Thinking Big Works » Corporate Mindshift

A Shift In Consciousness?

Judy Berg — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:10:40 +0000

What is this mans consciousness rating?
click for Guide

Consciousness: inspiration

CANADA’S OBAMA MANIA

Barak Obama made Canada his first international state visit and that pleases this country. Our population is small but we are the largest trading partner of the US. Protocol suggests each new US President will visit our country first, since we are its closest, most stable neighbor. But giving Canada that honor has not always been the case, as when George Bush chose Mexico for his first state visit.

Some media think Obama has an even greater adoration factor in Canada than in the US. His espoused social values are in alignment with those of Canadians but does adoration equate to an ability to govern?

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

What do you think is the state of consciousness of the administration in the US?

Our consciousness is reflected through our thoughts and feelings. We believe, from study of quantum energy and consciousness, that the energy emitted by our thoughts and feelings or our consciousness, makes us like little radio stations. Energy follows thoughts and feelings. We send out a signal and we attract back at the same frequency. If we are in a consciousness of Anger, we will be amazed at how many things happen in our day to generate even more Anger. Does the consciousness of a country or its leadership determine its relationship with others in the world? Does it shape foreign or economic policy?

Our Body Conscious Guide is a list of states of consciousness from lowest energy to highest energy. It can serve as a road map to understand our consciousness and the impact our consciousness is having on results. It is a valuable tool for communication and change, and it can serve as a directional guide for making MindShifts.

Observe the Body Conscious Guide . What is your perception of the state of consciousness of:

1. George W. Bush – and the global community during the past 8 years
2. Barak Obama - and the consciousness of the global community at this time.

Share your thoughts with us.

CONSCIOUSNESS DEFINED

Let’s make certain we have common terms by taking a look at dictionary definitions of consciousness. Here are some of the ways we relate to the term:

the thoughts and feelings, collectively of an individual or of an aggregate of people
the moral consciousness of a nation
awareness of something for what it is; internal knowledge,
consciousness of right and wrong doing
philosophy, the mind or the mental faculties as characterized by thoughts, feelings and volition.
to raise one’s consciousness, is to increase one’s awareness and understanding of one’s own needs, behaviour, attitudes especially as a member of as particular social or political group
being totally awake and responsive to ones environment.

We love to hear from you..share your thoughts in our comments section.

BLESS BLESS
JUDY BERG

Organizational Behaviour Consultant
author: Imagine Your Soul Abundant: Attracting Success, Fulfillment and True Happiness
more about: www.theconsciouscorporation.com www.soulabundant.com
Judy’s book can be ordered from her website www.soulabundant.com. Special prices for bulk orders upon request. Seminars and retreats customized to the needs of your group or organization.

What Happens AFTER The Canary In The CoalMine Dies?

Judy Berg — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:40:16 +0000

Rognvaldson Spinning Wheel

corporate mindshift: management

ICELAND 3 MONTHS LATER

This tiny island of fewer than 300,000 people was the sacrificial canary in the coalmine for the global economic collapse just 3 short months ago. The Icelandic economy, laden with overseas debt of more than 10 times GDP, was the first to collapse in what will most likely be a global domino effect from the credit fallout, despite huge bailouts.

SO WHAT IS A GUY GOING TO DO?

You have lost your life savings, your job and possibly, your home…what comes next?

This story is near to my heart because of my Icelandic roots…and my grandfathers story.

THE LAST DEPRESSION

My grandfather, John Rognvaldson, father to 8 children, and an immigrant from Iceland, was living in Winnipegosis, Manitoba during the depression. He was a self-taught carpenter, blacksmith and all around master craftsman, who built his home using his own blueprints, without the aid of post-secondary architectural training. His primary income came from the construction of large commercial fishing vessels that he built for the commercial fisherman on Lake Winnipegosis.

One day, in the 1930’s, his shop was filled with 3 vessels ready for launch but a fisherman does not launch on a Friday. Over the weekend, the shop caught on fire and everything was lost. Because of the blacksmith equipment in the shop, he was unable to afford insurance.

At 60 years of age, with no money and children still at home to feed, he had to start his financial life over.

ICELANDIC INGENUITY

Icelanders are an incredibly resourceful and multi-talented group. I guess, when you have such a small population on an isolated island, you learn to be adept at many things.

My grandfather heard about a contest run by the Womens Auxiliary of Manitoba to encourage cottage industry as a means for families to make an income during the depression. Recalling the design of a spinning wheel his mother had brought from Iceland, he borrowed some carpentry tools from a friend and proceeded to design a wheel for the contest. John won the contest and his wheels were marketed through the T.Eaton catalogue. The Rognvaldson wheel became known amongst spinners as the Cadillac of spinning wheels. Today, my father, Doug, is the lone surviving member of the family who still totally handcrafts this wheel.

ICELAND TODAY

Icelanders are taking a similar path to rebound from the devastating impact of their economic collapse.

Helga Jona, owner of a craft supply shop called Nalin in Reykjavik, is finding her business is exploding. She says Icelanders are returning to their traditional crafts as a way to survive. Shops that had previously carried imports from Europe are now carrying new Icelandic arts and crafts… and the tourists are buying in large quantities.

“And in a sense, the financial collapse has gotten young people busy,” Ms. Eysosdottir says. “They have realized that they can’t just be on Facebook all day; that if they want to survive, they’re going to have to use their creativity and start making things to sell.” – Rabeika Messina, Christian Science Monitor, March 6,2009

WILL THE REST OF US BE AS RESILIENT AND AS RESOURCEFUL?

(note: Bless Bless is a traditional Icelandic salutation)

BLESS BLESS
JUDY BERG
If you know a company that is making a Mindshift towards serving humanity while still turning a profit, we would like to know about them. Let us know by contacting::
attractingsuccess@soulabundant.com... or leave the information in the comments section of this post.

Organizational Behaviour Consultant

author: Imagine Your Soul Abundant: Attracting Success, Fulfillment and True Happiness
more about: www.theconsciouscorporation.com www.soulabundant.com
Judy’s book can be ordered from her website www.soulabundant.com. Special prices for bulk orders upon request. Seminars and retreats customized to the needs of your group or organization.

What Does It Take For An Organization To Change Its Mindset?

Judy Berg — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:31:11 +0000

A Roadmap to Corporate Consciousness
click larger image

corporate mindshift: management

CHANGING ONES OWN MINDSET CAN BE CHALLENGING – BUT CAN YOU SHIFT AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION?

If you have ever tried to make a lifestyle change, perhaps to exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with loved ones and less time at the office, you know what a challenge it can be just to make a small change in behaviourial patterns.

If you think it is challenging to change behaviours, consider how much more challenging it is to make significant mental or consciousness shifts, for oneself, and particularly, for an entire organization.

So, how on earth do you begin to shift?

A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEADERSHIP

If you have been following our posts on the changing nature of the work place, and if you agree organizations are in a transition between an industrial, manufacturing , capitalistic model; to a model of social and spiritual capitalism, you will appreciate how everyone in the organization needs to think very differently than they have in the past.

There are a few ways or circumstances under which a leader can effect consciousness change.

1. A SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL EVENT

Unfortunately, the most common trigger for making a huge mental shift will arise from a significant traumatic or emotional event. Such an event dos not guarantee change will occur but it does set up the context for awakening to the need for things to be done very differently than they have been in the past. The current global economic crisis could be such an event. Some organizations will see this as a temporary inconvenience and will continue to do what has always worked in the past. Others will see it as a wake-up call and will seek to make totally new connections with their customers, shareholders, products and services.

2. THE LEADERS CHANGE

Most great achievements have been accomplished through the vision of a small number of leaders. For your organization to adapt to changing circumstances, it is necessary to either replace the leadership team, or for the leaders themselves to desire to make a transformational shift in their own consciousness, and, in the way they provide leadership to others. David Hawkins, in his book, Power vs Force, believes it takes only a few people operating a higher consciousness to skew the curve in a positive direction.

3. MEDITATION

Considerable research has been conducted on the power of meditation to create stronger links to the pre-frontal cortex brain functions where we access capacity for empathy, ethics and spirituality. Practiced on an individual level, this would be significant but consider the synergistic impact of a group meditation in the workplace to create a context of calmness, and to open doors for higher cognitive reasoning and creativity.

4. MENTORS

When highly skilled athletes realize they need to change their game plan, they do not attempt to do it on their own. They change coaches. Consider hiring coaches for your organization to facilitate your team and your leaders to a new awareness. To use this approach, however, it must be heavily supported and fully-engaged in by the leadership team. This is not about getting someone to fix “those people” while the management team does little or nothing to shift their consciousness. This is not about a change in behaviours, it is about a shift in consciousness, which then creates a new way of seeing the world, a new way of accessing options. This new consciousness becomes ingrained and forms the new culture of the organization.

5. ALIGN WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ALREADY MAKING THE SHIFT

When we are in transition, it is easy to slip back into the old behaviours and thinking patterns. Identify organizations who have made or who are making a shift in consciousness. Create discussion groups or mentoring teams. Helping your organization will strengthen their commitment to the direction they are headed, so they will also benefit from this relationship. Make certain the discussions are open to provocative comments designed to move both organizations to a better place.

I do not believe this Mindshift is about choice…maybe we will do it, maybe we won’t…this is about survival. The organizations who “get it”, early on, will be the ones who survive the current global financial crisis. And they will be the ones who also, very soon, become aligned with the current global social, environmental and spiritual awakening that is growing at a monumental speed.

Your organization can BE tomorrow’s success story – through a shift in consciousness.

Your Intuition

Judy Berg — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Intuition guides you in a quantum world

corporate mindshift: management

WHY DO WE NEED TO TRUST OUR INNER SELF?

The global economy is in transition. Times of transition are accompanied by stress and uncertainty. Transition means a journey into new and uncharted waters. Which means, no one has the answers. A prime example can be found in the debates raging around the world on how best to handle this first-ever global financial crisis.

Be at least as interested in what goes on inside you as what happens outside. When you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.Primary reality is within, secondary reality is without. -Eckhart Tolle, author, The New Earth

Intuition is a guidance that comes from within. It is our inner self. It comes from a feeling place and seems to signal something that is TRUTH for us.

We have structured a society with heavy reliance upon outside expert sources and double-blind studies to tell us what we should think and how we should act. Advertising bombards us daily in an attempt to shape our thoughts. We have lost touch with our own guidance systems.

In a physical world, you are guided by your five basic senses: sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. In a conceptual world, you are guided by a sensory system that is much maligned in western society – your sense of intuition.

IT IS NOW TIME TO AWAKEN THAT SENSORY SYSTEM…

“Why does it take so much time to create the reality you choose? This is why; because you have not been living your truth.” – Neal Donald Walsh, author, Conversations with God

If we are constantly reliant upon outer sources for our decision-making, it does take us a long time to create the reality we prefer. Our challenge is to learn to quiet the outer noises so we can begin to hear our inner voice of intuition.

The Intuitive Mind
is a sacred gift
And the rational mind
Is its faithful servant.
We have created a society
That honors the servant
And has forgotten the gift.
-Albert Einstein

“…trusting your intuition is really about trusting yourself, your whole being sometimes in the face of seemingly logical arguments of others and the constant chattering of your own mind.” - Dr. Carl Johan Calleman, author Mayan Prophecies and Transformation of Consciousness

HOW DO I LEARN TO QUIET THE OUTER NOISE?

On a sheet of paper, draw a circle 2 inches in diameter in the centre of the page. Dissect the page into four equal parts.
In the upper left, write SHOULDS …upper right, BUTS …lower left, FEARS… lower right, DOUBTS.

In the upper left, record the things others think you SHOULD …BE – HAVE or DO.
In the upper right, record the BUTS, you keep telling yourself that hold you back from what you want to… BE – HAVE or DO.
In the lower left, record the FEARS that limit your from what you want to…BE-HAVE or DO.
In the lower right, record the DOUBTS that keep playing over and over…slowing you down from what you want to…BE -HAVE or DO

As a thought hits you that seems more connected with your truth or inner desires, write it in the inner circle…this is where you will begin to track your intuitive truth.

Will Health Be The Biggest Erosion Of Your Wealth?

Judy Berg — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:10:15 +0000

When Health Erodes Wealth

corporate mindshift: management

MARKET DECLINES ARE NOT YOUR BIGGEST THREAT

Baby boomers are quaking over the 30 – 50% erosion of their retirements funds, while the biggest threat facing the status of their long-term financial well-being may be closer to home, and within their control.

The winning secret of hockey’s all-time great, Wayne Gretsky, has been much quoted and has relevance in being on top of your financial-future game. Gretsky said the key to his success was simply, “I don’t go to where the puck is…I go to where the puck will be.”

Today we have a lot of pre-retirees, baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, now ranging in age from 45-63, anxiously looking over the shoulders of their financial planners, wondering how to recover the retirement loses they have seen in the past year.

BUT WHERE WILL THE PUCK BE?…

Their concern about finances and retirement may be overshadowing the … “where the puck will be”...an even bigger threat that is looming out of a daily routine of high stress, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation and eating habits creating the highest levels of obesity ever recorded. The emerging threat is the high cost of aging…sick.

ARE YOU PROTECTING YOUR WEALTH FROM YOUR HEALTH?

Despite the abundance of research pointing to the long-term negative health effects of these key factors (sleep, exercise, stress, nutrition), there seems to be little wide-spread acceptance, by individuals or corporations, of the critical need to take action. With a few rare exceptions, most corporations are not protecting themselves, or their workforces, by demanding employees take care of their personal health. This is ironic when there is no longer any debate about the high cost of downtime to an organization from employee illness and/or long-term disability costs.

I guess this lack of concern shouldn’t be all that surprising when the one industry, Health Care, that should be the model for wellness is one of the worst offenders. I am appalled at the 80-100 hour work weeks, and shifts often in excess of 24-36 hours, put in by medical residents. If the medical profession doesn’t get it…who will?

HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY RATE?

We would like to hear from you. Is your company a model for promoting health? How do you compare to other companies around the world? Please take a few minutes and provide us with your comments. If you feel your company is doing some exceptional work we would love to profile them.

The health of your company is a reflection of the health of your employees.

Changes do not have to be huge to make a positive impact. Something as simple as serving herbal teas, water, juice and fresh fruit at staff meetings rather than coffee and donuts…or taking a stretch break, doing simple neck and back massages, or deep breathing, will increase well-being…and productivity.

Each simple act adds up to a greater awareness of health and wellness. It is an investment in protecting your financial future. When one wins, we all win. When one is healthier, our society becomes healthier.

Organizational Behaviour Consultant
author: Imagine Your Soul Abundant: Attracting Success, Fulfillment and True Happiness
more about: www.soulabundant.com
Judy’s book can be ordered from her website www.soulabundant.com. Special prices for bulk orders upon request. Seminars and retreats customized to the needs of your group or organization.

Poop – Planet – Prosperity

Judy Berg — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:10:52 +0000

Highmark Renewable “natural” gas
click for more

enlightened orgs: inspiration

A NEW BLACK GOLD

In the debt-free province of Alberta, where the black gold that first gushed from the ground in the 1950’s, has resulted in a Heritage Trust fund worth of billions of dollars being set aside for a “rainy day” – getting anyone to think about alternative energy sources is not an easy sell. But two framers from the tiny farming community of Vegreville have risen to the challenge.

Their innovation to create Biogas from cattle manure seems a perfect fit for a province that has ranching as it second largest industry. It is also timely for a province aware of the implications of the depleting sources of non-renewable oil and gas, and the challenges of a reliance on an industry with a Boom/Bust economic cycle.

“Inventing a new technology is a pure Alberta story… a great example that building a knowledge economy can happen on the farm, not just in ivory towers” – Evan Chapko, CEO, Highmark Renewables (Edmonton Journal, 02/08/09)

FROM POOP TO PROFIT…Alberta’s new Black Gold…

ALBERTA’S FIRST GREEN ENERGY MEGA-PROJECT

Shane and Evan Chrapko are taking the cattle manure from a 30,000 cow feedlot, owned by partners Mike and Bert Kotelko, and turning it into Biogas, something their company Highmark Renewables, markets as “renewable natural gas.”

They have just tapped into what is probably Alberta’s most abundant and renewable resource…cattle poop.

The greenist electrical generating plant in the province is now producing one megawatt of power which is enough to meet the electrical demand of the feedlot and 700 homes in the tiny communities of Vegreville and Two Hills. When the construction on this plant is completed, it will also produce ethanol to be added to gasoline without the current problem of having to take away from farmland to produce ethanol from crops like corn. Together, with the help of Xiaomei Li, a scientist from China, they have developed more than 40 recipes for turning waste, including slaughter house waste and municipal sewage, into biogas. Patents are pending.

Their motto: “Where there is waste…there is opportunity.”
Chrapko calls it a “virtuous loop – producing power, cattle feed, fuel and fertilizer .”

The goal is to have a string of plants across the prairies at sites where manure is plentiful. When you consider each cow produces the manure equivalent of six humans, the idea of continuing to spread this volume of waste and its resultant methane gas, over the land forever, without negative consequences, is to ignore a looming environmental problem.

Travis Nickel who heads up the company, Growing Power, responsible for the electrical side of this innovation, sees a time when every feedlot in the country will have such a plant to provide fuel for nearby towns and will deliver ethanol to the big refineries for production of gasoline.

Shane and Evan Chrapko are no strangers to successful ventures. They launched, built and sold The DocSpace Company for 811 Million (538 Million USD) in just 30 months from inception to final sale. Both are graduates of the University of Alberta. Shane is the recipient of the rare Early Career Achievement award awarded to one graduate from a pool of 100,00, who has achieved remarkable success in business within ten years of graduation.

ANOTHER LOCAL, HOME-GROWN SOLUTION…a company to watch in the future!

Greed Addiction Blocks Ethical Functioning

Judy Berg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:51:03 +0000

corporate mindshift: management

SCARCITY VS ABUNDANCE

Last Thursday I posted an article titled Let’s Redefine Abundance. Thanks to Nick Corsi for this link from the PopTech Conference 2008 that expands on the topic.

Listen as Peter Whybrow, neuropsychiatrist, author of “American Mania: When More Is Not Enough,” describes the brain physiology of addiction of a society that demands more and more, yet is left empty, devoid and sick. This clip outlines the HOPE that underlies this economic crisis, if we will take the opportunity to make a cultural shift in our evolution.

Click on photo for video presentation of Peter WhyBrow at the PopTech conference 2008 on the brain physiology of
“When Enough Is Not Enough”

Nature Can Trigger A Mindshift

Judy Berg — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:43:25 +0000

Jasper, Alberta
amazing sunset

corporate mindshift: management

HOW DOES A MINDSHIFT OCCUR?

As difficult as it may be to grasp, solutions to business and personal issues will come from places you least expect…when you are in the right mindset.

In our current global economic reality, things can seem overwhelming. Are there really any new ways to resolve seemingly complex issues?

“How will I keep my company afloat when it seems the problems are of such a magnitude that I cannot even relate to them.”

“How will I keep my job when the solutions seem to be so out of my control?”

FIRST…FORGET ABOUT WORKING HARDER!

WATCH AN AMAZING SUNSET…SMELL A FEW FLOWERS

Stuck in a rut? Making the same decisions to each new problem over and over? Feeling frustrated and unable to tap into the more creative aspects of your potential? Maybe you, and your organization, could benefit from a MindShift.

The first 5 MindShift techniques I propose, is that you…

1. Play more – Stop working so hard -that will definitely be a shift from our current Victorian work ethic. Most likely you have been told just the opposite all your life… if you want more, you just have to work harder. If things are not going well, put more effort into what you are doing. In this “do more”, “work harder” mode, you are in a consciousness of stress, anxiety,or doubt (see Body Conscious Guide).

Instead, let yourself relax, go and do something you love to do, leave work early, without regrets, and in that new consciousness, you will experience an increase in your productivity and feel inspired to creative new ideas.

2. Take a walk in nature – in a place of natural beauty with running water and lots of foliage there are high levels of negative ions. Although there may be controversy on this subject, there is a school of thought that suggests high levels of positive ions such as we experience prior to storms, create feelings of discomfort. Adherents to this theory point to the reaction of cattle and other animals prior to an electrical storm.

On the other hand, in areas where one finds higher levels of negative ions, such as in nature and around running water, there is a feeling of calm, and relaxation. Again, testimonials suggest many people attest to having this response when they are in nature.

Whether it is the negative ions, or just the exercise, or the break from the routine; to make a MindShift, you are well-advised to find a special place to stroll (not jog!) and smell the flowers along the way.

3. Stay Present – consider how frequently, when, in the midst of a crisis, your thoughts, as well as, the open discussions around the boardroom table swing to, “what happened yesterday… last week… who did what to whom… what will happen tomorrow… if only”…well, I think you have heard what I am talking about!

The MindShift that needs to happen here is to identify the specifics of where we are at the moment, and to become creative about solving the immediate issue.Stay present and focus only on the issue at hand.

4. Breathe – one of the first things that happens when our bodies are tense, is our breathing becomes more shallow. The brain gets less oxygen and we cannot operate as efficiently. Calling for a pause in the dialogue at the boardroom table, asking everyone to take a few deep breaths, or even calling for a few minutes of meditation (would you have the courage to do that!) could greatly increase the ability of the people involved to come up with new and exciting solutions!

5. Do a Consciousness reading – we developed The Body Conscious Guide Online Survey as a tool to connect with the consciousness of a group of people at any given time. This tool can be used in the middle of a meeting, and it can be used anonymously, if desired.

Consciousness is the elephant in the room.

If we don’t address it, it becomes bigger and bigger, until there seems to be no room left to manoeuver in the room. Don’t let it overtake your good intentions.

These are but a few of the techniques we teach at the MindShift retreats. We choose locations in tranquil surroundings and provide opportunities for hands-on experiences to shift your consciousness. These new skills transcend all areas of your life…corporate as well as, personal.

We Deliver ‘Wow’ Through Service

Judy Berg — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:36:38 +0000

Passion for Service
click zappos.com

enlightened orgs: inspiration

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PASSION

I discovered our Enlightened Corporation for this week while watching a segment of the Oprah show in which she interviewed young, self-made millionaires.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, was one of the guests. He is a great inspiration, a model CEO of a model corporation, for our Enlightened Orgs directory.

His business achievements are certainly significant for such a young man. While still in his twenties, Hsieh (SHAY), a computer undergraduate from Harvard, co-founded an internet advertising agency called LinkExchange, which was sold to Microsoft for $265 million in 1998. But it was actually his business philosophy or mindset, that really caught my attention.

“I AM NOT NECESSARILY PASSIONATE ABOUT SHOES…WHAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IS…

CUSTOMER SERVICE“.

Hsieh says the company could go in any direction, perhaps even the airline business, one day, because it is CUSTOMER SERVICE that he is passionate about, and it is their commitment to customer service that will drive the success of the company regardless of its product line.

“We`re continuing our focus on service, which includes 24/7 customer service, free overnight shipping and free return shipping with a 365-day return policy.” (source:ecommerceoptimizations.com)
Zappos believes in putting WOW into service.

Zappos.com is an electronic commerce company specializing in footwear and is currently based in Henderson, Nevada, USA.^[2] The company warehouse is located in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, along with an outlet store. In addition, Zappos has two outlets stores in Las Vegas, Nevada and Henderson, Nevada.[wikipedia]

The company was founded in 1999 and went from virtually no sales activity in its first year, to grossing over $800 million in 2007 and projecting sales of $1 billion in 2008.

The company specializes in Relationship Marketing.[wikepedia]

Using this model the company knows its primary focus must be on the customer and the relationship the company will have with the customer over extended periods of time. Contrary to many companies, a company committed to Relationship marketing puts retention at the top of their agenda. It seems an obvious position to take when research indicates that retaining even 5% of your customers can increase your profitability by 25 – 85%.

WHAT QUALIFIES ZAPPOS AS AN ENLIGHTENED ORG?

The things Tony Hsieh described that most caught my attention, and why I have included Zappos in our directory of companies that are doing things differently, and achieving great success at a time when others are “dying on the vines” include…

1. Relationship Marketing model – it is ALL about the customer and customer retention. That the e-commerce business is built on customer retention is one of their core values.

2. Corporate Culture and Values -they have a Culture Book written by the employees describing what the company culture means to them. A core value for Zappos is the realization that you MUST manage your Corporate Culture. They are absolutely correct. You will have one! It will develop at the water cooler, if you do not define it, manage it… and live it.

3. Core Values – their website has 10 core values or guiding principles so everyone, both inside and outside the company, can understand what makes the company succeed.

4. Customer Loyalty Training Program - all employees attend this 4 week program. At the end of the first week, they are offered $1,000.00 to leave the company immediately. About 10% of potential employees take the bait. This offer is made to ensure the employees who stay are dedicated to the values and the company, and not just the money.

5. Corporate salaries – Hsieh mentioned he pays himself the same amount of money as his employees make – $36,000.00 per year.

6. Corporate Perks - at a time when Wall Street CEOs are paying themselves $18 Billion in bonuses out of the tax dollars given to keep them afloat, CEO Hsieh, does not have a corporate car, does not have a corner office, sits in a cubicle like everyone else… and says he and his brother share a suit.

7. Work and play have few lines of separation – at any time, Hsieh says, a department may initiate an impromptu parade in costume through the office. He had great difficulty describing his work hours, “Staff like to be together and often the activity at the office spills out into dinner or evening activities together…because I am passionate about what I do, it is hard to tell when it is work, and when it is play.”

8. Don’t be secretive. Don’t worry about competitors - this is another core value at Zappos - one that is consistent with our belief system for a Corporate Mindshift or a Conscious Corporation. Worrying about your competitors is a belief built on the old model of scarcity. If you believe there is more than enough for all - you will be open and supportive with all whom you come into contact.

9. Trust Yourself - in our definition of an Enlightened Org, we place heavy emphasis on TRUST and INTUITION (click to see the chart). We believe this is the first step a corporation must take to make a shift from Old Business model to New business model. Learn to trust and rely upon your intuitive voice. It is as powerful for guiding your new reality – as your physical vision is to guide you in a physical world.

“Make certain you are passionate about what you do – and the money will follow,” says Tony Hsieh.

Organizational Behaviour Consultant

author: Imagine Your Soul Abundant: Attracting Success, Fulfillment and True Happiness
more about: www.soulabundant.com
Judy’s book can be ordered from her website www.soulabundant.com. Special prices for bulk orders upon request. Seminars and retreats customized to the needs of your group or organization.

This Is Your Brain…On Music

Nick Corsi — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:46:05 +0000

music & arts: mind your music

Neuroscience- music

A GREAT FIND

I had the pleasure of stumbling upon this book two years ago in my local Barnes & Noble. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but this just jumped out and said “pick me”. This book is for anyone who enjoys music, science, learning, great stories, and a pleasant change from everyday reading.

EVER WONDER WHY?…

Did you ever wonder why you have a favorite song or genre?
Did you ever wonder why some music invokes a specific emotion or state of mind?
Did you ever wonder why music can elevate your thinking and provide new perceptions?
Did you ever wonder how musicians have the ability to take us to another place?

REVELATIONS

This book reveals far too many ideas and concepts to elaborate on in a short blog post, so I will pull out what I thought would be a great sampling, as well as, a few things that are really advantageous to the marketers that frequent the blog, such as some of the emotional and associative aspects of music.

The power of music to evoke emotions is harnessed by advertising executives, filmmakers, military commanders, and mothers. Advertisers use music to make a soft drink, beer, running shoe or car, seem more hip than their competitors’. Film directors use music to tell us how to feel about scenes that otherwise might be ambiguous, or to augment our feelings at particularly dramatic moments. -Daniel Levitin

BOTTOM LINE

“This is Your Brain on Music” was written by Daniel Levitin, a once Berklee trained recording engineer and eventual producer, who decided he wanted to go into the field of neuroscience…so he did. He explores new research into how music interfaces with our neurological framework in terms of our emotions, memory, and among other things, our brain’s ability to interpret anything we call music (whether you are creating or listening).

GLOBAL PROCESS

Given the significant attention devoted to the concept of “mindshifts“, by my mentors Judy Berg and David VanAmburg, by exploring business development and how it interfaces with the entire brain, I thought that exploring a similar concept with music would be quite appropriate.

Contrary to the old, simplistic notion that art and music are processed in the right hemisphere of our brains, with language and mathematics in the left, recent findings from my laboratory and those of my colleagues are showing us that music is distributed throughout the brain. Through studies of people with brain damage, we’ve seen patients who have lost the ability to read a newspaper but can still read music, or individuals who can play the piano but lack the motor coordination to button their own sweater. Music listening, performance and composition engage nearly every area of the brain that we have so far identified, and involve nearly every neural subsystem. – Daniel Levitin

PIECE BY PIECE

A Balanced Mind
click to enlarge

You can learn about the general functions of the brain’s hemisphere in Judy Berg’s post about Corporate Mindshift. Very basically, the right hemisphere is dedicated to creative, intuitive thought and the left is dedicated to logical and rational thought. Our prefrontal cortex provides decision-making capabilities with ethical, moral and spiritual thought. Reflecting on most musicians I know, I could probably comfortably say that they all seem to be “right-brained” people. However, Levitin’s compilation of research is saying something different…

Here is a very brief breakdown of musical variables and the parts of the brain they rely on:

Auditory: Listening (Auditory Cortices – both left and right sides)
Memory: Lyrics, Melodies, or Playing an instrument, choreography (hippocampus)
Emotion: Dynamics of a piece, positive or negative associations (cerebellar vermis and amygdala)
Tactile: Playing an instrument (sensory cortex)
Timing: Rhythm, tapping your feet or playing to one (cerebellum’s timing circuits)
Motor Skills: Playing an instrument, tapping, dancing, bobbing your head (motor cortex- in the parietal lobe)
Reading: musical notation, lyrics (visual cortex – in the occipital lobe)
Planning: playing an instrument, singing a song, conducting a group (frontal lobe)
Language: listening or recalling lyrics (Broca’s and Wernicke’s area – language centers in temporal and frontal lobes)

JUST THE SURFACE…

This overview is just scratching the surface. The book also explores concepts of how anticipation can evoke emotions, what make’s musicians, why we have positive or negative associations with certain music, as well as, many other fascinating topics in the fields of neuroscience and music.

Nick Corsi has been a sound engineer for 7 years and continues to search for new and interesting ways to learn about and refine his craft. Delving into how people respond to music neurologically is another tool to use when mixing different types of music for different types of crowds.

Work Hard, Take It Easy

Nick Corsi