Lead from Your Higher Mind
The Physiology of Stress (a.k.a. YELLOW):
Body-wide Effects
A recent Gallup study revealed that only 31% of employees are actively engaged in their work, leaving a staggering 69% of the workforce disengaged and unfulfilled in their professional lives. But why? A big part of this is likely tied to another stat: 83% of U.S. workers are stuck in chronic stress mode (American Stress Institute). Chronic stress not only impairs cognitive function and emotional well-being but also hinders productivity and innovation.
Unleashing vitality is an inside job. Higher Mind Leadership integrates proven and purposeful best practices in leadership with cutting-edge neuroscience to unveil high performance, engagement, innovation, and well-being in record time. Leading a healthy, happy, high-performing team starts with an escape from ever-stressed mode.
Check out the example roadmap below to learn how to move your team out of chronic crisis mode and into the physiology of vitality.
Sympathetic activation is meant to be a temporary state; a lifesaving quickie shift to mobilization in response to a threat. By staying in this YELLOW state, the body is perpetually sending less oxygenated blood to the smarty pants brain, its keeping body system functions dialed way down (digestion, immunity, reproduction), and over time we see physical and cognitive decline, and even damage to subcellular organelles (mitochondria) and genetic content (eroding telomeres of DNA).
Science-Backed Approaches
Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Approach
Global Best Practice Leadership + Management
Our approach to embodied excellence incorporates:
- Contemporary neuroscience, recognizing the physiological states related to productivity, engagement, and flow
- The science of innovation, intrinsic motivation, and intuition, leveraging research associated with creative breakthroughs, intuitive insights, inspiration, and motivation
- Multiplicity of mind, recognizing common personality parts, such as those addressed in the DiSC DiSCO model, for personal and inter-personal benefits.
- Shifting focus from surface-level "productivity hacks" to the transformative power of integrating presence via "the part that's not a part," aka Omniversal Self, Quantum Self, Higher Self, etc. (hence the "Higher Mind" in Higher Mind Leadership)
For decades, we have been helping individuals and organizations achieve purpose-aligned impact at spectacular levels. For example:
- 97% – 325% increase in effective hourly rate (measured as bottom line)
- 130% increase in productivity (measured as in-scope, reqs-aligned billable time)
…all while boosting employee morale, collaboration, retention, personal and professional growth, and team performance. By addressing the root causes of disengagement and stress, Higher Mind Leadership unleashes vitality in individuals and organizations to thrive in today's fast-paced, ever-changing world.
Meet Your Team Where They Are
The slideshow below is to give you an idea as to how a superconscious leader may guide their team from SURVIVAL (YELLOW) to TRANSCENDENCE. There are no real "stages."
Why are they all YELLOW (survival mode)? Well, according to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress, costing U.S. businesses up to $300 billion a year. Moreover, the World Health Organization has declared job stress a 'worldwide epidemic,' leading to burnout.
Other team members are show up with different physiological "home bases," such as RED (shutdown mode), etc.
This is an example roadmap. Every team is unique, but these days it's safe to assume that our team members are showing up in chronic stress mode. We call this STAGE 1.
Quick Look: Team in chronic stress (YELLOW). Fixed mindsets and reactive parts dominate.
Biological Spacesuit's Story: "The world is dangerous."
Quantum Self: Obscured by loud parts/ personality parts acting "over-the-top"
Teach polyvagal theory, get to GREEN. Connect to values/purpose. Encourage enjoyable, fun work. Joy/laughter stimulate ventral vagal. Introduce "Being Kinder than Necessary" as a Guiding Principle.
Free resources: Humor, Polyvagal Theory (X-Ray vision), Values, Purpose, Havening Touch
Accessibly-priced DIY workshops:
Quick Look: Less reactivity, team in GREEN.
Biological Spacesuit's Story: "The world is safe. I'll do what I need to."
Quantum Self: Still obscured; micro-moments of connection.
Team shows basic cohesion, less reactive.
Foster growth mindsets, optimism, positivity, Internal Family Systems (IFS), DiSC DiSCO. Use Havening. Emphasize Sizing Up Suitstuff/Seeing Past Persona (X-Ray Vision) as a Guiding Principle. Encourage seeing beyond parts, connecting to Self: As Richard Schwartz, PhD, IFS Founder says: "The mind is not a singular entity or self, but is multiple, composed of parts.” The "part that's not a part" is Self / Self Energy.
Free resources: Internal Family Systems (IFS), Positivity, Havening Touch
Quick Look: Adopting growth mindset. Seeking mastery/flow.
Suit's Story: "The world is safe, let's make things happen."
Quantum Self: More moments, seeking self-transcendence.
Team eager to learn, guiding principles as recommendations. Interest in peak performance.
Use Havening. Introduce DREAM coaching. Cultivate creativity, strengths, transformation, other-orientation via principles. Introduce Guiding Principle: Focus on Value/Making Tomorrow Better Than Today.
Quick Look: Cohesive team having flow experiences.
Suit's Story: "The world is safe, we're in this together."
Quantum Self: More shared purpose = engaged aliveness.
Team cohesive, dedicated, Guiding Principles are effortless (versus "rules").
Encourage interdependence, self-actualization. Introduce "supergreen" states. Use Havening, DREAM coaching. Foster peer coaching. Introduce Guiding Principle: Thinking/Working Holistically - considering interconnectedness.
Quick Look: Team aligned, innovative, synergistic.
Suit's Story: "It's ALL connected."
Quantum Self: Shining through, regularly in Self Energy.
Intuitive principles, baseline flow/connectedness.
Lead via inspiration. Introduce Connecting to the Zone - tapping into Quantum Self and interconnectedness. Share Superconscious Accountability Ladder. Useful resources can be found in the feed below.
Guiding principles are recommendations that we can use in all contexts. They serve as "magnets" that orient thinking and behavior in certain directions, creating continuity in teams that adopt them. Guiding principles have a magnetic pull on decision-making and behavior, gently aligning these with core values and priorities rather than forcing compliance, operating through inspirational magnetism rather than coercive force. Your stressed out team may be ready to hear about Being Kinder than Necessary. Once your team is our of survival mode, introduce Sizing Up the Suitstuff / Seeing Past the Persona, etc. Principle #5 comes in 2 flavors: Connecting to the Superconscious and Connecting to the Zone.
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Disclaimer: This site is a collection of personal development and wellness content and conversations and is intended for entertainment purposes only. Ideas and content shared here is NOT a substitute for medical or professional help and guidance. If you have or think you may have or could possibly have a mental health issue, consult with a doctor immediately. As a certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner, I help clients increase their wellbeing and de-stress. I am not a medical professional: I work with derailers, not disorders. If you have or expect you have a mental disorder, seek out a medical professional. Note that therapists also refer their clients to me, and if you would like your therapist to do so, I am happy to partner with them in your healing.