It is simply a matter [...]]]> One of the Simplest of Brain Tools

Reporter’s Formula is also called the 5 Ws and H. It is the simplest of brain tools used to quickly gain knowledge about an event or issue. Newspaper reporters use this formula to make sure they cover basic knowledge about a news story.

It is simply a matter of asking and finding answers to these questions:

1. Who?

2. When?

3. Where?

4. What?

5. Why?

6. How?

If the reporter can answer these five questions, he or she has covered the basics of the story.

What happened?

A 16 car wreck on the freeway. No one was killed, but an egg truck spilled thousands of eggs on the freeway.

Who caused the wreck?

John Smith.

Where?

The LBJ freeway in Dallas, Texas.

Why?

John Smith, ignoring  common sense while driving, veered into another lane and clipped the egg truck while he was texting.

When? During the morning commute.

How? The texter’s car clipped the back of the egg truck which overturned causing others behind to plow into the turck spilling eggs everywhere.

By answering these simple questions, you won’t leave out the basics of any story, situation, or problem. Of all the great brain tools at your disposal this is one of the easiest to use.

 Business Brain Tool for a Quick Analysis

Use this brain tool to get a quick read on a business problem.

What is the problem? Sales are decreasing.

When? Sales have been decreasing for the past two months.

Where? Is this happening all over, in certain regions of the country, or in certain cities?

Who? Is this happening to certain salesmen, but not affecting others? Are certain districts falling off in sales because salesmen have quit and not been replaced?

Why is this happening? Is this a seasonal problem? Is there a new competitor in the market? Was there a recent price increase?

How? How can this problem be solved?

So if you ever need a fast and easy brain tool to gather some basic information the Reporter’s Formula or 5 Ws and H, fit the bill perfectly. If the information is complex, using this simple brain tools formula can simplify getting basic information quickly.

Clarifying how much value you place on any aspect of your life means you know how much effort to put [...]]]> Sometimes, you need clarification of your priorities in different areas. Rank Order is a simple thinking tool to clarify where you should place your priorities. These may be in business or in your personal life.

Clarifying how much value you place on any aspect of your life means you know how much effort to put into that priority. You should spend your energy and your brain power on what is important in your life.

Rank Order Your Values

What values are important in your life? Clarifying this helps you succeed in life because it gives your life focus. Here is a list of values you can rank order.

Love, beauty, truth, justice, wealth, health, knowledge, religion, art, literature, progress, science,  friendship and creativity are values you can rank order. If you rank wealth as first, you will want to spend more of your time and thinking about how to produce wealth. If love is your first priority, you want to spend your time and thinking about love.

List your most important value as 1, then second most important value as 2, and so on. This will clarify your values in life.

Rank Order Business Problems

How can you make your business better? Rank order what you need to work on most. Identify problems within your business. What problem should be ranked first? Second? Once you identify the biggest problems you know where to put your best thinking to solving your problem and strengthening your business.

Rank Order Your Intelligences

Do you know which intelligence is your dominant intelligence? According to Howard Gardner, most people have two or three dominant intelligences. Rank order these intelligences:

•  Linguistic
•  Logical-Mathematical
•  Spatial
•  Kinesthetic
•  Musical
•  Interpersonal
•  Intrapersonal
•  Naturalistic

Rank order these according to how strong you are on each one. You should have a sense of which intelligence you excel at. If you rank order logical-mathematical as 1st and spatial as 2nd, you are a lock for engineering disciplines like aeronautical, mechanical, or civil engineering. You may be a natural as an architect or chemist.

What about a combination of logical-mathematical and kinesthetic intelligence? You might make an outstanding surgeon. Why kinesthetic? Because surgeons need the fine motor skills of moving their fingers deftly while operating.

Use rank order to achieve greater brain power and greater success in life.

How well can you visualize objects and manipulate them in your mind? Can you recognize subtle differences in shapes? These are indicators of spatial intelligence.

Are you good [...]]]> Characteristics of Spatial Intelligence

One of the multiple intelligences is spatial intelligence. Spatial intelligence involves recognizing and manipulating shapes in space. It involves shapes, colors, and perspective.

How well can you visualize objects and manipulate them in your mind? Can you recognize subtle differences in shapes? These are indicators of spatial intelligence.

Are you good at imagining 3-D objects? Can you draw complex objects accurately?  Good at easily manipulating a form or object? Can you “mentally rotate” forms and shapes? Can you tell whether two complex shapes are identical when viewing several similar but different objects? You work easily in the visual world.

People who have high spatial intelligence can “manipulate complex forms in several dimensions.” They can recognize the tension between lines and space as well as balance in space.

Solving spatial problems separately from logical or linguistic intelligence is a key factor in realizing the power of this intelligence.

How important is spatial intelligence? When it comes to understanding our own physical world, it would seem that spatial intelligence is indispensable. Our everyday navigation through our world depends on vision and spaces.

Spatial Intelligence in Science

Even in the high realms of science and discovery, spatial intelligence seems to underpin some profound discoveries. Einstein seemed to use this intelligence in working through his theories. The chemist Friedrich Kelcule discovered the structure of the benzene ring while aslee by dreaming of snakes who had seized their own tails in a loop. Upon awakening he unlocked the secret.

Certain scientists and engineers need spatial intelligence. Chemists, astronomers, and physicists use spatial intelligence as well as aeronautical, civil, and mechanical engineers. Artists, sculptors, and architects rely heavily on this intelligence. Chess masters use this intelligence but seem to combine it with logical-mathematical intelligence. Noted chess masters have prodigious memories of movement in space.

Spatial Intelligence in Native Environments

Eskimos have an acute sense of space and environment. They rely heavily on recognition of extremely subtle variations in snow topography that an ordinary person would be blind to

Location of Spatial Intelligence

Spatial intelligence resides mostly in the right hemisphere of the brain. Damage to the right hemisphere can degrade this intelligence significantly.

For a more detailed analysis of spatial intelligence read chapter 8 “Spatial Intelligence” from Howard Gardner’s book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

Once you develop your thinking on a topic, issue, or problem, you will want to put your knowledge to action. Six Thinking Hats provides [...]]]> Mind Power to Action

Want to put your mind power into action? Edward de Bono’s Six Action Shoes, developed as an extension of Six Thinking Hats, is perfect for that purpose.

Once you develop your thinking on a topic, issue, or problem, you will want to put your knowledge to action. Six Thinking Hats provides the thinking and Six Action Shoes develops suitable types of action to put your mind power to work. It moves mind power from abstraction to physical success. Shoes are made for action and that’s what the Six Action Shoes do. So grab this mind power tool to ramp up your success.

De Bono discovered six styles of action that covered most situations.

The Six Action Shoes:

1. Navy formal shoes

2. Grey snickers

3. Brown brogues

4. Orange gumboots

5. Pink slippers

6. Purple riding boots

Navy Formal Shoes

These shoes represent the navy blue of the navy itself. They represent the style of action representing the drills and formal actions of the military. Whenever you need action calling for a routine procedure that you have learned through training, you will use the navy shoes.

Gray Snickers

This shoe is used when the situation may be unclear, confusing, or murky. Your action is exploratory, and investigative. You are acting to get information. Sneakers are for moving around or changing directions quickly.

 Brown Brogues

Brogues are work shoes. Your are acting, rolling up sleeves, and getting your shoes dusty and dirty. This is the shoe of practicality. Your actions are pragmatic. You will get the job done. You may have to flexible in your actions. This is almost the opposite of the navy shoes.

 Orange Gumboots

This is the emergency shoe. These are the shoes of the firefighters and rescue workers. Safety is paramount. Your are in rescue mode so consider yourself to be an emergency worker.

 Pink Slippers

Pink suggests warmth and compassion. These are the empathy shoes. You are dealing with people here that need understanding in order to help the situation.

 Purple Riding Boots

Purple boots suggest the action of authority like the purple of imperial Rome. These are the shoes of the leader. You are acting in an official role.

So to turn your mind power into action and thus to success. Use Six Action Shoes. For more information read Edward de Bono’s book Six Action Shoes.

Six Thinking Hats is a thinking tool devised by the great thinker, Edward de Bono. He details this thinking tool strategy in his book Six Thinking Hats.

Thinking tools help break us out of our thinking ruts. De Bono uses different colored hats to represent different aspects of thinking when presented [...]]]> A Thinking Tool

Six Thinking Hats is a thinking tool devised by the great thinker, Edward de Bono. He details this thinking tool strategy in his book Six Thinking Hats.

Thinking tools help break us out of our thinking ruts. De Bono uses different colored hats to represent different aspects of thinking when presented with a problem or exploring new ideas. It moves us away from one-dimensional thinking.

When we realize we need to do some complex thinking on a subject, we call on the six hats. Each hat represents a different way to think about our problem. By separating thinking into different strands our thinking becomes less confused and better organized. Each hat symbolizes a different way of thinking about the problem.

As we move through the thinking process, we will keep in mind the six thinking hats, using them one at a time to explore our problem.

The Six Thinking Hats:

1. The White Hat
2. The Red Hat
3. The Back Hat
4. The Yellow Hat
5. The Green Hat
6. The Blue Hat

The Six Hats thinking tool is best used as a group process. Usually, people are given a minute to voice their input for each color hat.

Six Thinking Hats Explained

The White Hat represents anything having to do with facts and figures. It is the objective aspect of thinking Think of this phase of the thinking process in terms of gathering information. You need as much good information as you can find. At the end of the process, you may need to classify facts as “for sure” facts and facts that need to be verified through further research. After this process is exhausted move to the next hat.

The Red Hat calls for intuition, feelings, and emotions. How does one feel about the problem? What is your gut feeling about the topic?

The Black Hat is the critical hat. What could happen? It is the cautious hat. What could go wrong?

The Yellow Hat represents the positive. What good can come out of this? What are the benefits?

The Green Hat represents creativity. What new ideas can we come up with? It is an exploration of possibilities. Don’t be critical here. Anything goes. New concepts and perceptions are welcome.

The Blue Hat is the organizing hat. It is the overview. The group leader usually wears the Blue Hat. He uses the Blue Hat to determine whether the group needs more of one kind of thinking, He or she may say, “We need more Yellow Hat thinking on this.”

Outcome of the Six Thinking Hats Process

At the end of the process, the leader summarizes the findings and calls for possible conclusion. He may ask, “What have we learned?”

Six Thinking Hats details a great thinking tool. Add it to your stockpile of thinking strategies and tools. It is an easy to read book and worth the time to read and learn.

Other Thinking Books by de Bono

For other Edward de Bono books about thinking check out Lateral Thinking, De Bono’s Thinking Course, Teach Your Child to Think, and Six Action Shoes.

Music is a sound based intelligence. It is based on aural recognition and recognition of patterns. A person with high musical intelligence has an inherent ability to recognize the quality of sounds. They have a feel for musicality. They have a desire [...]]]> Musical intelligence is one of Howard Gardner’s seven original intelligences.

Musical Intelligence Defined

Music is a sound based intelligence. It is based on aural recognition and recognition of patterns. A person with high musical intelligence has an inherent ability to recognize the quality of sounds. They have a feel for musicality. They have a desire to create musical rhythms.

 Core Components of Musical Intelligence

1. Pitch
2. Rhythm
3. Timber

Pitch recognition involves recognizing whether a sound is lower or higher. Rhythm is the patterns of sound. Timbre is the quality of a tone.

 Development of Musical Intelligence

Musical intelligence usually flowers early on in a child’s life. Early on babies will sing as well as babble. They can imitate sounds, tones, and patterns. By two months they can copy pitch and loudness. By four months they can imitate rhythms. In mid second year they begin to create their own sounds and rhythms.

Children who exhibit high musical intelligence best develop in a musical family or are exposed to formal training like the Suzuki program at an early age.

The transition to musical genius begins in the teenage years. The talented child may have had a free rein in his or her development and reveled in the musical creativity. But the point is reached when a formal study of music is necessary to further develop musical intelligence. There can be a clash between an intuitive feel for music and a formal training necessary to produce works of composition.

 Composer or Performer?

A formal study of music leads to the exalted position of composer. Some make this transition and some do not. Many would rather become performers. Those who enjoy singing or playing a musical instrument, and don’t have an intense desire to create on their own may choose careers as performers. Certainly in our society performers can become stars and the tug of fame and money can be alluring.

 A Composer’s Musical Intelligence in Action

A composer once remarked that he constantly had “tones in his head.” The tones and notes become patterns. Like the poet, the process is not logical. It seems to come form nowhere. One composer thinks he builds his musical creations by drawing on “tonal memory.” Musical patterns take shape and are built upon contrasts and complements. The composer gets hold of a conception or grand pattern and from there it is a matter of what fits and what doesn’t musically. The composer uses his or her “aural imagination,” resulting in a unique composition. The composition takes on a kind of aural movement-a movement of sound instead of space.

 Location of Musical Intelligence

Musical intelligence lies mainly in the right anterior portions of the brain. Aphasia or damage to the left temporal lobe connected to linguistic ability doesn’t affect musical intelligence significantly.

In addition, music seems linked to parts of the brain involved in emotions. It is why we feel a different emotion when hearing a funeral dirge than a battle hymn. We can feel the happiness in a composition or the heaviness.

If you want more thorough explanation of this intelligence, I suggest you get a copy of Howard Gardner’s informative book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences and reading chapter 6 “Musical Intelligence.”

Last post we talked about how mathematicians use logical-mathematical intelligence. Now we will present some thoughts on how scientists use this intelligence and the difference between the two groups.

Abstraction dominates the mathematician’s use of logical-mathematical intelligence. They use symbols and notation. This is especially true at the [...]]]> How Scientists Use Logical-Mathematical Intelligence

Last post we talked about how mathematicians use logical-mathematical intelligence. Now we will present some thoughts on how scientists use this intelligence and the difference between the two groups.

Abstraction dominates the mathematician’s use of logical-mathematical intelligence. They use symbols and notation. This is especially true at the higher levels where logic becomes as dominant as the mathematics.

Scientists, on the other hand, deal in the physical world of objects. For them, mathematics and logic are major tools to discover the laws governing nature.

The Young Scientist

The young scientist wonders about the physical world, the planets and stars, animals and plants, chemicals and the invisible of electrons and atoms. He ponders the nature of light and magnetism. He may wonder about hidden laws, but he wants to know how they affect physical phenomenon. His early toys are the microscope, the telescope, chemistry set, and toy rockets. He wants to know how things work and why. His world is full of questions like “What if?”

The World of the Scientist

The scientist uses logical-mathematical intelligence to bring chaos into order, ignorance into the light. Mathematics and logic help him build models and from theories. He looks for patterns in nature and sets of immutable laws.

He collects facts, makes observations, measures, experiments, makes hypotheses, speculates, and theorizes. The scientist searches for the principles and laws that govern the universe. The scientist asks questions not asked before and explores what significance they have, and he explores what answers lie before him.

A Scientist in Action

Einstein, for instance, asked the question about what would happen if a traveler set out upon a journey through the universe approaching the speed of light. By working out this question, he reached the startling conclusion that time is relative.

Scientists can take on great complexity concerning the laws of nature and using logical-mathematical intelligence, boil them down to a simple formula. Imagine for a minute the extreme complexity and the work in logic and mathematics to arrive at this seemingly simple formula: E=MC2.

Like the mathematician, the scientist often needs his long moments of solitude to use their logical-mathematical intelligence. When Einstein was at Princeton, he would retire to his study all day long with the only interruption being when his wife knocked lightly on the door signaling that his lunch was there outside the door.

Why did someone as brilliant as Einstein become a scientist rather than a mathematician? He once remarked that a mathematician could spend a lifetime in an area of mathematics and make little difference in the practical world. A dedicated scientist gifted in logical-mathematics could change the whole way we see and work in the universe.

Einstein like many of the great scientists had the gift of intuition as he noted that as he worked through his theories. He noted once that his thinking became more like a feeling than a clear logical process.

The great scientists like Newton and Einstein leave work to do for generations of scientists. Thus, the proof of much of Einstein’s theories fell to other scientists and the practical applications left work for generations of atomic scientists.

In conclusion, the logical-mathematical intelligence dominates the working world of the scientist and the mathematician. The mathematician works in an abstract world whereas the scientists uses logic and mathematics as a tool to find the laws behind the working of the physical universe. At higher levels of his work, the mathematician uses logic as much as mathematics.

Of course math and logic are used in many other fields. Such as engineering, architecture, economics, finance, and law.

If you want more thorough explanation of this intelligence, I suggest you get a copy of Howard Gardner’s informative book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences and reading chapter 7 “Logical-Mathematical Intelligence.”

When you think about logical-mathematical intelligence, think about seeing relationships like comparisons and contrasts, differences and sameness, patterns and sequences, truths and equations. Think about moving from [...]]]> Mathematicians and scientists use logical-mathematical intelligence. In this post we will concentrate on the mathematician. This post is exploratory rather than authoritative.

What Logical-Mathematical Intelligence Is

When you think about logical-mathematical intelligence, think about seeing relationships like comparisons and contrasts, differences and sameness, patterns and sequences, truths and equations. Think about moving from the concrete to the abstract or moving from the abstract to the concrete. Think about the world of analogy and the world of syllogism. Think about chains of reasoning from simple to complex. Think about numbers, quantities, operations, shapes, and statements. Think about equations and theories and proofs. The logical-mathematical person works effectively in these areas of thought.

Logical-Mathematical-Intelligence in Childhood

The beginnings of logical-mathematical intelligence occur when a child begins to understand numbers. At first the numbers must be tied to the concrete world. Thus, a boy can count his toy cars as 1… 2… 3…. when he can see them, but he can’t really understand the number 3 as an abstraction. She can count on her fingers to ten. Children at this age are very concrete in their thinking.

The next stage begins true abstraction where the growing child usually in late childhood or early adolescent begins to think in abstraction and symbol. At this stage they understand what numbers are and what quantity is without the use of concrete objects or “manipulatives”. They can visualize or abstract numbers and simple operations. The boy can see simple relationships like he has “more” plastic animals than toy cars. Arithmetic is being mastered and the groundwork for the simpler equations of algebra can be introduced. The age when this happens varies. So you have early bloomers and late bloomers.

Logical-Mathematical Intelligence as Developed in the Mathematician

At first the budding mathematician sharpens his skills through solving mathematical problems. He can become an equation junkie. He deals in numbers and shapes. He gains proficiency in his skill and begins to absorb the great body of work of past mathematicians. He absorbs core knowledge and develops a razor sharp feel for numbers and how they illuminate us in different ways. He understands the patterns in his field.

For the really great mathematician this is not enough. He begins to want to push the boundaries of mathematics. He wants to add to great body of work that he has surveyed.

At this point he surveys the vast core of knowledge and starts to summarize in his own mind the significance of different areas. Eventually, something catches his thinking. Ah, he has found some area that needs attention and that fascinates him. Now he is ready to spend years, decades, his whole life pushing the boundaries of math.

When this happens, the mathematician must focus on the other half of the logical-mathematical intelligence. He finds himself dealing as much or more with logic than with pure mathematics. He deals with pure abstraction. He understands the “reasoning” in long logical or syllogistic chains. He may be inventing a new system of mathematics. He is dealing in high abstraction. Even so, he must be rigorous in his thinking. His logic must be flawless. If he misses one small detail or makes one wrong calculation, he has made a mess and must go back to the drawing board.

His goal is to produce a product though not a material one. His formula is Abstraction + Rigor = Product.

The Mathematician’s Environment

The mathematician must above all have long stretches of silence. It would do him no good to work in the average office environment of today. He must deal in long sequences of logic. Concentration is his best friend. Interruption is his enemy. Given this environment of silence and concentration many of the great mathematicians talk about developing a ‘feel” for the solutions to their work. A kind of mathematical intuition develops.

The Mathematician’s Reward

You might think the life of a mathematician would be lonely with all the isolation. Yet, they become so absorbed in their work hours can float by without them noticing. Many of them talk about the wild elation that comes with the eureka moment when they make a break-through, and the satisfaction they get when they add to the great body of mathematics.

Next post we will discuss the logical-mathematical intelligence as used by scientists.

If you want more thorough explanation of this intelligence, I suggest you get a copy of Howard Gardner’s informative book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences and reading chapter 7 “Logical-Mathematical Intelligence.”

Brain cells are nerve cells called neurons. The neuron is usually composed of one axon and many dendrites. When a neuron receives input or information from the five senses, it starts sending out information. The axon sends the information while the dendrites of other cells receive [...]]]> Raise Your Intelligence by Firing Off Your Neurons

Brain cells are nerve cells called neurons. The neuron is usually composed of one axon and many dendrites. When a neuron receives input or information from the five senses, it starts sending out information. The axon sends the information while the dendrites of other cells receive the information. What the neuron does is fire off an electrical or chemical signal. Usually, there is a small gap between an axon and dendrites of other cells called a synapse. Neurons must find a function or they will die off. These firings help the neuron find a function, thereby insuring the cell will live and develop.

Connecting Brain Cells Form Intelligent Networks

The most important quote in neuroscience to date:

Neurons that fire together, wire together.

Neurons or brain cells can be connected and turned into networks. This is important because these networks can be specialized to grow different types of intelligence. So if you write poetry, you will grow specialized networks that support linguistic intelligence. If you study architecture, you will develop specialized spatial networks.

How do neuroscientists know this happens? Thanks to new brain scanning devices, they can “see” and map what is happening in the brain as a person learns and uses information. In one instance, they were able to map the neural networks of a professional violinist. Her networks that controlled hand movement were twice the size of a normal person’s. She had developed a specialized network that reinforced her skill of playing a violin. No doubt she had other networks that were built to accommodate her musical intelligence.

This is why neuroscientists now say that the brain has plasticity. You can customize your intelligence in areas that interest you or areas you want to strengthen.

Thus brain cells are important because they become specialized, building intelligent networks. The brain becomes more intelligent not because it grows bigger, but because more cells form connections with other cells. In essence, the brain grows denser.

Raising Your Intelligence

How do you raise your intelligence? First, decide which intelligence or intelligences you want to raise. Is it linguistic, mathematical/logical, spatial, musical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, or naturalistic? Once you choose, work your brain in these areas. To truly raise your intelligence always remember:

Neurons that fire together, wire together.