Thinking With Your Heart

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Thinking With Your Heart

The sensory path to your brain has three steps, and the brain in your head doesn’t even process your experiences until they have been through the first two steps — from the gut to the heart, and yet another dimension of hidden intelligence.

Neurocardiologists, scientists in an emerging field, have discovered that the brain in the heart contains more than 40,000 nerve cells called baroreceptors. This heart brain is as large as many key areas of the brain in your head. It also has highly sophisticated computational abilities.

With every beat, a new thought or idea is communicated from your heart to the rest of your body. Like your intestinal intuition, this cardio-communication deeply influences how you perceive your world and how you react to it. The heart pumps out speech after speech and every other part of your body is in constant contact with the heart’s demands. These impulses race through the body many times faster than your blood, and it is up to your head brain to try to catch up to them and understand them. The heart also generates many neurochemicals that influence the way we act. One such chemical, atrial peptide, is a primary force in your motivation and commitment to your goals. As we discovered earlier, we need to believe in order to achieve. Well, the heart has more to do with our sense of believing than any other brain we have.

The Heart’s Sense

The brain in your heart also keeps searching for new opportunities to grow or learn, and cross references its interpretations of what those around you are feeling with its own inner state of values and passions. When people tell you to go for your dreams, no matter how far fetched those dreams may seem, people usually say something like, “Follow your heart.” There is now scientific evidence to support the idea that the heart has a dedicated sensory system perfectly calibrated to sniffing out innovative and creative opportunities.

But that’s not all: the heart’s electromagnetic field is by far the most powerful produced by the body. In fact, it is approximately 5,000 times more powerful than the field produced by the brain.

This is true of everyone to a certain degree. People ten feet away may sense exactly what you are feeling. They can even do it over the telephone, and it makes no difference what you are saying. Words are fodder for the brain in your head. Your heart will believe the feeling underneath the words. This means that those people who are most in touch with their own feelings, and the feelings of others, may be the most attuned to what’s really happening in life. It’s imperative that you focus your attention on what you can do, and what you can contribute, not what you can’t. This is one of the uncommon yet simple ways we can better draw upon the combined brilliance and potential of all three of our brains, not just one.

There is so much more to your gut and your heart than digestion and circulation. People are not machines, no matter how often personal or work relationships make us feel as though we are. It’s no wonder that when people don’t feel cared about and valued, it’s so hard to put their hearts into their life or work.

Gut feelings: Your second brain

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Gut feelings: Your second brain

If you haven’t read Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, please put it on your “must do” list. Until then, consider the following…

Many of us assume that human intelligence is based solely on the brain we all know about — the one inside the cranium. It is not. Intelligence is distributed throughout the body.

Go With Your Gut

Example: Whenever you have an experience in life it does not go directly to brain one — the brain in the head — to be thought about. The first place it goes is to the neurological networks of the intestinal tract: the brain in the gut.

Every interaction you have creates an initial reaction in your gut well before it ever traverses your synapses to reach your brain. The feeling may come across as “butterflies in your stomach” or a “knot” of fear or excitement. Some people have been trained to process everything intellectually, so those people may not even notice their gut reactions.

That’s a pity, because your gut is just trying to communicate with you. It is looking out for your well-being, just as your brain is, and it’s making decisions and asking questions you may want to find out about. How important is this meeting or this challenge or this person? Is there an opportunity here? Is there a threat? Is my happiness or advancement at risk?

Known as the enteric nervous system, this “second brain” in your gut works on its own but also in conjunction with the brain in your head. Scientists who carefully examine the elaborate systems of nerve cells and neurochemicals found in the intestinal tract now tell us that there are more neurons there than in the entire spinal column — at least 100 million of them. This gives your intestine the ability to help tell your body and mind what it may be best to do or not do.

Listening to Your Alternate Brains

Many people view gut reactions as those that have not been well thought out or rationally examined. Does this make them any less reliable? No, because they are unclouded by clutter of information found in our heads. Rational decisions are often influenced by forces outside of your true self. Reaching the peak of your true potential depends on developing and applying an energizing, authentic level of intelligence and bringing it to everything you do. For this to happen, you must combine the perceptions and impressions of the gut, heart, and mind.

Think of a time when you considered all of the options and ended up listening to your gut. Did it turn out to be the best choice? It always has for me.

So, how will you handle your next big decision?  I say, “go with your gut!”

Micro-innovate

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Innovations don’t have to be major

Even the most mundane transactions can be turned into memorable experiences. Here’s an example:

Standard Parking of Chicago plays a signature song on each level of its parking garage at O’Hare Airport and decorates walls with icons of a local sports franchise-the Bulls on one floor, the White Sox on another, and so forth. As one Chicago resident said, “You never forget where you parked!”

What is your idea for a micro-innovation?

Handling newspaper interviews

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Handling newspaper interviews

One of the great things about doing newspaper interviews is that they are not “live” like much of radio and television is. This takes the pressure off you a bit. And it gives you a chance to think a bit more before you answer, and to also explain your answers in more depth, if requested.

Before the interview

Before you do the interview, find out:

  • Which newspaper the journalist is from.
  • What kind of story she or he is writing – is it hard news or an in-depth feature, or a profile, for example?
  • Ask what angle the journalist is taking on the story.
  • Ask which section of the newspaper the story will go into.
  • Ask what the deadline is.
  • Find out whether the interview will be over the telephone or in person. In person interviews are much better all round – you get a chance to chat with the journalist a bit and get to know them.
  • Try and set up an interview time that will give you enough chance to prepare.
  • If you need to, say you will call back soon and confirm whether you will do the interview. This will depend on your organization’s policy.
  • If you have the go ahead, prepare your main messages for the topic.
  • Be prepared for and able to answer the journalist’s basic what, when, where, who, why and how questions.
  • You may be able to help the journalist with some background information before the interview – often journalists are very appreciative of this.
  • Think of and suggest some interesting photo opportunities for your organization – a story with a photo is much more interesting for readers.

During the interview

  • Be friendly, professional and relaxed.
  • Most newspaper stories are fairly short – unless they are features. So it is important to respond to the questions clearly and concisely. The more you say the more will be edited out. And unlike with live radio or television, you have little or no say as to how your story is printed.
  • Do not elaborate on a question unless the journalist asks you to or unless you can make a new powerful point by doing so.
  • If you can’t answer the question, say so. Offer to find out the information and get back to the journalist. And once the interview is over, track down the information and get it across to him or her straightaway. If you can’t get the information, let them know.
  • If you trust the journalist you may want to share background information to help him or her understand the context of the story. “Background” means that she or he should not use it in the story at all. You may want to share some information that the journalist can use but you want him or her to disguise the source. This is called talking “off the record”. “On the record” means that the journalist can use what you have told them and quote you. A note of caution – some media liaison people would warn you that nothing is background or off the record for journalists who are pressured by their editors to deliver a hot story. It is best to develop a trusting relationship with a journalist of integrity before you give background or talk off the record. Of course, you will be the best judge in your particular situation.
  • Suggest photograph possibilities if the journalist is carrying a camera or a photographer has come along.
  • You may even have some good file photographs that could complement the story.
  • Offer the journalist publicity material from your organization.

After the interview

  • Look out for the article when it is published, make copies.
  • Stick one copy on your notice board.
  • Ask members of your organization for feedback on the article so that you can all learn how to strengthen handling the media.
  • Keep the article to use in an organizational publication, like your annual report, if it can be used as good publicity.
  • Thank the journalist for taking an interest in your organization and its issues.

How to Write a Compelling White Paper

/ Susan Hendrich / 2 Comments

Lately it seems I’m writing white papers left and right. Since I didn’t really know what a white paper was until I’d written my fifth one, I decided it was time to learn.  Enter Google (again).  This Top 10 List by Megan Tsai caught my eye. Thought I’d share it with you, ’cause you just might want to write a white paper soon…

If your marketing content huddled up as a football team, a great white paper would probably be your most valuable player, because it has the same name appeal as a star NFL quarterback. Sure, other players might work just as hard – but it’s the white paper that gets instant recognition.

So how do you create a paper (one that’s more Peyton Manning than Jay Cutler)? Here are the ten best white paper tips for writing white papers that win customers:

1. Think about your audience. Your white paper probably isn’t what you’d be interested in reading: find out what matters to your prospects and create your papers around those topics. Visit forums and ask questions to learn more about what they want to know.

2. Draw them in. The paper’s introduction should present the topic in a compelling way, drawing in the reader and making them eager to learn more.

3. Leave the marketing speak behind. The paper should present useful information in a simple, easy-to-read way. If you want to sell, create a brochure or sales sheet instead.

4. Solve the problem. Don’t just tell your audience about their problems, explain how they can solve them. Don’t be overly afraid of giving away “inside” information: your expert knowledge makes the paper a success.

5. Get the facts. Numbers are no longer a requirement, but good data or survey results will boost your paper’s appeal. Search academic journals and trade group surveys for numbers you can use.

6. Back it up. Don’t use these marketing pieces to make unsubstantiated claims; they breed skepticism and undermine your credibility. If you don’t have numbers, use quotes from objective third-party sources.

7. Make the case. Consider sprinkling in a few relevant business case studies and real-life examples for added value.

8. Tell them how to shop. You can’t use white papers to sell your solution, but you can explain to readers how to shop for a solution in a way that leads them toward your offering.

9. Think visual. Support your paper with strong visual elements like tables, graphs, pull quotes and sidebars.

10. Give it away. When you require a prospect to log in or sign up to receive the finished paper, you limit its effectiveness. Make sure most – if not all – of the content on your website is ungated.

White paper writer Megan Tsai is a seasoned communicator and award-winning writer. As a full-time freelancer, she provides business writing, copywriting and marketing communications – including white papers – for companies and advertising agencies. Visit http://www.RedWagonWriting.com to learn more and sign up for the Red Wagon Writing monthly e-mail newsletter full of writing and marketing tips.

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