier research at Stanford showed that stress slowed the rate of new neuron birth in the hippocampus and in fact killed brain cells in that structure. The hippocampus is crucial to memory and learning and often is implicated as part of the memory loss in Alzheimer's Disease.  Loss of neurons in the hippocampus may leave us more vulnerable to continued stress.  

What we have learned is that the hippocampus is an area of the brain capable of giving birth to new neurons contrary to the thought for many years that this was not possible.  New neurons are born and die in the hippocampus all the time.

Exercise is one of the most potent ways to stimulate new neuron birth in the hippocampus. I noted this in the last post.  Research from Yale University has indicated that a molecule called IL-1beta (Interleukin-1 beta) is responsible for limiting hippocampal neuron birth. IL-1beta is involved in inflammation, increased by stress. If we can reduce IL-1beta during periods of stress, it may counteract cognitive problems that too much stress creates. 

It is known that Omega-3 can reduce many hormones involved in inflammation as well as oxidation in the brain.  This can counteract increases in stress, caused by IL-1beta. Putting all this together, use of Omega 3 as well as combining with exercise may well help protect the hippocampus during stress.

So, exercise can increase the birth of new neurons in your hippocampus and Omega-3 may protect them from stress-induced IL-1beta.  When combined with other strategies such as maintenance of focus, attention to your potentially problematic thoughts, proper management of your time, and progressive muscle relaxation, you are well on the way to preventing excessive levels of stress reactions in your life.  After all, stress in life is inevitable but your reaction to it is a choice.

For other information, please consult my website at www.successandmindset.com.  

EXERCISE AND STRESS REDUCTION

In recent posts, I have highlighted different ways and strategies to accomplish stress reduction and/or management in our lives  As I've said earlier, stress is a part of life.  It is how we handle it that is a choice.  There have been different ways to achieve stress reduction I've discussed including changing your thoughts, increasing focus, becoming a master of your time, using progressive muscle relaxation, and increasing goal setting.  In this post, I will highlight the role physical exercise and activity play in stress reduction.  We all know that exercise and physical activity help improve general physical as well as mental health, leaving us with a sense of well being.  However, less well known is that physical activity may facilitate the brain reorganizing itself in response to stress.

In recent research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, a team based at Princeton University reported that physical activity reorganizes the brain so that its response to stress is reduced and anxiety is less likely to interfere with normal brain function.

The investigators noted that  when mice allowed to exercise regularly experienced a stressor, such as exposure to cold water,  their brains exhibited an increase in the activity of neurons that shut off excitement in the ventral hippocampus, a brain region shown to regulate anxiety. Also, the exercise of running produced a large increase in the number of new neurons in the hippocampus as well.  These finding were in contrast to those found in sedentary mice.

 The authors (Gould, Schoenfeld, Rada, and Pieruzzini) observed that these findings potentially resolve a discrepancy in research related to the effect of exercise on the brain.  The typical finding has been that exercise reduces anxiety while also promoting the growth of new neurons in the ventral hippocampus. These young/new neurons are typically more excitable than their more mature counterparts.  So, it would seem that exercise should result in more anxiety, not less. However, these Princeton-led researchers found that exercise also strengthens the mechanisms that prevent these brain cells from firing.  The researchers found that running prevents the activation of new neurons in response to stress. For more sedentary mice, stress activated the new more excitable neurons though the effect dissipated after six weeks.  Therein lies the possible transition to humans in that exercise may help reduce current anxiety (think stress) while creating mechanisms for us to deal better with later stressors and anxiety from a brain perspective.  The authors did express hope that their findings may help science better understand and treat human anxiety disorders.  

As noted by the authors, the research also shows that the brain can be extremely adaptive and tailor its own processes to an organism's lifestyle or surroundings.  The brain may modify itself to respond best to its environment by regulating anxious behavior.  

So what does all this mean for us humans?  As I mentioned earlier, there are well known physical/psychological benefits to exercise.  What we see here is a possible new and exciting way in which our brains may respond to physical activity to assist us in dealing with stress in our lives.  Left unsaid in the research was how their findings connect to changing thoughts in the brain, particularly as it relates to responses to and strategies for dealing with stressors. In large part, that may have to do with the fact that they used mice.  Nonetheless, there appears one more good reason to add an exercise and physical activity dimension to our lives.  For additional information, go to www.successandmindset.com

EIGHT MINDSET SHIFTS NEEDED TO GO FROM EMPLOYEE TO ENTREPRENEUR IN LATER LIFE

What holds you back from either creating your own business or marketing your skills outside of traditional employment channels?  Readers of my posts likely know the answer.  It is your mindset beliefs which either help or hinder you.  Certainly economic events in the last seven years have made job security not all it was decades ago.  Recently I read an article from the United Kingdom geared toward older workers, those defined as older than age 50 years.  I found it interesting not just for older workers but for those so-called younger workers who still harbor many of the unhelpful eight mindsets noted below.  To stay on top of your field you have to learn new skills.  It is clearly part of the growth mindset (vs. fixed mindset) noted by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck in her book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success".  One of those new skills is determining how to create your own business or market your skills differently.  

In the United Kingdom the rise in self-employment in the years 2008 to 2013 (84%) came from those persons 50 and older, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Kauffman Foundation reported in 2009 that in the decade prior, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the United States was in the 55-64 age group, sometimes referred to as the "silverpreneur" group.     

However, the following eight mindset shifts should change anyone's outlook, whether younger or older, about considering a possible move from employee to your own business.  

1.  Having a job no longer offers security.

Having a job does not make you secure.  That's the lesson many have had to learn in the last seven years of the economic downturn.   Recent world events show how quickly things can change, often with unknown consequences. More companies are building flexibility into their business by taking on fewer permanent staff and looking to ensure they can shed jobs easily should the worst happen.  

2. Your current job is disappearing.

Even if you are not being pushed out of your job right now, you won’t find it as easy to find a similar post, at a similar level, as you once might have. That’s because the role you currently perform is increasingly being replaced by new and different roles, or will be given to younger newcomers willing to work hard for less.

3. Technology innovations are arriving faster.

Increasingly sophisticated technology is performing many tasks which used to be done by highly trained and skilled professionals.  

4. Knowledge and experience are an advantage.

It is estimated that in the near future as many as four generations will be working together. This means that your career ladder could be cut off prematurely by younger employees who might even become your boss.

However, your wealth of experience need not go to waste if you choose to start up your own business. Other Kauffman Foundation research noted that many founders of successful companies did not start them until they were 40 or older. So your age and experience may be an advantage.  

5. Setting up a business is easier than in the past.

It’s easier today to set up a business, given the low cost of technology. You no longer have to set up a bricks-and-mortar business with expensive premises or lots of stock to buy. You can now succeed with an online business with just a good idea and a small budget to spend on IT equipment and software.

Lower startup costs mean less risk, so it should be easier to convince others that becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business makes sense.  The best time to get going is while you still have a job.

6. Raising capital is possible.

If you are older and need funding, you may well have some financial reserves to draw on or be in a strong position to borrow, as you have a financial track record.

With several crowd-funding platforms from which to chose, you can raise money even more quickly and easily. You just need a compelling pitch for others to believe in your idea and help you succeed.

7. A comfortable retirement is often just a dream.

Retirement is now an outdated concept that you need to revise. It’s not just a case that the retirement age is continuing to creep up or that many need to keep working to maintain a lifestyle. The fact is, you should be looking to make a contribution in some form throughout your life so as to make you feel younger for longer.  As I have heard said many times, if you are not growing you are dying.  

People are likely to change careers several times during their working life particularly as individuals work longer and can contribute.  Why throw out all your knowledge and experience just because you have reached some arbitrary age?  

8. Life is about continuous learning.

One way to improve your quality of life as you live longer is to keep your brains active through continuous learning. The day you stop learning is the day you start becoming old, independently of your biological age.  This is consistent with the growth vs. fixed mindset concept mentioned earlier.  

Some people may tell you that entrepreneurs are born and not made. This may be true for some but there are more than enough examples of mature professionals who successfully set out on their own in later years. 

So, if you want to become an entrepreneur ("silverpreneur"), create your own business, or merely market your skills more effectively, what should you do?

As always, the answer is to change your mindset. You may think you're too old/young to make major employment changes.  I want to reinforce the recognition that your life is the product of decisions you make, which are the product of the thoughts you have, both helpful and those less helpful. 

Do not label or judge yourself based on what you have or have not done so far.  Do not limit yourself by declaring yourself an accountant, manager, or even a psychologist (heal thyself!).  By doing so you tell yourself that's all you are and it stops your change process and potential transformation.  

If you need training or guidance (and you almost certainly will if you have only ever been an employee), find the right courses and programs that will give you the needed skills. Better still, find a mentor, someone with business experience to provide feedback about what you’re doing or intending to do. You’ll learn faster and avoid costly mistakes.  Getting a coach or mentor is an efficient way to make progress quickly.  By doing so you will be taking more control of your life.  As always, change your thoughts and change your results.  For additional information consult my website at www.successandmindset.com. 

GOAL SETTING AND STRESS REDUCTION

In recent posts, I have broken down stress reduction into multiple strategies.  These have included changing your thoughts, using progressive muscle relaxation, mastering your time, and maintaining your focus.  In the last post, I mentioned goal setting but wanted to emphasize this in more depth.  Be clear that we are not speaking about a "to-do" list.  Rather, I am speaking about defining your mission/purpose and then creating a plan to make it happen.  As the old saying goes, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there".  Others speak about our having a purpose.  In many respects, purpose is more about our mission and vision, the "why" we do what we do.  The lack of this mission/vision ("why") often results in the depression I've seen in clients and patients. 

Let's say you've determined your purpose ("why") to be the provision of sales materials and services to corporate and small business clients to help them become more productive with greater revenues.  You are thinking about the various projects you need to initiate to implement a marketing strategy. 

First, divide your projects and your work days into chunks.

To shift your attention to a new project, begin by organizing your thoughts and assessing the work that needs to be done. Mentally run down the list of critical questions you must address. Here are some favorites to get you started:

a. What needs to be done?

b. Why would it be desirable to do those things?

c. What have you already accomplished that will help you move forward with this project?

d. What do you need to know to complete this project?

e. What kinds of resources and help will you need when you start working on the project?

f. What's the next action step?

Write out your answers. Writing brings clarity, calmness and objectivity to the mind.  All of these are incongruent with dysfunctional stress levels.

Next, create a sequence of specific, measurable steps to complete your project. Set milestones and deadlines to keep track of your progress. It's time to set SMART goals:

1. Specific

2. Measureable

3. Achievable

4. Realistic

5. Time-limited

Try a three-tier structure for your goals: the theme, the goals to support your theme, and the steps to accomplish your goals.

Your theme can be the big reason behind the project, the main aspect of it, or the crucial learning and development point. The theme helps to unify the parts of the project.  It provides additional motivation and momentum to move forward.

Break your project into well-defined goals that will serve as the milestones for your work. When deciding upon goals consider the following:

* Make them big enough to really stretch your comfort zone. We often underestimate what we can achieve.  Later in life most people regret not shooting for bigger goals.  This is part of the self doubt endemic to many people.

* Picture the benefits you gain from completing your goals. Visualize the outcomes. High performers in many areas of life, e.g. athletics, business, use visualization to help them see the end state and also begin to craft intermediate steps.  How would you know you have accomplished your objective? How will it feel to succeed? Capture your best reasons on paper and return to them when you need extra motivation.

* Identify the cost of your goals. Each goal comes with a price tag. What do you have to give up for the opportunity to achieve your goals? Identify those trade-offs and decide if you are truly willing to pay the price.  As Bill Walsh of Powerteam International says, "You have to pay forward for success".  Not the reverse.

* Prioritize and eliminate inconsistent goals. The goals we set often compete for our time, effort, and resources. It's important to know the priority of your goals and check for conflicting objectives. You may be as passionate about being with friends tonight as you are about completing your webinar outline,  but you can't do both at the same time.  You must choose.

* Set a deadline for each of your goals.

* Schedule regular intervals to revisit your goals and track your progress.

Divide your goals into smaller tasks or steps, giving each task a target date for completion as well. These steps will give you a clear picture of what you should be working on at any given time.

Finally, divide your work day into periods of uninterrupted time when you can focus on your scheduled tasks and eliminate distractions. Don't forget to take breaks periodically, and when you do so, switch your attention to something completely different and enjoyable. You want to use this downtime to recharge.

With each accomplishment, be sure to celebrate your victory, no matter how small.  I am indebted to trainer/author Blair Singer for reminding me to do so and I make sure to do so for those with whom I work.  Revise goals and steps as needed.  If you find yourself getting frustrated, resort to checking your thoughts for negative ones ("I'll never get this"), using progressive muscle relaxation, revising or breaking down your goals/steps further, and/or getting some help.  Achieving worthwhile goals is a sure way to think/feel better about yourself, accomplish more, and reduce your stress.  For additional information, see other posts at www.successandmindset.com. 

SEVEN TIPS ON MAINTAINING YOUR FOCUS AND STAYING PRODUCTIVE

In recent posts, I have continued to emphasize ways to reduce personal and workplace stress, the effects of which cost American business hundreds of millions of dollars per year in lost productivity. I have discussed the effects of your thoughts on stress, the beneficial use of progressive muscle relaxation, and the importance of mastering your time.  In this post, I will discuss the importance of maintaining focus as it affects your productivity.  The correlate is that the lack of focus contributes to increased stress.  

In today's fast moving world,  maintaining your focus is one of the biggest personal productivity challenges. We lose much mental energy due to mental overwhelm and information overload. This sense of overwhelm and inability to keep up with the daily flow of information, interactions, and distractions is a significant cause of stress and decrease in productivity for many people.

Why is your mental energy not as focused as you would like right now?  In working with thousands of patients and clients over four decades, see if any of the following apply to you: easy distractibility; negative thoughts and self-talk; excessive self-criticism; perfectionism; unrealistic multitasking; low self-esteem; information overload; procrastination; poor sleep and diet; lack of exercise?

Imagine how greater focus could increase your energy and productivity and reduce your stress level.  Consider some of the following tips to help you maintain more laser focus:

1. Stop multitasking 

If you are easily distracted as you try to concentrate on a project, you are not alone. Mental distractions create energy dissipation. Think of all the distractions throughout your typical day: a phone rings, an urgent email pops up, somebody interrupts your train of thought, etc. A common response is to multitask, but multitasking doesn't work. Our brains cannot do parallel processing if it requires conscious awareness. Multitasking is really rapid task switching. The more complex and unfamiliar the tasks are, the longer it is going to take to switch between them. Multitasking causes distractibility and interferes with the completion of either task. 

2. Create awareness and use mindfulness. 
We can experience more focus if we become aware and give our full attention to the present moment. As we cultivate awareness, we gain a state of clarity. Similarly, when we are truly present and aware, our perception is heightened. We notice things we wouldn't otherwise. We experience more insights. We respond to situations as they arise without stress or worry generated by mental distractions. To experience this mental clarity, consider the use of mindfulness, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation.  Close your eyes, turn off any sound, and be still and quiet for a few moments. Neuroscience research suggests the brain needs about two seconds to deactivate the current circuits and enable an insight to emerge into conscious attention.

3. Identify, write down, and challenge your disruptive and disturbing thoughts. 
When you feel hampered by persistent negative thoughts, write them all down and set the time when you will review the list. Writing thoughts down decreases their negative influence on the mind. When your scheduled time comes, review the list and determine which thoughts actually have any truth to them.  Globally judgmental statements about yourself such as "I can't do this; I never do things right" deserve to be challenged and changed.  See earlier posts for more tips about how to change your thoughts.  

4. Break down your projects into achievable pieces.  

Decide why you are doing the project or task in the first place.  This  provides motivation and momentum to move forward.  Break your project into well-defined goals that will serve as the milestones for your work. Use SMART goals: Specific; measureable; achievable; realistic; time limited.   Make them big enough to really stretch your comfort zone. We often underestimate what we can achieve.  Visualize your outcome.  The power of visualization often is underestimated in terms of mental focus.  See the outcome occurring for you.  Identify the cost of your goal.  Set deadlines for each goal.  Schedule portions of your day when you can accomplish a piece of the overall project and achieve a milestone.  I will have more to say about this in future posts.  For now, breaking down your goals into achievable pieces helps maintain a focus which reduces stress.  

5.  Be willing to accept uncertainty.

How comfortable are you with uncertainty? What stops some people from pursuing their dreams and their mission is fear of the unknown. Interestingly, uncertainty can actually add to our motivation.  When we take risks, we face uncertainty and unknown likelihood of reward. The anticipation of uncertain rewards has been linked to increased production of the neuromodulator dopamine, which is responsible for a more focused attention and more pleasurable experience. A degree of uncertainty helps keep interest, motivation, and excitement going.  

6.  Celebrate your victories.  
Don't wait for the next holiday to start a celebration. Celebrate victories large and small during your day.  If you wait for only a major accomplishment, you may lose motivation, interest, and focus.  We all should be able to celebrate something each day.  Look for your accomplishment and celebrate it.  It helps keep your mindset in a more positive frame by doing so.  I'm grateful to trainer Blair Singer for this perspective.  

7.  Find people who help elevate you.    

Sometimes, all we need to do to get energized is to talk to certain people.  It often is said that you should try to be around people who are doing what you want to do or are where you want to be.  Most likely these will not be people who drain your energy and focus but rather encourage or stimulate you to increase your energy and focus.  

As you take more personal responsibility for your energy it likely will have the effect of attracting more people with positive energy into your life. With some practice and conscious choice, you will be that person with the focus and personal energy around whom others want to be. 

Think about what one improvement you can make today to maintain your focus and productivity better.  For more ideas, visit www.successandmindset.com.