Baltimore-Washington SIG
Topic: When Neuroscience Meets OD: Implications, Opportunities and Applications. A Dialogue – Part 2
Facilitator: Jim White
I’ve been extremely fortunate. Over the past 35 years I have had the opportunity to work as an OD consultant, leadership trainer and/or program manager in 17 countries and with 10 US Government organizations.
Currently I facilitate leadership development workshops for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, occasionally design and facilitate courses for John’s Hopkins School of Education, train law enforcement officials for the Department of State at the West African Regional Training Center in Ghana, and co-facilitate workshops in “Designing and Facilitating Transformational Workshops” at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
I am also collaborating on a book on “Why Mind-Body Experience Matters” with Dr. Ken Nelson and Lesli Lang of Kripalu and outlining a book on “The Art, Craft and Science of Designing and Facilitating Transformational Leadership Seminars: A 25 year Retrospective.”
I love the material we are going to be discussing here at the CBODN Baltimore Washington SIG. I believe it has enormous implications for us as OD practitioners and offers many opportunities for us to positively move organizational life forward.
Program Description: “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” - William James
During our first session on Neuroscience and OD in September, we were able to touch on three major concepts and breakthroughs that have implications for our profession.
a. Self directed neuroplasticity, the fact that we can: “use the mind, to change the brain, to change the mind; for the better”; with practice.
b. Our inherent negativity bias and the default mode network which naturally arises when we are not purposefully focused (aka monkey mind or mind chatter) and
c. The anatomy of willpower, that fact that willpower calls upon three distinct brain systems, all of which are required for successful behavioral change.
We will be continuing our dialogue and will be referencing the work of Rick Hanson, Kelly McGonigal, Daniel Goleman and Daniel Siegel.
Some questions for possible exploration:
1. How might the “language of neuroscience” broaden our consultation options, strengthen our contact with clients, and deepen our organizational impact?
2. What are the implications of “experienced dependent neuroplasticity” on the design of learning activities? (ie. We can use the mind, to change the brain, to change the mind; for the better.)
3. How can we use the phenomenon of the brains inherent “negativity bias” to facilitate more effective problem solving initiatives, improve strategic thinking in organizations and manage our own mindsets?
4. How might the science of willpower inform our strategic planning initiatives?
5. How does the understanding of “practice” as the heart of embodied learning impact our instructional design, workshop facilitation and follow on reinforcement initiatives.
6. How do we intentionally account for the phenomenon of “emotional contagion” in groups and teams?
Some helpful links for our discussion:
Time:
- 6:00 - 6:30 | Networking
- 6:30 - 8:00 | Program
Location:
Johns Hopkins University -- Columbia Center
6740 Alexander Bell Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
