Making Your Gray Matter

December 2008

Contents This Month

·        G.E.T.

·        Brain Age Tips

·        Put a Name with the Face

·        Quotations

·        Update Your Email Address

·        Refer Madness

G.E.T.

You’ve generated a large number of ideas to solve a challenge you (or your group) is trying to solve. How do you get the number of ideas to be more manageable?

The most popular method is “hits.” This is when people get a certain number of votes to cast (usually using small stickers) to identify the ideas that will get “down selected.” Here’s another method that will offer you the option of some variety. It’s called G.E.T., which stands for Go, Evaluate, Table.

“Go” is an idea that you like, believe has merit, and should be pursued. “Evaluate” is an idea that you think has potential, but still needs to be examined further before a decision is made. “Table” is an idea that you don’t believe will solve the problem.

There is a hand signal for each of the decisions. For “Go” point your index finger away from yourself. For “Evaluate” hold one hand in front of your face and look at the palm of your hand (as if you’re reading something). For “Table” place your palm down on your lap or table.

Now the ideas are put to a vote by the group using lightning voting. The first idea is read and everyone casts a vote using the hand signal. Then the second idea is voted on, etc. If you want to eliminate “political” voting, consider blindfolding the voters or having them close their eyes.

Brain Age Tips

Several months ago I reviewed the video game (Nintendo DS) Brain Age. Since then I’ve become a Sudoku addict. It often helps me stay alert (or at least awake) in the evenings.

One of the features I like in the game is the Tips for keeping your brain sharp. Here are a couple of my favorites that can easily be used without taking time out of your day:

·        Think about some of the objects around you and then quickly generate as many verbs as you can think of that relate to the object. For the word “shoe” you could think of “wear,” “shuffle,” “tie,” “pound,” (like a gavel) “polish,” etc.

·        Try to read the billboards and signs around you during your commute as fast as you can. After a while, you’ll find that you can read something by simply “flashing” your eyes over it.

·        When you are people watching with someone, try to guess what some of the people you are watching are feeling. Then put those ideas into words. According to Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, M.D. (his research is the basis for the game) “Speaking imagined ideas puts many areas of your brain to work.”

Put a Name with the Face

It’s holiday party time and that means meeting new people. For most of us, that brings to mind the thought of “I never remember people’s names.” That’s not completely true, because there are plenty of people whose names you do remember!

Here are some simple behaviors that will help you remember names:

  1. Before meeting someone new, look at his/her face and notice anything specific to that face.
  2. Listen carefully for their name. If you aren’t sure you got their name correctly, this is the easiest and best time to get it again.
  3. Repeat the name when you say hello.
  4. Check for correct pronunciation (and spelling if applicable). If they have an unusual name, find out it’s origins or meaning.
  5. Repeat the name in the first few seconds of conversation.
  6. Take your time in meeting several people at one time. Rushing through many people at once only adds difficulty to the task of remembering.
  7. Review names of people you have met during conversational lulls. The sooner you do this the better because it’s easiest to ask for someone’s name again early in the process.
  8. Say their name again when parting.

Quotations

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.” – Alan Alda (American actor – played role of Hawkeye Pierce on TV’s M.A.S.H.)

“A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” – James Joyce (Irish author)

Update Your Email Address

Don’t miss an issue of Making Your Gray Matter. If your email address is going to change, let me know about it.

Refer Madness

If you had a good experience in my workshop/seminar, share it with someone you know. If you provide me with a lead that generates new business for me, I’ll pay you (or your favorite charity) $250 (less if it is less than a full-fee engagement).

If you belong to a professional organization that needs a speaker or If you know any business or non-profit organization (including your own), that could benefit from my workshops, presentations, coaching, or needs a facilitator:

1.         Tell your contact about me.

2.         Tell me about your contact. Call me at 972-378-0937 or write me at dgunby@mindimensions.com

3.         Wait for your check (if I get your contact’s business)

 

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