Neuro Enhancement

Written by Jeff Schoener

With bail outs, economic confusion and a rush to blame, one joke keeps coming to mind. How do you know when a politician is lying?  Their lips are moving. Distractions and diversion are known tools of stage magicians, yet these same tools are held ready and easily used within political realms.

Before I go any further, allow me to define political realm.  Within every executive position from parent to corporate CEO, there are moments of flexibility and savvy that will instill a level of trust and confidence in order to make any move.  The integrity in which the move is made may be in question, the trust and the ability to follow is not.  These skills are useful in interviews and holding onto a job.  It should also be noted that some of the finest leaders also know how to follow.  The reality is that when an individual stands alone, even when history proves that they were correct in action or deed, is often said to be a rebel and a trouble maker.  This of course is far from fair.  Life is often unfair.

Whenever people operate, it is useful to remember that we are related to pack animals by nature.  You see, we feel secure in a group.  It comforts others when we are like them.  It comforts us when they are like us.  The ones who rise to the top of the pack are generally the ones who display leadership abilities.  In some cases they instill fear.  In others they inspire vision.  Some even inspire good feelings.  They do this by simply mirroring and matching behaviors.  We forgive them if they use phrases that we don’t, in fact if we like them enough, we as a group may start using the same phrases.  Mirroring and matching are said to be ways of rapport, yet that is too simplistic.  They are aspects of unconscious recognitions in order for the rest of the group to feel something.  We may feel safe, warm and cared for.

We may also, as a group feel betrayed, used and lied to.  These skills go well beyond advertising and pollsters.  As a group we may collectively have a change of heart, moving in the direction from like to dislike, or more specifically un-like.  Some do this naturally.  For others matching, pacing and leading are learned skills.  The one aspect that may not be easily feigned must be integrity mixed with intention beyond oneself.  Consider how many of them hold the integrity of what brought them to the top.  Not as many as we would hope.  Yet we still allow those ‘like us’ or appear to match the image of the office to take the stage.

Most people wait, they seek out leadership, they prefer to follow.  Mainly for a place to focus blame on others, while others just do not want the responsibility.  Sadly fewer people want the responsibility that taking the lead requires.  Those who claim to want the position all too often fall back into their personal intentions.  At this time they seem to lose integrity with the masses.  At this point it is too late.  The time to have solidified integrity with appropriate intention is long before one takes the position of leader.  Otherwise they only hold the illusion until the next leader comes along.

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