Ok, so last week I went to Chicago for two days of training in a new way of increasing your working memory. Wow.

I don’t get too excited about new stuff that comes on the market — anything, cars, weight loss programs, financial products, and especially in the realm of psychology and self-help. Given that I am now 50, I have been around the block a few times, I’ve been burnt more than once, and, as a result, am a fairly intense skeptic (especially about psych stuff.)

So let me tell you what’s up, and how it may apply to you or someone you know.

“Working memory” is this somewhat unusual term that most of us aren’t familiar with. Essentially, working memory is the ability to keep information “online” in our mind for a short period of time and to be able to use this information in our thinking.

Memory is remembering information. I say “2,5,8″ and you say “2,5,8″. I tell you my name is “Paul White” and you try to remember it. I put my car keys down and I (hopefully) remember where they are.

Working memory is doing something with the information we are remembering. You are “working” with the information. So if I say “3 - 2 + 1 = ___”, you are not just going to remember the number sentence, but while holding onto it, you attempt to solve it. If you are going somewhere for an appointment you have been once before, you get the address, and then try to “pull up” previous information to help you make decisions on the best route to get there. Working memory is very closely associated with concentration.

Let me tell you instances where working memory problems are frequently experienced:

*Reading information, and not being able to remember what you just read (at the end of the page, when you finish a chapter, later that day).

*During a meeting, class or lecture, you are not able to listen, stay focused, and process the information while continuing to listen (you “space off”, get distracted, or get overwhelmed with too much information at once.)

*Having a number of tasks to do, making a “mental note” about them, and then not being able to remember what you needed to do.

*In the midst of an important conversation, you think of some point you want to make, but need to hold onto the thought while the other person finishes theirs. When they are finished, you cannot remember what you were going to say.

There are lots of examples (remembering phone numbers, people’s names, where you parked your car), but this will suffice. As you might deduce, working memory is a significant deficit for individuals with ADHD (don’t think “hyperactive”, think “problems with attention, concentration, focus”).

So here’s the deal. A relatively recent breakthrough (that is, the past 5 years) in research has shown that working memory can be significantly increased through the appropriate training process. The research originated in Sweden and a training program was developed, and further researched. In the last 18 months, this training program came to the U.S. and currently being used in research at Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dame, New York University, and other institutions.

The research was originally focused on ADHD students, then adolescents and adults, and then research was done with adult stroke victims. The findings show for all of these groups that they were able to improve both their verbal and visual-spatial working memory through the training, and that there were secondary effects in better attention, concentration, impulse control and complex problem-solving, etc. (See this whitepaper for a good summary of the early research.)

Ok. So what is this training program? It is called the Cogmed Working Memory training. Essentially, it is a computer-based training program accompanied by professional coaching to assist in getting the most from the program. The computer-based part can be done from your home, office or wherever. The training is designed to be done 5 days a week for 5 weeks, requiring about 45-60 minutes a day. The Cogmed coach assists the trainee in understanding the training, setting up a schedule and structure to consistently do the training, and then provides weekly feedback on the training. The coach has online access to the daily training sessions, how the trainee is doing on the various activities (there are 13 training activities), and provides feedback and encouragement on how to improve. (Interesting to me, the program was developed in Sweden so it can be done and coached over a distance, given its use of the Internet and telephone-based coaching.)

The training is not easy. It is not just a bunch of computer games. The program is designed to “push” the trainee, by keeping the activities at a demanding (but not too difficult) level. Early research with the training demonstrated that trainees would not consistent do the training, or complete the program without the assistance of a coach. With a coach, the program has demonstrated a 94% successful completion rate in North America.

So what is so exciting about all of this?

First, this is the first non-medication intervention for ADHD individuals that peer-reviewed research demonstrates significant and lasting positive effects on ADHD symptoms. So for ADHD individuals (or parents of ADHD students) that don’t want to take meds, want to get off their meds or that have negative side effects from medication, this is a viable alternative. (Additional new research is showing that the training provides additional help to those who are on medication.)

Second, physiological tests show that after completing the training program the brain functions differently in the areas of the brain (prefrontal cortex and parietal lobe) that are associated with attention, concentration, and executive functioning. And individuals with brain damage were helped through the training.

Finally, I think there are a number of potential fascinating applications of the training (that either are in the process of being researched, or have not yet been) including:

*Aiding older adults and “baby boomers” in sharpening their mental skills and memory

*Improving reading comprehension

*Helping dyslexics in reading decoding (sounding out words)

*Maximizing performance on the SAT and ACT college entrance exams

*Assisting executives in improving their concentration, focus and problem-solving.

If you are interested in more information, go to www.aboutworkingmemory.org and/or www.cogmed.com . Also, I took two professionals with me to Chicago who were trained to work as coaches under my supervision (the training is only available through certified psychologists or physicians) and we are providing training to individuals all over (including overseas). There are currently 70 practices certified in the U.S. and you can find one close to you on the Cogmed website, or we would be happy to serve you (or recommend someone close by). You can visit our website at www.workingmemorysolutions.com for more information.

Keep learning, and remembering!

I write about the principles of leadership that I either observe in successful business owners and managers, or what I read in books and articles on leadership. So it makes sense that I should try to apply these principles, as well.

Here I am, waiting in an airport, delayed due to weather in Chicago (where I am hoping to go). So I am trying to apply a couple of principles I frequently hear about — be prepared, and be willing to adjust to life’s circumstances.

I have traveled enough over the past several years to know that there is always a fair chance of delays. As a result, I load myself up with materials needed to get tasks done while waiting. Reading materials, paper & pad (for writing, in case I don’t have access to electricity and my battery dies), my laptop, and projects to work on — all are the typical supplies I bring. So right now, I am hooked into the airport computer access system and writing my blog for the week.

Those are my specifics for this week. What are yours? What things are wise or prudent for you to have with you in order to “be prepared”? It could relate to objects you need in your car in case you have a wreck or slide off the road. It could be items that would be good to have with you in case a meeting cancels or the person you are scheduled to have lunch with doesn’t show up.

Now the second principle — being able (and willing) to adjust to life circumstances. Part of this has to do with expectations — I now expect to have delays while flying between 33% to 50% of the time. So I try not to get exceptionally upset or frustrated when it happens. Delays are part of travel in the “hub and spoke” airline system we have.

The other part of adjusting to changes in circumstances is not having a schedule that is inflexible. If you are too tightly scheduled, there is no room for adjustment. And sometimes, your plans just aren’t going to happen as you plan. And I really am talking more broadly than about travel — life’s circumstances affect us when external forces outside of our control impact the economy and our business, when we have a car wreck, when we get sick, and so forth.

In what areas of your life are you too tightly scheduled? Where do you really get irritated or agitated when circumstances don’t go smoothly? For me, it’s often in the smaller spots of life — daily appointments, driving in traffic, not being able to reach people on the phone. For whatever reason, I seem to do better with the bigger events and struggle in the smaller ones. What are the growth areas for you in learning to adjust to changes in your life’s circumstances?

The final principle (the one that I was going to focus on in this entry before my travel delays occurred) is that of learning. A repetitive theme in the literature on leadership is that leaders (and future leaders) are learners. They learn from others. They are observant. They are self-motivated to learn through reading, seminars, and workshops.

One theme I have observed is that individuals who are successful in “life” (that is, in managing their lives personally and professionally) is that they often integrate principles and concepts from divergent areas. It it good to be knowledgeable and competent in your professional area of expertise. But, in many ways, that is baseline — it is expected. Leaders learn from other areas of life and apply those principles to their business or relationships. For example, I remember one author that taught relational leadership behaviors that he learned from his hobby of competitive sailing. Another executive of an organization I know is always asking his friends what they are learning.

I read a lot. And I try to “keep up” in the fields in which I practice — psychology, business succession, wealth transfer, family relationships, and the various struggles individuals and families have. But I find my true value comes when I can bring information from one area to another (e.g. I am finding parallels in the principles in working with family-owned businesses to the area of family foundations, many of the challenges are similar.)

The reason I was planning on writing on this “learning” principle is because I am headed to Chicago for training in a new computer-based program for ADHD individuals that has been shown to have an 80% success rate in helping them with the issues of attention, concentration, distractibility, organizational skills, difficulties learning & retaining information. The research is impressive and I am excited to learn about this program. I’ll let you know what I find out — and how it may relate to some seemingly unrelated area of life.

A fair amount of my time professionally is listening to individuals, families and organizations who are experiencing some challenges that they are trying to manage successfully. They describe to me a variety of problems and are looking for insight on what to do.

The issues range from individual behavior and feelings — anxiety about life, problems with anger management, patterns of communication which are viewed as condescending by others, uncertainty about one’s future career path — to problems solidly planted in the midst of relationships (marital conflict, a teenager or young adult who is demonstrating behavior problems and the parents don’t know what to do, a lack of trust among family members). And the challenges also can be more systemic or organizational — the lack of qualified managers who can “step up” to fill the gap when the current senior leaders retire, or current key employees who do not have the characteristics needed to be successful in their role.

Believe it or not, one of the most frequent questions I am asked is: “Do you think this is really a ‘problem’ or is it normal?” In essence, I am being asked: “Is this a ‘normal’ problem or is this something we should be concerned about?”

For example, parents aren’t sure if their teenager’s behavior is “normal teenage rebellion” or something greater. Or a manager doesn’t know if his direct report’s tendency to irritate his coworkers and those who work for him is “ok” and he should just let it ride, or if he should confront the issue.

Often, I give my clients some guidelines in order to determine if the problem is within the normal range of behavior (note that “normal” behavior includes challenges, weaknesses, and problem behavior) or if the pattern should be viewed more seriously. Here are a few ways to tell.

First, let’s clear the air on one viewpoint. Some people attempt to minimize problems they are having by saying: “There are lots of people who struggle with (xyz). It is not that big of a deal.” This is the adult version of the teenage justification, “Everyone is doing it!” The point trying to be made is that X behavior can’t really be problematic if it occurs frequently. Wrong. Ask the children of alcoholics or parents who are physically abusive (two high frequency behavior patterns). The level of frequency of a problem in a society has no bearing on its impact on individuals.

Ok, so here are the guidelines.

Frequency of the behavior. If a problem behavior (e.g. losing your temper and yelling at others) occurs once every six months, that is less of a concern than if the behavior occurs daily. Generally speaking, the more frequent a problem is demonstrated, the more concern there should be.

Intensity. Similarly, if the intensity of the behavior is fairly mild, this might be considered within the ‘normal’ range. But when the intensity is high, there is more concern. For example, if an employee is occasionally late to work five to ten minutes, that is not as significant as showing up two hours late (or not at all!) Anger reactions, drinking too much alcohol, anxiety, not fulfilling commitments made, etc. all fall into this realm.

Duration. If a behavior pattern has existed for 30 years (and potentially has grown worse over that time period), that is more problematic than a behavior that has just shown up recently. If a problem pattern has recently emerged, often we look for other stressors in the person’s life that may be temporary.

Generality. If a behavior pattern is pretty limited to one area of a person’s life, or one specific setting, that is less of a concern than if the behavior pattern can be seen in numerous setting. So if a manager relates to numerous people, in multiple settings, in a condescending or sarcastic way (with colleagues, with supervisors, with clients, with vendors, on the phone, in meetings, in email, out in public), then the “level” of the problem is more severe than if this style of communication only occurred with one vendor.

Impact on other areas of life. Some problem behaviors only impact one area of life (work, marriage, relationship with children). Some guys relate well to people at work and in the community, but treat their family members disrespectfully. Some people worry about their children, but the issue doesn’t bleed over into their work life, so that may not be as big of a concern.

Level of concern reported by numerous parties. When an individual raises issues or concerns about another person, whether it is at work or within a family, I view the situation differently than when the same issue is being raised by numerous people. (This is especially true when the individuals don’t seem to have any secondary gains to realize from reporting the problem.)

So, if we take all the issues together, a “normal” problem behavior is probably displayed infrequently, with mild to moderate intensity, maybe has only existed for a short while, and is fairly limited in its scope of where it is displayed.

Conversely, real “problem” behaviors are seen frequently, can be scary in their intensity, have been around a long time, and occur in numerous areas of the person’s life, and usually is creating significant disturbance in his or her life’s functioning.

One final comment. “Problem” problems need to be addressed. They will not go away on their own. And most significant problems are not easy to solve (if they were, they probably would have already been resolved.) “Problem” problems usually require multiple strategies to correct them successfully.

When I have the same issue repeat itself three times in one week in different settings, I reach the conclusion that I better write about the issue.

A growing issue for businesses is the challenge of finding quality employees. And, as we have discussed previously, it is currently equally difficult for individuals seeking work to find jobs which are a good match for their abilities and values.

As I shared this week with various employers, managers, and family business owners, there are four characteristics needed for a person to be successful in their career. And these characteristics are true, regardless of career level — from unskilled and skilled labor to highly educated professionals.

First, and most obvious, is technical or professional expertise. Regardless of industry type, or level of skill needed, almost every job requires some baseline ability, knowledge base, or technical ability — computer literacy, accounting/bookkeeping skills, welding ability, organizational skills, physical strength, knowledge of composite materials, etc. And this is the starting point for most position searches — can they . . . ? do they know how to . . .? have they been trained in and are competent to . . . ?

Secondly, an individual who is going to be successful in their current or future job position must be able to get along with others. I have yet to find a job (for pay) that does not have either customers, clients, co-workers, colleagues, supervisors or managers, vendors, supervisees. Every job requires at some level the ability to communicate with and get along with other people.

The third characteristic needed is the ability to manage oneself (particularly your emotions). As a psychologist and one who frequently deals with the emotional side of life, I have come to believe that we all have our own area of emotional vulnerability. For some, it is anger, or being easily frustrated. Depression (or at its less intense level, being easily discouraged) is the challenge for others. Being anxious, fearful, or worrying is a common area of struggle for many. Whatever the specific feeling category it may be, we all have to learn to manage these feelings, so that they don’t interfere with our ability to function in daily life. We have all witnessed otherwise talented individuals, who are “taken down” by their inability to manage their emotional life.

Finally, the characteristic of self-discipline and perseverance is core to being successful in one’s job and career. The ability to do the “daily grind” — to discipline yourself to do the basics of your job even when you don’t feel like it — is foundational to being productive. As I have stated before, when interviewing highly successful business people about their success, they often attribute “perseverance” as one of the central factors which led to their achievements.

Now, remember the title of this entry? “4-1 = 0″ has to do with the factor that if an individual lacks any one of these four characteristics, they probably will not achieve success in their chosen career field. Let’s face it. If you don’t have the technical capabilities in your field, you won’t go far. The same is true for not getting along with others. Or if your emotions get the best of you, your success will be limited. And if you don’t persevere or have the self-discipline to do the “day-in, day-out” tasks, you typically won’t go very far.

But the real issue is this. There aren’t many “4 for 4’s” out there — and they usually are already working for someone else. So what do you do?

I believe the easiest of the four characteristics to develop is the area of technical or professional expertise. Generally speaking, I would rather take a person who: (a) gets along well with others; (b) has good emotional balance; and (c) perseveres and has self-discipline, and then train them in the technical skill or knowledge base. I believe this is far easier than trying to develop one of the other three areas.

So I am encouraging managers and employers to look for good people and then train them. It seems often applicants have some foundational skills or aptitudes, but not to the level of competency the employer is seeking. I counsel these employers to hire people of good character and then invest in training them. So far, this counsel seems to prove to be a successful approach.

Now, I am hearing the thoughts of the business owners and managers out there saying, “easier said than done.” True. How do you find good people?

First, and foremost, good employees are referred to you by trusted friends and colleagues. (Hence, my repetitive call to network.)

The second best approach is to assess for these characteristics. There are measures of emotional intelligence, but I have found them to be only marginally helpful. However, over the past four months I have been investigating and becoming familiar with an assessmetnt tool that assesses not only personality style (measures like the Myers-Briggs or DISC are ubiquitous) but also character. No assessment tool is perfect, but this instrument (called the MERIT profile) has a good research base, and I have found it to be helpful in assessing potential employees. (If you contact the company, tell them you heard about them through my blog.)

Regardless of how you find good candidates, I believe the important point is for employers to focus more of their time and attention in employee selection on the three competencies which comprise emotional intelligence (relational skills, managing your emotions, self-discipline) and accept the fact that you will probably have to teach them the specific skill set needed in the job.