Behaviour

Steven Covey tells a story of when he was on train and a father climbed on with three kids who were misbehaving. The other passengers were getting more and more irritated, so finally he went over to the man and said, “Your kids are irritating the other passengers. Can you do something to calm them down?” The man looked up, in a daze, and said, “Sorry, I didn't realise, we’ve just come from the hospital. Their mother has just died.”

Your brain is made up of 86 billion neurons, each with the processing capacity of a laptop. Psychologists describe the mind as an iceberg with three layers. At the top is the conscious mind. What you’re aware of right now. Below lies the pre-conscious mind, accessible if you give attention - to recall your mobile number for example. Below that is the unconscious mind. Information here is deeply held and includes instinctive...

If your brain is an average adult human brain, you have more potential than you have ever dreamed of. Your brain is made up of neurons: specialised cells that process electrochemical information. These neurons connect in structures called synapses, where they pass signals to one another. The synapses form neural nets. Neuroscience has revealed that the average adult brain has 86 billion neurons...

Recently I explored the differences between IQ and EQ and suggested that EQ matters more than IQ for so many areas of life. I also revealed that Emotional Intelligence skills aren’t simply innate. In fact, with the correct stimulus and practice, any of us can improve our so-called ‘soft skills’. I happen to know this from personal exposure to Mygrow - a proven EQ development platform pioneered in South Africa a decade ago.

In work and life, we prize the ability to think quickly. We use the complimentary term ‘agile’ to describe someone who can handle a tough Q&A session. Or ‘sharp’ for an entrepreneur who spots and seizes a business opportunity before anyone else. But, in ascribing quick thinking to intellect, we are generally mistaken. When we make decisions, our brains use two systems. Let’s call them fast and slow.