By Thomas Crum

Many recent studies prove the importance of mindsets. Add the latest research from the science of neuroplasticity on the brain's ability to reshape itself, and you would think everybody would be working on restructuring their minds every day.

But that is not the case. One major reason is that people still consider their mindsets to be genetically hard-wired--permanent personality traits. For example, people think they are either an optimist or a pessimist and there is little they can do about it. Dr. Martin Seligman, one of the pioneers of positive psychology, draws on 20 years of experience to counter that concept. Two of his many significant findings are that (1) optimism is more effective than pessimism and (2) optimism can be learned. In his book, Learned Optimism, Dr. Seligman teaches how to boost your mood, your immune system, your relationships, and your reactions to setbacks with "healthful thoughts."

Think about that. If you choose to, you can change yourself from a pessimist to an optimist! This is more than "trying" to think positively and occasionally succeeding, but actually restructuring or reshaping your brain.

For those who are unable to attend the 2011 Systems Thinking in Action Conference in person, we are happy to once again offer our popular webcast of the keynote speakers during the conference!

Benefits of watching keynote speakers online:

• No travel costs!
• Watch with others from your organization!
• Gain insights from thought leaders in organizational learning and systems thinking!
• Access to recorded version for viewing later!

By Carla Kimball

I've been facilitating group experiences for almost 25 years. One of the first things I learned was the importance of creating a sense of safety so that people can fully participate in the work they have gathered to do together. The best way to begin that process is to give participants a chance to check in and introduce themselves.

Early on, I found that the standard introductory, "Tell us your name, what you do, and why you are here," was never very satisfying. People usually responded by giving their "elevator speeches"--what they had been coached to say at networking events. These often came across as a rote recitation of a canned response with no life or authenticity.

I wanted to hear more. I wanted to have a glimpse of the person behind the introduction. I wanted something solid and real and human. So began my quest for a way to bring the whole person into the room.