Vetali Central » Leadership

On the transition from team member to team leader

Aaron Bihari — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:46:33 +0000

What do decisionmaking & multitasking have in common?

Geoff Crinean — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:33:42 +0000

Leadership skills vs. management skills

Aaron Bihari — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:05:18 +0000

Plastiques & Corporals

Aaron Bihari — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:19:51 +0000

Since we’ve introduced physical intelligence, it seems like a good idea to introduce two of its basic building blocks: plastiques and corporals, which are one way of describing two aspects of how we move.

A plastique is what happens when one single muscle contracts or releases. Not a group of muscles, but one single solitary one. (yes, this is a practical impossibility, but let’s pretend for now) Generally speaking, muscles span joints between two or more bones, each end attaching to the bone on either side of the joint. So when the muscle is in a state of relaxation the joint is normally at an open, wide angle, while when it’s contracted the joint will be at a smaller, closed angle. Now as far as I know all joints are spanned by more than one muscle, and for every muscular contraction there should be an equal muscular release at the other side of the joint, but these are for later posts. For now, let’s simply say that plastiques are individual movements of individual joints.

A corporal is what happens when you have a long chain of muscles working together. There are a limited number of corporals, and they usually either pass through or in some way include the abdominal muscles. One example of a corporal is called the “Great X” which starts at the tip of one finger and includes a chain of muscles that goes all the way through the body to the tips of the opposite foot. While it’s possible to isolate one of these lines — say right hand to left foot — they’re generally used together, hence making an X rather than a slash. The Great X gets a workout all the time, in walking.

So what are they good for?

Corporals are like the frame of a building. They’re structural elements, like the frame of a building. So when they’re strong the body is strong, and by extension, so is the mind. They are what you would use to jump a fence, so developing one’s corporals is said to develop one’s ability to face dread, face fears, overcome challenges and so on.

Plastiques, on the other hand, are like the decorative elements of a building. They’re the details that define personality, that help you present who you are to others, as well as to yourself. They can be seen as the building blocks of expression.

Much has been made lately about the relationship between the mind and the body, but I have yet to see a clearer or more direct explanation of that relationship than through plastiques and corporals. I’ll be coming back to them and elaborating in detail as time goes on.

Post by Aaron Bihari, Trainer & managing partner
Cross-posted at Cross-Pollination.

Leadership Insight: Who do I need to be today?

Geoff Crinean — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:49:05 +0000

Leadership training tends to focus on doing. However, one of the most important aspects of leadership is who you are, how you are. Everyone picks up on the leader’s nonverbal cues much more quickly and deeply than on what the leader is saying.

You might think you have no choice in who you are. Not true. We each have a huge spectrum of being – we can manifest in many ways. However, our habitual pattern is to embody only a small part of that spectrum. Great leaders are able to access a wide range of their being, depending on the situation. This is not about pretending to be someone you are not – it’s about accessing parts of yourself you may never have used.

Think about a challenging situation you will face this week. Think of the characteristics you’ll need – make a list of them. For example, it might be a difficult management meeting you need to lead, so the list might look like – “well-prepared, open, humorous, clear-minded, patient, good listener, decisive and firm”. Who can you think of who embodies these attributes? It might be someone famous, or someone you’ve known personally. George Clooney? Oprah? Kofi Annan? Judge Judy? Whoever really embodies those attributes for you.

Then focus on BEING that person – access the part of you that IS that individual. How would that person walk into a room? How would they sit? Practice being that part of yourself – then, in the situation you are preparing for, enter in that manifestation and STAY there for the course of the situation. When you notice yourself drift away from the manifestation, just return to it. You might even carry a picture of who you are “being” and take a peak at it discreetly through the meeting!

To learn to use this process well, always begin by asking: “Who do I need to BE in this situation?”

So, who do you need to be today? Experiment!

Post by Geoff Crinean, Senior trainer & business coach
Crossposted at Business-insight.biz