Does law enforcement training leave officers and the public vulnerable to toxic fears that literally disarm human brains when emotional confrontations arise? 
When police train to de-escalate violence peace will prevail!
Meet 6 namungos or fictional characters that come with real brain parts to help scale down skirmishes before full-blown battles break out, or fears set in. Did you know, for instance, that your brain comes equipped to generate robust peace plans after conflicts strike and before bullets fly? How so?
- FOCUS ON OPPONENT’S FEELINGS
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
BAS stores good habits that skilled officers build – such as a habit of asking questions to affirm another’s feelings. If an opponent shouts, I got nuthin’ to live for! answer back with, That must be really tough. Let’s talk though, cause I may have some ideas you hadn’t thought of. Each de-escalation tactic you use, stores itself as a sharper tool for your next need. And as you likely guessed, eventually peaceful practices can be retrieved in a split second crunch.
With good choices, officers bypass their brain’s pack-rat basal ganglia which can warehouse calamities much like squirrels stockpile nuts in winter. As law enforcers understand how de-escalation ditches tired basal ganglia ruts for control, they run with new tactics for successful cooperation.
2. PLUCK POSSIBILITIES OUT OF PROBLEMS
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
SERO supplies your brain’s wellbeing chemical and it fuels your ability to think clearly, and act cautiously in much the same way confident leaders expect better results with each run-through of a situation. SERO can be raised in several observable ways that help. In fact law enforcement officers can cultivate personal wellbeing and foster peaceful possibilities.
An officer armed with serotonin packs new zip to laugh or lean into solutions, whereas less equipped officers pack pistols to escalate problems with force. Get others laughing or proposing possibilities too and serotonin sends its magical mending elixir across an entire group.
3. PLAN AHEAD FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS FROM NEURAL DISCOVERIES
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
Disrupt a tactic that calls for retaliation, with a new replacement based on neural discoveries. PLAS literally changes your brain for beneficial outcomes. Ask, What if…? and then act on new approaches learned.
Your plasticity (the brain’s ability to change itself) reshapes after each peaceful action you risk and do. Grow brainpower for mutual benefits with each planned or innovative move to help the situation.
4. COMMUNICATE CURIOSITY RATHER THAN PRESET CONCLUSIONS
Communicate in a way that shows concern for the other person and that makes it apparent you’ll act on that person’s best interests. To help you out here WM, your working memory acts like a computer’s copy-paste file. How so?
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
With WM in the scene it’s a no-brainer to de-escalate and plan for peace rather than shoot. When new facts fly in with insights about the conflict encountered, your brain’s thimble sized capacity for new facts gets displaced, unless you act on them. Outsource your memory by acting on newly shaped tactics as you discern them.
5. TURN THE DIAL AWAY FROM CONTROL AND FEAR
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
Run from fears that cement control rather than foster cooperation. Instead, propose an improvement with mutual benefits, and fear flees in the wake of calm alternatives?
Cortisol – the brain’s toxic stress chemical – packs a sucker punch by fueling fears, vents, rage, or cynicism. Get yourself and others proposing mental make-overs wherever you spot snags and those flawed moves will fade as cortisol decreases.
6. USE GOOD TONE TO RAMP UP EMOTIONAL IQ IN EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS
Some call it taming your amygdala which is the brain’s seat of emotions. Only an untamed amygdala, defaults to battles in knee-jerk reaction to confrontations.
@ 2016 Ellen Weber
Your amygdala stores every emotional response you make – whether that’s a sneer or a smile. A tamed amygdala sets the stage for life-changing takeaways – even when conflicts arise without warning.
Ready to rock more brainpower from your next challenging encounter?
Will you become one of those law enforcement heroes who takeaway more and contribute benefits over a lifetime of de-escalations? If so, expect electrifying opportunities that may well remain hidden and unseen to many. Affirm another person’s thoughts before sharing your views on the other side – to show that you really heard, sorted, and valued them. (notice I did not say agree with them. Thank people for different ideas presented and show how you’ve tried or considered them further. Toss your own ideas into the ring to show and explain differences you see. Ask questions… rather than offer your own opinion too quickly. . For instance… Have you thought about…? What if…? Could another possibility be …? Add unique ideas to the mix – to inspire with confidence – more as part of a good discuss – than a need to top the original points.
Where have you seen good tone used, that did not de-escalate troubled exchanges?
What will you do today to awaken minds and lead innovative choices?
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Created by Ellen Weber, Brain Based Tasks for Growth Mindset