Middle Way Management and Human Neuroplasticity

In my last post, I detailed my return to this blog after a long and fruitful absence. In this post, I will explain how a new neuroscientific methodology can help you take Middle Way Management™ to the next level. You will see that Middle Way Management is not just a theoretical approach to leading and managing people, it offers a proven methodology for practice where the rubber meets the road - in your daily organizational life.

Middle Way Management and Neuroplasticity
While conducting the MWM-AI study and fleshing out the first book on Middle Way Management, I came across several interesting ideas that I realized would significantly enhance the practice strategies of Middle Way Managers™ everywhere. These ideas are centered on the latest neuroplasticity research designed to help people purposefully change the neural pathways in their brains with the intent of permanently changing personal habits and their subsequent behaviors.

An additional benefit of this process is that managers working with organizational members will effect habitual and behavioral changes of their own! I sincerely believe many of the behaviors evident within work teams often reflect those of the leader/manager. This includes both positive and dysfunctional habits and behaviors. By working with team members to change their neural maps, Middle Way Managers will become more efficient and effective managers with little direct effort of their own.

Cognitive Neuroscience
The science behind all of this is grounded squarely in the discoveries of cognitive neuroscientists over the last 20 to 30 years. It uses stories as a means of communication and takes place over a 30-day period. The specific science that works to re-map the neural pathways happens when the organizational member's brain waves shift into "alpha mode" and the brain's subconscious storage processes take over (i.e., during the third step below). This way, team members are changing their habits incrementally and permanently in no more than five minutes per day!

The steps of the methodology are

1. Team member agrees to work with the manager to change a habit/behavior,
   
2. Manager identifies the habit/behavior domain to be changed,
3. Team member collects complementary stories within the habit/behavior domain and shares them with the manager (resistance will be encountered during this stage and must be overcome in a positive, encouraging manner),
4. Manager checks in weekly with the team member and provides positive encouragement,
5. Manager and team member observe changed behavior(s) during the process,
6. Manager and team member wrap-up the process and make an assessment of status.

Team members' habits and behaviors are typically changed by step 6 above. Conventional wisdom exists that suggests at least 21 days before the change(s) becomes permanent and can be observed in the workplace. Unfortunately, this 21-day period is not based on demonstrated science, yet the anecdotal evidence is sufficient to at least mention the duration. Naturally, the longer a team member practices the story collection/sharing process, the stronger the newly mapped neural nets become.

Next Steps
To help managers become proficient in the identification of the behavioral domains that become the loci of change for the team member, I will be offering a free tool designed to help them make the correct diagnosis. This Web-based tool will be available via the Middle Way Management website and I will post a major announcement on this blog when it becomes available for unlimited, free usage. Until then, I will work to complete the book, including detailed information on this new methodology.

Until then, manage with compassion!

Onward! Darin

Copyright © 2009/2010, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.