a whole new mind - mybrain · 2018-02-12 · but i specifically chose mind for two main reasons....

© MyBrain International Limited Tel: +44 (0)1462 790145 www.mybrain.co.uk 1

A Whole New

MiND

MyBrain International Limited Tel: +44 (0)1462 790145 www.mybrain.co.uk


Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 3

2. THE MYBRAIN INDICATOR OF NEUROLOGICAL DOMINANCE (MIND) ....................... 4

3. WHY MIND? ...................................................................................................................... 5

4. WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY........................................................................................ 6

DUNCAN LIMBERT, SENIOR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SANTANDER ........................ 6

RUTH ALABI, TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT MANAGER, TOWER HAMLETS .................................... 7

SARAH LEAHY, LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, CENTRO ............................................... 8

5. THE MYBRAIN PRACTITIONER PROGRAMME .............................................................. 9

DAY 1 – INTRODUCTION TO NEUROSCIENCE AND THE MIND TOOL .............................................. 9

DAY 2 - ADVANCED APPLICATIONS & TEAMS ........................................................................... 10

6. COSTS AND COURSE BOOKINGS ................................................................................ 11


1. Introduction

When working for a large multinational IT company in the 1980s, Alistair Schofield, one of the founding Directors of MyBrain International, was asked to complete a psychometric profile based on the work of the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. It was the first time he had been exposed to a psychometric tool and, although he found the process interesting, he found the results somewhat disappointing. As he was to later comment;

“The results accurately described how I thought and behaved, but I already knew that.

What I wanted to know was not how I was, but rather why I thought and behaved the

way I did and why other people thought differently.”

As a result of this experience, Schofield became an avid reader of books and articles on the workings of the human brain, with his particular interest being the way in which the workings of the physical brain turn into the psychological makeup of a person.

Soon after the turn of the millennium Schofield teamed up with Gill McKay, an ex-HR Director with an expertise in psychological profiling tools and techniques. At the time they were designing and delivering leadership development programmes for some of the UKs largest companies, and that wanted to provide their delegates with a deeper insight into themselves and the people they led than the existing plethora of profiling tool were capable of providing. As Schofield explained during an interview in 2015:

“We came across several profiling tools that claimed to be brain-based, but on closer

inspection the models they relied upon were all metaphorical which, although

interesting, were scientifically inaccurate. We felt we could do better and therefore

decided to produce our own.”

In 2007 Schofield and McKay founded MyBrain International as a company dedicated to furthering the understanding of the way in which the physical attributes of our brains influence and shape our lives – the way we live, the choices we make and the ways in which we communicate, collaborate and interact with the world around us.

Their early research was heavily influenced by the work of the eminent neuroscientists Joseph LeDoux and Elkhonon Goldberg. LeDoux’s specialism is the synaptic network and neural plasticity while Goldberg’s is the workings of the frontal lobes. Insights from their work and that of many other neuroscientists enabled Schofield and McKay to develop a unifying theory to explain the boundary between the psychology of a person and the physiology of their brain – the foundation of personality.

In 2011 they launched the first version of MiND, the world’s first ‘neurometric’, a profiling tool based entirely on a neurological rather than a psychological model.

Since then, MiND has been used to drive performance improvements by numerous organisations in the UK and its reputation is beginning to expand internationally. Schofield and McKay remain as Directors of MyBrain International and are frequently asked to speak at conferences all over the world.

More information on the MiND product is available in this document and on the MyBrain website at www.mybrain.co.uk.

Alistair Schofield speaking at the FHRD Annual Conference in Malta


2. The MyBrain Indicator of Neurological Dominance (MiND)

Although neuroscientists argue about the degree to which different parts of the brain perform specialist functions, it is known and widely accepted that some specialisation exists. As far back as the age of Hippocrates (460-370 BC), physicians knew that the brain consisted of two halves. They believed that the left side was the essential half but that the right side was a redundant throwback to some bygone era of human development. In the 1860s the French neurologist Paul Broca discovered that a portion of the left hemisphere controlled the ability to speak language and a decade later a German neurologist called Carl Wernicke made a similar discovery regarding our ability to understand language.

The breakthrough in understanding the right hemisphere came in the 1960s when Roger Sperry discovered that, far from being defunct, the right hemisphere of the brain simply processed information in a different way: Where the left side processes information sequentially, the right side processes it in a more relational way; where the left side recognises a person’s name, the right side recognises their face; where the left side is good at logic and analysis, the right side reasons holistically, recognises patterns and interprets emotions and non-verbal expressions.

More recently advances in scanning technology have enabled neuroscientists to realise that although the brain unquestionably contains regions that are specialised for processing certain types of information, multiple parts of the brain are involved in virtually everything we do. This breakthrough has enabled us to realise that our thoughts and character are determined less by the brain regions themselves, but more by the relative strengths of the neural networks that connect them.

Prior to these breakthroughs in understanding, profiling tools that related our thinking preferences or personalities to the workings of the brain relied on metaphorical models. Today, based on the latest research, MyBrain International has been able to create the first unifying theory to explain the link between physiology and psychology.

This breakthrough in understanding led to the creation of MiND, the world’s first ‘neurometric’, the only individual and team profiling tool based on a neurological rather than a psychological model. This gives MiND an advantage over traditional psychometric tools in that, in addition to explaining how a person thinks and behaves, it also provides an explanation as to why they think the way they do, and why other people may offer a different perspective to their own. It also differs from traditional psychometric tools in that it is underpinned by scientific evidence rather than by psychological concepts. This is important as it provides trainers, coaches and other HR professionals with an evidence-based approach to their work in areas such as management, leadership, communication, team effectiveness, strategic thinking and other interpersonal disciplines.

“I can’t remember which it

is, whether it’s left brain

or right brain: but one is

quantitative and one is

qualitative and getting the

balance between the two is

critically important.”

Sir Martin Sorrell – CEO WPP


3. Why MiND?

Ever since the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung developed the concept of analytical psychology in the early 1900s, a vast number of formulaic models have been developed, loosely based on his findings, with the objective of analysing virtually every conceivable aspect of human nature.

These ‘psychometric tools’ have proved highly popular in HR, coaching and training environments. However, although the common language and structured thinking they provide has often proved helpful, they all suffer from the major limitations that they are not really telling anyone anything that they don’t already know and, more importantly, none of them answer the question why? Why do you think the way you do and why might other people think and behave differently?

The major difference between MiND and psychometric tools is that it answers the ‘why’ question. As the world’s first neurometric, MiND is based on the latest neuroscientific research rather than on psychological concepts. It is therefore able to provide a scientific explanation as to why a person’s energy, motivation and preferences are directed in the way they are.

For many people, the understanding that there is a physiological explanation for the way they think and behave is a profound realisation. This understanding often boosts self-confidence and leads to increases in enthusiasm and engagement at work. Very often it also results in a newfound respect and understanding for the views and opinions of a person’s colleagues, frequently resulting in tangible improvements in the performance of teams.

Another difference between MiND and the plethora of psychometric tools is that most psychological models argue that temperament is fixed and unchanging. Even those that allow for variability over time do not account for circumstantial variability at a point in time. Yet research by the eminent neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux proves this to be incorrect, that even the perception of a single experience will be different in different situations. MiND is the only profiling tool to take this into consideration by providing people with different feedback profiles for their personal and professional lives. Where differences between these profiles occur, we frequently find that the differences can be hugely enlightening for the person in question, leading to a much better understanding of why their motivations might vary in different situations.

But don’t take our word for it, see what people like you have to say by reading case studies they have written. To do so, go to the MyBrain website, click on the ‘Discover’ tab and then on ‘What Our Customers Say’.

“The impact of the MiND workshop was

amazing, levels of respect between team

members improved immediately and overall

team performance increased so markedly

that colleagues sitting nearby noticed and

were asking me what had happened”

Dr Tracy Yeates, Sn Programme Mgr, Jaguar Land Rover


4. What Our Customers Say

Duncan Limbert, Senior Learning & Development Manager, Santander

A few years ago I was approached by David (not his real name) to provide some advice regarding the relatively new team he led. The team consisted of a highly diverse group of senior individuals with responsibilities ranging from analysis and accounts to problem-solving and strategy. David described how team members had great strengths but that they were clashing all the time. Individually they all wanted the team to succeed, but they did not communicate with their colleagues effectively and appeared not to trust one another. This was a problem as the team performed an important role in the bank where full, frank and open conversations were an important requirement for success.

Having discussed the issue David and I agreed that I should run a MiND workshop as a means of getting the team to understand and explore the differences in their personal profiles while at the same time considering why those differences were important to the success of the team. Since the team were spread internationally, we decided to hold the workshop in the Santander headquarters in Madrid as this was a ‘neutral’ location for everyone.

In Santander we have access to a wide range of tools to help facilitate workshops of this kind, but I specifically chose MiND for two main reasons. The first is that one of the dangers in using

a tool to help facilitate an event like this is that it ends up being about the tool and the real objective of the workshop gets lost. The MiND tool is good in this way as it is not overly complex, so in a MiND workshop it is easy to stay focused on the objective without the tool taking over.

The second reason is that it is based on solid scientific evidence. I think this is especially important when working with difficult groups as it means you can prove your point rather than having to rely on your audience believing you, as is often the case with psychology-based tools.

The workshop itself was amazing and had a far better effect than either David or I could possibly have imagined. The team were fascinated by the neuroscience and by the time we started exploring the different preferences and approaches of the team members it was as though you could see the scales falling from their eyes. For the first time, the team members began opening up to one another in such an open and honest way that one person was even in tears when he realised the impact some of his past behaviours had had on some of his colleagues.

The change in the performance of the team following the workshop was fantastic. Having previously been bordering on dysfunctional, the team bonded and worked together brilliantly with many of the team members becoming good friends. The key thing was that they didn’t just attend the workshop and walk away. They continued to use the language of the MiND model in their subsequent team meetings as a ‘safe’ way of addressing issues that would previously have resulted in conflict and argument. They also asked me to run workshops for their own teams so that there was a common language and understanding throughout their part of the organisation.

Even though it is now more than four years later, David and the other team members still describe the MiND workshop as a major turning point in their lives whenever I bump into them. Most have been promoted to even more senior roles since then but I

know for a fact that at least one of them still displays a copy of his profile on his desk, not only as a reminder to himself but also as a means of helping other people understand him better.


Ruth Alabi, Training for Employment Manager, Tower Hamlets

I first came across the MiND tool and the subject of neurological dominance a few years ago whilst attending a leadership programme run by the training company Extensor. When I saw in the course programme that we were going to be talking about neuroscience I was worried that it was going to be overly academic. I believe training should be fun and interactive and make a very poor participant if the training is 'dull'. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Far from being complicated, it was one of the most practical, relevant and engaging training programmes I have ever attended. This was not just my opinion but the view of everyone on the course.

Having had first-hand experience of the impact the MiND tool can have, I was keen to utilise it within our own in-house programmes. At the time I was the Learning and Development Manager at Tower Hamlets Council, so I booked myself onto a MyBrain Practitioner training programme so that I could embed the subject within some of the programmes we were running.

Fast forward to today, this is the only session I run myself, I don't want to hand it over, it's such fun to deliver! I use the MyBrain resources to underpin the majority of the training interventions that are run within the Council. As well as continuing to embed the neurological dominance material in skills based workshops, I also offer regular open sessions, inviting employees at all levels to learn about what goes on inside their brains - what makes them tick and how this understanding can make them more effective, engaged and happy. This results not only in an increased awareness of their strengths and characteristics but also an understanding of why they possess those strengths and characteristics. Furthermore, because the MyBrain sessions are fun and interactive and easy to understand I find that people leave the sessions feeling confident enough to apply their new knowledge to other people they work with, thereby giving them a better insight into the differences between themselves and others. This leads not only to a better understanding of the practical things they can to do to make their working relationships more effective but also a greater understanding of how well matched they are to the role they carry out on a day-to-day basis and whether or not some changes should be put in place.

I also find that there is a real interest in the subject of neuroscience that goes far beyond many of the other topics we teach. Neurological dominance is the only workshop we deliver that continues to be discussed long after a courses has ended and that stimulates further self-study. In fact, in the weeks following a workshop delegates often send me links to relevant articles, books or television programmes they have come across.

MiND genuinely whets attendees' appetites, giving them a good grounding of when they are in their flow and a hunger to know more. I always guide them to the MyBrain website to participate in blog discussions and read articles, newsletters and look at recommended books. I love the fact that attendees take away knowledge they didn't arrive with – and more importantly, that they then use it and keep it alive by continuing to talk about the subject. It's magic to see the lightbulbs switch on with participants – and even more magic to see them continuing to use their new knowledge years after they attended their workshop!

I also receive regular requests from programme participants, to run bespoke sessions for their team. I use the MyBrain team workshop as the basis for building a powerful team day, enabling all team members to understand each other’s strengths and how recognition of this can help move them up the team performance curve. People frequently comment that they can see a change in the team’s interactions immediately following a MiND team day.

The training we undertake at Tower Hamlets has always been of a high standard – we have even won awards for it. I am so pleased that I came across the MiND tool as it has really enhanced the programmes we use it with, making them more effective, interesting, fun and memorable!


Sarah Leahy, Learning & Development Manager, Centro

One of the most significant challenges I was tasked with upon joining Centro was to help our finance and design teams to work together more effectively. Both teams contained good people who were successful in their own right, but neither team understood the other and the relationship between the teams was difficult.

Having investigated the situation, I came to the conclusion that the source of the problem was the lack of understanding each team had of the other. Each function recognised the importance of the other, but they struggled to understand the differences in their approach to the point where they often felt they were working at cross-purposes with one another.

Sometime before joining Centro I had trained as a MyBrain Practitioner and I felt that the MiND tool would be the ideal instrument to help each team gain a better insight into the differences that may exist between the types of people who chose to work in finance or design.

I have to admit to being a little nervous. I was new to the organisation and it was the first time I had used MiND with a team. I needn’t have worried though - the slides, games and props supplied by MyBrain International are brilliant and the

scripts they provide flow extremely well. They also tend to be very well received by delegates as the MyBrain approach is not at all ‘preachy’, but is rather to facilitate a workshop that is fun and interesting in which delegates make discoveries for themselves.

The impact the half-day MiND workshops had on the design and finance teams was amazing. Both teams learned a lot about themselves but, more importantly, by gaining an insight into the way in which our brains form the foundation of our preferences and personality, they came to realise that the different perspective and approach provided by people who think differently could be an advantage as well as a challenge.

Originally I had only intended using the MiND tool to address the specific issue with the finance and design teams. However, in the weeks following those workshops, word spread throughout the organisation that MiND could really help teams perform better. And soon after that the decision was made to roll the programme out to every team in the organisation.

Interestingly, by using the MiND tool more widely we started to get benefits we hadn’t anticipated. The first was that the MiND tool created a ‘safe’ language for people to discuss personal differences. This greatly enhanced the effectiveness of communication across the organisation and resulted in better relationships. We also incorporated the same language in some of our other training courses.

The second benefit was that when we looked at the team profiles across the organisation we realised that many teams suffered from a lack of diversity. I guess it’s obvious that when you split people into teams based on functional specialisms, you inevitably end up with a lot of like-minded people working together. As a result of this awareness, whenever we are recruiting or restructuring, the neurological diversity of the team is a factor that managers now take into consideration. Over time this has resulted in our teams gradually becoming more diverse, better balanced and more effective as a result.

The final unexpected benefit is that after attending just one half-day workshop, people seem to remember the MiND tool for years to come. I have worked with a lot of teams during my career and MiND is the best team development tool I have used. It is also one of very few that has ‘stuck’ in the minds of delegates and become embedded within the organisation. So much so that if I talked to someone who attended a workshop three years ago I guarantee that they would be able to both remember their profile and also have a good attempt at guessing the profile of other people, making it one of the best learning and development investments Centro ever made.


5. The MyBrain Practitioner Programme

The two-day Practitioner programme provides people with all the tools and materials they need to run highly engaging, impactful and effective coaching sessions, training courses and workshops based on the subject of Neurological Dominance.

Day 1 – Introduction to neuroscience and the MiND tool

The first day of the programme focuses on the neuroscientific background to the subject, the creation of individual MiND profiles and debriefing of the profiles to individuals. The breakdown of the day is as follows:

Introduction to the brain – This part of the course provides an insight into your amazing brain; how it grows, develops and matures to make you into the person you are. Just as importantly, we will look at the brain’s limitations, at the way in which evolution has provided us with neurological processes that are sometimes at odds with the modern day requirements of world of business and organisational life.

The foundations of personality – In this section we will look at how contemporary neuroscientific research has enables us to create a unifying theory which explains the interface between the physiology of the brain and the psychology of a person.

The making of MiND – MiND is the world’s first and only neurometric – a tool based on a neurological model of the brain that looks at the boundary between the psychology of a person and the physiology of their brain. In this section you will learn about the MiND tool, how it works, how to run MiND workshops and how to interpret the results.

Running a Workshop – MyBrain International have made the process of running a workshop and gathering the MiND profile information from delegates extremely easy. In this part of the course you will learn how to use the on-line administration system and about the support materials and services provided by MyBrain to ensure you deliver the most professional and impactful event.


Day 2 - Advanced Applications & Teams

The second module provides an opportunity to review the exercises delegates will have undertaken between days 1 and 2 as well as looking at the possible implication of some more unusual profiles. We will then consider more advanced applications, in particular, the way the subject can be used to great effect when working with teams. This second day will cover the following subject areas:

Extreme and unusual profiles – Although most profiles conform to a number of basic patterns, some do not and can be quite difficult to explain. The most extreme examples contain elements that may appear to be contradictions, but because all profiles are an illustration of a person's energy and motivation, each has a logical explanation.

Contextual Applications – During the day we will consider how neuroscience and the MiND data can be used in different contexts. For example, when considering introversion and extroversion or communication.

Group and Team Data – When applied to teams the MiND tool becomes enormously powerful. By using the combined results from each of the team members, you will be able to determine the sort of activities a team is likely to be good at, the types of things the team may overlook and the likely areas of conflict. The results of team profiles can provide teams with extremely valuable insights that can assist them in achieving their true potential and help them prioritise strategies for success.

Team Exercises – You will be introduced to a number of exercises that can be incorporated in team workshops or training programmes to help illustrate key points.

Upon successful completion of the programme, delegates will be awarded their certificates and be entitled to use the title MyBrain Practitioner.

“I became a MyBrain Practitioner more by

default than design and I can honestly say it

was the best thing I have done in my career in

L&D.”

Lynda Mears, Learning Relationship Manager, Santander


6. Costs and Programme Bookings

The following rates were accurate at the time of publication but may be changed by MyBrain at any time.

Practitioner Accreditation Programme:

The two-day accreditation programme normally costs ₹100,000. However, we are offering a special 50% discount to the first 20 people to register for the programme.

Delegates will also receive:

A Practitioner’s Handbook containing comprehensive notes and guidance on how to use the materials in their own work

A comprehensive set of scripted PowerPoint slides

Refreshments and lunch during both days of the programme

MiND Profile Credits:

Practitioners benefit from a quantity discount structure with the rate being based on the number of profile credits being ordered at any one time. This is as follows:

0-9 10-24 25-49 50-99 100+

₹1,300 ₹1,200 ₹1,100 ₹1.000 ₹900

Tax

Please note that the prices listed exclude local taxes.

Programme Bookings

To book onto the Practitioner Accreditation Programme, please contact our representatives in India:

Mr Shekhar Manelkara Principal Consultant & Managing Partner The MindMine

Email: [email protected] Tel: +91 20 4002 7854 Mobile: +91 98220 31807

mailto:[email protected]

a whole new mind - mybrain · 2018-02-12 · but i specifically chose mind for two main reasons....

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