Insights – To Revolutionise Education towards Social Sustainability/Inclusiveness/Integration/Evolution through Social Innovation

• How to help students retain what they’ve learned( Retention in long-term memory is the key. Consequently, it is important to use appropriate pedagogical practices to achieve it.)
• How mindfulness can ease the transition from holiday to classroom(Mindfulness is about raising awareness/consciousness on what one does instead of being robotic. In effect, one improves the level of metacognition)
• Critical Thinking(An essential framework to build one’s integrated neural networks for effective and successful daily operations)
• What to say if your child asks, ‘what’s the point of maths?’(The need to link academic learning/theories to real-life scenarios)
• Three ways to boost science performance in Australian schools(The need to study science as a human creation as opposed to a third-person perspective)
• Thousands Apply to U.S. to Forgive Their Student Loans, Saying Schools Defrauded Them(In a contemporary context, are academic institutes deceiving students?)
• The worrying trend in the minds of young Australians(How can we develop the minds of individuals from a very young age to become resilient/mindful and be accepting of the reality as is? Why is it very important in the contemporary world by looking at the developing trends? What can the education systems do about these issues proactively?)
• Up to 40 per cent of aged care residents get no visitors, minister Ken Wyatt says (Why should we (our education systems) focus on developing interpersonal/social relationships, empathy, compassion more in our societies? We keep coming back to this topic again and again from different directions. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-25/aged-care-residents-suffering-from-loneliness,-ken-wyatt-says/9085782)
• Albert Einstein’s handwritten note on happiness fetches $1.7 million at auction(Einstein’s words of wisdom on “Happiness”! “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness,”  It appears that there are some common thinking patterns among natural scientists/mathematicians and social scientists, at least among leading individuals. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-25/einsteins-handwritten-note-on-happiness-fetches-$1.7-million/9083758)
• AI: Urgent need to ‘reconceive schooling’ to ensure workforce not consigned to joblessness (We are getting to the same point again and again from different directions – what changes need to be done (in fact, a paradigm change) to contemporary education systems (at all levels – primary, secondary and tertiary) to face the challenges of evolving artificial intelligence applications. We need to make sure that we tap the creativity/imagination/wisdom/open-mindedness/emotional intelligence/self-awareness/empathy etc. etc. of our learners, instead of using their time and effort to get them ready for completing routine/procedural tasks required by industrialised world, as machines.)
• Teaching your kids to stick their head in a book this summer(A useful summer/holiday advice for parents and kids on READING! “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” )
• Can Kindness Be Taught?(Can kindness be taught? Why should we do it? What is the significance? This is what The New York Times Article had to say about it.
  ” The Kindness Curriculum is part of a growing global movement to teach emotional intelligence in schools. Advocates of this approach say it’s shortsighted for teachers to focus narrowly on intellectual learning and ignore the cooperative emotional skills that enable learning — and learners — to flourish.”)
• Why Focus is a Foundational Skill for Emotional & Social Intelligence (Why attention/focus is the key to learning/overall human development/emotional intelligence etc. That is why it is an important skill we all should master (or at least attempt to), especially encouraging children to do it as a skill that sometimes saves one’s life through the development of resilience in the face of challenges.  )
• Why Learning Essentially Needs to Take Place in a Mindful Way – A Great Explanation and Justification!( Book Review on “The Power of Mindful Learning” by Ellen Langer (Professor of Psychology at Harvard University)
  Professor Langer insightfully and highly reflectively describes how learning/assessment can become mindless:
  “Schools generally pay little attention to how, when, and by whom the criteria for grading were chosen. If the criteria were questioned and varied, students’ position on the continuum might change. But they are rarely varied. To make matters worse, once we are placed on the tail end of the distribution, social forces work to keep on us there, setting us up for a lifetime of success or failure. Our fate as winners, losers or just average is sealed.”
  Further, after forty years of research, she has become courageous and was persuaded to summarise:
  “Our schools are the problem. They unintentionally teach us to be mindless. Schools do this in at least two ways. They teach us to evaluate each other and ourselves, and they teach us to see or accept information as if it were absolute and independent of human creation”)
• Book Review on “Mindfulness” by Ellen Langer (a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and also the author of “The Power of Mindful Learning”)(““Mindlessness is the application of yesterday’s business solutions to today’s problems” “Mindfulness is attunement to today’s demands to avoid tomorrow’s difficulties”” “She starts the book by giving examples of how widespread mindless behaviours and operations present in our societies bring about distorted/narrow self-images, unintended cruelty, stunted potential, loss of control and negative health and wellbeing issues to name a few of the negativities. ” As Professor langer observed: ““Mindlessness is pervasive. In fact I believe virtually all of our problems – personal, interpersonal, professional, and societal – either directly or indirectly stem from mindlessness.”” “In fact, the strength of mindfulness lies in the ability to make optimal decisions by considering as many perspectives/dimensions as possible. It contrasts with producing less optimal/substandard decisions/results rapidly by neglecting some important perspectives/contexts. Consequently, we see that if the leaders of our societies possess the skills/abilities of mindfulness, our world will thrive towards sustainability.”)
• The Smartest Person in the Room(When and how would IQ and/or EQ matter? “IQ, of course, plays a role in career success, but largely in helping people get and stay in the job. So, for engineering, law or becoming a top executive, you need an IQ roughly one standard deviation above average, around 115. But once you get into those professions, you are in a pool of people about as smart as you are. What sets you apart as a star, then, becomes how you manage yourself and handle your relationships—your emotional intelligence.”)
• Mindfulness training for school children(It is indeed great to see a positive trend! Training kids/children to turn inwards (as opposed to the external world) to gather a wealth of useful information towards enhanced learning is very important.)
• When Kindness Is In The Curriculum(What is the significance of the growing trend of having a kindness/mindfulness curriculum for preschoolers? It is indeed great to see these developments in the educational forefront in addition to learning 123 and abc – a great investment for the future that would have returns in numerous ways. ““We know that a child’s social and emotional skills when she or he’s 4 to 5 years of age is a very important predictor of major life outcomes when the individual is in their 30s,” says Dr. Richard Davidson, founder of the Center for Healthy Minds and the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry. Intervening in these early years, and ideally continuing mindfulness practices throughout childhood, may have positive effects for decades to come. “We think it can have enormous impact and multiplicative effects over the course of development, promote wellbeing, and save taxpayers money on all the problems which could occur were these skills not cultivated.””)
• He just sued the education system(Having faith in people but not in the education system that exists- many of the systemic issues are presented in a very innovative and compelling manner! Should we force fish to climb trees? Should we force competition at the expense of collaboration right from the primary school? Are we training individuals with a set of narrow skills to be used/manipulated/exploited in factories/industries/employers instead of strengthening with broader knowledge/wisdom to stand on their own towards realising their own dreams/visions and challenging the status quo that could contribute immensely towards social sustainability? The need to understand/differentiate individual differences and at the same time the need for the integration of these differentiated individual strengths to enhance societies towards sustainability (instead of towards chaos).)
• Malcolm Turnbull backs Gonski report call to move from mass learning to tailored education(A very interesting and encouraging development in the forefront of Australian Education System -we should look forward to seeing the much-needed change that is supported at the federal government level! ” Mr Gonski said in his report that the structure of Australian schools reflected “a 20th century aspiration to deliver MASS EDUCATION to all children”.” “The report recommended shifting from that INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION model to one where schools focused on achieving each INDIVIDUAL student’s “maximum potential growth in learning each year”” “Many schools rely on gifted and talented programs to extend bright students but the report said evidence showed that mixed-ability classes were preferable.” “It said streaming children by ability “has little effect in improving student outcomes and [has] profoundly negative equity effects”. It recommended overhauling the curriculum to focus on “learning progressions” that extended all students, regardless of ability.” )
• Why aren’t we teaching you mindfulness?(Very interestingly, research studies show what makes one successful in life (measured by happiness – that also include having a purposeful life, loving relationships, resilience, productivity, physical and mental health and financial stability etc.). It is not one’s race, the language spoken, how wealthy his/her parents are/were, high scores on standardised tests, what neighbourhood he/she grew up or even what one’s IQ is. It is one’s ability to pay attention to an object in a sustained manner (also non-judgementally in an open manner)- MINDFULNESS – which has over 30 years of scientific research history. That is why major Universities around the world(Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge etc.) are running programs in the area and paying emphasis. It is about teaching “how to learn” rather than “teaching specific contents” (we are going back to the traditional quote of “teach them how to fish instead of giving them a fish”).)
• Learning Is a Learned Behaviour. Here’s How to Get Better at It(Why getting to know/becoming mindful of “what is learning?” and “how do we learn?” are more important than quickly mastering some specific contents when it comes to learning/lifelong learning, enhancing creativity/critical thinking/wisdom and in human development? A growing body of research is making it clear that learners are made, not born. Through the deliberate use of practice and dedicated strategies to improve our ability to learn, we can all develop expertise faster and more effectively. In short, we can all get better at getting better.” “Here’s one example of a study that shows how learning strategies can be more important than raw smarts when it comes to gaining expertise. Marcel Veenman has found that people who closely track their thinking will outscore others who have sky-high IQ levels when it comes to learning something new. His research suggests that in terms of developing mastery, focusing on how we understand is some 15 percentage points more important than innate intelligence. “)
• What outcomes parents should expect from early childhood education and care(Should 3-5 year old kids be pushed for academic learning (such as reading/writing/dealing with numbers) or individually chosen/directed secure/safe/stimulating environments? What does the research say? Highly informative for parents with kids at that age (who get confused about these practices and become stressful in deciding which one to follow). “The tension lies between teacher-directed activities where children are perceived to be doing “real learning”, as opposed to children making choices to play according to their interests.” “The early childhood education curriculum emphasises the importance of play-based learning and research demonstrates children’s learning achievements are greater from play-based programs compared to early childhood programs that have an academic focus.”)
• Can Kindness Be Taught?(How KINDNESS training relates to ACADEMiC PERFORMANCE – insightful and useful! Many might wonder how a soft quality such as kindness is an important compared to more established measures such as Reading wRiting and aRithmetic (3Rs) abilities. But research by neuroscientists reveals why a quality of kindness is equally  (if not more) important than traditional measures of 3Rs in developing resilient/emotionally intelligent minds STRATEGICALLY/in the longer run. )
• “Revolutionary Mindfulness”: Rhonda V. Magee’s keynote at the 2017 ACMHE Conference(How (revolutionary) mindfulness helps in raising AWARENESS of the needed SOCIAL JUSTICE action within oneself! Towards UMANISING /CONTEMPLATIVE/ INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO EDUCATION. Very much insightful! A keynote speech By Rhonda Magee, PROFESSOR of LAW at the UNIVERSITY of SAN FRANSISCO)
• Australian universities are under threat from more attractive, cheaper Chinese competitors (How could (Australian) UNIVERSITIES possibly FACE/COUNTERACT this DEMEANING CHALLENGE/VIEW? Why would “DEVELOPING (emotionally intelligent/resilient)HEALTHY MINDS” is more important than pursuing the NARROW PERSPECTIVE OF mere (short-term) EMPLOYABILITY? When the former is formally/strategically targetted, the latter is fulfilled as a byproduct/automatically with the additional positive features of RESILIENT/EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUALS DEVELOPMENT and SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.”Australia has turned its universities into DEGREE FACTORIES. Should it be any surprise that China, “the FACTORY OF THE WORLD”, proposes to do that better?””And the persistent downgrading of the place of the university in Australian society — the budget cuts themselves, the COMMODIFICATION and TRIVIALISATION of the very CONCEPT OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION — inevitably erodes the image of Australia as a place of OPEN, FREE INQUIRY, an ASTUTE CHOICE OF PLACE for people to DEVELOP THEIR MINDS.”)
• A video game can change the brain, may improve empathy in middle schoolers (It is indeed great to see BILL GATES FOUNDATION funding for developing EMPATHY  in middle schoolers!)
• Primary schools ditch homework for students in favour of play, reading and downtime(Encouraging EVIDENCE-BASED moves by some PRIMARY SCHOOLS towards the WHOLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT (BALANCED development enhancing CREATIVITY/WISDOM)!”They argue HOMEWORK is of NO BENEFIT TO YOUNGER CHILDREN and can even be DETRIMENTAL because it gets in the way of important family and RECREATION TIME, which allows children to RECHARGE their batteries after a busy day of learning at school.””We need them to be able to RELAX, have a break and just BE THEMSELVES.””Applied social PSYCHOLOGIST and educator Helen Street WELCOMED the decision of some primary schools to ditch homework.”I think it’s FANTASTIC,” Dr Street said.”We have to STOP trying to think of EDUCATION as this RACE. And the sooner we start, and the more we do, the QUICKER we’ll GET over the FINISH LINE.”I think it’s really important that PRIMARY SCHOOLS encourage children to have as much FREE, SELF-DETERMINED, CREATIVE time as possible.””FREE time is not time out from learning, it’s a really IMPORTANT PART of learning.”We need to think of the WHOLE CHILD and the WHOLE OF THEIR LEARNING, NOT simply about MORE and MORE ACADEMIC STRUCTURED WORK, which is actually DIMINISHING CREATIVITY and DIMINISHING AUTONOMY.”We’re ENDING UP with a lot of children leaving Year 12 FEELING really DISENGAGED and DESPONDENT.” )
• Curiosity: Wanting to know more -Strength of mind (How significant is CURIOSITY in LEARNING? To summarise the answer a quote from ALBERT EINSTEIN: “I have no special talent. I am only PASSIONATELY CURIOUS.””When you’re curious about something, you process it DEEPLY, rather than SUPERFICIALLY. You also VOLUNTARILY spend MORE TIME LEARNING about things that spark your curiosity. As a result, you more readily REMEMBER what you learn.”There are enough research findings for educators to MODEL, CELEBRATE and ENABLE CURIOSITY in learners (especially in the classroom).)
• How Teachers Can Use Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Practices to Support their Students (MINDFULNESS practices for enhanced LEARNING/ ENGAGEMENT!”There are a lot of good reasons this could be going on, and we often jump to ADHD, ODD, laziness, or any number of common “culprits” behind such behaviors. While we’re quick to label, we often forget to investigate why those behaviors might be showing up in the first place, and frequently overlook the impact of toxic stress and trauma on our students.”)All In Your Mind: How mindful and meditative practices are gaining mainstream momentum (MINDFULNESS practices gaining MAINSTREAM attention – from CLASSROOMS to WORKPLACES – CBC news!)
• What is SEL? (Educating HEARTS – inspiring MINDS!EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE into the CLASSROOM through SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) – Why is more important for students to come to know about the PURPOSE of LEARNING/LIFE than mastering specific CONTENTS?(in other words WHOLE CHILD/BRAIN DEVELOPMENT)”Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults ACQUIRE and effectively APPLY the KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, and SKILLS necessary to UNDERSTAND and MANAGE EMOTIONS, SET and ACHIEVE POSITIVE GOALS, FEEL and SHOW EMPATHY for OTHERS, ESTABLISH and MAINTAIN POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, and MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS.”)‘We’re here to develop the whole child’: Social and emotional intelligence are key for students of color (The LONG OVERDUE need of our CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION SYSTEMS – SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL), with an EMPHASIS more than on the focus on typical ACADEMIC/ CONTENT LEARNING.”Reading, writing and arithmetic may still dominate class time, but skills like EMPATHY, KINDNESS AND ALTRUISM are getting more attention. They’re also vital for students’ SUCCESS, ACADEMICALLY and BEYOND — especially students of colour, who face unique challenges outside the classroom.

  These skills fall within the purview of social and emotional learning (SEL), and according to a 2012 survey of teachers, the MAJORITY BELIEVE SEL is a critical part of the in-school experience.”

  “I’ve worked in very privileged environments where students who are NOT RESILIENT— or who don’t know how to MANAGE EMOTIONS and SETBACKS — and no matter HOW MUCH MONEY THEIR PARENTS HAVE, it doesn’t matter because they’re not able to bounce back,” said psychologist Audrey Bland Hampton, head of the newly opened Ryan Banks Academy”)

  The 5 LITERACIES of MINDFUL LEARNING (EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP leaning towards 5 LITERACIES of MINDFUL LEARNING (in a way a SYSTEMS/HOLISTIC APPROACH to education or part of WHOLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT) – students need to be broadly literate (other than specific contents that we mainly focus such as LANGUAGE and NEUMARAY  and the like) about their bodies (part of their SELF-AWARENESS, GUT-FEELING, INTUITION etc.), their minds (THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS etc.), their hearts (EMPATHY, COMPASSION etc), their communities (SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE) and the world around them (broader understanding about the PLANET and its SOCIAL OPERATIONS BEYOND one’s IMMEDIATE COMMUNITIES) .)

• The Center for Compassion And Altruism Research And Education at Stanford University(How would compassion and altruism help in learning and human development through the development of stress-free, relaxed minds
• Benefits of Compassion(Neuroscience of compassion reveals us that it is about our health and wellbeing. It is about being more resilient/tolerant to the unavoidable and adversities. It is about enhancing learning, creativity and wisdom. It is about attention, emotion and cognitive self-regulation through which we become more productive individuals. It is not about spinelessness or negativity; rather it is about strength and empowerment.of character.)
• Mindfulness practices that keep us away from inflammation and diseases(Neuroscience research reveals how mindfulness practices can help (in addition to helping in enhanced learning and wisdom) in managing inflammation and expression of diseases such as asthma, cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease (possibly by having an impact on the immunity system)).
• Why do children need loving care for their development?( Neuroscience research reveals that early-life chronic stress ( due to like poverty, neglect and physical abuse) can have significant negative lasting impacts on learning, memory and stress and emotion processing. In turn, they will negatively impact on behaviour, health and employment.)
• New Horizons for Learning(Recent developments in learning and teaching including perspectives from neuroscience)
• Search Inside Yourself( How true, to bring peace to this world! On many occasions, solutions to some of the most difficult problems are within yourself (especially within leaders if they look inside themselves). Practices such as mindfulness are in the forefront. They pave the way for developing qualities such as emotional intelligence, empathy, self-awareness/metacognition, resilience and wisdom, the fundamental characteristics leading to peace, individually as well as on the whole. If one of the top organisations such as GOOGLE recognised the importance, why shouldn’t the others be keen to follow their way to success?)
• Emotional intelligence leading to world peace – the roadmap(GOOGLE engineer Meng Tan, the founder of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI), presenting his roadmap to peace in the world through the development of emotional intelligence. How we achieve that is through mindfulness practices.)
• The book “Search Inside Yourself” describing the emotional intelligence/human development program running for many years at GOOGLE (I completed reading the book “Search Inside Yourself” last week (11/06/2017). What an incredible experience! Few things are simply amazing. The book is about the emotional intelligence/ personal growth/ human development program conducted at one of the tech giants – GOOGLE for many years. Who would expect tech giants are to be serious about emotional intelligence/human development and the like? We would expect them to be a place for a set of nerds to work mostly with machines. Considering this general belief, it is wonderful to see that GOOGLE is giving much-needed leadership to overall or holistic human development aspect. This is lead by the GOOGLE engineer Chade-Meng Tan, who has identified that the path to world peace is developing each individual on a personal growth/human development route. Another wonder is that he has correctly put forth that mindfulness practices as the key to this goal, in an evidence-based manner. I like to see and recommend every adult (possibly teenagers) read this book in order to get guided on the personal growth/human development path.)
• Gamma Waves and Inspiration: How Is Your Brain Vibrating? (The relationships among Gamma brain waves (which can go even to levels of 250Hz compared to an average of 10-30Hz), meditation and inspirations/creativity/consciousness/wisdom.)
• The Marvellous Properties of Gamma Brain Waves(The relationship among Gamma brain waves (at higher frequencies between 25-100 MHz), peak concentration, high cognitive function, compassion, memory, learning, incredible information processing and retrieval capacity, self-control, happiness, calmness, meditation and the like.)
• Gamma – Brain Waves (Gamma brain waves and its relationship to empathy and compassion. At high Gamma levels above 40Hz, it appears that we are able to synchronise (or harmonise or in harmony) our brain operations leading to a high level of consciousness. In contrast, at high beta levels such as in the range of 20-35Hz (as typically found in daily lives), the brain operations are not synchronous (not in harmony) leading to high stress/anxiety levels.)
• Changing your mindset could be the key to changing your life (The significance of paying constant attention (i.e being mindful) to what one wants or having a clear purpose in life (reminding us constantly where we are heading). This mindfulness can be contrasted with being robotic or switching the autopilot on to get our routine tasks completed. When we are mindful of what we do, our neural networks strengthen and grow, enabling us to learn and develop wisdom.)
• Book Review on “Mindsight: Transform Your Brain with the New Science of Kindness by Daniel Siegel”(24/07/2017)(In “Mindsight: Transform Your Brain with the New Science of Kindness”, the author Daniel Siegel, a Harvard educated clinical Professor of Psychiatry, emphasises the need to integrate cognitive and emotional functions across various part of the brain along with memory types such as implicit and explicit in order to develop healthy minds with a MINDSIGHT or with higher levels of consciousness/wisdom/human development. Without such processes of integration that are well supported by the latest neuroscientific research, individuals tend to develop negative psychological conditions, become sick or would not develop to their full potential. The key neuroscientific concepts behind the above integrative processes are neuroplasticity and epigenetics that allow us to train our minds based on appropriate environmental stimuli. Professor Siegel has given some classic examples (using real counselling cases) of how mindfulness practices can be used to develop healthier minds through the processes of integration mentioned above. He has always used these therapeutic mindfulness practices as more lasting remedies ahead of alternative approaches such as prescribed drugs that usually suppress symptoms while on medication (along with any negative side-effects). The therapeutic practices he used were essentially based on developing critical characteristics of self-awareness and self-regulation. When these skills are practised and developed, individuals become more empathic and compassionate by extending integrative processes from individual to collective lives leading to harmonious and sustainable societies, following the concepts of interpersonal neurobiology.)
• Building Relationships with your Child: Learning to LAUGH Together(The importance of parent-child attunement for the healthy development of the child. This appears to play a vital role in an individual’s social intelligence development demonstrated later in the life. The well-known psychiatrist Daniel Siegel refers to this healthy relationship between two individuals as resonance that helps to develop the relevant neural circuits in the frontal lobes.)
• Book Review on “Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life” by Jon Kabat-Zinn (One who introduced mindfulness practices to mainstream medicine in the USA).(16/08/2017)(In “Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life”, the author Jon Kabat-Zinn highlights the message that the practices of mindfulness are not restricted to particular times at some locations, but it can be followed in anything one does anywhere. Further, he emphasises the fact that the mindfulness practices are not rigidly associated with a particular group or religion, rather it is a way of being that any individual can benefit immensely. The essence of mindfulness practices is the notion of getting one’s attention voluntarily on what he/she does in the present moment, non-judgementally. In other words, simply it is about not performing a task with the autopilot on, following the notion of automaticity – instead, it is about getting all the brain resources focused on it in a non-judgemental way. When we pay non-judgemental attention to a task or matter, we tend to see it more openly, in an unbiased manner or we become more receptive to the information per se that reaches us.  Such an open reception of information will help us to see the reality as is, instead of through coloured glass, as is the usual case in many situations. Just imagine the strength of the idea of possessing a mind trained with appropriate mindfulness practices with the acquired skills to see or sense everything one does anywhere, anytime clearly and vividly as is, as highlighted by the author, Jon Kabat-Zinn. In fact, Jon was an emeritus Professor of Medicine who himself had been practising mindfulness meditation since the age of twenty-two before introducing mindfulness practices to the mainstream medicine in the USA through programs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).)
• As an educator, I see a great value for any learner in following mindfulness practices that enable achieving enhanced    learning constantly. Neuroscience research has revealed that most of our learning is implicit and it does not necessarily take place in a formal learning environment or classroom. In regard to this revelation, imagine the extent to which a learner can benefit, or can engage in learning per se if he/she can maintain a state of mindfulness constantly by paying voluntary attention non-judgementally in everything encountered and anywhere. In a universe of information that we cannot avoid as the transmission is enabled by various technologies and media cost-effectively, the best way to respond is to be receptive non-judgementally by keeping all our sense open rather than getting overwhelmed by it and closing our receptive sensors. We should also not disregard our internal body signals that help us develop a self-awareness by identifying and reflecting on our feelings, emotions and thoughts and the like in making our all-important decisions and in enhancing our well-being. Researchers have identified that such an awareness that can be developed through mindfulness practices is of prime importance in developing individuals with healthy minds or in achieving higher levels of human development. When we progress to higher levels in human development, we necessarily involve in an integration process of both external information as well as internal body signals that enable a “whole person” development learning path leading to wisdom. Further, we as learners/individuals become better-skilled in essential human functions such as attention regulation (AC), emotional regulation (ER) and cognitive regulation (CR) so that we develop the capacities required to be more effective, empathic, compassionate, resilient and productive social members. These members are better equipped and more capable of identifying and proper addressing of so called wicked problems.
• Finally, the author Jon Kabat-Zinn, who himself has been a practitioner of mindfulness for over forty years, put the readers on a path to developing wisdom. The benefits of mindfulness practices have a radiant effect on many facets of life – in enhancing learning, healthcare, self-awareness, emotional and social intelligence, interpersonal relationships, parenting, decision-making and in short overall well-being and productive human operations.
• Book Review on “Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distractions, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long – Know Your Brain, Transform Your Performance” (24/08/2017)
• In “Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distractions, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long – Know Your Brain, Transform Your Performance”, the author David Rock highlights the important fact that when we develop an understanding of how our brain works, we can significantly improve our daily functioning as human beings in general. Irrespective of the roles we play as employees, managers, leaders, learners or parents, by developing a self-awareness or mindfulness into how our brain functions, we can enhance our performance or productivity by being able to pay better attention, regulate emotions and control cognitive activities optimally. The phenomenon of mindfulness/self-awareness/metacognition is aptly emphasised by representing it as the “director” in the human life of stage drama. A skilful director (one who has developed mindfulness to a higher degree) is able to utilise the limited capacity stage (working memory) with greater efficiency by appropriately getting actors (information such as emotions/feelings, thoughts etc.) onto the stage optimally as and when required.
• The significant findings of the human conditions required for insights/creativity/wisdom are illustrated comprehensively with the analogy of stage drama of life. Essentially, a relaxed and happy mind with an appropriate level of arousal is required to get the attention focussed. Under these conditions, we make many parts of our brain (including the right cerebral hemisphere that play a leading role in creativity) to operate in synchrony at higher frequency levels (gamma range), integrating many forms of information and signals such as thoughts, memories, emotions/feelings senses and the like. These pieces of information and signals are represented in the brain, in fact, as neuronal networks that self-organise based on the learning and experience the individual undergo, following the important notions of neuroplasticity and epigenetics. To minimise higher levels of arousal such as anger, fear and sadness so that an optimal brain operation is accommodated, the author, Rock, has demonstrated the use of mental techniques that include emotion labelling, situation reappraisal and managing expectations realistically (a principle that closely relates to the notion of equanimity).
• Another key area that is emphasised in the book is the notion that the human brain is a social animal. In fact, researchers have understood that the social world or having healthy social connections is a primary human need like food and shelter. The presence of physical brain structures such as mirror neurones that help human beings to empathise or understand the minds of other human beings validate the premise of human beings essentially as social animals. Further, the author, Rock, has highlighted the SCARF (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness) model as a guide (ideally for leaders/managers/counsellors/parents etc.) for making human operations or performance optimal or positive in a social world. They are primary features that human brains are implicitly yearning towards for and any threats causing a movement away from them (within an organisation or group) would result in significantly reduced human performance.
• “Your Brain at Work” has also provided some useful guidance for successfully implementing a social/individual change/transformation, however small it is, based on the fundamentals of brain science. The brain is an organ that naturally attempts to minimise threats (fear anxiety, anger etc.) while maximising rewards (relaxation, happiness etc.). It has the inherent capacity to change (physically as well), as highlighted in the notion of neuroplasticity, under conducive conditions and environments. Consequently, following the SCARF model, any social/individual change/transformation should not move members away from (or at least minimise such a move to the lowest level) the features of Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness. Any action that makes a move away from them would result in ineffectiveness in the change/transformation process. As highlighted by Rock very aptly, the status and relatedness features in the SCARF model can compete with each other in an organisation/team environment (as status is usually a measure that compares individuals and it does not help healthy relationships). Consequently, in an ideal or healthier situation, comparison of an individual should be made to a previous status of him/her instead of against another individual. Further, the motivation for a change should be more appropriately enhanced through intrinsic (or more lasting) rewards than that of a “carrot and stick” or extrinsic type
• .Finally, as an educator, I believe that “Your Brain at Work” offers many insights that educators can make use of in teaching-learning environments. They can be used to enhance learning and motivation in individuals to progress towards higher levels of human developments with capacities of mindfulness and wisdom.
• A Book Review on ” Mindfulness: a practical guide to FINDING PEACE IN A FRANTIC WORLD by Mark Williams and Danny Penman” (21/09/2017) ( In “Mindfulness: a practical guide to FINDING PEACE IN A FRANTIC WORLD” by Mark Williams(an Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology at Oxford University and a co-founder of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy – MBCT) and Danny Penman put forth the important message of the role played by inward-looking capacities developed through mindfulness practices towards finding peace within a world of unavoidable chaos. In other words, it is better that we actively look for developing appropriate conditions internally or attempt to develop a self-awareness, instead of waiting (sometimes forever) for solutions to appear magically and externally from a frantic world. Consequently, mindfulness is a practice that empowers individuals to take control of their lives and be content and happy with an enhanced perception of reality so long as the basic needs such as food and shelter are satisfied.
• One interesting notion the authors highlight in the book is the “habit release” mindfulness practice. In the words (given in the foreword) of Jon Kabat-Zinn (a pioneer in the area of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – MBSR), it is:
• “I particularly like the simple yet radical habit-breaking suggestions, what they call ‘habit releasers,’ that they offer, which are meant to reveal and break open some of our most unaware life patterns of thought and behaviour, patterns that unbeknownst to us, tend to imprison us in a smallness that is definitely not the full story of who we are.”
• By engaging in the mindful practice of “habit release”, we switch-off the “auto-pilot” whenever it is appropriate and shift from a “Doing” mode to “Being” mode. In a frantic world, we get entangled in a “Doing” mode, trying to squeeze in as many “robotic” procedures as possible into our daily routines. We simply work like machines performing routine tasks repetitively with no time spent on reflections to see, or more correctly, to perceive what we are doing in a more detailed and creative way with wisdom/insights while being in a “Being” mode. Most importantly, the key to our health and well-being, reducing symptoms such as stress, anxiety, depression and similar negative psychological conditions is the increase of time in a “Being” mode while minimising the time in a  “Doing” mode.
• Another significant mindfulness practice that is highlighted in the book is the development of an approach/acceptance-oriented mental state as opposed to an avoidance-oriented one even in the presence of unavoidable realities of life yielding negative emotions. That is we befriend with such emotions like sadness and frustration with a loving kind/compassionate attitude towards us as well as towards the rest of the world. Clearly, this is not passive acceptance of or resignation to the adverse conditions in a spineless manner. Instead, it is the practice of equanimity through which we get to see and understand the realities of life better, possibly through the secretion of mood-control body chemicals such serotonin at appropriate levels. Through this clear vision and perceptions, we, in fact, get to the point that we can seek real solutions to the problems/conditions that caused the adverse situation. Further, we may get to see that these real solutions may not be present immediately; we may have to persevere for weeks, months or even years at times to find and apply them in a lasting manner.
• Authors also aptly highlight that mindfulness practices help us to avoid the rigid and inaccurate decision-making following a process of over-generalisation. When we are not appropriately mindful, possibly due to being entangled in a “Doing” mode, we tend to jump to inaccurate decisions or conclusions without having access to an adequate amount of information related to the matter. Consequently, it stops us from perceiving the realities better resulting in negative conditions such as stress, anxiety, sadness and frustration.  Worsening the situation further, we may continue to rigidly believe in what we understood as real without adequate information and without being reflective or open-minded.
• As educators, we have many lessons to learn from the practices of mindfulness to enhance student learning. First and foremost, we must make sure to avoid the teaching-learning process get into a “Doing” mode. Instead, we should allow learners enough time to reflect and be mindful during the learning process. Further, during the process of learner assessment, we necessarily need to get them to a “Being” mode, disallowing them from getting into a “Doing” mode in which they produce premeditated, habitual answers devoid of reflection and open-mindedness. Such conceptual changes at fundamental levels would lead to enhanced learning and more valid and lasting learner evaluations.)
• BRAINSTORM: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain (Why we should teach adolescents to SURF IN THE WAVES OF EMOTION (instead of getting drowned). Let us teach them to enjoy the journey rather than narrowing their focus on the destinations such as the GREATEST GPA or SAT SCORES. Let us make them better use of their novelty-seeking and fighting the status quo thrives. Let us guide them to be candles that light the candles on either side instead of making them compete with each other. Let us guide them to make integrated brain operations ( i.e. enhanced consciousness) leading to health and well-being, kindness and compassion throughout the lifetime.)
• Mindfulness improves reading ability, working memory, and task-focus
• Impact of mindfulness practices on cognitive abilities (the link between the historical practice of mindfulness (thousands of years old)  to modern day neuroscience) – the fact that mindfulness practices improve working memory capacity ( similar to having a computer with higher capacity RAM/primary memory) is very interesting. It will allow us to keep more pieces of information in working memory so that we can get involved in a process of INTEGRATION of knowledge to make more diverse/creative connections/meanings using them. As a result, our reading comprehension improves as well. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130326133339.htm?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BdLb%2BRa9cTuSGtE5dOe3vzA%3D%3D
• Kick start your compassionate brain
• “A loving kindness practice is literally better for our health and increases well being. Studies show that a loving kindness practice develops prosocial behavior and by focusing on compassion and cultivating more compassionate behavior.” https://www.nicoletetreault.com/single-post/2017/06/29/Kick-start-your-compassionate-brain?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BdLb%2BRa9cTuSGtE5dOe3vzA%3D%3D
• Mindfulness meditation regulates anterior insula activity during empathy for social pain.
• “Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, promote health, and well-being, as well as to increase compassionate behavior toward others. It reduces distress to one’s own painful experiences, going along with altered neural responses, by enhancing self-regulatory processes and decreasing emotional reactivity. In order to investigate if mindfulness similarly reduces distress and neural activations associated with empathy for others’ socially painful experiences, which might in the following more strongly motivate prosocial behavior, the present study compared trait, and state effects of long-term mindfulness meditation (LTM) practice. To do so we acquired behavioral data and neural activity measures using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an empathy for social pain task while manipulating the meditation state between two groups of LTM practitioners that were matched with a control group.”
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28504364?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BkArhHsXcSzOKYDn5hYys5Q%3D%3D
• Sign Up to Receive the Kindness Curriculum (Neuroscience-based)(The way to go – from the grassroots! Interesting developments towards sustainable/peaceful societies. Research/evidence-based kindness curriculum for preschool classrooms developed by the Center for Healthy Minds at The University of Wisconsin–Madison (USA) led by the founder Richard J. Davidson. Just like we traditionally pay emphasis on reading, writing and arithmetic for kids who start schooling, it is equally, if not more, important to pay attention to developing “Healthy Minds” with a special focus on emotional intelligence (EQ ahead of IQ). How many of us and our educational organisations could visualise the value of such a curriculum?)
• This Class is Helping First-Year Students Start College off Right(Excellent development in the higher education towards positive futures – a new course for the first year college students – initiated by The Center for Health Minds of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• “Called “The Art and Science of Human Flourishing,” the class combines disciplines from neuroscience and psychology to philosophy and art to encourage students to think more carefully about how they maintain their own mental and emotional well-being, manage stress and build positive relationships with others.”
• Why do we need such programs/courses in higher education institutes/sectors around the world – because:
• “College students, many living away from home for the first time, are also learning how to manage stress, respond to all sorts of new and different situations and prepare themselves for eventual entry into a professional world in which change is the biggest constant.” )
• Positively Transforming Minds within Educational Systems: An Inner-Directed Inquiry Process for Educators and the Students they Serve( Positively transforming minds in an evidence-based manner – what we need badly in our education systems beyond developing a narrow skill or cognitive ability! It is about whole-person transformation. Looking forward to reading Marilee’s next book to gain insights as before.)

• Increasing Kindness and Pro-Social Behaviour (ASSESSING COMPASSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION – what a useful as well as a REVOLUTIONARY idea! The difference between empathic distress and compassion! Just-as-me/loving kindness/pro-social attitude.)

• Compassion in Education (USEFUL TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION – embedding and assessing compassion in (any) university curricula!

“Welcome to the website for Compassion in Education. It offers evidence-based, practical support to any teaching practitioner – with bite-sized films and other resources – on how to embed the micro skills of compassion into university group work up to an including assessing it, that is, making compassion credit-bearing, on the modern degree programme. It’s purpose is to support a growing international network of universities whose staff have an interest in rooting the science of compassion, as a secular concept, into the HE institution.”)

Coaching for Emotional Intelligence: Matthew Taylor on Transforming Education (The dire need to introduce EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI) skills at an EARLY AGE of learning – for a much needed EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION! “There is a good deal you learn in graduate school about how to TEACH CONTENT, but very little they teach you (in my experience) that prepares you for the HUMAN SIDE of the craft. Great teachers tend to figure this side out on their own, using their INNATE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. What they figure out, in a nutshell, is how to create the EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS for learning. They know that if they want their students to take the EMOTIONAL INTELLECTUAL RISKS to learn—to make themselves vulnerable to struggling in a group—they have to build a container of SHARED TRUST and a relationship that creates a FOUNDATION of safety.” “GREAT LEADERS must do the same things for their TEAMS as TEACHERS do for their STUDENTS. They must be attuned to EMOTIONAL NEEDS and meet those needs to create the SAFETY their teams need to take the RISKS inherent in STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE. Helping leaders learn how to create these CONDITIONS is, I believe, the end goal of LEADERSHIP coaching.” )

This is Your Brain on Curiosity | Matthias Gruber | TEDxUCDavisSalon (How CURIOSITY enables LEARNING (by enhancing memory – retention/recall – through  associated neural operations/circuits). WhY EDUCATORS need to raise CURIOSITY in LEARNERS, possibly by asking QUESTIONS (ideally thought-provoking open-ended questions)!)

Exploring the growth mindset (A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA ON LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT that is EMERGING from NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH!

How COMPARING LEARNERS WITH OTHERS (competition-oriented) leads to a FIXED-MINDSET while COMPARING LEARNERS TO THEIR PREVIOUS STANDINGS will result in a GROWTH MINDSET. Why it is more important to identify a  learner’s POTENTIAL/UNTAPPED ABILITY rather than how he/she performed in a certain test as UNTAPPED POTENTIAL can QUICKLY BE REALISED with a GROWTH MINDSET.)

Richard Davidson, PhD – The Science of Mindfulness (Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry/Director CENTRE for HEALTHY MINDS at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Richard Davidson presenting at the MINDFUL EDUCATION SUMMIT on the notions of NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS, BRAIN-BODY BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION, INHERENT GOODNESS OF HUMAN NATURE. Also, he talks about WELL-BEING that is constituted of AWARENESS, CONNECTION, INSIGHT/SELF-AWARENESS/INTUITION and PURPOSE. Most importantly, he puts forth insights into how this fundamental neuroscience-based knowledge (EMBEDDED IN MINDFULNESS PRACTICES – FOCUSED ATTENTION, OPEN ATTENTION/AWARENESS, LOVING-KINDNESS/COMPASSION meditation) that help us to make appropriate positive PHYSICAL CHANGES in related BRAIN AREAS forming appropriate NEURAL NETWORKS/CONNECTIONS should guide our EDUCATION/LEARNING SYSTEMS.

Such practices follow the NOTION of EDUCATION understood by the FARTER of MODERN PSYCHOLOGY WILLIAM JAMES over 125 YEARS ago!

“…the faculty of VOLUNTARILY BRINGING BACK a WANDERING ATTENTION, OVER and OVER AGAIN, is the very ROOT of JUDGEMENT, CHARACTER, AND WILL … AN EDUCATION which should improve this faculty would be the EDUCATION PAR EXCELLENCE.”)

Two Days with Dan Siegel: Lessons on the Whole-Brain Child (MINDFUL CLASSROOMS!

How can we effectively teach students of ANY BACKGROUND (from any socio-economic background, temperament, and traumatic situation etc.)?

“Be OPEN to who a child is and let go of who you want them to be because when WE DON’T ACCEPT CHILDREN FOR WHO THEY ARE we are actively TELLING THEM THEY AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH:”

WORLD RENOWN PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY/DIRECTOR OF MINDSIGHT INSTITUTE/BESTSELLING AUTHOR (HARVARD graduate) DANIEL SIEGEL from UCLA on MINDFUL CLASSROOMS! He was presenting his EVIDENCE-BASED (SCIENTIFIC) insights at the MINDFUL EDUCATION SUMMIT.

https://lnkd.in/f46mxfP

” It is NOT CHILD’S TEMPERAMENT that determines success but rather HOW PARENTS and ADULTS RESPOND to that temperament”

Why EDUCATORS essentially need to be MINDFUL in the classroom having an understanding of how the MIND and its energy flows?

Why the emphasis on NEW 3Rs (REFLECTION (with 3 PILLARS of OPENNESS, OBJECTIVITY and OBSERVATION), RELATIONSHIPS, RESILIENCE) is MORE IMPORTANT than any TEST RESULTS (mainly on OLD 3Rs (READING, wRiting, aRithmetic))?

Three types of MINDFULNESS training (FOCUSED ATTENTION, OPEN AWARENESS AND KIND INTENSION/COMPASSION) that help to create appropriate NEURAL NETWORKS/SYNAPTIC CONNECTION in the brain.)

• Thomas Lewis on “The Neuroscience of Empathy” (Why does empathy play a significant role in human species evolution and survival? Since empathic processes involve modeling and projecting other persons’ perspectives, they appear to be highly creative processes. Can we infer that creative individuals are more empathic and vice versa? Further, the neuroscientific definition of empathy explains why it is an essential trait of anyone in a leadership role. Otherwise, those leaders will be very ineffective in their roles. What is the neuroscientific difference between normal human beings and sociopaths/psychopaths?)
• Philippe Goldin on “Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation” (How can we find the relationships between clinical psychological/psychotherapeutic practices and traditional mindfulness practices so that both fields can grow and extend in their perspectives? How would mindfulness practices help in achieving attention, emotion and cognitive regulation? How would self-concept (especially experiential fluid version as opposed to analytic fixed version) and language help in the cognitive control of emotions?  )
• Philippe Goldin on “Neuroscience of Emotions” (Neuroscientific explanations of emotions related concepts such as emotional awareness, self-awareness, self-regulation, psychological flexibility and well-being, motivation, mindfulness, empathy, compassion, cognitive reappraisal and the like. Further, why neuroscientists and researchers are very keen on studying empathy and compassion (empathy + desire to act on it) as significant phenomena for human species survival)
• Jon Kabat-Zinn (Professor of Medicine who introduced mindfulness practices to mainstream medicine) on “Mindfulness Meditation”(Mindfulness as raising awareness on the present moment non-judgmentally. It is about paying full attention(firing all cylinders) on an object in one’s working memory. Since you do it non-judgementally, without an urgency to rush through (that is very much time insensitive manner), your mind is calm and relaxed (all senses, thoughts, emotions/feelings, actions/behaviours etc. are in harmony/synchrony), possibly helping to form new neural networks of knowledge, forming as many connections as possible in a coherent, meaningful manner. That is, one is able to identify new relationships with a flexible/open mind (being creative and insightful without being hampered by stereotypes) among pieces of knowledge held in working memory. Consequently, it should help creating lasting (long-term) memories. Further, a characterising ability of mindfulness practices is the development of self-awareness or self-knowledge. With this self-knowledge, one not only understands oneself better but also, using it as a reference, he/she tends to understand others better (possible more empathically).)
• Charlie Halpern on “Practicing Wisdom in the Obama Era” (Mindfulness in legal practice – is it possible and is it necessary?. The need of mindful political leaders with empathy and wisdom to meet contemporary challenges. Are our societies suffering from empathy deficits (similar to budget deficits)? Is empathy a naive luxury?)
• Richie Davidson on “Transform Your Mind, Change Your Brain” (The link between contemplative practices and science. How can empathy be trained and what are the benefits? Better capacities of immunity/healing for practitioners of empathy – realisation of true human features!)
• Robina Courtin on  “Be Your Own Therapist” (How can one be one’s own therapist to get rid of neurotic thoughts en route to developing healthy minds? In order to achieve this, one has to look into oneself. The famous psychologist and psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski  held a similar notion of auto-psychotherapy, especially in relation to training “psychoneurotics”)
• Daniel Goleman on “Focus: the Hidden Driver of Excellence” (How is the term “flow” defined (as in positive psychology) in contrast to boredom and stressful conditions? It is a state in which thinker/learners engrossed in the matter at hand even losing track of time and space. Why is this ability to get to this state important for excellence in terms of creativity, productivity, wisdom and the like? Further, it appears that it is an individually identified characteristic in which one needs to recognise one’s state of flow on his/her own, ideally)
• Matthieu Ricard (regarded as the happiest man in the world) on Change your Mind Change your Brain: The Inner Conditions for Authentic Happiness (The relationships among happiness, inner conditions, outer conditions, mindfulness practices, neuroscience, wisdom, compassion (as the opposite of self-centeredness), loving kindness, well-being, Gamma waves in the brain and the like )

• Year 12 exams: Our kids deserve better than this(Can we produce creative individuals leading to creative societies instead of robots leading to robotic societies? )
• Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety? (What can our education systems do to relieve our young generation from severe anxiety? Should we push them to compete with each other? Can they learn effectively/create lasting memories when they are anxious/competing with each other? Why should we promote health and well-being, relaxation, mindfulness and acceptance of reality as is at an early age?)
• Why this Hong Kong-born mother won’t send her kids to selective schools(Some useful perspectives when considering selective schools for your children. “Ideally, schools are microcosms of society, where children learn everyday multiculturalism in an organic way,” Are selective schools racially skewed? If yes, will it represent the broader Australian society? If not, what would be the developmental impacts on students (such as on creativity, wisdom, resilience, critical thinking etc. )? How do competition, affordability and fairness in relation to education relate to this situation?)
• ATARS losing relevance for university admissions but students are still hooked( Interestingly, only about 25% of students are admitted to universities in Australia purely on  ATAR scores (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – Year 12 Exam scores). It raises the point of stressing students/parents with a system of ranking/competition in the first place!“It’s like having to queue at a Boxing Day sale and discovering that most people aren’t queuing like you are — they’ve found another way.”“As students know, one, two, three or 20 years on from receiving their ATAR, they are more than a number in a queue. Education is more than a number, more than a ranking and more than a competition.” )

• • Meet the doctor hitting big tobacco where it hurts ( How do we recognise exemplary (compassionate) human attitude and behaviour. Once becomes conscious of limitations/adversities within our environment, take action to overcome them and for common good within one’s capacities.)
  • Find Compassion for Difficult People (It is very encouraging to see Wall Street Journal (WSJ) promoting COMPASSION as a means of positive interpersonal relationships.)
  • Why good men need to reclaim masculinity from the toxic cliche of power and aggression( How do you compare Real men and Good men! What is real masculinity? )
  • Handling Conflict—with Care(A useful insight on the negative impacts of personal insults)
  • Developing Self-Awareness, One Moment At a Time(Self-awareness – why it is the most important phenomenon in learning and human development? Why it is an essential skill for leaders of all levels. “Leadership competencies require more than simply developing and mastering certain skills; rather, we must also be able to apply those skills in a manner that produces positive and consistent results, and this is a moment-to-moment endeavour that relies on engaging our own self-awareness.”)
  • Emotional Intelligence Has 12 Elements. Which Do You Need to Work On?(Emotional Intelligence Competencies! Insights towards higher productivity.)
  • The best books on Emotional Intelligence recommended by Daniel Goleman(Interesting point! “Do you think that these skills and abilities are valued by the education system as it stands? I actually find the educational sector to be a little retrograde, particularly schools of education, the graduate schools that train teachers. There too is the problem of getting the curriculum changed, which is often tangled in bureaucracy. But the data presented in the Handbook shows that students not only learn better, but they also score better on academic achievement tests when they have social and emotional learning.” )
  • Australian Open: Rare glimpse of Federer’s vulnerability helps explain what drives him to greatness(Federer’s “Social Responsibility” (with high emotions/motivation) drives him to greatness! An example for all of us and our organisations on the topic of (corporate) social responsibility.)
  • The Key to Any Collaboration Is…(Why cognitive abilities alone are not going to yield success and emotional intelligence is more important for team/organisational success. “Emotional intelligence remains a key ingredient in the development of corporate leaders. ” “I know of a global organization where people are hired for their technical expertise, not their interpersonal skills. When a key team started to have a lot of friction and constantly missed deadlines, they brought in a leadership coach for the leader of that team. The coach found that the leader was only focused on his own perspective of what was going wrong with the team. He had no sense of what people on the team thought or felt.”)
  • Why Do So Many Managers Forget They’re Human Beings?( It is great to see that true leadership notions are emerging and emphasised from the top – Harvard – leaving aside tried and tired old models that disintegrate us individually and socially to chaos! “the power of leadership lies in our abilities to form personal and meaningful bonds with the people whom we lead. This is truer now than ever, as millennials are becoming the majority population in most companies. Millennials are not satisfied with only a paycheck, bonus, and benefits. They want meaning, happiness, and connectedness, too.” “A survey published by Forbes found that 65% of employees would forego a pay raise if it meant seeing their leader fired, and a 2016 Gallup engagement survey found that 82% of employees see their leaders as fundamentally uninspiring.” Leadership qualities: “Be personal Be self-aware  Be selfless Be compassionate”)
  • Research: How Teamwork Powers Mindful {and Effective} Leadership(Where should leaders focus on improving teamwork? “More effective teams result from a leader’s investment in their personal development of self-awareness, emotional self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.” “The leaders I interviewed linked teamwork to a variety of benefits, including greater innovation, employee autonomy, and business growth. They also reported that their improved ability to develop effective teams resulted in stronger relationships between teammates, and greater loyalty to the organization. Finally, participants credited mindfulness with helping them understand their own role in being a good team member in the context of relationships with subordinates, peers and superiors. “)
  • Shocking college hazing rituals at prestigious Australian university revealed in report(How can we direct novelty-seeking adolescence minds for something purposeful in a world where there are innumerable wicked problems. Shouldn’t our education system take the responsibility in this much-needed transformation and focus accordingly? A good starting point would be to get guidance from psychiatrist/psychologist/best-selling author Daniel Siegel’s best-selling book “Brainstorm”. )
  • New Approaches in Neuroscience Show It’s Not All in Your Head(The significance of experience (even just pure thoughts and emotions associated with any experience) in altering one’s brain and thereby the mind/mindset. Further, another important fact is the subjectiveness of how the same experience produces different results (emotions and thoughts etc.) in different individuals and different level of learning and development.”“How we experience the world affects us in more ways than we previously thought,” says Davidson, William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry. “We’re finding that emotions and thoughts can alter neural pathways in the brain in relatively short amounts of time and even affect processes like gene expression and aging.Davidson says tapping into the role experience plays in mental health could help scientists and clinicians design better interventions to treat disorders such as anxiety and depression.”)
  • Book Review on “Brainstorm -The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain – An Inside-Out Guide to the Emerging Adolescent Mind, Ages 12-24” by Daniel Siegel(The author, Professor Daniel Siegel (clinical Professor of psychiatry at UCLA, co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Centre and the executive director of the Mindsight Institute) has fittingly presented a poem on defining “SUCCESS” by Bessie Anderson Stanley to wind up the text.“It offers insights into what successful adolescences might look like, how the essence of adolescence can enrich the rest of our lives.”SUCCESS“To laugh often and love much;To win respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children;To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;To appreciate beauty;To find the best in others;To give of one’s self;To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung exultation;To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-This is to have succeeded.  )
  • Meet the Australians who are retiring early to embrace a fulfilling life of travel — while they still can(Finding one’s passion in life beyond financials and economies! It is very common in a contemporary world under the prevailing status quo that the development of an authentic-self does not converge with financials/economies that are used by many, albeit narrowly, as THE SOLE measure of the success of individuals as well as organisations. Interestingly, some find it easy to choose one direction out of the two diverging paths, while others, especially those who are relatively young, struggle in selecting one, putting them in a highly disintegrated state of mind, sometimes for prolonged periods.)
  • 353: Enhance Your Self-Awareness(Defining MATURITY scientifically – widening the gap between (emotional)impulse and (thoughtful)action – which is what higher levels of emotional intelligence do!”Emotional Intelligence has given us permission to talk about emotion in the workplace.””Emotional Intelligence is about how well you can manage yourself.””Self-awareness is fundamental.””If you have a sense of your true strengths and weaknesses, you can have self-confidence that is based on reality.””If you feel your emotions flaring up, pause and name what’s going on. That’ll allow the executive part of your brain to take back charge.””Notice what your triggers are and intentionally avoid them.Self-awareness can give you insights into bad habits you might have as a leader.”)
  • Forget happiness, you should be aiming for resilience(Why developing the skills of RESILIENCE is of paramount importance that would result in happiness as a by-product! It is indeed great to see WORL ECONOMIC FORUM publishes articles in the areas of resilience and happiness in a more INTEGRATED and INCLUSIVE view of economics.”…believes resilience is the most important skill to cultivate, given the rapid rate of economic and technological change. Feeling good is all fine and good, but it’s fleeting. Learning to deal with difficulty, by contrast, improves your chances of feeling good again. That’s much more useful than clinging to an illusion.””…the results indicate that compassion is a muscle that can be developed and flexed, which makes people more resilient, and ultimately more capable in the face of challenges.”)
  • How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself(Improving our better DECISION-MAKING capacities by avoiding SELF-SABOTAGING – great insights from GREATER GOOD SITE!
  • “…when we find ourselves PROCRASTINATING before taking care of a (literal or figurative) mess, so that it becomes a bigger deal to clean up later. Or we impulsively buy a large bag of potato chips when we’re trying to cut back on junk food.” “…other times we’re less aware of our self-sabotage or we misdiagnose the core problem. This happens a lot in RELATIONSHIPS. For instance, when you’re feeling COMPETITIVE with the mom of your child’s playdate friend, you may get into a cycle of baiting and ANTOGONISING each other, without recognizing your PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE interaction style. This gets in the way of you focusing on her great qualities and holds you back from potentially becoming good friends.”)
  • The Difference Between (Artificial) Intelligence and Wisdom (A GREAT view on the difference between INTELLIGENCE and WISDOM! It explains why our EDUCATION SYSTEMS SHOULD move away from the notions based on INTELLIGENCE towards developing LEARNER WISDOM. There are multiple ways (as defined in the theory of multiple intelligence) one can be intelligent (in an ARTIFICIAL way that also enables us to generate MEANS, but not essentially MEANING). If INTELLIGENCE is KNOWING (something, the ends), then WISDOM is KNOWING  about one’s KNOWING (the means of knowing). WISDOM can be seen as the INTEGRATION of MULTIPLE  INTELLIGENCES as a COHERENT WHOLE. “The arrival of AI raises a deeper question that needs to be addressed. We live in a world of INCREASING DIVISION because we’ve put too much FAITH in intelligence, which can be ARTIFICIAL, instead of WISDOM, which never is. We must acknowledge an underlying truth that is critical to a HEALTHY SOCIETY: that our great decisions must be made with the COMBINED WISDOM of all of us, not the PRESUMED INTELLIGENCE of a few of us.” “The BEAUTY OF WISDOM is that it is available to all. Wisdom doesn’t care what SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED, and it doesn’t care about RACE, CREED, or COLOUR. Wisdom is REAL and AUTHENTIC, which is why no one ever speaks of “ARTIFICIAL WISDOM.””)
  • Do You Make This One Big Mistake About Emotional Intelligence? (The ESSENSE of EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE in its most current form! “Over the years I’ve seen the limits of cookie-cutter EI development programs that give the same recipe to everyone. But cookie-cutter programs will miss part or much of what any of us actually needs. We are all unique in our profiles, not to mention our motivations, goals, and passions. The best EI improvement plans harness the energy you feel for your meaning and purpose to strengthening the competencies that will help you fulfill that deeper aim.” A useful notion of IDIOSYNCRASY/CONSTRUCTIVISM that can be applied in all learning and development environments.)
  • Brain’s Blind Spots (The POTENTIAL of HUMAN BRAIN and its current level of EFFICIENCY with many BIND SPOTS!”According to Leonard Mlodinow, scientists estimate that 95% of what happens in our brains is BEYOND OUR CONSCIOUS AWARENESS . In other words, we’re only 5% AWARE of why we think and act and feel the way we do. The MAJORITY of what dominates our mental activity is UNCONSCIOUS.””…we move away from what is UNFAMILIAR. Our brains use HEURISTICS, or MENTAL SHORTCUTS, to help us NAVIGATE A COMPLEX WORLD. We UNCONSCIOUSLY build BELIEFS about different groups of people outside of “our tribe,” based on various socially constructed or identity markers, to help us organize our social world.”)
  • Why I Added “Make a Mistake” to My Daily To-Do List (A POSITIVE way of THINKING/INTERPRETING SITUATION/GETTING HEALED/BECOMING MORE EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT/ENHANCING EQUANIMITY towards PRODUCTIVITY!)Discover the Importance of Self-Empathy (How the STARTING POINT of an individual BECOMES AWARE/FEELS about EMPATHY/COMPASSION would be SELF-EMPATHY/SELF-COMPASSION!”When we experience empathic concern or feel compassion toward others, we become the FIRST TO BENEFIT. Empathizing with another person activates our brain’s salience network, enabling us to experience our compassion first-hand. In this way, compassion is beneficial for others as well as for OUR OWN WELL-BEING. It creates INNER HAPPINESS independent of receiving compassion ourselves.We can also practice SELF-EMPATHY by treating ourselves with KINDNESS. Many of us have been conditioned to be highly critical of our mistakes. We may be far tougher on ourselves than on our friends and coworkers.” )
  • Having a Growth Mindset Makes It Easier to Develop New Interests (GROWTH MINDSET (as opposed to FIXED MINDSET)! The explanation of this notion given by APPLE founder STEVE JOBS is: “[T]echnology alone is not enough—it’s TECHNOLOGY MARRIED with LIBERAL ARTS, MARRIED with the HUMANITIES, that yields us the results that make our HEART SING.” The significance of DEVELOPING a GROWTH MINDSET in LEARNERS/EMPLOYEES by encouraging them to be OPEN-MINDED/FLEXIBLE/RECEPTIVE (as opposed to being rigid/closed) to information/knowledge that reaches them without being CONSTRAINED by DISCIPLINARY/DOMAIN BOUNDARIES and JUDGEMENTAL/AVOIDANCE ATTITUDES!”As the world continues to globalize, we need novel solutions to new and old problems, and these solutions will be driven, in large part, by people with deep interests who also draw connections across disciplines.” “In medicine, for example, doctors might choose to treat patients more holistically by combining traditional pharmacological methods with efforts to address their social and psychological needs.” “Innovation requires both reaching across fields and, often, acquiring more than a surface-level understanding… ..when people reach across fields they must maintain that interest even when the material becomes complex and challenging. A growth mindset of interest may help promote this kind of resilience.”)
  • The Nitty-Gritty of Grit: What It Is and How You Can Learn It (GRIT (or GRITTY individuals) – what is GRIT exactly(PASSION + PERSEVERANCE = SUATAINED PASSION and SUSTAINED EFFORT)  or GRIT as an important CHARACTER TRAIT? Insightful!“The importance of grit in relation to success is this cumulative, high-quality, high-quantity effort that high achievers are able to bring to bear on their lifetime work.””The final recommendation is developing a sense that what you do is meaningful. This is when what you do becomes an expression of your values and your identity. At that level of commitment, you should be able to say that not only am I interested in what I do, but I know that it benefits other people and it gives my life meaning. One of the strongest relationships that I have found in my data is that between the sense of purpose you experience in what you do and your own assessment of grit.”)
  • Introverts have a distinct advantage at work. Here’s how they can shine. (The REAL picture of INTROVERSION! Greatly said! Its associated hidden CAPACITY to PROCESS INFORMATION deeply and vividly towards higher levels of CREATIVITY and WISDOM. Turning inwards also seems to enhance SELF-AWARENESS.”Let’s face it: BUSINESS is an EXTROVERT’S arena. I’ve had to get comfortable adopting the extrovert’s way to success. I’ve worked hard to “overcome” my introversion. But I also APPRECIATE THE ADVANTAGES it brings. Introverts tend to PROCESS INFORMATION INTERNALLY; we prefer to EXPRESS IDEAS AFTER THEY ARE WELL FORMED. We may not always speak up at meetings, but we’re not hogging the conversation either. You can bet we’re PROCESSING the DISCUSSION THOUGHTFULLY, taking it ALL IN. I believe my introversion has helped me be a KEEN OBSERVERr and LISTENER–what I’ve come to call the introvert’s advantage.”Introversion is just one aspect of my character, NOT A LABEL to DEFINE ME. ..it’s important to understand who we are and how it may help us. If we don’t APPRECIATE WHO WE ARE, how can we ever fully FOCUS on what we HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE or what WE’RE CAPABLE OF?””I am saying that you need to EMBRACE PARTS OF YOUR NATURE — so introversion for me has been something to both work through and embrace.”)
  • Character – The intentions and actions that benefit both the individual and others (What is CHARACTER (closely relates to PERSONALITY)! How do RESEARCHERS on CHARACTER DEFINE CHARACTER?”The intentions and actions that BENEFIT BOTH the INDIVIDUAL AND OTHERS””Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “INTELLIGENCE PLUS CHARACTER—that is the GOAL of TRUE EDUCATION”””Research has demonstrated that character is plural, encompassing a MULTITUDE OF STRENGTHS that can be organized into three dimensions: INTERPERSONAL STRENGTHS, like GRATITUDE, enable HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS with other people; INTRAPERSONAL STRENGTHS, like GRIT and SELF-CONTROL, enable achievement; and INTELLECTUAL STRENGTHS, like CURIOSITY, enable a fertile and free life of the mind.”)
  • Grit… What’s Next (GRIT (PASSION + PERSEVERANCE) vs GENIUS – is there any difference? What leads to HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT? Angela Duckworth, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania explains.)Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body (Overcoming the LIMITATIONS OF SCIENCE that is seen from CULTURE-BOUND ASSUMPTIONS by seeing it from a fresh PERSPECTIVE OF EASTERN LENSE – INSIGHTFUL!”ALTERED TRAITS”, a book written by world renown SCIENTISTS/AUTHORS/(once upon a time HARVARD STUDENT COLLEAGUES) DANIEL GOLEMAN and RICHARD DAVIDSON on the science of mindfulness/meditation)
  • Secrets of the Vagus Nerve (Do you think there is a SCIENCE behind a MEANINGFUL LIFE comprising the phenomena such as COMPASSION/ GRATITUDE/AWE/ ALTRUISM/ SACRIFICE/LOVE/ HAPPINESS/GREATER GOOD that explains their relationship to an enhanced IMMUNE SYSTEM and overall WELL-BEING? Or are they found just in religious books and literature? The EXPLANATION starts with the function of the VAGUS NERVE found in the human body.PROFESSOR of PSYCHOLOGY at UC BERKELEY/DIRECTOR of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab/faculty DIRECTOR of the GREATER GOOD SCIENCE CENTRE Dacher Keltner  presents on the topic.)The Evolutionary Roots of Compassion (What did the FATHER of the THEORY OF EVOLUTION DARWIN say about COMPASSION/EMPATHY (he used the term SYMPATHY)? He indicated that those with capacities to empathise/be compassionate survived evolutionary processes. That is HUMAN BEINGS  are HARD-WIRED for EMPATHY/COMPASSION ahead of SELF-INTERESTS. If this is the case, how can we explain the current status of this world? The MEANS of making this PLANET  a better place lie with the way we EDUCATE our LEARNERS/STUDENTS  to SHARPEN those NATURAL CAPACITIES of EMPATHY/COMPASSION rather than PUSHING them to COMPETE  with each other in STIFLING those INHERENT/BORN capacities.PROFESSOR of PSYCHOLOGY at UC BERKELEY/DIRECTOR of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab/faculty DIRECTOR of the GREATER GOOD SCIENCE CENTRE Dacher Keltner  presents on the topic.)

    Grit and Emotional Intelligence (Explanation of GRIT from the theory of EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI)! This gives us the INSIGHT into the COMPREHENSIVENESS of EI theory that gives consideration to many aspects/dimensions of a/the human being/world.)

    Where Music and Empathy Converge in the Brain (Are  MUSIC INTERESTS and EMPATHY related in brain/neural operations? What does the research say?

    “Analyzing the brain scans revealed some interesting patterns. Highly empathic people tended to have significantly higher activation in their brains overall and, specifically, in the reward centers of the brain when listening to familiar music they liked—meaning, they seemed to find music listening more pleasurable than people low in empathy. They also had higher activation in the parts of the brain implicated in processing social information—like when you try to understand another person’s perspective or what they might be feeling. ”

    “When we listen to music or engage in music, it’s essentially social engagement,” he says. “Higher-empathy people, who are more sensitive to social stimulus, hear music as if in the virtual presence of another person.”)

    The Pros and Cons of Mind Wandering (Are MIND WANDERING and CREATIVITY related by any means? Or do we always rely on FOCUSED-ATTENTION/CONCENTRATION for our LEARNING/WORK? How are FOCUSED-ATTENTION and OPEN-ATTENTION related?

    “..not all mind wandering is negative. Mind wandering of a different sort can stimulate creativity, so vital to innovation. The brain’s left prefrontal cortex enables us to concentrate on a task. But to do our most creative work–and this may be counter-intuitive–we need to let go of our concentration and make time for mind wandering (or “spacing out”). When possible, .. gives us time to process new ideas .. while we’re not intentionally focused on the task. This activates parts of the brain that can make far more connections than the circuitry that concentrates…neural activity ..with these connections mainly occurs in temporal area, near…right neocortex.

    Unlike rumination–where we fixate on a worry …–creative mind wandering lets us expand our thinking. Spending time on undemanding tasks, such as …going for a walk, has been found to facilitate creative incubation. This is when we’re most likely to have an “a-ha!” moment or creative breakthrough. But then, to execute that great idea, we need to the focused zone of the pre-frontal cortex.”)

• Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted(SENG – an organisation recognising the needs of the gifted)
  • Anti-psychotic medication overprescribed to Australian children, experts say (More on misdiagnosis of psychological conditions)
  • Are selective schools the best place for gifted students?(Interesting discussion on the gifted and gifted learning. We can further add: Can giftedness be simplistically defined as a higher achievement or do we have intrinsically gifted characteristics that in some way relate achievement? Does providing a challenging environment for gifted minds mean pushing them into a higher competition?)
  • Is It A Cheetah?(It appears that the destruction of human potential in a traditional classroom is not applicable only to gifted learners, but to everyone. However, the gifted may feel the impact more. One major contributory factor for this destruction appears to be the artificially created domain or disciplinary boundaries that forcefully limit human creativity. In this regard, discovery learning through active learner engagement appears to be a promising and effective alternative, instead of the teacher forced curricula and content.)
  • The Gift of Emotional Overexcitabilities(Sensitivities) (How can we develop metacognitive abilities of these gifted individuals so that they are able to regulate their emotions? Research reveal that mindfulness practices play a key role in making gifted individuals more emotionally intelligent.)
  • Fire Chasers – Intensities(Sensitivities) to the extreme(Overexcitable in an overall sense (Dabrowski’s overexcitabilities in extremes))
  • Would you consider yourself an introvert?(Introversion is not something to be cured of as some understand it; take the positives associated with it. Everyone should develop an understanding into introversion/extroversion so that we can develop sustainable societies through a better, deeper understanding of human nature, oneself and fellow human beings.)
  • Why bad moods are good for you: The surprising benefits of sadness(The famous polish psychologist and psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski observed that even personal tragedies help towards human development to higher levels. We see that if one can overcome significantly sorrowful /challenging conditions/environments he/she becomes more resilient, compassionate and understanding. Further, such experiences appear to make them more creative (as research shows) and better/balanced/optimal decision makers. However, it appears that the real challenge is to survive the period during which the individual undergoes the experiences of sorrowful/negative conditions.)
  • Tips for Parents of Intense Children(The need to pay the right attention to children (and adults as well) with INTENSITIES such as emotional, intellectual and imaginational as described by the famous psychologist and psychiatrist.)
  • How to Charm Gifted Adults into Admitting Giftedness: Their Own and Somebody Else’s(“In my current experience and view, the biggest “social issue of the gifted” is the painful misfit between implicit beliefs about giftedness by the non-gifted and the gifted alike and the actual or perceived reality of very many gifted adults.”
  • How can we make individuals believe in their capacities so that they can rely on them towards reaching higher levels of human development?)
  • Discovering the Gifted Ex-Child( “The achievement orientation that has always existed for adults and is now taking over the field of gifted education, makes it difficult for the gifted to understand the qualities of mind that make them different. Such an understanding is essential to honoring the self.”
  • “The first act of honoring the self is the assertion of consciousness: the choice to think, to be aware, to send the searchlight of consciousness outward toward the world and inward toward our own being. To default on this effort is to default on the self at the most basic level. To honor the self is to be willing to think independently, to live by our own mind, and to have the courage of our own perceptions and judgments (Brandon, 1983).”
  • How we support individuals/learners in enhancing consciousness/mindfulness is the key to their healthy progress towards higher levels human development.)
  • The Self-Education of Gifted Adults(“In short, we need to have lived for a number of years to collect the experiences necessary for self-education and conscious personality development even to be possible. The process cannot be rushed. Understanding grown-up potential as Dabrowskian personality development rather than as mere self-improvement can give us an entirely new perspective on time and life, on what matters and what doesn’t. It also can prompt us to re-evaluate how best to nurture the life-long, personal potential of our children, rather than focus solely on academic timetables and curricular achievements.”)
  • Misdiagnoses and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children (Psychologist, Dr. James T. Webb (Founder of SENG – (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) speaks. “Many of our brightest, most creative, most independent-thinking children are being incorrectly diagnosed as having behavioral or mental disorders, such as ADHD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Stigmatizing labels can harm their sense of self, and treatment may be unnecessary and even harmful. Some health conditions, such as allergies and asthma, are actually more common among gifted children, but are overlooked or the giftedness component neglected. Though teachers cannot diagnose, research indicates that teachers are important in suggesting referrals. Because few psychologists, physicians, or other health care professionals receive training about gifted children, educators and parents must become informed. Based on recent research and clinical experience, this workshop describes ways to differentiate whether a child suffers from disorders such as ADHD, or whether the child is simply showing gifted behaviors. Additional focus is given to dual diagnoses of gifted children, those who are twice-exceptional (2e).”)
  • The Ultimate Plan to Help Gifted Education (and Improve Education for All Kids in the Process) (“What would we ask for if we had the support of our state and federal governments for gifted education? Well, the things the gifted support organizations like NAGC and SENG and others ask for — teachers who understand gifted children; flexibility in teaching so that kids with gifted traits can achieve and learn every day, no matter what their skill levels (as all kids deserve); schools that are able to work with families to support gifted kids with social and emotional needs; time for students to explore and invent and create; socialization opportunities for gifted children to find peers..”)
  • What are the risks/troubles associated with giftedness and/or high IQ?
  • The trouble with giftedness (and associated overexitabilities/sensitivities related vulnerabilities) “In short, highly intelligent individuals are at a significantly greater risk of experiencing psychological and physiological disorders according to the study published in the journal Intelligence, online October 8, 2017.” https://www.nicoletetreault.com/single-post/2017/10/10/High-IQ-Hyper-brain-and-hyper-body?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BdLb%2BRa9cTuSGtE5dOe3vzA%3D%3D
  • How could high emotional capacity become a blessing and curse?
  • “High emotional capacity is a blessing and a curse. Without high emotional intelligence individuals like St. Teresa of Calcutta would have not impacted our world so profoundly. We need these individuals to open our eyes to be more empathetic, caring, and develop creative solutions to better society. Even with all of St. Teresa of Calcutta’s massive progress, she suffered silently with her faith and the vulnerability of the human condition. Gifted individuals with a high emotional intelligence are told they are too sensitive that they just need to get over it, and that they take too ….” https://www.nicoletetreault.com/single-post/2017/07/26/Emotionally-gifted-and-navigating-the-world?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BdLb%2BRa9cTuSGtE5dOe3vzA%3D%3D
  • How would mindfulness practices be more specifically useful for individuals with gifted characteristics?
  • “Teach them MINDFULNESS, or other relaxation techniques. We recognize the intensities in gifted children, and we are often at a loss as to how to respond to them. Keep in mind that our children are in the same situation—feeling their intensities and not knowing how to channel them in constructive and creative ways. By our modeling and practicing mindfulness meditations and teaching them how to self-soothe and relax when they feel they will explode, we help them throughout their lives. These practices will most likely have positive health benefits. Thus, we can allow their creative intensities” http://sengifted.org/28-acts-of-kindness-for-the-gifted/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_shares%3BdLb%2BRa9cTuSGtE5dOe3vzA%3D%3D
  • Not Loud, But Proud: How Giftedness, Creativity, and Introversion Helped Me Find My Way(Useful insights on how a gifted mind (introverted and creative) develops over the years! Age 10: “One day, my teacher keeps me inside during recess to talk to me. “Why don’t you have that many friends?” she asks. “You’re such a talented, good-natured kid. Why do I always see you spending time alone?” I’m confused at her concern, because I honestly hadn’t thought about it.” Age 12 ““What do you think, Mel?” my sister asks, in the middle of one of their conversations. I blink and try to recall what they were talking about. “MEL,” she shouts, trying to get my attention. “I wasn’t listening”” Age 18: “Nothing about me is okay. I’m in my first semester of college and everyone, everyone is out partying, every weekend. My whole floor is empty by 7 pm every Friday, and I don’t go anywhere. Sometimes, I skype my friends from home, who are usually also in their respective dorm rooms avoiding the drunken crowds. I try to remind myself that it’s okay that I don’t want to go. It’s okay to be introverted. I’ll eventually make college friends who are like me, who aren’t into being loud and getting drunk in front of tons of new people.”)
  • Counseling Gifted Adults – A Case Study(Why, when counselling gifted adults, it is important to help them self-identify, possibly through raising self-awareness along with related background information that is highly researched and validated. “Over my 29 years of working with this population, I have found certain issues come up repeatedly in therapy. The main challenges include: painful schooling experiences, high levels of sensitivity and intensity, existential depression/ advanced empathy, perfectionism, multipotentiality, and difficulties with relationships. (Mendaglio & Perterson, 2007) When a therapist recognizes the characteristics that often accompany advanced development and explains these traits and their effects to the clients, this explanation, in itself, can have a profound impact on the outcome of therapy (Jacobsen, 1999).” “In adults, as well as children, giftedness is a whole-person phenomenon. Being gifted affects not only the cognitive and academic aspects of individuals, those qualities that we usually associate with giftedness, but also their emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It is more a set of traits than a list of achievements;”)
  • Fostering Adult Giftedness: Acknowledging and Addressing Affective Needs of Gifted Adults (Fostering giftedness in adults – the importance of addressing affective domain needs! “Giftedness in adults can be viewed through a number of lenses. For this article, I want to focus on five key affective needs of gifted adults: acknowledging your own gifts; nurturing your identity development; giving yourself permission to be a growing, changing, imperfect person; taking advantage of and coping with overexcitabilities; and learning practical coping skills. In order to improve self-esteem and self-efficacy, it is vital for adults, as well as children, to have a firm affective foundation from which to act. By focusing on these five needs, adults can begin to foster their own giftedness and will become better role models for gifted children by showing them the importance and value of addressing personal strengths and needs.”)
  • A Synthesis of Research on Psychological Types of Gifted Adolescents(Psychological types/traits of giftedness – explaining using MBTI indicators/Jungian psychology/analytical psychology. It gives an explanation why these individuals usually develop higher levels of self-awareness through an internal focus (introversion) rather than an external orientation (extroversion) “The most common personality types among gifted adolescents were “intuitive” and “perceiving.” They were higher on the Introversion, Intuition, Thinking, and Perceiving dimensions of the personality scales of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) when compared to general high school students. “)
  • When Gifted Individuals Need Medication: Issues, Conflicts and Resolutions(When and for what duration would gifted individuals need psychiatric medication? A useful discussion with a therapist with over 40 years of experience in the area. Can we guide these individuals to come to a deeper level of realisation/actualisation that they become able to carry out auto-psychotherapy as suggested by Kazimierz Dabrowski, a pioneer in gifted development?”When and why standard assessments and interventions often fall short?””The psychiatric consultation/assessment and the proper use of medication””Formulating the causes of symptoms and dysfunctional behaviour and avoiding misdiagnosis:” “Symptoms and behaviour need to be evaluated in CONTEXT in order to determine their origins” “Familiarity with the elements of a gifted endowment and features of a gifted personality are essential in avoiding misdiagnosis””The ultimate goal is to help the gifted individual reconnect with his/her giftedness in positive ways, so they can reclaim their identity as a gifted individual and proceed on their unique developmental path.”)
  • Troubling Times: How Parents and Teachers Can Help Children Understand and Confront Adversity(How and why more sensitive/overexitable children (despite their gifts of abilities) become highly vulnerable to adversities (in many inevitable situations )?
  • “Children, and in particular those who are KNOWLEDGEABLE about news events, WELL-READ, or ASTUTE, can experience TROUBLING THOUGHTS and feelings. Despite (or maybe because of) their INTELLIGENCE or INSIGHTFULNESS they might find it difficult to cope with their fears and misgivings. They may see that many of their peers are far more focused on their own day to day activities, or they are not as interested in upsetting events. The adults in their lives may not be willing or adequately prepared to discuss matters with them. It can sometimes be a struggle for children to put their apprehension into words, to share concerns, to get past a sense of isolation, or to calm a gut feeling that for some reason (perhaps beyond anyone’s comprehension) the world seems more troubled now.”)
  • Anxiety has a cost, but can also be a power for good (ANXIETY and its POWER – a very interesting and useful topic to tread on! It is interesting to understand/conduct research on the differences between ANXIETY and SENSITIVITY if any at all. The latter term is directly associated with GIFTEDNESS by means of the term OVEREXCITABILITIES. Also, in GIFTED LITERATURE, the phenomenon of GIFTEDNESS is referred to as a DOUBLE EDGE KNIFE meaning that if you use/control it appropriately, you end up as a great person while on the other hand if you do not, it is the other extreme. From the neuroscience perspective, ANXIETY/SENSITIVITY can be controlled through MINDFULNESS PRACTICES that reduces the PHYSICAL SIZE along with the REACTIVE FUNCTIONS of the AMYGDALA (the part of the brain that deals with anxiety/ fight-flight reactions). We use the research-proven phenomenon of NEUROPLASTICITY that helps us to change physical connections in the brain by merely paying ATTENTION/giving FOCUS to the right actions/thoughts/emotions.”When anxiety threatens to overwhelm our minds, then doing something mindful — meditating, exercising, writing, for example — can help us focus, calm and filter out distracting, distressing anxiety-driven thoughts.”” But when it’s harnessed and when it’s got a sense of purpose, it creates incredible beauty in this world,”)/expand]

On the Relationship between Mental Illnesses/Conditions and Sleeping Problems/Deprivations

• Why sleep could be the key to tackling mental illness (The interesting relationship between sleep problems/deprivation and mental illnesses/conditions (such as anxiety, depression and schizophrenia) is worth noticing. Once again, we are reminded of the significance of living a balanced life towards overall wellbeing. Especially, those highly sensitive/overexcitable individuals would become susceptible to sleep problems and their consequences. As neuroscience research reveals, mindfulness/metacognitive practices could go a long way in developing more relaxed minds devoid of anxieties/sensitivities leading to a good night’s sleep.)
• More than brain chemistry: Is society, not just serotonin, contributing to increasing rates of depression? ( It is surprising how we (in general) mindlessly believe that depression (and other mental-health conditions including anxiety) are purely a chemical imbalance in the brain and that it does not have environmental/social factors.””It is a bio-psychosocial problem; there are biological factors and psychological and social factors. What Hari is talking about are the social drivers of depression.””It’s good to challenge how the drug companies and the DSM and the FDA oversimplify not just depression, but all mental disorders,”Professor McGorry said. “They try to reduce them and American psychiatry is really responsible for that; they turned away from psychoanalysis to biological psychiatry and regarded everything as just a brain disease.”” )
• Medical students welcome overhaul of mental health reporting laws (After all medical professionals are human – cannot be (and also shouldn’t be) robots!)

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• Antipsychotic drugs, restraints and seclusion: Mental health treatments raising concerns (Antipsychotics! Are we overusing them? What are the negative side-effects?)
• Number of mental health visits to hospital for Victorian kids triples in seven years, study finds (A concerning trend in the mental health of kids and adolescents! “Self-harm, drug and alcohol issues, anxiety, and depression were the most common conditions among the 52,000 children who presented with mental health disorders over the seven-year period.” “Researcher and paediatrician Harriet Hiscock said many families did not realise their child was suffering from a mental health issue until they sought help at hospital.” “They think that the panic attacks are actually seizures, or the recurrent headaches or tummy aches are physically grounded problems, but they’re mental health problems,” she said.” “Measures included public health campaigns to improve mental health literacy and caregiving, and better equipping GPs and frontline health and educational professionals to recognise youth mental health issues.”)
• Big Rise Seen in U.S. Kids, Teens Attempting Suicide (A disturbing trend in the numbers of kids/teens attempting suicide! It gives an insight into how our planet is moving backwards, in the midst of some other advances in areas such as technology. “In a troubling sign that anxiety and depression are taking hold of America’s youth, new research shows a doubling since 2008 in the number of kids and teens who’ve been hospitalized for attempted suicide or suicidal thoughts.”)

• Eight men own same wealth as poorest half of world’s population, Oxfam reveals(Is this sustainable?)
• CEOs now earn 78 times more than Aussie workers (Interesting and insightful discussion on wage stagnation and executive salary! This comparison is between the AVERAGE salary (around 60k-80k in Australia) and executive salary but NOT between the MINIMUM salary and executive salary. This understanding could make a significant difference in the way this information is interpreted.   “Mr Liveris says Australian corporations’ approach to executive remuneration is outdated, as it’s based on a model created for corporations in the 1980s and 1990s. “It’s barely been reviewed for decades even though the business environment has changed. “In this time of change and innovation, decision makers need to better analyse the contributions being made to their corporation’s performance and examine how they can share the benefits more widely.””)

• Eating for better health: The power of plant-based diets(Fruits, veggies and Mediterranean diets)
• Can a change in diet help people fight depression?(We see again that everything is integrated in some way)
• A Brain for Life(An insightful book  highlighting the need to develop and take care of our brain by neuropsychologist Dr Nicola Gates)
• Antibiotics overuse could result in common illness becoming life threatening(Isn’t it timely that we develop our immune systems through natural but purposeful means in order to keep away from diseases? As neuroscience research reveals mindfulness and compassion training practices allow us to overcome stressful conditions and develop resilience. Such practices have proven to improve our overall health and wellbeing. https://www.centerhealthyminds.org/news/mind-over-matter-mapping-the-two-way-street-of-the-brain-and-immune-system  http://ccare.stanford.edu/education/about-compassion-cultivation-training-cct/benefits/ )
• Burning question: Dementia and what you can do to cut your risk(It explains why lifelong learning is important to our wellbeing. In a world of information deluge, we should prepare ourselves to be receptive to diverse information/knowledge reaching us, irrespective of disciplinary boundaries. Such preparation and learning focus will lead us towards enhancing wisdom and human development.)
• Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, so when it comes to athletes, why do we? (Why is it so important for our overall wellbeing that we have a lifelong purpose (such as lifelong learning) in our lives? Then the whole lifetime can be considered as a strategic project that we manage on our own (as opposed to managing short-term goals). Having a strategic purpose/plan such as lifelong learning would likely to take us away from mental illnesses and conditions such as dementia while maintaining a high level of productivity through the development of consciousness/wisdom and/or human development. Giving emphasis on a lifelong learning target at a very young age would appear to be highly beneficial.)
• Living With Purpose May Help Seniors Sleep Soundly (Why is it important to have a purpose in life? How do mindfulness practices help in this regard?)
• The brutal dementia statistics that show Australia has a budget time bomb (It is essential that we emphasise on lifelong learning per se and mindfulness practices to avoid this situation.)
• This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed (Why do we need sleep – a minimum of 7-9 hours a day? The well-known professor of Psychiatry, Daniel Siegel explains.)
• ‘Loneliness Epidemic’ Called a Major Public Health Threat (Loneliness Epidemic: shouldn’t practices of empathy, compassion training, emotional intelligence awareness and mindfulness practices that make social connections provide solutions to these problems?)
• The most important thing your doctor should do, but often doesn’t: talk to you (Why should empathy/ empathic communication be an essential trait for medical practitioners? Why should it an essential be part of medical education?)
• Walking for exercise: Is it enough by itself? (How walking 30 minutes a day (even in 3 blocks of 10 minutes) for 5 days over a week at a moderate intensity (as opposed to vigorous intensity) can bring significant health/well-being benefits?)
• Sleep deprivation costing billions (Less sleep and loss of productivity – can we quantify?. Is sleeping less caused by some unavoidable life matters or is it a choice? Is surviving on less sleep something to brag about? Is there a trend developing over the years about the level of sleep in general?)
• Why you should escape the cult of ‘super busy’ (Interesting discussion on how to manage our health and well-being! Prolong stress and its damage – due to hormones adrenaline and cortisol in our bloodstream for longer.)
• Sleep Deprivation a Serious Threat to Health: Expert (Why is sleep deprivation a serious problem? What are the health conditions associated with it? Should employers/decision-makers pay more attention in this area?)
• Schools reach ‘crisis point’ with sharp increase in students dealing with anxiety, depression (How can our education systems change/improve in order to avoid these trends – significantly increasing incidents of mental health issues for children as young as 10?)
• Why a meaningful life might matter more than happiness (Why a purpose in life or meaningful life matters for our health and well-being (or to be more resilient)!)
• Lifestyle changes could have prevented 40 per cent of cancer deaths, study finds (Reducing cancer deaths 40% by making appropriate lifestyle changes. Tobacco smoking, including passive smoking Low intake of fruit and vegetables and high intake of red and processed meat Excessive alcohol consumption Being overweight Being physically inactive Excessive exposure to UV light Infections such as hepatitis C and Human papillomavirus Use of some menopausal hormonal therapy)
• Jobs That May Ruin Sleep (“Not long ago, sleep wasn’t considered particularly important. You either got it or you didn’t, and if you didn’t, too bad. That picture has changed dramatically as more and more health problems are associated with poor sleep. Some of the problems caused by lack of sleep are short-term. You become more moody. Your judgment can be off. You find it harder to learn. You may also be at greater risk of serious injury. All of this adds up to more mistakes at work and school, and opens the door to potential accidents while driving. There are also long-term problems that arise when you don’t get enough sleep. Over time, sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even an early death.”)
• What’s behind the rise of minimalist living? (Interesting living trend – Minimalist Living! “It’s someone who decides not to buy into the ‘work, spend, go into debt, work some more’ lifestyle, which is encouraged by consumerist society,” Professor Kasser says. “[They] instead focus on personal growth, their family, or spirituality … living sustainably or contributing to the community”  “We focus primarily on how the economy is doing … these are all extrinsic, materialistic, money-orientated indicators,” he says. “Instead of using economic growth as a proxy for all things good, [we must focus] instead on indicators that really do have to do with intrinsic values, how happy are people.”)
• The High Price of Materialism (High price of materialism – what research finds is deteriorating health and well being (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem etc), reducing personal and social sustainability!)
• Eat Your Greens . . . and Maybe Boost an Aging Brain (
  HEALTHY AGING – HOW?
  Eat your greens
  Regular exercise
  Not smoking
  Maintaining a healthy weight
  Keeping your cardiovascular system in good condition (by controlling high blood pressure and diabetes, for instance)
  Staying mentally engaged (by reading or learning new skills, for example)
  )
• Depression Symptoms: Exercise, Diet & Stress Reduction (Some useful, natural practices to overcome stress, anxiety and depression (and to maintain overall well-being)!)
• Superannuation increasingly used for medical costs (Concerning trend! – in an increasing trend of superannuation funds are being used as medical costs (40+ million in 2001 and now it is close to 300 million). It appears that something is not right here. What are are the causes/solutions?)

Omega-3: What are the health benefits and how should you eat it? (Deciding on healthy-fat intake towards well-being. “Easy ways to eat healthy fats Include 2–3 serves of fish a week (100–150g per serve). Use nuts and seeds in your breakfast. Sprinkle ground linseed on cereal or try a handful of almonds sprinkled over yoghurt. A handful of unsalted nuts make a healthy snack any time of the day. Use oils and margarine spreads made from olive, sunflower, canola and safflower oils in cooking and on sandwiches and toast instead of butter. Choose wholegrain bread with linseeds.”)

•  Slow down! Eating at a leisurely pace may be good for you (Mindful eating (by slowing down the speed of taking food in) to avoid getting over-weight/obesity. It allows us to listen to body signals better to stop over-eating. Interesting! Another example of how mindfulness helps in personal well-being.)
• Sugary soft drinks linked to increased cancer risk (A good reason to minimise (or even to avoid) soft drinks – MINIMISE CANCER RISKS. )
• Heavy Drinkers Put Themselves at Risk for Dementia (Research findings/confirmations: The relationship between alcohol abuse and dementia (early onset))“Overall, alcohol abuse was associated with a three times greater risk for all types of dementia. Alcohol was a factor in 57 percent of the 57,000 cases of early onset dementia, which is dementia that develops before age 65.
• Practise some digital manners on your daily commute: start by turning down the volume (“where’s the digital etiquette?”(especially in public places)) An interesting and worthy question in a modern world.)
• Overwhelmed with responsibilities? How to learn to give yourself a break (Why our ultimate goal should be the well-being of all! “It’s these feelings of human frailty that bind us together and shows we are more alike than we realise. As Pema Chodron says: “Compassion for others begins with kindness to ourselves.”)
• Does Journaling Boost Your Well-Being? ( The value of journaling (possibly15-30 minutes a day) in enhancing well-being, reasoning and insight,  )
• 11 Surprising Reasons You’re Always Tired ( Some steps towards individual well-being – to avoid feeling tired and pay attention/be mindful of our work for enhanced learning and development. )
• Work and the Loneliness Epidemic (How severe can be loneliness as an epidemic in our societies? “Loneliness is a growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Today, over 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher. Additionally, the number of people who report having a close confidante in their lives has been declining over the past few decades. In the workplace, many employees — and half of CEOs — report feeling lonely in their roles.”)
• What to Do When Personal and Professional Commitments Compete for Your Time (How one’s value system becomes the key when it comes to prioritising personal and professional life commitments – interesting discussion! “The first is to define how you want to prioritize your time when professional and personal commitments collide. Each person must determine this prioritization for themselves because dramatic differences exist between individuals’ preferences, especially across cultures.” “Values. To feel successful, you need to live according to your values. Ask yourself: What are my values in terms of the type of spouse, parent, and employee I want to be? What choices will I be happy that I made five years from now?” “Family culture. Every family has a different flavour in terms of what matters to them. Ask yourself: What kind of family culture do I want to create? Do I value eating meals together, going to kids’ activities, or spending quality time with my spouse? What decisions would be aligned with that culture?”)
• Training compassion ‘muscle’ may boost brain’s resilience to others’ suffering (What the research on compassion training reveals – developing resilience in the face of “poignant enormity ” (as referred to by Jon Kabat-Zinn from University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) founder/pioneer) of our world – could be a very useful practice/tool for, more specifically, those highly sensitive/overexcitable (as referred to by Kazimierz  Dabrowski) individuals.”The findings, published May 22 in the journal Frontiers in Psychology…””Compassion meditation slows things down so people can practice being more calm, notice the feelings that arise and learn to be less reactive, she adds. “This gives you more mental space to focus on the other person, to practice wishing kindness and wanting them to be well, and I think both parts are really important for effectively responding to people suffering.”””“The pattern of these findings — an increase in looking at suffering while simultaneously down-regulating neural circuits associated with negative emotion — is a winning combination that may be beneficial for a wide range of conditions including autism and social anxiety disorder in which gaze aversion and social discomfort are hallmark signs,” he adds.”)

  Just How Bad Is Business Travel for Your Health? Here’s the Data (The relationship between BUSINESS TRAVEL and TRAVELLER’S HEALTH – very much educative! “…strong correlation between the frequency of business travel and a wide range of physical and behavioural health risks. Compared to those who spent one to six nights a month away from home for business travel, those who spent 14 or more nights away from home per month had significantly higher body mass index scores and were significantly more likely to report the following: poor self-rated health; clinical symptoms of ANXIETY, DEPRESSION and ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE; NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY or EXERCISE; SMOKING; and TROUBLE SLEEPING. The odds of being OBESE were 92% HIGHER for those who travelled 21 or more nights per month compared to those who travelled only one to six nights per month, and this ultra-travelling group also had HIGHER DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE and lower high-density lipoprotein (the good cholesterol).)

  Living in a World More Focused on Means than Meaning (MEANING of life – the intriguing question for some – the thought-provoking EXISTENTIAL matters! Some deeper insights! “Viktor Frankl (Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor) once lamented, “People have enough to live by but nothing to live for: they have the means but no meaning.” This is the predicament of modern man. Once we’ve addresse

  • Eating for better health: The power of plant-based diets(Fruits, veggies and Mediterranean diets)
  • Can a change in diet help people fight depression?(We see again that everything is integrated in some way)
  • A Brain for Life(An insightful book  highlighting the need to develop and take care of our brain by neuropsychologist Dr Nicola Gates)
  • Antibiotics overuse could result in common illness becoming life threatening(Isn’t it timely that we develop our immune systems through natural but purposeful means in order to keep away from diseases? As neuroscience research reveals mindfulness and compassion training practices allow us to overcome stressful conditions and develop resilience. Such practices have proven to improve our overall health and wellbeing. https://www.centerhealthyminds.org/news/mind-over-matter-mapping-the-two-way-street-of-the-brain-and-immune-system  http://ccare.stanford.edu/education/about-compassion-cultivation-training-cct/benefits/ )
  • Burning question: Dementia and what you can do to cut your risk(It explains why lifelong learning is important to our wellbeing. In a world of information deluge, we should prepare ourselves to be receptive to diverse information/knowledge reaching us, irrespective of disciplinary boundaries. Such preparation and learning focus will lead us towards enhancing wisdom and human development.)
  • Mental illness doesn’t discriminate, so when it comes to athletes, why do we?(Why is it so important for our overall wellbeing that we have a lifelong purpose (such as lifelong learning) in our lives? Then the whole lifetime can be considered as a strategic project that we manage on our own (as opposed to managing short-term goals). Having a strategic purpose/plan such as lifelong learning would likely to take us away from mental illnesses and conditions such as dementia while maintaining a high level of productivity through the development of consciousness/wisdom and/or human development. Giving emphasis on a lifelong learning target at a very young age would appear to be highly beneficial.)
  • Living With Purpose May Help Seniors Sleep Soundly(Why is it important to have a purpose in life? How do mindfulness practices help in this regard?)
  • The brutal dementia statistics that show Australia has a budget time bomb(It is essential that we emphasise on lifelong learning per se and mindfulness practices to avoid this situation.)
  • This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed(Why do we need sleep – a minimum of 7-9 hours a day? The well-known professor of Psychiatry, Daniel Siegel explains.)
  • ‘Loneliness Epidemic’ Called a Major Public Health Threat (Loneliness Epidemic: shouldn’t practices of empathy, compassion training, emotional intelligence awareness and mindfulness practices that make social connections provide solutions to these problems?)
  • The most important thing your doctor should do, but often doesn’t: talk to you(Why should empathy/ empathic communication be an essential trait for medical practitioners? Why should it an essential be part of medical education?)
  • Walking for exercise: Is it enough by itself?(How walking 30 minutes a day (even in 3 blocks of 10 minutes) for 5 days over a week at a moderate intensity (as opposed to vigorous intensity) can bring significant health/well-being benefits?)
  • Sleep deprivation costing billions(Less sleep and loss of productivity – can we quantify?. Is sleeping less caused by some unavoidable life matters or is it a choice? Is surviving on less sleep something to brag about? Is there a trend developing over the years about the level of sleep in general?)
  • Why you should escape the cult of ‘super busy’ (Interesting discussion on how to manage our health and well-being! Prolong stress and its damage – due to hormones adrenaline and cortisol in our bloodstream for longer.)
  • Why a meaningful life might matter more than happiness(Why a purpose in life or meaningful life matters for our health and well-being (or to be more resilient)!)
  • Lifestyle changes could have prevented 40 per cent of cancer deaths, study finds(Reducing cancer deaths 40% by making appropriate lifestyle changes. Tobacco smoking, including passive smoking Low intake of fruit and vegetables and high intake of red and processed meat Excessive alcohol consumption Being overweight Being physically inactive Excessive exposure to UV light Infections such as hepatitis C and Human papillomavirus Use of some menopausal hormonal therapy)
  • Jobs That May Ruin Sleep(“Not long ago, sleep wasn’t considered particularly important. You either got it or you didn’t, and if you didn’t, too bad. That picture has changed dramatically as more and more health problems are associated with poor sleep. Some of the problems caused by lack of sleep are short-term. You become more moody. Your judgment can be off. You find it harder to learn. You may also be at greater risk of serious injury. All of this adds up to more mistakes at work and school, and opens the door to potential accidents while driving. There are also long-term problems that arise when you don’t get enough sleep. Over time, sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even an early death.”)
  • What’s behind the rise of minimalist living?(Interesting living trend – Minimalist Living! “It’s someone who decides not to buy into the ‘work, spend, go into debt, work some more’ lifestyle, which is encouraged by consumerist society,” Professor Kasser says. “[They] instead focus on personal growth, their family, or spirituality … living sustainably or contributing to the community”  “We focus primarily on how the economy is doing … these are all extrinsic, materialistic, money-orientated indicators,” he says. “Instead of using economic growth as a proxy for all things good, [we must focus] instead on indicators that really do have to do with intrinsic values, how happy are people.”)
  • The High Price of Materialism(High price of materialism – what research finds is deteriorating health and well being (depression, anxiety, low self-esteem etc), reducing personal and social sustainability!)
  • Eat Your Greens . . . and Maybe Boost an Aging Brain(
    HEALTHY AGING – HOW?
    Eat your greens
    Regular exercise
    Not smoking
    Maintaining a healthy weight
    Keeping your cardiovascular system in good condition (by controlling high blood pressure and diabetes, for instance)
    Staying mentally engaged (by reading or learning new skills, for example)
    )
  • Depression Symptoms: Exercise, Diet & Stress Reduction(Some useful, natural practices to overcome stress, anxiety and depression (and to maintain overall well-being)!)
  • Superannuation increasingly used for medical costs(Concerning trend! – in an increasing trend of superannuation funds are being used as medical costs (40+ million in 2001 and now it is close to 300 million). It appears that something is not right here. What are are the causes/solutions?)
  • Omega-3: What are the health benefits and how should you eat it?(Deciding on healthy-fat intake towards well-being. “Easy ways to eat healthy fats Include 2–3 serves of fish a week (100–150g per serve). Use nuts and seeds in your breakfast. Sprinkle ground linseed on cereal or try a handful of almonds sprinkled over yoghurt. A handful of unsalted nuts make a healthy snack any time of the day. Use oils and margarine spreads made from olive, sunflower, canola and safflower oils in cooking and on sandwiches and toast instead of butter. Choose wholegrain bread with linseeds.”)
  • Slow down! Eating at a leisurely pace may be good for you (Mindful eating (by slowing down the speed of taking food in) to avoid getting over-weight/obesity. It allows us to listen to body signals better to stop over-eating. Interesting! Another example of how mindfulness helps in personal well-being.)
  • Sugary soft drinks linked to increased cancer risk(A good reason to minimise (or even to avoid) soft drinks – MINIMISE CANCER RISKS. )
  • Heavy Drinkers Put Themselves at Risk for Dementia(Research findings/confirmations: The relationship between alcohol abuse and dementia (early onset))“Overall, alcohol abuse was associated with a three times greater risk for all types of dementia. Alcohol was a factor in 57 percent of the 57,000 cases of early onset dementia, which is dementia that develops before age 65.
  • Practise some digital manners on your daily commute: start by turning down the volume(“where’s the digital etiquette?”(especially in public places)) An interesting and worthy question in a modern world.)
  • Overwhelmed with responsibilities? How to learn to give yourself a break(Why our ultimate goal should be the well-being of all! “It’s these feelings of human frailty that bind us together and shows we are more alike than we realise. As Pema Chodron says: “Compassion for others begins with kindness to ourselves.”)
  • Does Journaling Boost Your Well-Being?( The value of journaling (possibly15-30 minutes a day) in enhancing well-being, reasoning and insight,  )
  • 11 Surprising Reasons You’re Always Tired( Some steps towards individual well-being – to avoid feeling tired and pay attention/be mindful of our work for enhanced learning and development. )
  • Work and the Loneliness Epidemic(How severe can be loneliness as an epidemic in our societies? “Loneliness is a growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Today, over 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher. Additionally, the number of people who report having a close confidante in their lives has been declining over the past few decades. In the workplace, many employees — and half of CEOs — report feeling lonely in their roles.”)
  • What to Do When Personal and Professional Commitments Compete for Your Time(How one’s value system becomes the key when it comes to prioritising personal and professional life commitments – interesting discussion! “The first is to define how you want to prioritize your time when professional and personal commitments collide. Each person must determine this prioritization for themselves because dramatic differences exist between individuals’ preferences, especially across cultures.” “Values. To feel successful, you need to live according to your values. Ask yourself: What are my values in terms of the type of spouse, parent, and employee I want to be? What choices will I be happy that I made five years from now?” “Family culture. Every family has a different flavour in terms of what matters to them. Ask yourself: What kind of family culture do I want to create? Do I value eating meals together, going to kids’ activities, or spending quality time with my spouse? What decisions would be aligned with that culture?”)
  • Training compassion ‘muscle’ may boost brain’s resilience to others’ suffering(What the research on compassion training reveals – developing resilience in the face of “poignant enormity ” (as referred to by Jon Kabat-Zinn from University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) founder/pioneer) of our world – could be a very useful practice/tool for, more specifically, those highly sensitive/overexcitable (as referred to by Kazimierz  Dabrowski) individuals.”The findings, published May 22 in the journal Frontiers in Psychology…””Compassion meditation slows things down so people can practice being more calm, notice the feelings that arise and learn to be less reactive, she adds. “This gives you more mental space to focus on the other person, to practice wishing kindness and wanting them to be well, and I think both parts are really important for effectively responding to people suffering.”””“The pattern of these findings — an increase in looking at suffering while simultaneously down-regulating neural circuits associated with negative emotion — is a winning combination that may be beneficial for a wide range of conditions including autism and social anxiety disorder in which gaze aversion and social discomfort are hallmark signs,” he adds.”)
  • Just How Bad Is Business Travel for Your Health? Here’s the Data(The relationship between BUSINESS TRAVEL and TRAVELLER’S HEALTH – very much educative! “…strong correlation between the frequency of business travel and a wide range of physical and behavioural health risks. Compared to those who spent one to six nights a month away from home for business travel, those who spent 14 or more nights away from home per month had significantly higher body mass index scores and were significantly more likely to report the following: poor self-rated health; clinical symptoms of ANXIETY, DEPRESSION and ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE; NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY or EXERCISE; SMOKING; and TROUBLE SLEEPING. The odds of being OBESE were 92% HIGHER for those who travelled 21 or more nights per month compared to those who travelled only one to six nights per month, and this ultra-travelling group also had HIGHER DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE and lower high-density lipoprotein (the good cholesterol).)
  • Living in a World More Focused on Means than Meaning(MEANING of life – the intriguing question for some – the thought-provoking EXISTENTIAL matters! Some deeper insights! “Viktor Frankl (Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor) once lamented, “People have enough to live by but nothing to live for: they have the means but no meaning.” This is the predicament of modern man. Once we’ve addressed our basic needs in life, what do we strive for? This is the kind of question we ought to be talking about at our dining table with family and friends as well as in the workplace. My hope is that in sharing this article, it will prompt more of those kinds of conversations. “)
  • Probiotic supplements: should healthy people take them or is it a waste of money?(Should we take PROBIOTIC supplements or use more NATURAL means (having healthy diets with lots of VEGGIES, FRUITS and DIETARY FIBRE) to get the same effects? An interesting and useful discussion/advice!       “So if you have a poor diet (you eat TOO MUCH TAKE-AWAY food and NOT ENOUGH fruit, vegetables and whole-grain products, or you drink ALCOHOL TOO MUCH and too often) and DON’T EXERCISE regularly, your digestive bacteria may benefit from probiotic supplements, though you’ll have to keep taking them to get lasting effects.”

“But if you are otherwise healthy, probiotic supplements are likely to be a WASTE OF MONEY. Here’s some simple advice: take what you spend on probiotic supplements, and use it to buy and eat more fruit and vegetables.”)

• • Can Compassion Heal? (Great article on how MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS can become healers/therapists for significantly more EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSIS and TREATMENT (moving away from ALGORITHMIC DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT, minimising the need for medication and improving recovery time) – yes research supported scientific evidence!)

    The Moment I Stopped Letting Busyness Be My Comfort Zone (Great firsthand insights into the value of SLOWING DOWN/being MINDFUL instead of being in ROBOTIC BUSYNESS/AUTOPILOT in order the enjoy happiness/joy/wisdom in life!

    “Before my accident, I hadn’t been still in years. Maybe ever. BUSYNESS had always been my COMFORT ZONE. I knew I was an OVERACHIEVER; that was pretty obvious. What I didn’t know was why. Honestly, I can’t recall having wondered about it at all before the accident. Keeping myself busy meant that I had NO TIME to dwell on the deep hurts and trauma of my childhood; work was the most acceptable way to NUMB MYSELF. However, coming to stillness after my accident helped me realize that, by keeping myself busy all the time, I wasn’t just avoiding uncomfortable feelings, I was also avoiding JOYFUL ones.”)

  • Behavioral Medicine ( BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE an INTEGRATIVE/INTERDISCIPLINARY practice as means of reducing costs on healthcare systems ( including MINIMISING RELIANCE ON MEDICATION)- a very useful notion!
    “Changes in behavior and lifestyle can improve health, prevent illness and reduce symptoms of illness. More than 25 years of research, clinical practice and community-based interventions in the field of behavioral medicine have shown that behavioral changes can help people feel better physically and emotionally, improve their health status, increase their self-care skills and improve their ability to live with chronic illness. Behavioral interventions also can improve the effectiveness of medical interventions, reduce overutilization of the healthcare system and reduce the overall costs of care.”)

  • Is Humility the Soil for Happiness to Grow? (An INSIGHTFUL and EVIDENCE-BASED view on the quality of HUMILITY! What a useful feature to become AWARE OF THE REALITY AS IS and develop WISDOM (that helps complex problems solving )? “”the ability to see oneself in true perspective and be at PEACE with it.” Three components support this definition: a HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP to oneself, a healthy relationship to others and a healthy relationship to reality.” “Humble people are able to TOLERATE an honest look at themselves, and non-defensively accept their WEAKNESSES alongside their STRENGTHS,” … “This untroubled, serene, secure relationship to oneself diminishes the need to CONSTANTLY monitor and DEFEND one’s self-worth, bringing about FREEDOM from a never-ending and exhausting tendency to COMPARE ONESELF TO OTHERS.” “Humble people DO NOT EXAGGERATE the meaning of their differences from others. Even when they may LEGITIMATELY judge themselves as better or worse than others in some respects, they do not view themselves as SUPERIOR or INFERIOR to others on the whole…” “being free from exaggerated concerns about what other people SIGNIFY FOR THEIR OWN SELF-WORTH, humble people are also able to approach others with more openness, ease and benevolence.”)

  • What is Integrative Medicine? (INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE – A very important and useful emerging BROADER MEANING OF MEDICINE that should IDEALLY be the more MAINSTREAM definition of medicine at the earliest possible for developing SUSTAINABLE societies. “INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE is grounded in the definition of health. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of COMPLETE PHYSICAL, MENTAL and SOCIAL WELLBEING and NOT MERELY  the absence of disease or infirmity. Integrative medicine seeks to restore and maintain health and wellness across a PERSON’S LIFESPAN by understanding the PATIENT’S UNIQUE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES and addressing the FULL RANGE of PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL and ENVIRONMENTAL influences that affect health. Through PERSONALISING care, integrative medicine GOES BEYOND the treatment of SYMPTOMS to ADDRESS ALL THE CAUSES of an illness. In doing so, the patient’s immediate health needs as well as the effects of the LONG-TERM and complex interplay between biological, behavioural, PSYCHOSOCIAL and ENVIRONMENTAL influences are taken into account”)

  • Pleasure and Happiness: The Great Mix-up (Insightful reflection on the DIFFERENCE between PLEASURE and #HAPPINESS! “Pleasure is the direct result of hedonistic, pleasurable sensual, esthetic, or intellectual stimuli. This fleeting experience of pleasure is dependent upon #circumstances, on a specific #location, or moment in time. It is #unstable by nature, and the sensation it evokes soon becomes neutral or even unpleasant. When repeated it may grow insipid or even lead to disgust, like the happiness of eating a cake. It tastes good, but that pleasure ends as soon as we finish it. To prolong this happiness we would have to keep eating more cakes and then, ten cakes later, we might feel nauseous.”)
  • Alcohol Helps Kill 2.8 Million People Globally Each Year (  ALCOHOL as a COLOSSAL GLOBAL ISSUE!”According to Robyn Burton of King’s College London, in England, “The conclusions of the study are clear and unambiguous: alcohol is a colossal global health issue and small reductions in health-related harms at low levels of alcohol intake are OUTWEIGHED BY THE INCREASED RISKS of other health-related harms, including CANCER.”The new study offers strong support for a guideline published by the CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER of the UNITED KINDOM, “who found that there is ‘NO SAFE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION,’ ” Burton wrote in an editorial that accompanied the study.”The SOLUTIONS are straightforward: INCREASING TAXATION creates income for hard-pressed health ministries, and REDUCING EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN to alcohol marketing has no downsides,” Burton concluded.”)
  • How Buddhism helped this cancer doctor care for his dying patients (How MINDFULNESS practices (or MEDITATION) helped an AUSTRALIAN ONCOLOGIST (specialist treating CANCERS) to take better care of himself and his patients. MIRACULOUS EFFECTS of paying FULL-ATTENTION NON-JUDGEMENTALLY (in an open, accepting mind) to what one is doing in the present moment.”Before the influence of Buddhism on his practice, he says his relationship with patients was characterised by “coldness, a lack of engagement and a lack of grieving”.This only added to his feelings of depression and burnout, he says.Dr Page says Buddhist philosophy helped him get in touch with ways of being, characterised by compassion, loving kindness and equanimity.Accepting the impermanence of things was also key in helping him confront his own mortality.All this changed his practice as a clinician.”It’s affected the way I see people and treat people,” Dr Page says. “I reconfigured my job.”””As a Buddhist, Dr Page believes suffering is universal, but it can be reduced if we meditate.”)To Cope with Stress, Try Learning Something New (#LEARNING SOMETHING NEW as a means of overcoming hashtag#STRESS – especially when we have a FAITH/TRUST as a way of HUMAN DEVELOPMENT not merely as a way of finding EMPLOYMENT! A great insight”investigated learning as a stress buffer because learning helps workers build valuable instrumental and psychological resources… learning brings us new information and knowledge ..useful for solving near-term stressful problems; ..equips us with new skills ..capabilities to address ..prevent future stressors. ..taking time to reflect on what we know and learn new things ..develop feelings of competence and self-efficacy (a sense of being capable of achieving goals and doing more). Learning . helps connect us to an underlying purpose of GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT. ..we can see ourselves as constantly improving and developing, rather than being stuck with fixed capabilities. .. enable us to build RESILIENCE in the face of stressors””Alongside purely relaxing breaks — either short ones like meditating or longer ones like taking days off — consider recasting learning itself as a break from your routine tasks at work. .. seem like a mere mental rebranding, but if a learning activity allows ..to divert from the type of effort you use in regular work activities….it can replenish you psychologically.”)

    Obesity epidemic is fuelled by ‘truth decay’ (The serious SOCIAL PROBLEM of TRUTH DECAY described with an application in the FOOD INDUSTRY to explain the social problem of OBESITY! However, as one would realise, TRUTH DECAY is not restricted to one industry, it is a very common social phenomenon we encounter on a daily basis.

    “Science, including health research, has been particularly susceptible to “truth decay” — a term coined by the Rand Corporation thinktank to describe the rise in use of opinion over fact in political debates and public discourse.

    Truth decay is characterised by increasing disagreement about facts and data, an increase in anecdotes to combat evidence and a decline in trust in experts.

    This enables special interests to flood individuals with filtered information.”

    “Consumers, clinicians, researchers, and policy makers need to be empowered to recognise when research has been hijacked by corporate interests, and to make decisions based on facts and not opinions.”)

    ‘Mental hygiene’ could improve your life — but does it improve your health? (MENTAL HYGIENE (similar to DENTAL HYGIENE) through MINDFULNESS and WHEEL OF AWARENESS!

    It is great to see the WORLD RENOWN PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY/AUTHOR (HARVARD graduate) DANIEL SIEGEL from UCLA, being interviewed by ABC on the benefits of MINDFULNESS practices. Prof. Siegel puts forth work of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Professor Elizabeth Blackburn’s work on the effects of MINDFULNESS  on  TELOMERES that protect chromosomes in cells (or people who practice mindfulness regularly have an optimal level of telomerase).

    “Professor Siegel has developed a reflective practice called ‘wheel of awareness’ training, to help people gain greater control over their attention and be “present for life”.

    The wheel, a visual metaphor for the way the mind works, distinguishes individual aspects of our internal and external world.

    At its centre is the ‘hub’, the home of ‘knowing’ or being aware.

    The rim of the wheel is divided into the things our attention can shift to, like listening to your body and listening to your mind; senses like taste, touch or hearing; and relationships with other people.

    Professor Siegel trains people to mentally shift this spoke away from distractions as required, and bend back on itself so that it’s directed toward the central hub, the home of clear-mindedness.”)

    How Sleep Primes The Brain For Emotional Intelligence (The RELATIONSHIP between SLEEP and EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE! How would adequate SLEEP help in enhanced EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE!

    “I described how I sometimes become “GRUMPY” when I don’t get enough sleep. Parents of young children experience this all the time. Both in the sleep deprived parent and in the toddler who was possibly up all through the night. We see it in the workplace when an “ANGRY” LEADER might snap at and LOSE PATIENCE with a subordinate. A sleep deprived doctor can come across as IMPATIENT and have poor bedside manners. These “INAPPROPRIATE EMOTIONS” are often the result of sleep deprived individuals. This is not an effective way to build strong relationships and improve connections. ”

    “Getting eight hours of sleep is essential–not six or seven, but EIGHT HOURS. Why? According to the research, those last two hours are filled with 60-90% of the important dream state REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. It is during this time that our brains get a sort of EMOTIONAL TUNE-UP. As humans, we have the ability to deeply experience and REGULATE our EMOTIONS. We can RECOGNISE and INFLUENCE the EMOTIONS of others. We also have more REM sleep than any other species. According to Walker, REM sleep “enhances EMOTIONAL and SOCIAL SOPHISTICATION.” “)

    What is Attachment Theory? Why is it important? (The significance of the QUALITY OF the CARE from the CARE-GIVER/PARENT of an infant/child in child’s DEVELOPMENT (especially emotional stability/RELATIONSHIPS with OTHERS later in life)!

    “Having a healthy ‘internal working model’ is thus important for three main reasons

    Your sense of self

    Your sense of others

    Your relationships with yourself and others

    Research shows that attachment problems can have a big impact on later life. Attachment difficulties account for a significant percentage of reasons why adoptions break down for e.g.

    Children who are securely attached can develop increasing independence, exploring their environment with confidence that they can return to a carer who will respond to their needs. Therefore securely attached children will develop good self esteem and know that they are considered worth looking after.

    However, children who don’t get the chance to form good attachments run the risk of developing poor internal working models which can have very negative impacts on their view of themselves and their ability to form relationships with other people. John Bowlby was worried that the long-term impacts included increased aggression and even ‘affectionless psychopathy’ where a person cannot show affection or concern for others.”)

• • Australia’s jobs market highly gender-segregated, little change over past 20 years(Shouldn’t our employment space change in the presence of a changing world filled with robots and applications of artificial intelligence)
  • Are Australian households on the edge of a debt crisis?( Do we lack consciousness on debt both as individuals and governments?)
  • Bob Dylan asked these questions decades ago, and ‘populism’ is not the answer(The real issues of a society – can populism solve them?)
  • Structural problems are allowing employers to hide profits from workers: ACTU (Is wage stagnation caused by threats from automation, temporary work visas or student workers (who don’t have a say on their pay) either alone or in combination? Have employers become more powerful (in comparison to unions) and exploiting the prevailing labour market dynamics to earn higher profits? How will this trend impact on measures such as productivity, overall economic growth and social sustainability?)
  • The shopping trolley pushing up economic growth(Why do governments and independent economists/reviewers always interpret the same data/results/pictures in contrasting ways? Is this what we call “political” viewpoint/decision-making? Who does the general public trust more?)
  • International students urged to speak out about workplace exploitation and intimidation(An interesting study/investigation.)
  • Slavery is a bigger problem now than when it was ‘abolished’ — and it’s happening here( “The fact that slavery can be hidden deep inside multinational supply chains blinds us to its presence and can make us all unwitting enablers.” )
  • NAB rebounds with $5.3b profit, announces 6,000 job losses( Much predicted effects of automation/digitisation are already here! The trend will extend to other industries as well in no time. We should not complain, instead see this as an opportunity or catalyst to evolve better in the right direction. Our education systems have been producing individuals to cater for the outcomes of the industrial revolution that took place over hundred years ago. We need to seriously think about changing the paradigm from producing individuals to undertake routine work to produce individuals with creativity/wisdom to take care of their lives more mindfully.
  • Migrant workers in Australia chronically underpaid, finds study(One culprit of wage growth stagnation/or low wage growth in Australia – chronically underpaid migrant workers. Possibly true for other similar economies.)
  • Blackmail — the business plan for cheaper wages (A new and apparently widely used business model – Blackmailing. It may appear superficially that it affects only the exploited migrant workers. But if you dive deep, it affects the broader economy of the country. This is another proof of what Leonardo da Vinci famously said “Everything is Connected to Everything Else” “Bringing people into the country, paying them below minimum wage, is not a recipe for economic success.”)
  • Stuck on the jobless treadmill(Long-Term-Unemployment! Higher than during the GFC in Australia. What are the causes and where are the solutions coming from? What strategic decisions our education systems can take to avoid these situation in future?)
  • You won’t see a bump in your pay packet any time soon(Wage stagnation in Australia despite a reasonably high jobs growth – some very good/real analysis/reasons! High population growth, mainly through migration High number of temporary visa holders/workers including students Misconceived “trickle-down economics” theory On the first two reasons – The primary focus of migrant workers and temporary visa holders is to find some sort of employment, not about the size of the pay packet. Further, in comparison, their expectations are lower as well (in trying to adjust and survive). These facts are contributing to lower wage growth.)
  • The Job Interview Will Soon Be Dead. Here’s What the Top Companies Are Replacing It With(ob Interviews! How Useful Are They? “Friedman says we are creating a condition where people are being dishonest because, well, plain and simple, it’s the only way for them to get a job. In other words, lets say I’m interviewing for one of your jobs. If you ask me about a skill I don’t have, it’s pretty clear that if admit that I don’t have that skill, I’m not going to get the job. The only option I have is to talk around it and give you, my potential boss or colleague, a false impression. The result: Employers are consistently getting spoon-fed dishonest answers, and they’re eating it up l”)
  • Exploited foreign workers falling into ‘black hole’ of diplomatic immunity(MODERN DAY SLAVERY IN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS! How can such blatant perpetrators be representatives of a nation in a diplomatic mission? Aren’t they an absolute disgrace to whom they represent? How do they get appointed and who is responsible? Isn’t there any monitoring/evaluation/reporting structure? How can these incomprehensible situations be explained? Can Australia allow its domestic laws be violated in the disguise of a diplomatic mission? “It’s incredible to think that in the heart of Australia, that these sort of 19th-century practices are taking place,” “I don’t think it’s any surprise that in those circumstances, there are people who are working for virtually no money in a number of different embassies and consular buildings across Australia,” “She is aware of 20 workers who have escaped embassies.”)
  • Understanding the ‘gig economy’ and the changing world of work(Through a short-term oriented, easily-done and narrow specialisation focus in our education systems, are we promoting a “gig economy”? Aren’t we risking our learners’ futures in a changing world by not giving a balanced education between broader knowledge and set of specific skills?”Twenty years ago, professionals were generic,” he says. “These days, we’re demanding more specialist and niche skills. But companies can’t employ people with all the niche skills required, as they’d just have too many people.”)
  • Millions of Australians missing out on superannuation, amid rise of gig economy( Everything is connected to everything else” as Leonardo da Vinci famously said. Not getting superannuation paid is not a  problem only of the associated worker – it is a major social problem with a lasting impact. Another example why we need to emphasise on the social responsibility of organisations as well as individuals for developing sustainable societies.”Then that societal risk, if you’d like, that we’ve accepted allowing this kind of work, comes back to those of us who’ve been paying tax, comes back to those who will be paying tax who’ll have to bear the burden without enough superannuation.” )
  • Want to fix wage stagnation? Follow South Australia’s lead on payroll tax(An interesting and sensible discussion on the payroll tax threshold in Australia as a solution to the years-long issue of stagnated wage growth.)
  • Universal basic income should be seen as a rightful share of society’s wealth(An insightful discussion on how a Universal Basic Income (UBI) system would contribute to sustainable (fairer, more just and ethical) social developments minimising worker/human exploitation/malpractices. “we need to understand UBI as a radical redistributive mechanism — one that works to redistribute wealth so all can enjoy economic security as a basic human right.” “We must see the UBI not as a grant, but a social dividend from wealth collectively created, or what Stanford’s Professor James Ferguson calls a rightful share. A UBI as a rightful share would go along side other social services, such as health, education, housing and disability support. ” “This is important as the GIG economy, labour precariarity, and attacks of collectively mobilised labour and unions are increasing. The UBI gives people the freedom to say no to get a better deal for their labour.” “Also, formal work as it is currently defined is very limited. It overlooks all the productive unpaid labour that people do — from the reproductive work (mainly women) do in raising children, to the important work some First Nations people undertake in caring for country and the unpaid creative work carried our by our artists.”)
  • Senior Executives Get More Sleep Than Everyone Else(The significance of QUALITY SLEEP in decision-making, not just for senior executives but for everyone. Because everyone makes important decisions in his/her personal lives. “For leaders, sleep is not a luxury. Research has found that there is a direct link between getting enough sleep and leading effectively and that sleep-deprived leaders are less inspiring.” “It USED TO BE a BADGE OF HONOUR to BRAG about sleeping few hours, but our research should serve as inspiration for aspiring leaders to make sleep sacrosanct. The key message: If you want to be an effective leader, and rise in the ranks, get enough sleep.” “If you’re between the ages of 16 and 64, and don’t get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, your logical reasoning, executive function, attention, and mood can be impaired. Worse, severe sleep deprivation can lead to DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, and symptoms of PARANOIA. In the long run, sleep deprivation is a main contributor to the risk of DEMENTIA and ALZHEIMER’S disease.”)
  • RIP Recruitment – Is this the end of the Recruitment Industry? (REST IN PEACE Recruitment! DIGITISATION/AUTOMATION now DISRUPTING traditional RECRUITMENT PROCESSES!  If used positively, candidates get a better opportunity to express themselves more accurately and elaborately (instead of in 1-30 minute INTERVIEW or with a CV/RESUME) while organisations will be able to perform selection more FAIRLY towards creating better/more PRODUCTIVE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURES especially paying attention to areas such as EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE/MINDFULNESS.)
  • Businesses worried they’ll be left behind due to staff skills shortage (Getting LEARNERS/GRADUATES ready for the 21st century needs – the BIGGEST challenge for UNIVERSITIES/EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES! What worked in the past for decades or even centuries in RELATIVE TERMS in a disintegrated/disconnected world would not work anymore in a rapidly changing, MASSIVELY INTERCONNECTED WORLD in various ways. In this type of world with more fluidity, rigid boundaries among disciplines of ATRS/SCIENCE/STEM/BUSINESS/COMMERCE are being DEMOLISHED, whether we are aware of it or not. The abilities to be receptive to the plethora of information flowing around, to organise and identify them in the order of importance by maintaining ATTENTION/FOCUS/MINDFULNESS would be of extreme importance. Further, the capacities to be RESILIENT/EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT amidst RAPID CHANGES/DISRUPTIONS would be the BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS in an increasingly interconnecting, either positively or negatively, world. The ONUS lies with the DECISION-MAKERS of education industry to make individuals’ TIME SPENT as FULL-TIME (as well as part-time)STUDENTS/LEARNERS as fruitful/meaningful as possible by preparing them for the FUTURE instead of for THE PAST or even for the contemporary world.)
  • Top Industrial Relations lawyer says Australian system is broken (How could these SYSTEMIC ISSUES (of WORKER EXPLOITATION) in INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS be overcome? How LARGE ORGANISATIONS keep away from LIABILITIES/REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS through SUB-CONTRACTING and become indirectly responsible for WAGE-THEFT! )
  • Give Your Team the Freedom to Do the Work They Think Matters Most (Employee AUTONOMY and its relationship to levels of ENGAGEMENT and INTRINSIC MOTIVATION – very useful and insightful! We as educators should make use of this insight to give/promote AUTONOMY to STUDENTS/ LEARNERS as much as we can to get them ENGAGED and INTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED so they get the opportunity to SELF-AUTHOR their SELF-ACTUALISATION process of LEARNING and DEVELOPMENT.)
  • The Emotionally Intelligent Way to Engage Employees (Great insights into EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT! It yearns us to conjecture on how much improvement in relation to PRODUCTIVITY can be achieved from the CURRENT LEVELS.”Gallup’s most recent State of the American Workplace report found that only 33% of the U.S. workforce is engaged. And only 21% of employees feel motivated to do outstanding work. These statistics are similar in other countries and, oddly, remain unchanged regardless of how the economy is doing.””They want work-life balance, learning opportunities, and roles that align with their talents. Many organizations have yet to meet these expectations, though doing so would heighten engagement.”Moreover, organizations too often lack the performance management practices that have been proven to boost outcomes, such as giving employees the information and resources necessary to do their work well, offering recognition for good work, and valuing employee input. “)
  • Mental health in workplace key focus of Productivity Commission investigation (Is this high suicide rate in Australia related to GREEDY BANK/ORGANISATION culture revealed in the BANKING ROYAL COMMISSION recently?It is indeed great to see the recognition at the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT level the influence of ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE/WORKPLACE CULTURE/CORPORATE CULTURE on MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES/PRODUCTIVITY!”Nationally, more than 3,000 people took their own lives in 2017 making suicide the leading cause of death among people aged between 15-44 years.Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a 9.1 per cent jump in suicide rates last year, increasing to 12.6 deaths in every 100,000 people in 2017, overtaking the World Health Organisation’s global average of 10.6 in every 100,000.”)
  • This is how to reframe your thinking and find more meaning in your work (SELF-AWARENESS as identifying our PASSION  and find meaning in our work!)The Origin of Job Interview (The ORIGINS of JOB INTERVIEWS – Very interesting!The bottom line is: “How do you show that you FIT into our TRIBE or How would you help us to maintain our STATUS QUO”. Or even, “Would you like to SACRIFICE your SELF/INDIVIDUALITY/SELF-AWARENESS/SELF-AUTHORSHIP/SELF-ACTUALISATION/HUMAN DEVELOPMENT/PASSIONS/VALUES/ETHICS/OPEN-MINDEDNESS/BROADNESS/FLEXIBILITY/CREATIVITY/WISDOM to NON-JUDGEMENTALLY ACCEPT our TRIBE for the sake of BELONGING/IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION/SURVIVAL?” irrespective of the nature (simply good or bad) of the TRIBE. Did MASLOW use the term “Well adjusted slave” for situations like this? Does this remind us of DARWIN’S THEORY  of EVOLUTION/SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST/JUNGLE THEORY irrespective of what one is fit for (simply good or bad)? Do we still live in a world in the 21st century where FIGHT OR FLIGHT/SURVIVAL/NARROW modes permeates instead of a world that embraces DIVERSITY/OPENNESS/CONNECTEDNESS/WHOLENESS/BROADNESS/CREATIVITY/WISDOM etc?)

• Five Ways to Get Young Recruits to Embrace Emotional Intelligence(Why is it of prime importance for young graduates to learn emotional intelligence competencies as they embark on their careers? It can be a LIFE/CAREER-SAVING learning experience/investment. “A Korn Ferry survey of 450 HR leaders found that 92% see emotional and social skills as crucial in a globalizing economy. But 69% of recent graduates said such soft skills “get in the way of getting the job done” and that they would succeed at work without them. The clincher: 83% of HR directors said those grads would never become high performing without social and emotional competence.” “If you’re a leader, you will have to overcome that know-it-all-ness pretty quickly to teach your new recruits any technical skills and policies important to the job. But it may be even more critical to get past that to develop the emotional intelligence (EI) skills, competencies that younger workers may not understand the value of in the workplace, let alone over the course of their own careers. “)
• The Trick to Being “Organizationally Aware”(How self-awareness leads to  “organisational awareness” (and other social awareness capabilities as well) like having a sixth sense. Then how emotional intelligence competencies such as empathy and influences would help in making use of the sense of “organisational awareness.””To move from self-awareness to organizational awareness, begin by observing workplace dynamics and ask yourself the following questions:How do the parts of this organization fit together?Does the organization have a mission statement? If so, is it reflected in day to day realities?What are the norms, both spoken or unspoken?What is the emotional climate and why?Are people engaged and passionate about their work?How does the organization relate to business partners and competitors?Where is there tension in the organization, and what is causing it?What are the social networks within the organization? Who talks to whom? Who holds informal power? Who does key information pass through? To whom do people listen? “)

Leadership Training: Filling the Gap with Emotional Intelligence (Leadership approaches and their role on employee (dis)engagement/productivity(lack of it) and well-being (lack of it) and the significance of EMOTIONS and related concepts in leadership“There is growing evidence that indicates what employees and leaders need to thrive, which includes a better understanding of the role of emotion.””..the Engagement Institute identified stressed leaders as a primary cause of employee disengagement, and linked this issue to an estimated annual cost of over $450 billion.”” …a Karolinska Institute study showed a strong link between negative leadership behaviour and heart disease in employees, which further supports the claim that abusive supervisors are one of the most costly problems faced by businesses.””The reality of the average worker is not improving… Leaders at all levels struggle with issues of interpersonal interaction and employee engagement, many of which are likely tied to inadequate leadership training and support. Changes in the workforce further complicate the demands of leadership, challenging the effectiveness of the most widely accepted leadership theories. Fortunately, there is growing evidence that indicates what employees and leaders need to thrive, which includes a better understanding of the role of emotion.”)

• Mindfulness at work(It is indeed great to see the emerging widespread interest in mindfulness at work around the globe led by some great individuals/researchers/philosophers working in the area. Such interests and knowledge dissemination should help us transform many of workplaces around the world in the right direction enhancing productivity and sustainability.)
• How Humble Leadership Really Works(How desired outcomes/higher productivity at workplaces can be achieved through humble leadership! “This type of top-down leadership is outdated, and, more importantly, counterproductive. By focusing too much on control and end goals, and not enough on their people, leaders are making it more difficult to achieve their own desired outcomes.” “But one of the best ways is to adopt the humble mind-set of a servant leader. Servant leaders view their key role as serving employees as they explore and grow, providing tangible and emotional support as they do so.” “To put it bluntly, servant-leaders have the humility, courage, and insight to admit that they can benefit from the expertise of others who have less power than them. They actively seek the ideas and unique contributions of the employees that they serve. This is how servant leaders create a culture of learning, and an atmosphere that encourages followers to become the very best they can. “)
• Emotional (Not Manual) Labour(The higher significance of emotional intelligence (EI) in “emotional labour” (as with teachers, doctors, nurses, customer service professionals etc.) in contrast to “manual labour” positions – interesting observation.)
• The Behind-the-Scenes Impact of Emotional Intelligence(How a higher level of emotional intelligence (that includes self-awareness, empathy and adaptability) leads to developing the important quality of having multiple leadership styles (visionary, participative, affiliative, coaching, pacesetting and directive) to be used when needed in different situations or dealing with different people.)
• How to Give Emotionally Intelligent Criticism( The significance of giving emotionally intelligent feedback in a team environment! An important notion that enhances overall productivity. “The ability to give effective, emotionally intelligent criticism is essential to high levels of team performance. People who give effective criticism balance empathy and an understanding of the person they are giving feedback to with an objective and calm demeanor. They have developed trust through interpersonal understanding and compassion.”)
• Positive Energizers(Positive energisers (and Drains) at the workplace! Do you see them around?)
• Are you still learning?( The significance of a learning culture (in an organisation)! “Positive cultures are always cultures where people are open to learn. On a daily basis, leaders can establish a learning culture by being open to new ideas. ” “In addition, stimulate people to acquire new knowledge and skills by giving them time and a budget to follow training or education, to read books,… or to learn something new completely outside of their job field.”)
• Your Emotions at Work Are Contagious(The critical issue of contagious emotions (especially at work)! “Think of a child who is crying because a dog chewed her baseball. She is upset because she can’t play with her toy and was startled by the dog. She is also likely to stay upset until a parent comforts her. If another child sees her crying before she is comforted, he might begin crying too. The open loop mechanism of the limbic system means emotions can be contagious.” “This contagion from leader to team was identified by Sigal Barsade in a series of studies when she was at the Yale School of Management. She found that if a team leader was in a negative mood, team members caught that mood and their performances tanked. If the leader was upbeat, members became energized and performance shot up.”)
• How and Where Diversity Drives Financial Performance(Interesting study to identify an insightful pattern – the higher the level of diversity, the higher the innovations/profits in organisations! One good reason why we should foster every individual to self-author their unique/ authentic personalities to contribute positively towards sustainable social developments.”We found that indeed there was a statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation outcomes in all countries examined. Furthermore, the more dimensions of diversity were represented, the stronger the relationship was, although the precise patterns of diversity and performance were different across cultures. We also found that diversity had gained momentum as a topic in more than 70% of the enterprises surveyed, especially in developing economies.” )
• Mind-Blowing Leadership(Inspirational leadership! It goes beyond managing the day to day tasks towards a (higher) common purpose! Shouldn’t any leadership always have to be inspirational in order to be effective? “The Inspirational Leadership competency is the ability to motivate and guide people to get the job done, and to bring out their best. With inspiration, you can articulate a shared mission in a way that motivates and offers a sense of common purpose beyond people’s day-to-day tasks.”)
• How Leaders and Coaches Cultivate Purpose at Work(Why should we make our work meaningful to the best possible level – even by running the extra mile? The way to motivate ourselves! Should always pay attention to the social responsibility aspect of our work, beyond extrinsic rewards such as the pay. We have the power of creating a positive ripple in the societies we live by being socially responsible in our work. Positive gains we get include health and well-being – low stress, enhanced happiness, higher levels of immunity, higher productivity (which may result in an unavoidable situation of getting you economic/extrinsic gains even if you didn’t expect ), higher resilience etc.  This can even be applied to our learning as well – learn not merely to pass exams/tests but for learning per se.)
• The Hidden Opportunity in Conflicts at Work( How can we get something positive from conflicts (which are inherently unavoidable) – learn to be open, reflective and listen – a very useful idea? )
• How Science Informs Good Leadership(Science (neuroscience) informed leadership – highly insightful and useful. As an educator, I see the same point of the need to embrace science (neuroscience) informed/evidence-based approaches to transform all levels of educational systems.  )
• Watch Your Brain at Work( Role of mindfulness at work/businesses/leadership and day-to-day life. It is interesting to see business organisations such as BlackRock (in New York), World Bank, Google, Harvard Business Review and New York Times are interested and in conversation about contemplative practices as means of enhancing their businesses/work and overall productivity.It is great to see the founder and director of the Centre for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr Richard Davidson (with over 25 years of research engagement in the area) is willing to receive the criticisms from all ends on contemplative/mindful approaches so that he can address the concerns of those who are not convinced yet.“With distractions and poor well-being accounting for $650 billion in losses per year in the United States, this discussion focuses on ways to address the problem and give people the tools they need to thrive.” )
• Involving and empowering others( Ideas for developing a positive and productive culture at the workplace – empowering and involving others.  To have such a culture at the workplace (instead of letting groups and individuals compete with each other), the starting point of developing such habits/qualities would be our education systems where individuals are brought up. As a result, our education systems should keep away from promoting competition among individual learners/groups to start with. Instead, we should direct the individual learners to find their unique selves in a process of self-authorship/self-identification. These unique selves preserved (without getting destroyed in a one size fits all systems) can then contribute to our societies in unique and positive ways leading to social innovations.  )
• When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn’t(Research shows that empowering seems to be working when the focus is on creativity and citizenship. But it is the opposite results when expected work is of routine type. In general, we want everyone to move on a path to human development enhancing creativity ( a human species-wide feature) and citizenship – that is the path to achieve the greater good. Does that indicate expecting routine work (mostly) from workers is a violation of human ethics? Are we getting in the way of their human development pathways? Shouldn’t artificial intelligence (AI) revolution provide ideal solutions by taking all the routine work from human beings and directing them on a path to enhance creativity and citizenship? )
• Hardwired Habits: The Risks of Being Clueless( Problems associated with lack of self-awareness in leaders impacting not only the individual but also organisations and societies at large explained through the short case study of Ritu. Excellent resource and an eye opener for leaders focusing self-improvement towards efficiency and effectiveness.“Self-Awareness is essential to successful leadership because it allows us to better manage our emotional intelligence habits. If these operate on automatic, beyond our conscious reach, we are helpless to improve any damaging impact on our relationships and productivity. Cultivating self-awareness lets us access these hidden habits, opening the door to managing them better.” )
• What happens in meetings?(“Who talks a long time – and who is silent? Who gets the most attention? Who gets their way when it comes to decision-making? Do you see debate (clashing egos), discussion (more rational pros and cons, “thinking apart”) or dialogue (collaborative exploration, building on what others say, “thinking together”)?”)
• Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence( The important role the emotions/motivation plays in influential leadership in contrast to relying on pure cognition. “From strategy to hiring to new product development, no matter what leaders set out to do, their success depends on how they do it. When they drive emotions positively they spark an organization’s performance and create a bonfire of success, and when they drive emotions negatively they spawn dissonance and undermine group collaboration.” “need to be guarded not to fall into the “CEO disease” pitfall, meaning the ignorance about how their mood and actions appear to others.”)
• The Real Reason Great Employees Quit — And Bad Employees Get Promoted(Is this what we really call “the contemporary corporate culture?” Why do we hear similar stories very commonly? It is unlikely that they all be wrong at the same time. As the Fobes article implies, the practice appears to be very common around the globe. How can we get out of this mess towards more sustainable societies through proper and visionary leadership towards everyone’s well-being? “In the job I just quit, the best employees quit and the worst people got promoted to management jobs. The people with all the ideas were shunned and pushed aside. They didn’t stick around. The tush-kissers with no ideas got promoted and spent their time in meetings, talking about their upcoming vacations. (I know because I was forced to sit through a lot of those meetings. They were excruciating.) I was naive. I tried to stick it out and help the company succeed. The harder I worked, the worse I got treated. When a completely unqualified person got promoted to be my manager because she was personal friends with the VP, I left. It was hard to leave the company I had worked so hard for but the minute I was out of there, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders.”)
• I love Liberating Structures(Getting everyone involved yielding collective intelligence through liberating structures. “Many leaders don’t realize how smart the whole organization is. Just like a true dialogue, LS tap into the collective intelligence. And that is what we need with the current speed of change. LS develop homegrown solutions!”)
• Train Your Brain for Sales Success(Many of us are interested in physical fitness and spend time in physical exercises such as going to gyms regularly. But how many of us are interested in mental fitness that can be achieved by practising focus/attention (or mindfulness) as supported by a plethora of neuroscience research. “No wonder more people are considering mindfulness as an ancient way to connect with our attention and focus. We have heard about it for years, but the science is catching up and showing that mindfulness training actually restructures the brain to increase focus and calm. And we all can use a big dose of both”)
• Living a Daring Adventure with Kerry Wekelo author of Culture Infusion @KerryWekelo(It is indeed great to see new views of corporate cultures are emerging for the benefit of all involved, towards sustainable societies. “Culture Infusion is the quintessential guide to improve corporate culture and motivate your employees” ““Leaders must commit to supporting the growth of people, not just systems, products, or processes.” ~ Kerry Wekelo “As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” We spend at least eight hours a day with our company, so why not make it a daring adventure? The company that plays together stays together.””)
• Book Review on “Culture Infusion: 9 Principles for Creating and Maintaining a Thriving Organizational Culture” by Kerry Alison Wekelo(“Another important notion Kerry highlights is the need for organisations to focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Though CSR is a notion that has been there for some time, its significance appears to remerge with a vengeance (availability of a number of social media platforms that reach out to masses effectively generating positive/negative images of organisations could be the main reason) in the recent past demanding organisations to focus beyond their profit margins as social organisations. In fact, as Kerry put forth, CSR could begin with organisations paying due attention to the well-being of their employees who themselves are members of the broader society.”)
• Can Kindness Be Contagious, Even At Work?(Kindness in a professional setting- interesting! “This idea that kindness is contagious isn’t new, yet this is the first study I’ve seen that rigorously looks at the spread of kindness in a professional setting. From my perspective as a neuroscientist and emotion researcher, these findings make sense: the quality of our connections and how close we feel to others is a strong contributor to whether we’re flourishing or flailing.”)
• Why do you have meetings?(Are meetings in a corporate environment seen as rituals? Can we really get something out of these meetings? How? “Are you looking forward to meetings? Many people hear a firm No inside. Meetings are often associated with wasting time and practicing patience.”)
• Research: Mindfulness May Increase Mental Performance at Work(How mindfulness is related to productivity! “During my study of the relationship between mindfulness and leader effectiveness, 100% of the leaders I interviewed (all having months or years of prior mindfulness training and practice) linked mindfulness to improvement in their personal and professional lives. The majority described this as being significant, often using terms such as “profound,” or “life-changing.” “)
• Bureaucracy Can Drain Your Company’s Energy. Agile Can Restore It(Bureaucratic (rigid/inflexible/hierarchical authority (with indoctrination and regimentation)/specialised division of labour) environments/workplaces have shown to trap people in dehumanising systems and limit their potential. Where can we escape to when 85% of the global workforce is trapped in such “iron cages”? Agile/mindful/change-embracing environments/teams appear to be the way out (in a constantly and rapidly changing world) although their numbers are in slow progress. “Richard Feynman, whose work in quantum electrodynamics won him a Nobel Prize in physics, taught that the best way to master any new skill was to teach it to a beginner. He believed that experts often hide behind jargon and esoteric vocabulary to disguise their own ignorance. I find that when I struggle to explain things in simple language, I have identified an opportunity to learn more. I try to dig in until I can explain it to a child — or a sceptical senior executive.” “As you develop agile capabilities and start teaching them to beginners, don’t be surprised to find the CEO or other executive committee members among your apprentices. While agilists won’t wait for senior sponsorship, they tend to create results and passion that ultimately command it — and that helps everyone escape their iron cages.”)
• A Goldilocks Approach to Talents and Traits(Intelligence vs Wisdom! The difference between intelligence (in a world with a focus in multiple intelligence)/speciality/narrow perspective and wisdom (multi-domain form of creativity/integrated form of multiple intelligence)/consciousness/balanced integrative view – insightful!A leadership paradox in a contemporary world – “widespread approval of high-level executives who get high performance from direct reports, but at a COST in MORALE and MOTIVATION””an overachieving executive will tend to fall back on tactics like COERCION rather than focusing on the larger spectrum of emotional-intelligence abilities that strengthen relationships. Focusing exclusively on hitting a target at all costs erodes trust and loyalty. The risk: Eventually the team will miss those crucial goals, and as the executive’s relationships with workers fray, they will lose steam. Key players will be tempted to move on.””we all have a natural tendency to put too much effort into the PARTICULAR ABILITY we’re developing at the moment without maintaining our OTHER STRENGTHS. ” “A too-determined mind doesn’t know when to check itself. A FULLY ROUNDED SKILL SET demands a DELICATE BALANCE.”)
• How Do We Combat Ageism? By Valuing Wisdom as Much as Youth (Combating AGEISM – if LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT (human development) take place in a lifelong manner, should ageism be a problem/issue? One important reason why our education systems promote learner AGILITY/MINDFULNESS throughout the life. The longer one lives with MINDFUL experiences, the more the WISDOM they develop that they can share with the society/world/planet, especially in this digital world where sharing is easily done.  “What I lacked in DQ (digital intelligence), I made up for in accumulated EQ (emotional intelligence). And the mutual mentoring I offered and received turned me into what I call a “Modern Elder” — someone who marries wisdom and experience with curiosity, a beginner’s mind, and a willingness to learn from those younger. With FIVE GENERATIONS COEXIST in the workplace for the first time, it’s essential that we embrace and develop more means for such INTERGENERATIONAL COLLABORATION.”)
• The Art of Effective Feedback (Giving CRITICAL feedback CONSTRUCTIVELY as an important LEADERSHIP quality! “In her work on teams, my colleague Vanessa Druskat found that leaders who balance their competency in empathy with emotional self-control excel at giving constructive feedback. These leaders also foster norms around honest communication, yielding teams that openly address problems and create goal-oriented solutions.” “Emotional self-control enables leaders to manage their emotions and impulses. You can remain calm even under stress or during a crisis. By finding this emotional balance, you can utilize your empathy in a productive way.” )
• Natural intelligence: the common sense approach to innovation (A great article explaining what TRUE INNOVATION ( a HOLISTIC VISION) is all about – the need for NATURAL INTELLIGENCE to handle the impact of ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE! “This holistic vision of innovation makes us think more in terms of ourselves as human beings. It means thinking in terms of “ Mankind in relation to the Earth”, in relation to the global impact of its activities.” “A holistic vision makes it possible to see the reasons behind what is being done and to reflect on the impact of innovation before implementing it. This is also more commonly referred to as “common sense”, which means questioning the consequences of one’s actions.” “History is repeating itself: we are witnessing another “Copernican revolution”, one that is occurring at the intersection of scientific and technological progress, of arts and humanities, of sociology and, above all, of ethics.”)
• The Difference Between (Artificial) Intelligence and Wisdom (A GREAT view on the difference between INTELLIGENCE and WISDOM! It explains why our EDUCATION SYSTEMS SHOULD move away from the notions based on INTELLIGENCE towards developing LEARNER WISDOM. There are multiple ways (as defined in the theory of multiple intelligence) one can be intelligent (in an ARTIFICIAL way that also enables us to generate MEANS, but not essentially MEANING). If INTELLIGENCE is KNOWING (something, the ends), then WISDOM is KNOWING  about one’s KNOWING (the means of knowing). WISDOM can be seen as the INTEGRATION of MULTIPLE  INTELLIGENCES as a COHERENT WHOLE. “The arrival of AI raises a deeper question that needs to be addressed. We live in a world of INCREASING DIVISION because we’ve put too much FAITH in intelligence, which can be ARTIFICIAL, instead of WISDOM, which never is. We must acknowledge an underlying truth that is critical to a HEALTHY SOCIETY: that our great decisions must be made with the COMBINED WISDOM of all of us, not the PRESUMED INTELLIGENCE of a few of us.” “The BEAUTY OF WISDOM is that it is available to all. Wisdom doesn’t care what SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED, and it doesn’t care about RACE, CREED, or COLOUR. Wisdom is REAL and AUTHENTIC, which is why no one ever speaks of “ARTIFICIAL WISDOM.””)
• 3 Biases That Hijack Performance Reviews, and How to Address Them (Important ways to improve our DECISION-MAKING by avoiding our BIASES HIJACKING our brain resources towards mindless actions! Being AWARE/MINDFUL of these possible BIASES/HIJACKS is the most important starting point.”Expedience bias: It’s what’s most obvious, so it must be true.Expedience bias tilts us toward answers that seem obvious, often at the expense of answers that might be more relevant or useful.””Distance bias: What’s near is stronger than what’s far.True to its name, distance bias describes the brain’s tendency to think people and events that are closer to us, in space or time, are more important than things that are further away. The nearer something is, the greater the value we automatically assign.””Similarity bias: We like what is like us.Separating people into in-groups and out-groups appears to be part of being human. The major downside is we sometimes use superficial proxies like skin colour or gender to decide who’s “one of us” and who’s not.”)
• If Strategy Is So Important, Why Don’t We Make Time for It? (The significance of STRATEGIC (long-term) THINKING, not just in professional/business environments but also in PERSONAL LIVES (possibly MORE IMPORTANTLY)! When we apply strategic thinking to our personal lives, we get into a process of LEARNING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT through the phenomenon known as SELF-AUTHORSHIP.”In one survey of 10,000 senior leaders, 97% of them said that being STRATEGIC was the LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR most important to their organization’s SUCCESS.””Another BARRIER to strategic thinking may be internal. … research shows, BUSINESS s a sign of SOCIAL STATUS. As Silvia Bellezza … put it, “By telling others that we are busy and working all the time, we are IMPLICITLY SUGGESTING that we are SOUGHT AFTER.” … then, there’s also an incentive to lean into the frenzy: It’s a marker of our professional success. EXECUtIVES may therefore be SUBCONSCIOUSLY RELUCTANT to give up the SELF-ESTEEM benefits that being busy confers.””… once we’re aware of the implicit “BUSY=IMPORTANT” frame in our culture, it can become easier to let go of it and adopt another frame that’s more conducive to DEEP STRATEGIC THINKING. .. alternative view, … by Derek Sivers, … is that “busy is what happens when you’re at the MERCY of SOMEONE ELSE’S SCHEDULE.””)
• Why CEOs Should Push Back Against Short-Termism (The significance of STRATEGIC THINKING by moving away from SHORT- TERMISM not just for organisations/businesses/political/government administrations, but also for PERSONAL DECISION-MAKING (possibly more importantly if CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT)!”Many CEOs argue that they have NO CHOICE but to cave to the demands of activists and others on Wall Street to boost profits quarter after quarter. But it doesn’t have to be that way. That same FCLT study also found that nearly two-thirds of those CEOs said the PRESSURE to deliver STRONG SHORT-TERM financial performance STEMMED from their OWN BOARD and their OWN EXECUTIVE TEAM. In other words, some of the short-term thinking we’re seeing is actually SELF-IMPOSED, with CEOs simply getting in their own way. “)
• The Vital Role of Resilience in Emergencies (A real-life example of how emotional intelligence helps in crisis situations – be “in the balcony not at the basement” through mindfulness without fight/flight reactivity – human resilience to the fore.)
• Five Ways to Cultivate Gratitude at Work (Great insights on paying GRATITUDE at the workplace and how it can go a long way in improving PRODUCTIVITY with no cost! It is all about changing the PERSPECTIVE/ATTITUDE/WORKPLACE CULTURE (though could be very challenging and difficult than spending a large sum of money).”The result is a vicious, culturally ingrained circle of ingratitude, which can have a terrible effect on workplace morale and cohesion. Why should this be the case? Because the need for a paycheck is only one of the motivations we bring to work. We don’t just work for money. We also work for respect, for a sense of accomplishment, for a feeling of purpose. We invest our selves and our emotions into our jobs, and work affects our emotional states.”)
• How to Use Mindfulness to Increase Your Team’s Creativity (How we can use MINDFULNESS practices to enhance CREATIVITY in the WORKPLACE/teams, especially when focused on GROWTH – useful insights! The CONTRADICTION between the FAST PACE of work and CREATIVITY!”There’s a fundamental CONTRADICTION when organizations ask employees to maintain a FAST PACE of work and be CREATIVE. What often happens in hectic workplaces is that employees resort to AUTOPILOT or HABITUAL ways of working. When they don’t have the time or space to INCUBATE NOVEL and CLEVER ideas, they may miss out on opportunities to reframe a problem and see new possibilities for potential solutions.”)
• Leaders Focus Too Much on Changing Policies, and Not Enough on Changing Minds (One important and challenging tasks (if not the most) of a leader – CHANGING MINDS as opposed to introducing policies! Insightful!”The result is that transforming a business also depends on transforming individuals — beginning with the most senior leaders and influencers. Few of them, in our experience, have spent much time observing and understanding their own motivations, challenging their assumptions, or pushing beyond their intellectual and emotional comfort zones. The result is something that the psychologists Lisa Lahey and Robert Kegan have termed “immunity to change.””)
• Helping Workers Develop a Creative Eye (Essentially, it is CREATIVITY that leads to INNOVATION! Then how can we support creativity in the workplace? Very insightful!
  “LEADERS can have the greatest impact on EMPLOYEE CREATIVITY, Amabile finds, through motivating people and fostering the RIGHT work environment. People are most creative when they are motivated by PASSION and INTEREST in their work. Leaders that promote “good work” and help their employees undertake projects they FEEL EXCITED about enhance motivation. In her research, Amabile has also found that “small wins” lead to greater inner motivation and creativity. A person’s own sense of progress—not recognition or reward—is the number one motivator for creative output. By setting clear goals and deploying INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP—articulating a shared vision—leaders can help their employees want to make meaningful progress on their creative projects.”)
• Componential Theory of Creativity (A COMPREHENSIVE way to define/describe CREATIVITY and its COMPONENTS – insightful!
  The third central tenet is the INTRINSIC MOTIVATION principle of creativity: People are most creative when they feel motivated primarily by the interest, enjoyment, satisfaction, and challenge of the work itself – and NOT BY EXTRINSIC MOTIVATORS.
  “The social environment can stimulate creativity through offering a sense of positive challenge in the work; work teams that are collaborative, diversely skilled, and idea-focused; FREEDOM in carrying out the work; supervisors who ENCOURAGE the development of new ideas; and so on.
  Of the three intra-individual components, INTRINSIC MOTIVATION should be the most directly influenced by the work environment. However, it is also important to note that the work environment undoubtedly has effects on domain-relevant skills and creativity-relevant processes, in addition to its effects on intrinsic motivation.”)
• How to Develop Empathy for Someone Who Annoys You (Great insights on how to use EMPATHY to deal with someone who ANNOYS you!
  “To summon cognitive empathy for an annoying colleague, McKee recommends generating theories that might explain “why this person says what he says, thinks what he thinks, and acts the way he acts. Unearth your curiosity,” she says. Ask yourself: “What motivates this person? What excites and inspires him?” Go “beyond your own worldview” and reflect on “what may be in his cultural background, education, family situation, or day-to-day pressures that’s causing him to behave this way.” Remember: The goal here is to “understand this person’s perspective,” Fernandez adds. “It doesn’t mean you have to adopt it, validate it, or agree with it, but you do have to acknowledge it.”
  To muster emotional empathy for that colleague, “find something in them to care about,” McKee says. One way to deal with someone who irritates you is to “picture that person as a six-year-old,” she adds. In other words, remember that “they’re only human.” …“Maybe this person is stressed or under pressure, or maybe this person is just not having a very good day.” You don’t have to “become a psychologist and get into their childhood,” but you do have to make an effort to experience “emotional resonance.” ” )
• Caring Leaders, Better Results (Insights on CARING LEADERS! “A #leader’s concern for others all too often gets sidelined in today’s high-pressure business world. Many leaders assume high pressure yields high #productivity, when in fact the opposite is true. Emotionally intelligent leaders who cultivate a positive culture increase engagement and productivity while reducing turnover and health problems among employees.”)
• Take Control of Your Learning at Work (Increasing need for CONTINUOUS – LIFELONG- LEARNING in a RAPIDLY CHANGING world. It explains why LEARNABILITY is more important that EXPERTISE!”The main career consequence of this is that knowledge and expertise have been devalued. WHAT YOU KNOW IS LESS RELEVANT than WHAT YOU CAN LEARN, and employers are less interested in hiring people with particular expertise than with the GENERAL ABILITY to develop the right EXPERTISE IN THE FUTURE, particularly if they can do it consistently and across a wide range of roles. Note that our interest in people who can learn how to learn is not precisely new. Over a century ago, the French psychologist Alfred Binet, who pioneered the application of modern pedagogy and child development science to formal education, observed that “our FIRST JOB was not to teach [the students] the things which seemed to us the most useful to them, but to TEACH THEM HOW TO LEARN.” Fast forward to today and Binet’s perspective is perhaps more current than it ever was.”)
• Coaching for Emotional Intelligence: Wagner Denuzzo on the Future of Leadership (Great INSIGHTS for ASPIRING LEADERS!”Leaders are STRUGGLING to adapt to continuous CHANGE. I was at the Aspen Institute last year with many leaders from the BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS in the world and it was clear to me that OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS is also STRUGGLING to keep up with the DEMANDS of a NEW WORLD. Experienced leaders are realizing that what WORKED IN THE PAST is NO LONGER VIABLE option to lead the multigenerational, agile, and non-hierarchical organizations of today and tomorrow. Leaders who successfully navigate AMBIGUITY and UNCERTAINTY are usually EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT individuals who have been aware of their behaviors and had the courage to work on their EMOTIONAL HEALTH. BUSINESS SCHOOLS ARE NOT THERE YET…and as we enter the next phase of the super-competitive, super-human, and super-intense business era, we must prepare our leaders to share power, BECOME AWARE OF THEIR IMPACT on OTHERS, and most importantly, maintain a healthy, sustainable high-performance while nurturing MEANINGFUL PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS in their lives.”)

Give Your Team the Freedom to Do the Work They Think Matters Most (Employee AUTONOMY and its relationship to levels of ENGAGEMENT and INTRINSIC MOTIVATION – very useful and insightful! We as educators should make use of this insight give AUTONOMY to STUDENTS/ LEARNERS as much as we can to get them ENGAGED and INTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED so they get the opportunity to SELF-AUTHOR their SELF-ACTUALISATION process of LEARNING and DEVELOPMENT.)

Beth Noveck on how open data and direct democracy could restore our faith in politics (DIRECT DEMOCRACY and OPEN DATA to restore faith in POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE – a great insight indeed! People participating directly in decision-making instead of powering/voting politicians once and allowing them to take decisions what they think is right on behalf of the voters. Instead we can rely on data/evidence and collective intelligence in an ongoing manner by making use of digital technology/media! “What we are trying to do is to get beyond the idea that public institutions, the quality of our democracy really, is limited to the notion of voting.” “”Whether we are lawyers or judges or data scientists or computer scientists or stay-at-home mums or dads, we all have expertise and knowledge and experience, often lived experience,” ” “..benefit from.. “diverse intelligence” of a community” “I think where [democracy] is headed, where it could be headed, is towards a very great and robust future of greater collaboration, of deeper democracy, of stronger institutions and more active citizenship.” “It’s … combining open data and new sources of information with people who know how to use that information that actually allow us to derive insights and solve problems in new ways,” Professor Noveck explains.”)

Keeping Focus in a World of Distractions (FOCUS as the KEY QUALITY/TRAIT required in LEADERSHIP (rather than the title one/ a leader holds)- Insightful!

“For a leader, though, focus holds the key to accomplishment. A leader’s control of focus matters personally, for the team, and for the whole organization.

The capacity to focus on whatever matters most at the moment operates in our brain’s prefrontal region, where circuitry strengthen signals related to our intended focus and weaken signals we want to ignore.

One way we can take back control of our focus involves what I call “emotional balance,” strengthening our ability to focus by building stronger connections in the underlying neural circuitry. This strengthening occurs, for instance, when we understand better how we react to key events and find ways to manage our kneejerk emotions if they get triggered.”)

Research: To Be a Good Leader, Start By Being a Good Follower (LEADERS are good/effective as much as their FOLLOWERS (who (also what) they follow)! Great understanding of the reality! “In other words, leadership is a process that emerges from a relationship between leaders and followers who are bound together by their understanding that they are members of the same social group. People will be more effective leaders when their behaviors indicate that they are one of us, because they share our values, concerns and experiences, and are doing it for us, by looking to advance the interests of the group rather than own personal interests. This perspective identifies a major flaw in the usual advice for aspiring leaders. Instead of seeking to stand out from their peers, they may be better served by ensuring that they are seen to be a good follower — as someone who is willing to work within the group and on its behalf. In short, leaders need to be seen as “one of us” (not “one of them”) and as “doing it for us” (not only for themselves or, worse, for “them”).)

The Secret Behind Authentic Leadership (AUTHENTIC LEADERS – who are they and what are their qualities?

“It turns out there’s a strong overlap between emotional intelligence (EI) and authentic leadership, according to new research published in the Leadership and Organization Development Journal.”

“Authentic leaders are empathic leaders who have the ability to sense others’ feelings and how they see things.”

“Relationship management–the crux of effective leadership–at a primal level means managing others’ emotions. This requires being in touch with your own emotions and acting from them genuinely; people have built-in radar for faking. ”

“Authentic leaders are comfortable being vulnerable, which includes treating others with compassion and being accountable for their actions. They share their perspective honestly and encourage productive debate on their team. And they foster an environment that supports learning, growth, and mentorship. “)

The desire to inspire ( INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP towards HIGHER NOBLE PURPOSES that is meaningful for each individual! Can we get to this ELUSIVE target someday?

“Now look at the attributes you wrote down.  Do these fall under IQ, INTELLECT QUOTIENT, or EQ, EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT?  It’s most likely that the attributes you noted are a competency of the latter, SOCIAL + EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. These competencies– SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-MANAGEMENT, OTHER AWARENESS, and relationship management — have a powerful impact on us.”

“If your ACTIONS INSPIRE others to DREAM more, LEARN more, DO more and BECOME more, you are a LEADER.” – John Quincy Adams)

IDEO CEO Tim Brown: T-Shaped Stars: The Backbone of IDEO’s Collaborative Culture (Shouldn’t it be the time that our EDUCATION SYSTEMS/ORGANISATIONS take measures to promote DEVELOPING GROWTH MINDSETS in our LEARNERS/ EMPLOYEES for them to become “T-SHAPED INDIVIDUALS enabling them to HIGHLY RESILIENT in a RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD of the 21st CENTURY”!

“T-shaped people have two kinds of characteristics, hence the use of the letter “T” to describe them. The vertical stroke of the “T” is A DEPTH SKILL that allows them to contribute to the CREATIVE PROCESS. That can be from ANY NUMBER of DIFFERENT FIELDS: an industrial designer, an architect, a social scientist, a business specialist or a mechanical engineer. The horizontal stroke of the “T” is the disposition for COLLABORATION ACROSS DISCIPLINES. It is composed of two things. First, EMPATHY. It’s important because it allows people to imagine the problem from ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE- to stand in somebody else’s shoes. Second, they tend to get very enthusiastic about other people’s disciplines, to the point that they may actually start to practice them. Tshaped people have both DEPTH AND BREADTH in their SKILLS.”)

Angela Duckworth – A growth mindset is the right mindset – Insights for Entrepreneurs (GROWTH MINDSET vs FIXED MINDSET!  Angela Duckworth, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania explains in the video below.

How does GROWTH MINDSET relates to BROADER EDUCATION while FIXED MINDSET associates with NARROW SPECIALISATION? How can we develop a growth mindset in learners so that they become OPEN/RECEPTIVE/MINDFUL to learning/information (non-judgementally) in a lifelong manner following a SELF-ACTUALISATION/SELF-AUTHORSHIP/HUMAN DEVELOPMENT process?)

Don’t Laugh. Humor Can Boost the Bottom Line (The role of a POSITIVE ATTITUDE and the right kind of HUMOR for LEADERSHIP enhancing ENGAGEMENT and COLLABORATION!

“There’s also some telling data from a study of high-level executives and their direct reports done at Boston University’s business school. Analysis of these interactions revealed that the better the executive’s rating as a leader, the more laughter there was during their interactions. It’s not that the executives were telling jokes – just that people felt good and relaxed with them.

It’s no surprise–our emotions are contagious and laughter is the most contagious of all. Our brains have neurons dedicated to detecting a smile or laugh and making us smile and laugh in return. It’s instantaneous, automatic, and unconscious.”)

Why Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial for Leadership Development (The GREAT NOTION of Effective LEADERSHIP as bringing the BEST  out of EVERYONE! How can one overcome the GAP between having a GREAT idea and IMPLEMENTING it SUCCESSFULLY as a LEADER? The very IMPORTANT ANSWER is DEVELOPING/LEARNING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMPETENCIES (such as EMPATHY, CONNECTEDNESS, PRODUCTIVE CONFLICT and POSITIVE OUTLOOK etc.))

The Future’s Only Certainty (In a rapidly and constantly changing BUSINESS WORLD, the ONLY CAPABILITY that appears to remain CERTAIN is – EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (motivation, curiosity, insight, engagement, and determination). Shouldn’t we as EDUCATORS start focusing on developing these important areas in learners?

“Given the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the business world, will you need a new set of abilities to thrive in coming years?”

“Bottom line: emotional intelligence will always be essential for business. While we cannot predict the exact challenges we will face, emotional intelligence enables us to seek continual growth, to find opportunity in setbacks, to adapt to changing circumstances, and to pursue a meaningful work.)

To Get Employees to Empathize with Customers, Make Them Think Like Customers (The significance of the notion of EMPATHY if ORGANISATIONS are keen on IMPROVING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS/ CUSTOMER INTIMACY – probably much more than a technology-based CRM system can provide.)

Attunement: The First Step in Inspirational Leadership (ATTUNEMENT (resonance) as an essential ingredient in INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP!

“Resonant leaders know that inspiration comes largely from connecting to what their teams care about. It takes strong social awareness to create this kind of connection, which Daniel Goleman describes as the ability to, “breathe life into the hopes and dreams of others.” He calls this attunement—a direct connection with people’s emotional centers”)

If Humility Is So Important, Why Are Leaders So Arrogant? (A quality of GREAT LEADERS – HUMBITION (HUMBLE + AMBITION) – great INSIGHT!

“In reality, of course, humility and ambition need not be at odds. Indeed, humility in the service of ambition is the most effective and sustainable mindset for leaders who aspire to do big things in a world filled with huge unknowns. Years ago, a group of HR professionals at IBM embraced a term to capture this mindset. The most effective leaders, they argued, exuded a sense of “humbition,” which they defined as “one part humility and one part ambition.” We “notice that by far the lion’s share of world-changing luminaries are humble people,” they wrote. “They focus on the work, not themselves. They seek success — they are ambitious — but they are humbled when it arrives…They feel lucky, not all-powerful.””

“We live in a world where ego gets attention but modesty gets results. Where arrogance makes headlines but humility makes a difference. Which means that all of us, as leaders or aspiring leaders, face questions of our own: Are we confident enough to stay humble? Are we strong enough to admit we don’t have all the answers? “)

Leading for the future – How we can prepare the next generation (LEADING for the FUTURE – MINDFUL LEADERSHIP -What is it?

“Up until now, digging into the EMOTIONS and UNCONSCIOUS THOUGHTS has NOT been CENTRAL to LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. It is difficult and UNCOMFORTABLE, especially in formal BUSINESS SETTINGS. We are taught to suppress emotions and not disclose to others if they irritate us or frustrate us. We tell people “fine”, or “I’m OK with that”, when we are not. We hide our FEELINGS and THOUGHTS from other people, we feel AWKWARD as a result, but these hidden feelings and thoughts drive our BEHAVIOUR”

“Essentially, this approach is about the ABILITY to NOTICE your own THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS and MOTIVATIONS and to read and sense the SAME in OTHERS. We call this MINDFUL LEADERS, and it’s not easy. Being mindful will allow you to detach yourself from situations rather than becoming IMMERSED in MINDLESS ARGUMENTS and CONFLICTS. Ultimately, with this approach to LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, you take control of your own destiny and influence the OUTCOMES of your TEAM and your ORGANISATION.”)

The Missing Yin at Work (Great INSIGHTS for a MEANINGFUL ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE!

“Have you ever been yelled at during work? Or publicly humiliated in a meeting? Are you ever afraid to take a vacation or take a day off because your job may be threatened, or you will be looked upon negatively by your boss and/or co-workers? Do you know anyone who has been laid off and “walked out” of the office by security with no notice, despite being a dedicated employee?

If you said yes to one or more of these questions, you’re not alone! Most people have experienced situations like this during their work life. I call it MANAGEMENT by FEAR —and it’s UGLY.

During more than 20 years of consulting with large organizations on communications during times of change, I have seen some bad decisions and behavior regarding how people are treated—some of it SANCTIONED and DIRECTED FROM the TOP. In most cases, WELL-MEANING MANAGERS and LEADERS are doing WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN and DONE BEFORE THEM and intending to protect the company in FEAR that employees may take advantage of it.”)

The Story Behind: You Must Be The Change You Wish To See In The World (LEADING by EXAMPLE using SELF-AWARENESS/ INSIGHT/ INTUITION/ GUT-FEELING/PASSIONS/VISION/VALUES/GUIDING PRINCIPLES/ INTEGRITY  rather than HYPOCRISY! Essentially SELF-AWARENESS is the starting point of any BROADER CHANGE! First, clearly identify your PASSIONS, INTUITIONS, GUT-FEELINGS and VISIONS and how they DIFFER from the STATUS QUO. See how these INTERNAL SIGNALS/ KNOWLEDGE can be presented in an EVIDENCE-BASED manner to others by linking to any other meaningful sources (using the notion of COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE/COLLABORATION). Then think about INITIATING a possible BROADER CHANGE using the following principle of EQUANIMITY – Serenity Prayer written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971):

“God, grant me the SERENITY to ACCEPT the things I CANNOT CHANGE,

COURAGE to change the things I CAN,

And WISDOM to KNOW the DIFFERENCE.”)

‘Tough leadership’ and humiliation: why is workplace bullying still so prevalent? (Have our EDUCATION SYSTEMS  failed ALL of US as HUMANKIND when it comes to the highly discussed topic of BULLYING  and related CULTURES whether at SCHOOLS, WORKPLACES or DOMESTIC environments? Is NOT BULLYING an OUTCOME of NOT paying attention to EMOTIONAL-INTELLIGENCE-BASED (EI) SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL  learning (SEL) that ENHANCES EMPATHY/COMPASSION and an understanding of our CONNECTEDNESS/INTERDEPENDENCE/WHOLISTIC-SYSTEMS NATURE OF THINGS?

“Bullying costs ..  $36 billion annually due to lost productivity in Australia.”

“Australia .. sixth highest rate of workplace bullying.”

“even supposedly progressive work environments, ..universities,..hotbeds of bullying.”

“A quarter of ..staff from 19 universities .. had been victims of harassment and bullying. ”

“This could reflect ingrained attitudes ..men should “harden up”

“..cult of “tough leadership” was imported from the US ..when “management by fear” was considered a legitimate motivation technique. From here it’s a slippery slope to becoming a bully.”

“Bosses aren’t the only ones who bully, …Peers can also. One reason could be the ultra-competitive systems that employers use to incentivize and reward staff today. Bullying ..an expression of professional jealousy, the dark side of the competitive ethos.” )

Nelson Mandela on the Nature of Love and Hate (GREAT WISDOM from a GREAT LEADER! He indirectly highlights the neuroscience phenomenon of NEUROPLASTICITY and that LOVING-KINDNESS/COMPASSION can be TRAINED/LEARNED. It is great to see some schools around the world have started using a KINDNESS CURRICULUM for young kinds in the MAINSTREAM education system.

After all, we don’t want our younger generation to spread hatred towards the destruction of the PLANET. Instead, we should direct them to embrace COMPASSION  leading towards WISDOM that enables finding REAL SOLUTIONS to real-world COMPLEX problems. https://lnkd.in/fH2P-Rs)

• Job losses to automation to increase in services sector: economist(Job loses to automation/digital disruption are spreading to services sector as well. In light of this, how should our education sector refocus their approaches in learning and development? We may be already lagging behind on this much needed refocus task. )
• You won’t see a bump in your pay packet any time soon()
  
• NAB workers latest to fall as automation transforms the economy(The impact of automation is not going to happen in future – it is right here now! In this regard, how can we educate our kids/students/learners meaningfully without letting their time go to waste?“It’s the crest of a digital wave flooding through banks, financial institutions, accounting and law firms, and if you’re doing a white-collar job that deals with information, you’re in for a bumpy ride.”“In his view, automation and software that analyses information and makes decisions will transform the business landscape — doing jobs that, until recently, required well-paid “knowledge workers”.” )
• The Data Tightrope: Beyond Facebook( Recent events are reinforcing the essential and more elaborate human intervention in the (Artificial Intelligence)AI / Big Data loop.”But as the revelations mount, experts say the issue is only reinforcing the critical role that humans will need to play in today’s boom in artificial intelligence—and at all levels at firms.”)
• Robots creating a wages and employment ‘death spiral’ warns IMF(Artificial Intelligence (AI) is to contribute to increasing inequality and employment death spiral according to IMF. These are some clear indications of the transformations needed in traditional education systems to future-proof young learners.”Under the research modelling in this case, the skilled wage increases from between 56 to 157 per cent in the long run, while wages paid to low-skill labour drop between 26 to 56 per cent.””As for solutions, the IMF broadly targets two possible ways to limit mounting inequality: through education, and tax.”)

• Finland pays unemployed citizens a monthly income in trial(Can we provide the basic needs so that individuals are better prepared to produce creative outputs?)
• House prices: When will we get to the point that we just say NO?(Are we diligent enough to take all factors into consideration when making an important decision like this? Or, are we just giving in to our emotions? Are we metacognitive enough?)
• Westpac: Landmark Federal Court case over lending practices sends messageto other banks (Is this how financial institutes make record profits even when times of economic downturn? Are they accountable enough for their machine geerated decisions? Is the liability only lies with the borrower, including the mortgage insurance? How just and sustainable is this approach or system? Will this create a mass scale social problem?)
• Home ownership in Australia in decline for three decades: Grattan Institute(An interesting trend analysis in housing affordability in the country that holds the world record for the highest number of quarters without an economic recession! It good and appropriate to see mainstream media openly discussing permanent renting options in Australia similar to many other advanced economies.)
• Homelessness: What can Australia learn from Finland’s housing solution?“Permanent housing cheaper for governments” – yes they would most likely save from many other long-term expenses such as mental health-related issues, hospital bills, justice system related issues, prisons, lost productivity etc. etc. (the list will go on).
• Why your council rates should be three times higher(Very interesting and pragmatic change-proposals to some important taxes – the introduction of property tax instead of stamp duty and insurance payments! Mainly it can be a change of perspective – paying an ongoing tax vs one-off tax at the time of purchase. Many would like to keep away from an ongoing tax while more positive about one payment.)
• ‘Too old to keep going’: Older people at risk of homelessness jumps by 50pc in NSW, data shows(Where are the solutions coming to these negative trends developing? Where is the sustainability of our societies?)
• Poorer Australians bear the brunt of rising housing costs(Very interesting and useful trend analysis – home ownership over a period of over 35 years. It is not surprising that homeownership depends on the income/wealth level. However, this dramatic decrease in homeownership among low-income earners has been the result DESPITE having an ongoing period of over 26 years of recession-free economic growth in Australia. How can this be explained? Does this mean higher/better economic growth relates to increasing inequality/decreasing housing affordability/increasing negative social conditions and lower social sustainability?)
• A tale of two cities reveals vast gulf in housing affordability(Interestingly, it appears that the value of a house/unit/property is mainly decided by the location rather than the condition of the house/unit. A house built 30-40 years ago will have more or less the same value as that of a relatively new one (however, we cannot disregard that older blocks have larger land sizes, but new houses could have better conditions such as higher energy ratings). Further, house prices in different suburbs of the same state/province can vary vastly purely for reasons such as the availability of popular primary/secondary schools. As a result, it appears, somewhat strangely though, that if one is looking for a more affordable  place to live, he/she will have to go to the extreme extents of relocating.)
• Real estate: Australia’s property market is riskier than Canada’s, here’s why(An interesting comparison of the housing market in two similar economies/countries – Australia and Canada! Which one has a higher risk?)
• Property auctions: Meet the smooth talkers who wield the gavels( Another demonstration of extreme competition/by hook or crook instincts fostered by the status quo in action.”An emotional nation of gamblers””A lot of the other major markets in the world — London, New York, Milan — they don’t tend to auction,” Robert Klaric said.”By contrast, about 70 per cent of the houses on the Australian market tend to be sold by auction, he said.””Mr Klaric said he thought that was because Australia is a betting nation.”” And that, he said, was going to have an influence on the market.””I think the market has been distorted, and the auction system has sort of added fuel to the fire.”)
• Dutch auctions revealed as ethical grey area in property market(Malpractices of real estate industry add salt to the wounds of customers who are at the receiving end of the Banks in Australia ( as revealed in the Royal Commission) “if the vendor is open to offers, it’s then up to the agent to act as the go-between, liaising with both the seller and the interested buyer. But what if the agent takes on multiple offers for the property, and in the process reveals to all bidders what each is offering? It is known in the industry as a Dutch auction, an ethical grey area that thousands of agents are exploiting around the country.” “Those in the industry concede there is simply no way of knowing how many other bidders exist in a Dutch auction — or indeed if there are any other bidders at all.”)
• We’re spending billions on the housing crisis — so why is homelessness in Australia getting worse?(Important statistics from Australia in relation to social sustainability – trend analysis in homelessness figures. Useful metrics for policy/decision makers to give due diligent attention. “Rough sleeping — a term which refers to living outside or in a car — has gone up by 20 per cent since 2011.” “Policy experts agree one of the main culprits pushing up homelessness is the housing affordability crisis.” It could happen to anyone. “Rima… and her son have somewhere to live at the moment, but they have been without a home, on and off, for a decade. “I was 29, I was an area manager for fast food, so I actually had a very good career where I could afford to pay and I did pay private rent for years. But I had a domestic violence relationship and I had to leave everything.””)

• “Afraid to Have Children”: Climate scientists reveal their fears for the future(This could only be one concern for to be parents!)
• What’s wrong with being ‘fair and balanced’?( Hats off for ABC for pushing in the right direction – being fair and balanced! )
• Cape Town residents dread ‘disaster’ as city waits for water to run out(An emerging humanitarian disaster at the hands of nature! Where to from here?)
• The silent epidemic of elder abuse in our suburbs(How did we get here? Hoe can we get out of here? Something for our social/political leaders to ponder. ” the World Health Organisation estimates about one in six people aged older than 60 will be victims each year. An official definition is also hard to pin down, though experts agree it involves the abuse of an older person — whether physical, psychological, financial or by neglect — by a person they trust.”)
• Life insurers to feel the heat under new industry crackdown(Not surprising! Life Insurance industry is behaving no different to the banking industry in Australia (as currently being revealed in the royal commission). Concerningly, yet again affirms a broader societal issue than an isolated matter.)
• Dr Stuart Palmer from Australian Ethical speaks to the Business(Dumping AMP on ethical investment grounds – we need more organisations and individuals to follow suit by giving emphasis on ethical investments. Ethical behaviours, even though seen as an optional soft requirement, it is the leading indicator of a society’s productivity/sustainability/sustainable development in the longer run. Consequently, organisations, as well as individuals, who look forward to strategic directions with a social responsibility, should seriously consider investing on an ethical basis towards developing healthy societies.)
• Property Council warns Australia still has work to do on urban liveability(Uban liveability of Australia – performance lagging behind perceptions (or the product is lagging behind the brand) compared to many other comparable cities. Infrastructure and transport systems are key measures and infrastructure development is not keeping up with population growth.  Some leading indicators for decision-makers to pay attention before it is too late (if not already)!)
• Chemistry of Connection(The value of integration/interconnectedness at every level starting from individuals (as in formal definitions of wisdom/consciousness) and radiating towards the whole globe towards the sustainability of our planet – great insights!”Peace begins within, then radiates outward to our families, friends, and communities to create a greater sense of interconnection at every level. To bring more peace in our world, we can start by connecting more GENUINELY WITHIN OURSELVES, integrating fragmented patterns that create the illusion of separateness into a more integrated sense of interconnectedness.””Now more than ever we need to work to resolve our differences by acknowledging a shared attunement that facilitates empathy while not insisting the other agree with us. We can turn toward compassion as our default mode.”)
• Childhood stress leaves lasting mark on genes (A much-needed EYE-OPENER on the significant lasting NEGATIVE impacts of CHILDHOOD STRESS! “One of the results of Pollak’s work on ABUSE, NEGLECT, POVERTY and other challenges in the life of a CHILD is, according to Alisch, a particularly useful method of characterizing the types and severity of stress through detailed interviews with both the children and their parents.”)
• Liberal Party’s civil war isn’t over — it’s part of a global battle (Australia is on a path to following Britain and the USA towards  POPULISM politics/extremism! In fact isn’t this a proof that this is a GLOBAL TREND? Can’t we address/implement solutions to this new trend with a HUMAN FACE/WITH A MODERATE FOCUS enhancing collaborations and interconnectedness instead of alienation and animosity?”Internationally, people are reclaiming the idea of national identity; there is a blowback against globalisation; a rejection of political elites and politics-as-usual; immigration, free trade, energy policy have become defining issues.””Politics is becoming increasingly polarised and fractured.It is disrupting democracies, redefining ideological boundaries; trade barriers have gone back up, borders have been strengthened.””Populism and the politics of identity have given cover to ugly strains of extremism and xenophobia the world thought it had banished forever.” )The 2018 Essentials: Emotional Intelligence (The TIPPING POINT between “HARD SKILLS” and “SOFT SKILLS” – are we there yet? Maybe we are being pushed hard in that direction by the unavoidable social conditions/situations for the purpose of our own SURVIVAL as a WHOLE/SOCIETY/PLANET! )
• Beth Noveck on how open data and direct democracy could restore our faith in politics (DIRECT DEMOCRACY and OPEN DATA to restore faith in POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE – a great insight indeed! People participating directly in decision-making instead of powering/voting politicians once and allowing them to take decisions what they think is right on behalf of the voters. Instead we can rely on data/evidence and collective intelligence in an ongoing manner by making use of digital technology/media!”What we are trying to do is to get beyond the idea that public institutions, the quality of our democracy really, is limited to the notion of voting.” “”Whether we are lawyers or judges or data scientists or computer scientists or stay-at-home mums or dads, we all have expertise and knowledge and experience, often lived experience,” ” “..benefit from.. “diverse intelligence” of a community” “I think where [democracy] is headed, where it could be headed, is towards a very great and robust future of greater collaboration, of deeper democracy, of stronger institutions and more active citizenship.” “It’s … combining open data and new sources of information with people who know how to use that information that actually allow us to derive insights and solve problems in new ways,” Professor Noveck explains.”

• The Commonwealth’s top Execs hit with a pay cut over money laundering allegations(Interesting discussions and views on bank money laundering allegations! It is very interesting to wait and see where all these will end.)
• NAB may join CBA in AUSTRAC’s sights over money laundering and counter-terrorism breaches(Another one of top 4 banks (in Australia) to join the club of money laundering and counter terrorism breaches! Where are we heading to?)
• NAB sacks 20 bankers for selling 2,300 ‘liar’ home loans(More revelation of high profit yielding banking industry (Australia) issues/malpractices! This time liar loans! As per some investigations, these loans can add up to 1/3 of the home loans. Is this the tip of the iceberg?)
• Tip Top drivers being ‘worked to death’ as families call for greater responsibility(An example that illustrates that health and well-being is very important (especially at the work place), if not THE most important requirement. Especially, chronic sleep deprivation can have fatal consequences.)
• Why you’re about to pay through the nose for power(Why is it so important that our leaders take decisions leading to sustainability! How can a decision that appears so convincing, albeit narrowly, becomes a disaster at another time? How can we improve our decision-making capacities? How can we be mindful in our decision-making using creativity and critical thinking to avoid pursuing vested interests? )
• CBA admits money laundering breaches; faces new AUSTRAC charges(Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA- the largest bank in Australia) saga continues with its admission of money laundering allegations along with some additional/amended allegation being introduced by the regulator.  With the possible penalty is summing up to over 900 billion dollars, where would this go/end?)
• Should Caring be a New Currency?(What is lacking in narrow perspectives of traditional economic models devoid of long-term sustainability- “Caring Economics!”. For instance, children’s education is very competitive and achievement-oriented which reflects our “survival of the fittest” view. If we use the Caring Economics model in schools instead, we could teach valuing relationships, trust, fairness, and so on as much as being the best and achieving higher and higher goals. New economic models and associated views on human nature could not only have huge implications for governance systems but also for how we design institutions like banks, our health system and schools. Rather than solely maximizing individual gains and optimizing monetary outcomes, we would replace that with an approach that achieves optimal gains for the common good that also includes trust, kinship and care. “)
• Legal loophole allowing vast mark ups on investment properties(The absence of regulatory control on real estate industry causing vast (unreasonable) markups on investment properties in Australia trapping unquestioning buyers.)Leaders Seeking Wisdom Need An Ethical Dimension (When professional decisions are at odds with one’s ethical principles! ” It goes to the heart of what he and his colleagues refer to as “wise leadership”. In particular, they see the lack of an ethical dimension as a potential threat to sustainable business success. Given that talking about sustainability is second nature to just about every executive these days, this is not something to be taken lightly.”)
• From Davos: 3 Lessons in Purpose(Solving World’s Wicked Problems Towards Social Sustainability – Something Positive As We Have Started Paying Attention At Least Now (Rather Than Later) “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.” “There is a much greater awareness among leaders than ever before that solving the complex and unique challenges of the future requires harnessing 100% of the world’s potential,” ” Davos agenda seems designed to help businsses move away from short-term profitability towards having positive, long-term impact for the communities in which they operate.” “Standing Up for Social Progress” and “what future role will employment play in terms of community identity, personal livelihood, and societal purpose,”)
• ASIC slams banks, insurers over conflicts and poor financial advice(Bank-owned financial advisors pushing customers against their best interests!! We are revisiting the phenomena of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which appears to be non-existent in a short-term profit-based corporate thinking.  It gives some explanations as to how Australian major banks were able to get bumper profits even during economic downturn times across the world and in many other industries.)
• Why many big companies don’t pay corporate tax(How can we justify that many large companies (in Australia) pay zero tax for years? Is that related to fraudulent behaviour or loop-holes in the tax system? Whichever is the reason, where is the highly talked-about notion of CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY being practised? Is this the LEADERSHIP organisation getting commonly. In these circumstances, how can our societies get directed to sustainability? Can we rely on old leadership/economic models to achieve sustainability?)
• As AI Makes More Decisions, the Nature of Leadership Will Change(How would (and should) the notion of leadership change in the era of AI (Artificial Intelligence)? Interesting and insightful! “Certain qualities, such as deep domain expertise, decisiveness, authority, and short-term task focus, are losing their cachet, while others, such as humility, adaptability, vision, and constant engagement, are likely to play a key role in more-agile types of leadership. ”  How is the notion of humility (as mentioned above) is defined? “Humility – In an age of rapid change, knowing what you don’t know is as valuable as knowing what you do. Unfortunately, leaders are often shielded from learning about new developments by the sheer volume and variety of new information that is captured daily. Leaders in the AI age need to be willing to learn and be open to seeking input from both inside and outside their organizations. They also need to trust others to know more than they do. This knowledge may well come from someone 20 years younger or three levels down the organizational hierarchy. In the AI age, an effective leader understands that someone having lower status or less experience doesn’t mean they cannot make a key contribution.”)
• There’s no case for a corporate tax cut when one in five companies don’t pay it(A beautifully presented argument with facts/evidence that tax cuts won’t necessarily impact on wages growth/ investments/GDP growth etc.Especially when there are many organisations (in Australia) do not pay any tax and many others pay a very low effective tax rate (for Australia 10.4%). We need to be aware that old economic/leadership models (trickle down economics/low tax-high investment(innovations)/short-term economy is the only perspective etc) are not going to work always for current problems in their exact forms – there are many perspectives to these problems than ever before in a highly integrated world/society.)
• A focus on responsible lending will uncover huge problems for the banks(Liar loans and responsible lending issues in Australia – how significant a problem is this? “The free and loose lending standards that banks have demonstrated, particularly over the last decade through the use of benchmarking tools and interest only loans, has the potential to be catastrophic for the Australian economy,” Maurice Blackburn lawyer Josh Mennen said.” )
• ‘We’ve done an abysmal job’: Australia is struggling to handle its swelling population(An interesting and important matter in relation to the Australian society (its struggle to handle high population growth) put forth in a compelling manner. Another example highlighting the lack of systems thinking on the part of decision makers. It shouldn’t be narrowly focused everything is the economy only perspective. There is a whole system out there. High migration rate keeps the economic figures in a good shape. But infrastructure building must be on par with the population growth – better transport plans and infrastructure, more school and hospitals. Otherwise, the overall productivity of operation will continue to decline and causing major economic and other problems in the longer run.)
• Evidence of widespread fraud at first day of Banking Royal Commission( We are getting to hear about the roots of widespread banking issues/fraudulent behaviour through the Royal Commission currently taking place in Australia. It is good that it happens at least now rather than later.)
• NAB admits broker incentives contributed to fraud in “litany of control issues”( One of top 4 banks in Australia (NAB) admits (in the Royal Commission inquiry) that its remuneration structure encouraged staff/mortgage brokers to engage in fraudulent behaviour such as falsifying customer income documents, forging customer signatures and accepting cash bribes (possible because the liability of paying back the loan lies with the customer mostly). From what we have heard in the past, this appears to be a very common practice in the whole banking industry and there is no wonder Australian house prices on average are one of the highest in the world. )
• After an epic property boom, here’s the youth homelessness figures(A concerning trend in homelessness figures in Australia despite years of an unprecedented property boom.  What are the causes and where are the solutions coming from?  )
• Mortgage brokers in the spotlight at the banking royal commission( Royal Commission into banking industry misconduct continues. Mortgage brokers have naturally/instinctively pushed borrowers to have larger loans for longer periods as the higher the loan amount, the higher the commission they get and also throughout the loan period (pushing them to encourage borrowers to extend the loan period). A very interesting scenario – brokers get COMMISSIONS for the lifetime of the loan, banks get INTERESTS for the same period and even more interestingly, the customers get the LIABILITY to pay the loan. Another clear example how the remuneration system in banks pushed staff/employees/brokers for engaging in malpractices/fraud such as falsifying documents, forging signatures etc. )
• 10 years after the financial crisis, have we learned anything?( What have we learned 10 years after the GFC – an important question and discussion? Are we heading back to history?“We’re sitting here, 10 years later, with a short-term memory that doesn’t seem to recall how we got into that mess,” Taylor says. “We got into that mess because of the lack of regulation, and now we’re talking about making banks less accountable. It makes no sense whatsoever.”“CNNMoney is taking a look back at the 10 years following the financial meltdown that stretched around the globe — and signs that something similar might again be on the horizon, as Congress and regulators begin to loosen some of the rules they put ” )
• Facebook’s stock tumbles again. Data scandal wipes away nearly $50 billion( Influence of social media on democracy – when selecting political leaders among many other influences. New revelation put Facebook in a challenging situation.  )
• Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg admits the company needs regulating( Social media and Big Data influence on democracy – electing political leaders, sometimes with false/misleading information spreading. Where are we heading? Should we simply blame the technology or the way we use it?)
• Financial advice sector to face heat at Royal Commission( Banking Royal Commission enters into financial planning territory – are we in for more shocks or just another revelation of the harsh reality/status quo?)
• AMP reputation in tatters after Royal Commission admissions(he corporate culture of Wealth Management icon AMP is confronted at the Banking Royal Commission in Australia. Are we hearing anything new/surprising or just the harsh realities prevalent?  – AMP has lied to the corporate regulator ASIC around 20 times and they put shareholders’ interests ahead of the customers.  Do we have real solutions to issues like this? Where are they coming from?)
• AMP customers charged for financial advice they never received(By having a Royal Commision on Banking and Finance sector in Australia, despite many oppositions from various parties including at top levels, has raised many eyebrows in the last couple of months. Now the question that comes up is why didn’t we have it much earlier to have stopped a massive social destruction over the years. Another intriguing question that erupts is how would it so happen that some hypersensitive people (whistleblowers), who are able to sniff these harsh realities, have to undergo so much psychological and social stress in getting to terms with large-scale crimes/malpractices. In light of all these, we may ask, is widening INEQUALITY in so many parts of the world is a consequence of these crimes/malpractices of these large organisations/institutes and the leaders involved? )
• Widespread, shocking, unconscionable,’ Allan Fels says of banking royal commission findings(Some appropriate words to describe the status quo of Australian Banking and Finance industry – “Widespread, shocking, unconscionable” that one could have ever predicted. Where to from here – could possibly be better answered by answering How did we get here? )
• Australian Government should be ashamed of past performance on banking sector(How can many of us including high profile leaders so oblivious/mindless to many deep-rooted issues in our societies? How much pain and destruction our societies have to undergo because of it? How could it be possible 75-90% of industries in many parts of the world were finding it tough as that happened during and immediately after the GFC, Australian Banks were making unstoppable bumper profits in a dramatic mismatch situation? Now we have the answers to question “How did that happen?”)
• Budget repair less urgent than raising dole payments, leading economist Chris Richardson says( When a leading, well-respected economist (not a social scientist) talks about the dire need of raising the social security payment/dole amount (in Australia), there must be something special/severe about it. “”That combination says we here in Australia don’t have a dole-bludger problem — what we have is a society that is unnecessarily cruel,” Mr Richardson said.” “”That’s a lot of money, but it’s a lot of money because we have to catch up to the wrongs of the past,” he said.” “We make trouble for ourselves if we let the poorest of the poor get poorer,” Mr Richardson said.)
• Banking royal commission: Does this prove banks are not an ethical investment?( What are the options available for investors concerned about more than just profits in the presence of the dramatic revelations from the currently ongoing Banking Royal Commission of Australia? An interesting discussion. “In the world of “ethical” investing, corporate social responsibility looms large.” We may also raise the issue of individual social responsibility (as opposed to corporate social responsibility) on where to invest so that our investments do not come back/ boomerang in a harsh way to severely damage us and our societies? ” “Ethical” funds don’t just look at profits, but also whether a company is making a positive contribution to people, animals, and the environment. At the banking royal commission, it’s been anything but.” “Fees for no service, lying to the regulators, doctoring so-called independent reports and so it goes on,” “And while the royal commission has highlighted serious misconduct in the banks, including fraud and bribery, for “ethical” investors, the fossil fuel issue is at least as important.”)
• ASIC chairman slams banks for creating “trust deficit”(“Trust Deficit” in Australian corporate world and more specifically in the finance sector by focusing purely (by hook or crook) on maximising profits – how could the trust be rebuilt towards sustainability and productivity?)
• Hospitality workers forced to chase millions in unpaid superannuation(How serious could be the impact of cash-in-hand worker exploitations (below the minimum legal amount/rate, without tax and superannuation payments) on the broader economy? One thing that is clear is that the impact (of illegal/unethical/unjust behaviours like this from the part of any organisation/individual)is not just on the respective employee but on the broader economy of the country and therefore indirectly on every citizen/resident either in short-term or long-term. These actions will take our societies thousands of steps away/backwards from sustainability.)
• A second day of grilling for Westpac(Banking Royal Commission in Australia reveals more unconscionable lending (this time for small businesses) based on form-filling rather than substance relying on an asset is available waiting if the loan cannot be repaid. Further damages to the reputation of Big 4 Banks! The saga continues!)
• Victorian Government vows to crack down on wage theft, with penalties of up to 10 years in jail(It is indeed encouraging to see that worker exploitation/underpayment (hospitality industry one of top culprits) is getting due attention at the top governmental level with an understanding of “underpaying worker is theft/crime”. A small positive step towards social sustainability in the longer run. It is great to see governments are seeing/focusing strategically beyond their elected term/just getting elected again in the next term.  “”The simple fact is underpaying workers is theft and it’s time it’s treated like that in our laws.” “”The announcement came as the Fair Work Ombudsman launched investigations against some of Melbourne’s most well-known food venues for allegedly underpaying staff.” )
• RBA says productivity the key to wages growth, but is more productivity what we need?(We are back to the old adage of “lies, damn lies and then STATISTICS”. The need to have the measure of PRODUCTIVITY as a HOLISTIC one as opposed measurable outputs/number of hours. An individual cannot be made highly productive just by making him/her work long hours even at the expense of his/her overall WELL-BEING that will have negative impacts on others who have close associations with him/her and indirectly on the broader economy as well. “Mandating a higher ratio of early childhood educators to pre-schoolers probably reduces productivity in that sector statistically, even though outcomes for the children have improved by more than the increased investment in labour.” “Consider the aged care facility that has 100 patients and 20 staff. If you get rid of 10 staff, but still charge the hundred patients the same price for their care then there’s a good chance the statisticians will conclude productivity has doubled.” “That could mean a “productive” nursing home is one where patients languish for hours in their own excrement or choke on a meal with no staff around to save them.” “I’m sure you get the picture, and its not a pretty one for the economics profession and its unhealthy obsession with certain statistics.”)
• I was a ‘puppet’: Former financial planner claims AMP pressured him to sell inferior products (The dire need to improve on these SICKENING and unconscionable CORPORATE/ORGANISATIONAL CULTURES to develop SUSTAINABLE/HEALTHY societies! We need the TRANSFORMATION to begin at the grassroots at the personal/individual levels that would radiate to BROADER societies. “A former AMP planner has described the financial services giant as a “dictatorship”, claiming he was pressured to sell in-house products, including to a client who would have been left thousands of dollars a year worse off.” This is an EXAMPLE of how many of us get ENTRAPPED in many situations in so much NEGATIVELY INTEGRATED environments and find ourselves in some MORAL DILEMMA of making a means of living and be JUST, FAIR  and ETHICAL in a broader sense. )
• Profit vs Purpose: The Duel Begins (CORPORATE STRATEGIES moving away from mere PROFITS to a HIGHER PURPOSE – a great trend emerging in the BUSINESS WORLD! “…a letter from BlackRock, one of Wall Street’s BIGGEST INVESTORS, addressed to the CEOs of all the companies in which the asset manager holds stakes. “Companies must benefit ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, including shareholders, EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS and the COMMUNITIES in which they operate,” the letter stated. “Without a SENSE OF PURPOSE, no company, either public or private, can achieve its FULL POTENTIAL.”” “there has been immense pressure on corporate leaders to make delivering PROFITS the ONLY PRIORITY “MAXIMIZING shareholder value” is the MANTRA drilled into MBA candidates worldwide;EVERYTHING ELSE is SECONDARY. There’s no question that the attitude has helped investors—just look at what stocks have done since the 1980s. But critics contend that it has put CEOs under incredible pressure to deliver consistently improving financial results AT NEARLY ALL OTHER COSTS. Sometimes that has meant LAYING PEOPLE OFF or FORGING LONG-TERM projects. In the worst cases, it has led leaders to CONDONE less-than-exemplary BEHAVIOR by their employees just to MAKE MONEY in the short term.”)
• CEO pay can be linked to slow wage growth, but does that make it theft? (A very IMPORTANT issue to discuss and REFLECT on! This SINGLE DIMENSION/PERSPECTIVE approach of BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (economy/SHORT-TERM PROFIT ONLY) seems to be driving our societies to UNSUSTAINABILITY. Business operations are essentially social operations and must meet ALL STAKEHOLDER REQUIREMENTS 9 including that of CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES ETC.) NOT JUST SHAREHOLDERS in order to sustainable, just and fair. “It seems then that in 2017, ASX200 CEOs shared in Australia’s economic growth. But is this SPIKE IN EXECUTIVE PAY while WAGES GROWTH IS STATIC actually “WAGES THEFT”, with executives as the favoured few enjoying the benefits of improved company and share price performance?”)
• Earnings are up but your pay packet isn’t. Here’s where the money goes instead (Can we afford to SHARE the PROFITS purely among INVESTORS/SHAREHOLDERS at the EXPENSE of other stakeholders such as EMPLOYEES and CUSTOMERS? Is this practice SUSTAINABLE? Are the businesses/corporations being SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE and FAIR? Do we need urgent POLICY CHANGES in WORKPLACE RELATIONS to put us on a sustainable path?)Narcissistic CEOs Can Mean Big Legal Bills ( Where would organisations head to when EXECUTIVES are not EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT?”…some of the same traits that we exalt in visionary business executives also are characteristics of narcissists. In that personality disorder, a sense of superiority and overconfidence are accompanied by low empathy and a tendency to take advantage of others.””“Narcissists like and want admiration,” O’Reilly explains. “There’s evidence that they seek out positions where they can demonstrate to others how great they are.””)
• 10 years on since the GFC – but have lessons been learnt? (TEN YEARS ON, have we learned lessons from the GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS  (GFC)? Will there be a DAY OF RECKONING as a result of HIGH GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE debt (resulted from record-low interest rates for a prolonged period), a HARD-LANDING of CHINA (influenced by TRADE-WARS) or a POTENTIAL CORRECTION OF the TECH BOOM on WALL STREET?)Banking royal commission interim report released; blames greed for misconduct (Banking Royal Commission – Interim Report.The extent to which the Australian BANKS went DEEP DOWN in GREED! The INTRIGUING QUESTION would be – Are banks only a portrait of many other similar organisations/institutes/industries? Aren’t GREED and actions resulting from it WIDESPREAD social phenomena in a CONTEMPORARY WORLD?”Too often, the answer seems to be GREED — the pursuit of SHORT-TERM PROFIT at the expense of BASIC STANDARD OF HONESTY,” he wrote.”How else is charging continuing advice fees to the dead to be explained?”Commissioner Hayne observed that from the executive suite to the front line, staff PERFORMANCE WAS MEASURED and REWARDED based on PROFIT and SALES.””However, the commissioner does not sheet home blame solely to the financial institutions, with the REGULATORS also failing to check their greed.”When MISCONDUCT was revealed, it either went UNPUNISHED or the consequences did not meet the seriousness of what had been done,” Commissioner Hayne wrote.”)

  Banking royal commission key findings from Kenneth Hayne’s interim report (EYE-OPENING words used by the HEAD of Australian BANKING ROYAL COMMISSION to describe the INDUSTRY’S STATUS QUO: GREED, AVARICE, DISHONESTY in the pursuit of PROFIT: The BIG QUESTION is: Isn’t this just a SAMPLE of BROADER STAUS QUO OF the SOCIETY? Isn’t this STATUS QUO ( INDUSTRY/ ORGANISATION/ INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOURS) indirectly or directly a PRODUCT of our EXISTING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS over many years?

  “commissioner ..blown a hole in ..EXCUSE ..used by SENIOR BANK EXECUTIVES…”just a few rotten apples”.

  “PREVENTING IMPROPER conduct (and PROMOTING DESIRABLE ..) is a central TASK OF MANAGEMENT, at EVERY LEVEL IN AN ENTITY: ..MOST JUNIOR SUPERVISOR to the MOST SENIOR EXECUTIVES and THE BOARD.”

  “.major banks, ..smaller lenders, ..ROUTINELY BREACHING RESPONSIBLE LENDING LAWS when …approve home loans — credit cards .. car loans too.”

  “big threat … MORTGAGE BROKING .. WHO WORKERS REALLY WORK FOR, given ..PAID BY LENDERS WHOSE LOANS THEY SELL.”

  “COMPLIANCE ..RELEGATED to a COST OF DOING BUSINESS.”

  “conduct ignores BASIC STANDARDS OF HONESTY.”

  “require consideration ..of CULTURE, REGULATION and STRUCTURE.”

  “heart of ..bad behaviour is CONFLICTED REMUNERATION…”

  “Sales staff ..REWARDED by COMMISSION; ADVISORS ..not.”)

  Telstra shareholder revolt (Stakeholders are REVOLTING  against EXECUTIVE PAY. BOARD MEMBERS are FORCED to take action. Is this EMERGING from TELSTRA (the major TELECOM company in AUSTRALIA) just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG? GREAT to see we (shareholders, unions, and other stakeholders including customers) are getting to our REAL SENSES albeit significantly BELATEDLY!)