Enjoying the nature
May 20th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
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Do The Hard Stuff First


I have been talking a lot about brain function lately, because I have been learning about it, but also because it is so critical for leaders and knowledge workers to take good care of their brains.  In a recent post I talked about Baumeister’s work and noted how  important it is to make desicions or do the stuff that is going to require serious brain power first - while you are fresh, fueled and rested.  This came in from a colleague who heard me speak on this topic – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

So you know how you are telling people to do the things that are the hardest first … I have a story to share.

We have a nonprofit that we started as the vision of our daughter last year in 2012 – Taxes forms are due May 15th – since Jan 1, 2013 I have been stressing about that process … we are a startup so we aren’t hiring someone to do it … each month with intent to do it … I found something else to focus on.  The day I sat down to do them this weekend I was pleasantly surprised to learn that if we took in under 50K in the year (which we had done just under 30K) we could go online and do a e-postcard.  There were 7 questions, my name our website our tax id and a box or two to check and we were done.  I think it took me 3 mins!  I laughed so hard!!! I had lost sleep on many nights because I didn’t want to do the task … yuck and what if I did it wrong and the responsibility for the nonprofit etc.  So you were in my head … Do the hard things first … we might be surprised as to how easy they are and then we can get them out of the way!

Just wanted to share (also I have a new treasurer that will just take care of it for me in the years to come – so I am really good to go now!)  Thanks for the teaching and now that I have had this experience – I will be doing the hard stuff first moving forward – hopefully as a daily practice!

Photo: Big Stock

Phone Pix -December 2012b 035
May 13th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
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Go To Bed


At a certain point in my life, 24 years ago,  I worked at night as a musical theatre actress, revving my engine for most of the afternoon to prepare for what was essentially a two hour athletic endurance test that started at 8 pm sharp.  It took a couple of hours for my heart rate to return to normal and it was customary for me to start winding down at around midnight, and be ready for bed at about 1 am.  Now this was all fine and well because I could usually sleep late the next day, or at least nap if I needed, because my entire life revolved around my job.

And then my daughter was born. 

Now, all newborns wake at night to eat, and Hannah was no exception. But Hannah also had some kind of internal clock that made her wake up for the day at 5:30 am.  There was no getting around it, she was up.  And so was I.  I took some time off from work when she was really little, but her Dad was also an actor and would come home from work at around 11 and expect us to have some quality time until his regular 1 am bedtime.  You can imagine that after about 4 months of 5 ish hours of interrupted sleep a night I was pretty much brain dead.  The amazing thing is that with going back to work, another baby and just…life; I kept it up for about seven years.  The researchers tell us that that sleep deprivation causes the brain to behave the same way as it would when impaired by alcohol.  I wonder just how much more I might have accomplished those years if I had actually ever slept.  The brain desperately needs sleep – there are chemical processes that happen at hour 7 and 8 of sleep that are essential to optimal functioning.  Listen to James Mass, sleep specialist,  on the topic here – basically everything you need to know about why to get your sleep and getting the best night’s sleep.

What are you doing at night instead going to bed?  Sitting in front of a screen?  Worst thing you could do, your brain interprets screen light as sun and thinks it is time to be alert.  Watching  TV?  Cut it out.  If you want to be thin, healthy, smart, creative and make the best decisions go to bed.

So my friends, this is the final post in the review of the work by Dr. Dan Siegel and David Rock called the Healthy Mind Platter.  The 7 areas to consider:

Sleep Time, Connecting Time, Down Time, Play Time, Focus Time, Time In and Physical Time -

 as you create the most brain friendly lifestyle you could possibly have.

May 8th, 2013
by Tiffany Adams
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Increasing Leadership Confidence at Ted’s Montana Grill


We love our Blanchard Certified clients. We also love when our clients share with us feedback on how using Blanchard Certified works. The clip above was sent to us from Ted’s Montana Grill‘s newsletter.

Increasing Awareness and Excitement Around Achieved Goals:

It was good to see the results at the restaurant when we implemented the one-on-ones and the goal sheets for the Team Members. While all the goals were not achieved, the awareness level was increased, and the excitement level from the Team Members when they achieved the goals was great. ~ John

Improving Confidence Levels in Leadership Styles:

I definitely feel this reinforced a lot of my ideas revolving around Team Building. By being able to amplify what people are good at, and isolate challenges and give those challenges the attention and development they deserve, I’ve been a more effective leader. My confidence levels in my own leadership styles have improved, and I feel more comfortable than I did previously. ~ Tyler

We are proud to be their partner and proud to have played a role in bringing together teams as they grow together and achieve their goals together. Making people and organizations great is what we love to do.

May 8th, 2013
by Tiffany Adams
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Bridging the Gap Between Becoming a Manager and Being Trained As One


FACT: The average age of managers when they first receive leadership training is 42. Yet, the average age when they become managers is 33.

FACT: Less than ten percent of employees under the age of 30 are provided the opportunity to participate in leadership development. (Source: Jack Zenger)

FACT: More people have mobile telephones around the world than have access to a flush toilet, according to the United Nations.

FACT: Investment in learning is becoming a priority and the shift of learning delivery is trending toward self-paced e-learning, according to recent research from International Data Corporation (IDC) reported by Chief Learning Officer.

Investing in those managers and future leaders now, as opposed to after they have been on the job for ten years, is finally a scalable and affordable possibility with Blanchard Certified™, a Cloud-based leadership development program. Blanchard Certified™ is an online leadership development solution inspired by leadership guru Ken Blanchard that makes practical leadership training immediately applicable to the day-to-day job.

With the release of Blanchard Certified™ 5.0, leadership development content is more available to those who need it most, in a self-paced e-learning format that is as portable as your favorite mobile device. The interface is interactive, easier to use, and ready to take on the go with iPad and tablet compatibility. Learners still experience the same powerful leadership development content proven to be effective over 33 years in training and development. Learners are also able to take key concepts from the online “classroom” to apply to both personal and organizational goals. Key new features based on client feedback include:

  • Enhanced quality, menu and navigation improvements making it easier than ever to get around
  • Strengthened content with state of the art instructional design
  • Less text, more automated motion graphics, and click to learn activities
  • More interactivity that allows users to learn while doing, keeping engagement and learning retention high
  • iPad compatible lessons and tools for users on the go
  • Improved discussion board to build community and facilitate conversations about learning

“The vision of Blanchard Certified is to make our phenomenal Blanchard content accessible, affordable, relevant and fun!” said Madeleine Homan Blanchard, co-founder. “Annual Reports like to claim that people are TRULY the most valuable asset to your organization. Proving the statement made in every Annual Report is now a scalable and affordable possibility.”

If you’d like more information on this topic, or to learn more about Blanchard Certified 5.0 please visit on our website or our Contact Us page for a guided tour.

About Blanchard Certified: Blanchard Certified has leveraged proven technology and content that enables anyone, from business leaders to individual contributors, to connect their operational and strategic vision to daily actions with trackable results. For the first time, not only is this time-proven content scalable and affordable, but we can take learning from the virtual classroom and connect it to operational bottom-line results. Inspired by Ken Blanchard. Powered by CD2 Learning.

Join the Blanchard Certified conversation on LinkedIn, follow us on Twitter @blanchardcert, or like us on Facebook.

Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:
Tiffany Adams, Director of Marketing
Blanchard Certified
Tadams@blanchardcertified.com 
Phone: 402-261-8587

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
May 2nd, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
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The Real Reason to Exercise


What would you do if you heard that there was one simple thing you could do that would make you smarter, more creative and less likely to have senior moments in the future?  You would do it right?  OK.  Ready?  Here it is.  Exercise.  Move your butt.  Lift a weight.  Get your heart rate up.  Sweat.  There is simply no question that getting some exercise is critical to brain function.  There are studies upon studies showing that exercise makes you smarter, more creative, a better problem solver and is the number one dementia prevention measure.  One study with overweight kids which added a half hour of physical activity to the school programs showed a noticeable improvement in executive function and  grades. Another study with older participants showed that regular walking and lifting weights resulted in a marked improvement in memory function. Experts aren’t exactly clear about how much exercise or even what kind is best, but they are all agreed that some is better than none, and that our brains benefit when we challenge our bodies.  An expert answers some basic questions in a recent NY Times article. So if you can’t make yourself get out of the desk chair, out of your car or off the couch because you want to look better and fit into your closet full of clothes, do it for your brain.

hood
April 16th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
2 Comments »

The Benefits of Mindfulness


I recently had a day that was crammed with meetings from 7 a.m. (such is the Californian’s plight), some time slots had been double booked, and over the course of the day several small crises cropped up.  I was flinging myself mindlessly from one discussion to the next.  And, surprise, by about 2 p.m. I felt out of my mind.  And it was the thought that I might lose my mind, that reminded of something I recently learned about brian function.  The best way to deal with the feeling that you are losing your mind is to stop and practice mindfulness.  So I stopped.  I sent an email that I would be 5 minutes late to my next meeting and I took a deep breath. I stopped to pay attention to what I was thinking and feeling.  A definition of mindfulness is to simply pay attention to what is happening, internally and externally in the present moment with an attitude openness and curiosity.  I vowed to practice mindfulness for the rest of the crazy day.  And my stress simply melted away.  I ended up having a spectaculary productive and lovely day.

 The neuroscience research is piling up: the practice of mindfulness, it turns out is an incredibly powerful tool, shown to lower blood pressure, lessen the perception of stress, it is even helping our returning veterans with PTSD.  Although meditation and prayer are forms of mindfulness you don’t need to learn to meditate to be mindful, you just have to stop, breathe and pay attention without judgment.  For some help with easy ways to do this, checkout Mindful.com.  The authors of The Healthy Mind Platter, on which this series is based, call it “Time In” and it is critical to optimal brain function.

blanchard-certified
April 7th, 2013
by Tiffany Adams
1 Comment »

Leadership Development 5.0 Takes it up a Level


So what’s the big deal about a leadership development solution moving from version 4.0 to 5.0? A lot actually. We have officially announced our release of Blanchard Certified 5.0 and as much as we all love a good press release, it’s important to us to communicate the “why”.

The Why:

From day one we have received great feedback from our clients on the value they receive from our leadership development solution, from content, to ease of use, to the direct application and subsequent change to their jobs and life. However, as we looked at business results and client feedback, we knew we could raise the bar once again. We’re a company that keeps pushing until we reach A-quality that makes a difference both in the operational outcomes for our clients and in the personal lives of those who invest their time with us.

The Focus:

We don’t just have great content, we’re also a technology company. As a technology company, we wanted to hide the technology. We know it sounds crazy. See, we believe that technology is a powerful tool that allows our clients flexibility in how they roll out their leadership development program. Technology allows learners to be engaged and motivated by what they are learning. Technology gives people tools to see direct link between what they are learning and how to apply that to their role in the organization and in life.

If the technology is really good and useable – you don’t see it.

The Results:

Technology and content have come together to offer what wasn’t previously possible. Full leadership development for any size organization with a dispersed workforce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

World-class Ken Blanchard Leadership training is available with a better short and long term value as organizations are able to invest in teams they have not been able to previously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approaching how individuals learn in a unique way allows people to learn over time, providing deeper impact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building your bench strength of current and future leaders and a focus on your team’s personal and professional growth creates engagement and retention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there’s the skinny. There is of course more, a lot more. We’d love to show you Blanchard Certified 5.0 if you’re interested. As always, Ken says it best.

concentration
April 5th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
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Cultivate “The Zone”


Is there anything better than getting absorbed in a task and looking up only to be shocked at how much time has passed?  It gives us so much pleasure, and the very good news is that it is really good for your brain.  So you get something done and it is good for you! This is the fourth post in a series based on work by Dr. Dan Siegel and David Rock about how to take the best possible care of your brain called the Healthy Mind Platter.

When we engage in focused work time which is defined by Rock and Siegel as“the application of a singular attentional focus on a task that permits a sense of mastery and completion” we are creating new connections in our brains and deepening existing ones.  It is the perfect antidote to the exhaustion caused by the constant multi-tasking we engage in, not to mention to pesky interruptions.

 In his book Flow : The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi  (pronounced mee-high  chick-sent-mee-high) says that in his studies, when people reflected on their most positive experiences they seemed to share one if not all of these characteristics:

  1. The experience usually occurs when we confront tasks we have a chance of completing
  2. We must be able to concentrate on what we are doing
  3. The task has “clear goals and
  4. Provide immediate feedback
  5. There is deep but effortless involvement that shuts out the noise of everyday life
  6. We are able to exercise a sense of control over our actions
  7. Self consciousness disappears, but sense of self emerges more strongly after the experience is over
  8. The sense of time passing is altered; minutes can seem like hours, or hours can feel like minutes (Harper, 1991, pg. 49).

Csikszentmihalyi’s theory was that to achieve flow we needed to maintain the balance between the level of challenge of the activity, and our skill level – if the challenge is too low, we become bored, if it is too high we become overly anxious.  Each individual needs to monitor their own challenge level to keep it optimal to stay engaged. 

Getting absorbed in a useful task and accomplishing something challenging is essential to our quality of life and critical to optimal brain function.  So shut the door.  Turn off the phone.  Get to it.

Client Summit, Cabos, BGT Dinner 092
March 27th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
1 Comment »

Get Connected, Stay Connected


This is the third post in a series based on work by Dr. Dan Siegel and David Rock about how to take the best possible care of your brain called the Healthy Mind Platter.  Get the full article here.

Social Connections aren’t just a “nice to have.” Our lives literally depend on our social connectivity. A couple of fun facts to consider: when we are shunned or rejected our brain experiences almost exactly like actual physical pain!  So the whole notion of sticks and stones is false.  And, who has not experienced that emotional pain takes longer to heal than an occurrence of acute physical pain, like an ankle sprain (as opposed to chronic pain which is different.)  And honestly, what woman would have more than one child if we weren’t wired to forget physical pain?  Whereas the memory of social pain lingers and can easily resurface as fresh as ever even years after the event. 

Study after study shows that being able to exchange help and support with others is critical to health. Coincidentally a new study hot off the press shows clearly that elders (defined as over those over 52, I have to say, I take exception) who are socially isolated are much more likely to die than those who are not.

Sartre said that “hell is other people” but it turns out that we need each other. The key is cultivating the right people, the ones we get along with and who support us.  When we have the support of a “best friend” the brain releases fewer stress hormones and more hormones that makes us feel good.  This may all be stunningly obvious to those  who make it their business to connect at work and with friends outside of work, but for others it might feel like a weakness to need others. It isn’t.  It is as essential as eating right and exercising.  So make the effort.  Pick up the phone.  Invest in those real relationships (no, social media doesn’t count.)  Your brain will thank you and you will live way longer.

IMG_6739
March 19th, 2013
by Madeleine Blanchard
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Go Out and Play


This is the second post in what will be a series based on work by Dr. Dan Siegel and David Rock called the Healthy Mind Platter.  Get the full article here.

Today I ask you to turn your very precious attention to the importance of play.  Yes, play. Of course we know how essential play is to child development, but it turns out that it is equally essential to adult creativity and learning.  During play the brain makes new connections which affects creativity and deepens existing connections which aids with consolidating and embedding memory.

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