Leading a Team: Four A

Four A - Leading a Team

One of the most important roles of a leader is to lead and increase the performance of his team. Researchers have shown that the dynamics of teams go through comparable phases. The common themes of these phases can be summed up in Four A: awakening, antagonizing, assimilating, accomplishing.

Awakening

This phase is the first and here individuals get to know one another. This period is characterized by the following:

    Desire for acceptance

    Serious issues avoided

    Impressions being made

    Individuals working independently.

The leader of the group guides and directs his team which is dependent on him. The leader must be prepared to answer a lot of questions and provide a shared understanding of the team’s purpose. He must clear expectations about the roles and responsibilities of team members and set values and acceptable behaviors for working together.

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it” (Dwight Eisenhower). Photo: Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

Antagonizing

After a team has formed, it goes through a challenging time characterized by team:

    Addressing issues and beginning to solve problems

    Opening up and challenging each other’s ideas and points of view

    Spitting into factions

    Competing for power and attention

    Developing negative feelings such as confusion and low trust.

In this difficult phase, a leader needs to clarify the big picture and overall objectives. He is also required to restate the values, goals and objectives of the team. His communication skills are also important here, in providing constructive feedback and facilitating open and honest discussion.

Assimilating

During Assimilating, the team begins to positively assimilate with one another, characterized by the team:

    Developing shared goals

    Developing trust and respect

    Giving up some of their own ideas and adopting those of others.

The leader of the team is required to reinforce the positive integration of the team. He should encourage the building of trust, the sharing of perspectives and also recognize the successes of the team.

Accomplishing

In the final phase, the team begins accomplishing, and this phase is characterized by a few important elements:

    Clear understanding of objectives and mutual plans

    Open and trusting communication

    Shared responsibility and working together for the success of the team’s goal

    Respect and appreciation for one another

    Positive feelings such as confidence and high morale.

The leader’s role becomes one of facilitation and enablement. It is important to recognize the team’s achievements and provide new challenges, opportunities for growth and learning.

Overall, leading a team means recognizing that it is not enough to simply get the tasks done well; it is also important to develop and maintain the group’s cohesion, harmony and unity. The role of the leader is to move the team through the different stages of development. This assumption also means that if the team regresses and goes back to an earlier stage, it is necessary to apply the leadership suitable for that circumstance. Ultimately, a good leader is one who achieves a high-performance team that has little need for their management.

Bibliography:

• Adam Riccoboni, Daniel Callaghan, The Art of Selling Yourself.
• Ken Blanchard, Situational Leadership
• Robert Tannenbaum, Warren Schmidt
• Bruce Tuckman, Form, Storm, Norm, Perform.

Thalamus and Vision

The Thalamus and Vision

The Thalamic Involvement in Vision

Aside from Bruce Willis starring movies such as The Sixth Sense, humans are generally believed to have five senses: vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste. In neuroscience, these are subdivided into the sensation, perception and interpretation stages. Thus, vision would first be acknowledged by receptors (rods and cones in the retina at the back of the eye), then transmitted to the brain’s “relay station” — the thalamus, and finally processed in the visual cortex in the occipital lobe.

Further, the thalamus is composed of three elements: the lateral geniculate nucleus, the pulvinar and the thalamic reticular nucleus. Moreover, thalamic neurons come in three types: magnocellular, parvocellular and koniocellular; each contributuing diversely to visual input processing and connecting to dissimilar layers of the visual cortex.

Saalmann & Kastner (2009) explain that there is agreement in the literature that the thalamus relays sensory signals to the brain. However, in their account, the researchers demonstrate that the real picture is much more complicated, engaging the contribution of the pulvinar and geniculate nucleus, and awarding greater control to the structure over vision in general.

When objects move too quickly, they are seen as blurry. Fantasy art girl. Image: Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

Rees (2009) adds credence to the above affirmation, reiterating that evidence is growing that the thalamus is more active in directing the specific perceptive ability. So, it may be that thalamic nuclei determine where observatory attention is allocated.

Whether the role played by the brain region of interest in this brief essay is primary or secondary in administering this particular human sense, fMRI, electrophysiological and histological data are continuing to shed light on the subject. For a more detailed mapping of the brain area, one is referred to Krauth et al. (2010).

References:

• Krauth, A., Blanc, R., Poveda, A., Jeanmonond, D., Morel, A. and Szekely, G. (2010). A mean three-dimensional atlas of the human thalamus: Generation from multiple histological data. NeuroImage, 69: 2053-62.
• Rees, G. (2009). Visual attention: The thalamus at the centre? Current Biology, 19 (5): R213-4.
• Saalmann, Y. B & Kastner, S. (2009). Gain control in the visual thalamus during perception and cognition. Current
• Opinion in Neurobiology, 662 (19): 1-7.[Article in Press; available online at http://www.princeton.edu/~napl/pdf/Saalmann_Kastner_09.pdf ]

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Fantasy & Psychology

Fantasy & Psychology 

Fantasy, mythology and psychology are interlinked. As reviewed elsewhere, many mythical beings, as well as mythological elements, are present in the literary, artistic and cinematographic genre. However, it seems that the underpinnings are not coincidental, but instead psychological. Fantasy may be used as an attempt to escape reality, to cope, or even to adapt to one’s surroundings better. 

Carl Jung was a famed psychologist and a contemporary, and at times colleague, of the founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud. Jung had a theory that summed the myth-fairytale-psyche link nicely, explaining the importance of the archetypes contained in the collective unconscious.

The mystical and supernatural, such as casting light spells or similar superpowers or magic abilities, are a recurrent element of fantasy based modern video games, films, books and animations. Image: Copyright © Megan Jorgensen (Elena)

And psychology may also, vice versa, influence fantasy. As humanity progresses technologically, it is better able to graphically portray what it could previously only imagine. In turn, picturing such worlds may impact and inspire others’ creativity. To illustrate, since its creation, animation has undergone many transformations. From traditional animating techniques, computer generated imagery, or CGI, came to replace the initial pencil and paper method. Today, many 2D and 3D digital art, cartoons and animations open the doors of imagination in new ways. Alternatively, many have expressed the view that it is the so-called anonymity of social media, online gaming and other avatar related Websites or virtual communities that allowed people to feel and behave more freely.

Fantasy

Aside from being a literary and movie genre, fantasy is also a type of art - fantasy art. In films and books, fantasy represents imaginary worlds, with many magic and other surreal elements. Such mythical fiction has captivated the minds of many throughout human history.

In television, in 2011 alone, many shows appeared or continued to run (Merlin, Once Upon a Time, The Legend of the Seeker and Camelot). Interestingly, the legend surrounding Morgan or Morgana le Fay, Merlin (the famous illusionist and witch, and wizard, respectively), King Arthur, Excalibur (enchanted sword predestined to belong to the true ruler of England) and, last but not least, the Lady of the Lake.

Elves are mythical creatures present in many such works, and increasingly popular in computer games. According to stories, there are dark and light elves, different by not only appearance, but likewise in character. Still, most elves are easily spotted by their pointy ears (slightly different, and customarily more pronounced, than those of the Vulcans - an alien race popularized by the science fiction franchise Star Trek). Usually, an elf is particularly apt at playing musical instruments and crafting silver.

Other fantastical beings are fairies, pixies (pixie dust), dwarfs, trolls (predating the Internet comments, forums and posts variety!), dragons and all sorts of witches, warlocks, enchantresses, magicians, sorceresses and sorcerers. Witchcraft, also called the craft, sorcery and magic, has long been the center of such worlds.

Incidentally, magical powers, and related elements, have even been intertwined with religion. For example, many pagan religions, including the Old Religion (practiced in Europe before the advent of Christianity) and Wicca encompass many magic components. Of course, during the Middle Ages all such faiths were eradicated in the remnants of the Roman Empire, often through ruthless persecutions and witch hunts.

Evidently, some of the best known publications on the subject include The Lord of the Rings trilogy (J. R. R. Tolkien) and the Harry Potter book series (J. K. Rowling). Both works have resulted in derivative movie sequels. Other honorable mentions center on the musical Wicked, Sabrina (movie, TV show and animated series star), the witches of Salem and plot based horror movies. While scary storytelling has associated spell casting with negativity, good and benevolent enchantment casters are similarly encountered in such and other fiction.

Science and Magic. Illustration by Megan Jorgensen.

Attraction Theory

Attraction Theory

While neuroscientists have tried to pinpoint the neural correlates of beauty, psychologists have long ago attempted to establish what is considered beautiful across cultures. During repeated studies, some differences, as well as similarities, between what the sexes see as attractive were found. For instance, generally it seems that men attach much larger importance to women’s youth and beauty. Alternatively, women seem to care less about the outside and age, and more on the capacity of the potential partner to take care of the offspring (in terms of resources and otherwise). Despite being criticized and highly debated, such findings appear to be supported by evolutionary theory.

Further, women with a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) between 0.6 and 0.9 were consistently rated as more desirable across experiments. Surprisingly, when questioned, women appear to chose a thinner body type as preferable, than men do (looking at the same photos and hypothetical drawings). A clear complexion was judged as an indicator of health and good looks in most parts of the world studied, also interpreted as an indicator of reproductive fitness, alongside to other facts deemed attractive.

Attraction and futuristic world. Photo by Elena

Many concerns have been voiced by the influence of the media on body perception. The glamorized thin, or sculpted, ideal has been blamed for the rise in eating disorders or unsafe bodybuilding methods. Still, without reaching the extremes, a balanced, nutritious diet, combined with regular exercise, are usually prescribed to make one look and feel better. The latter may be achieved though the release of endorphins, produced naturally by the body during physical activity.

Aside from dietary and athletic regimes, there are evidently other players shaping up a person’s appearance. Thus, fashion (including retail) and personal care are significant industries. Around the beginning of the third millennium, body art (body painting, tattoos, piercing and other corporal modifications – varying in degrees of permanency) has become almost commonplace, and gained popular, mainstream acceptance. An even more common form of bodily art is make up. Interestingly, make up artists and gurus on YouTube, such as Michelle Phan a.k.a RiceBunny or Marlena from MakeUpGeek, give tutorials on how to use cosmetics and hair styling products to make oneself look better. Of course, the target audience, as the vloggers themselves discussing beauty tricks, are mostly women, although not all (for example, Miles from MilesJaiProductions).

Dating, Loneliness and Depression

Dating, Loneliness and Depression

In today’s day and age many people feel lonely, but unlike times of yore when one had to rely on meeting through friends, acquaintances or at social gatherings, the World Wide Web presents yet another option for the lonely hearts. Dating Websites and social networking platforms are a great asset to those suffering from loneliness or simply wishing to meet that someone special, or someone new. After all, everybody needs friendship, companionship and romance. However, many Websites while professing to be relationship oriented are simply hook-ups, where users try and get as many dates as possible to satisfy carnal needs, and not even engage into a short-term relationship.

End of party. A social venue, a party, is a great way to meet people, romantically or platonically. Image: Megan Jorgensen (Elena).

Interestingly, psychologists differentiate loneliness from solitude. Solitude defines a sense of contentment with one’s aloneness, while loneliness does not. Indeed, depression is often accompanied by feelings of loneliness and disconnection from one’s social surrounding, pushing the person further into the abyss of despair. Conversely, clinical psychologists advise to reconnect with one’s social contacts and one’s peer group to counter some of the isolation felt in depression. Likewise, from clinical psychology one knows that depression is a time to be the kindest, most compassionate and gentlest self to yourself.

Depression

What is Depression?:

Depression is a mood disorder. It is when a person feels very sad. Depression can change the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. It is not the same as feeling “blue”. It is not a sign of personal weakness or something that can be wished away. When a depressed mood stays for a long time or gets in the way of everyday living, it may be a sign of a serious depression that needs professional help.

What causes depression?:

There is no one reason why someone develops Depression. Family history, brain chemistry and stress play a big role in producing the illness.

Sometimes Depression is caused by one or a few of the following factors:

• The death of a loved one
• Money problems
• Family troubles
• Difficulties with others
• Problems at work

Signs and Symptoms

Not everyone who is depressed has every symptom and the symptoms may change over time.

- Feeling sad – crying for no obvious reason
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Low energy or feeling tired
- Difficulty thinking or remembering things
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Eating less or more than usual
- Thoughts of suicide

What are the treatments?:

Depression can respond well to treatment. There are different types of treatment. The most common and successful approach is combining psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. Support from family, friends and self-help groups can also be very helpful.

Depression can respond well to treatment. Photo: Megan Jorgensen.