Today President Obama won the Nobel Peace prize for worldwide efforts to communicate peace rather than launch wars against people who differ or disagree. When conflict strikes war and peace vie for solutions. Politicians rarely tame their amygdalas and so it’s no surprise that they frequently choose war to resolve differences. It takes brain powered tools to disagree without violence. Which do you choose when crossed – war or peace?
Hope spreads faster than fireworks fly with brain based leadership qualities we see in Barack Obama’s peace plans.
For the past two days in Radio City Hall, I questioned leadership greed and aggression with amazing writers and thinkers, about our hopes for global peace and prosperity, Unequaled by most leaders in this generation, he offers another shot at wonder for the US, and the world. With excitement building in people across this fine nation, and armed with a few brain facts to boot, I’m ready for change. Are you?
10 brain based leadership qualities in Barack Obama’s leadership could launch lasting change through peaceful means:
Barack Obama:
1. Values differences in ways that bring people together for mutual benefit. Obama emphasizes people’s multiple intelligences as leadership tools to solve problems, rather than get hung up on skin color or gender uniqueness.
2. Tempers tone so that people speak and feel heard in his presence. While many leaders bolt from conflict, Obama facilitates disagreements in mind-bending ways that open doors to life-changing insights forward.
3. Cares for people more than cold programs or rigid policies, so that he creates projects that empower humans. Obama used mental skills to let attacks go, so that he freed his working memory to consider alternative solutions.
4. Takes risks to stand for truth and boldly challenges ruts that bloat our broken traditions. The greed that sank Wall Street and tainted world markets will be replaced with wisdom from a leader who has wired his own brain to take risks and build more caring communities.
5. Emulates teachability in ways that allow for experts’ ideas, rather than dictates one narrow agenda. Brain based leaders learn skills to tame the amygdala, in ways we saw it happen to many people through Obama’s leadership.
6. Reflects on opposites in that he engages others’ views and works across differences for solutions. He showed courage to engage progressive thinkers and to inspire people to think in opposite directions in order to discover a finer way together.
7. Celebrates humility in ways that fuel his leadership positively with serotonin, How so? Barak Obama rejuvenates his own brain, in ways that add life-changing brainpower to improve his own and others’ situation.
8. Solves problems with the brain in mind. Obama appears to tailor his leadership on the science that sheds light on people’s improved mental approaches. As he organizes people to participate in better solutions he also challenges and inspires excellence.
9. Inspires creativity in that he unites people across many backgrounds to both help shape and to chase after lofty visions. Cynical mindsets fueled by cortisol chemicals, literally block creativity, impact talent, and stomp out innovation. Can you see why we can expect to compete with better results on a world stage?
10. Speaks hope rather than vent on its opposites, or accuse others who lead from past models. This optimism comes from a person who creates a climate for high impact minds and sustains curiosity as Einstein taught and Barak Obama models at the peaks.
These 10 brain facts weave through Barack Obama’s leadership approach like golden threads intertwine to create fine tapestries. Some pieces still must come together for this nation, as in any on-going growth. Few will deny that times are tough. Yet with progress in the air, and people as Obama’s core currency, no wonder excellence and expectation for a finer future has suddenly sprung alive.
How do you lead peace with the brain in mind?
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Eric, thanks for your kind words and I so agree with you on setting the tone. It appears that tone is being set to lead change beyond the stops and starts of poorly facilitated table currently, and you appear to be doing just that at Leading Resources LLC.
It’s a new day for leadership, yet I fear some will be left behind in the shifting grounds. Hopefully we can help one another to catch up and keep up – for the sake of a finer world!
So glad you stopped by Eric, since we are doing similar and yet different renewal initiatives for leaders. Best!
What an excellent post. Leading with the brain in mind is a great concept and you’ve shown a clear list of Obama’s qualities.
As a leadership and business consultant I’ve found such principles set the tone for an entire organization.
This post goes along well this one I made about “Traits of Successful CEOs” on my blog, which is all about being “consciencious” of the mind and personality, and how these affect leadership.
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Thanks Ramana, yet your own leadership wisdom is spilling over all around – which is likely the innards of being in an “I am” position. Love it!
I am SO GLAD you are mentoring others. It does take a villege and what a compelling challenge! May you be lead into unexpected melodies today!
Jean, what refreshing insights you show on both sides of issues. If Obama does that and listens more to people than leaders tend to do – we can likely do this rebuilding together! Your tone gives us all hope! Thanks!
Ellen where were you when I was in leadership positions? Now I just am.
Your post is an extremely interesting take on leadership which I intend using in my mentoring activities. That is how I intend to lead with the brain in mind. I have just copy pasted it to a word document and have saved it for posterity.
Not only you Americans, the whole world is waiting.
rummusers last blog post..A Poignant Story.
I don’t know if Obama can handle all the problems coming down the pike, but he’s our best chance. McCain is a better man than he showed during most of his campaign, but even at his best he just wasn’t up to the job of president. I do admire him for his concession speech. I’m hoping he will be a good ally.
Jean Browman–Transforming Stresss last blog post..Kreativ Blogger Award
What a wonderful new day for New York, for US and for the world. As I wrote this piece, Jim, I grew ever more aware that it will be people like you and me who can nudge finer leadership onto the stage in response to Obama’s promises. We may have sunk too low for any one leader to pull us back, but a strong group of inspired leaders can more than do it. As the lyrics go … “Who could ask for anything more”:-)
Thanks for weighing in on this one, Jim!
As a fellow New Yorker, I also had hope in the other leader that fell. I am also very hopeful that Obama will rise to the occasion and not only unite this country, but improve our overall standing in the world community.