Hack:
Building a Culture of Curiosity and Care – Pushing the Bus and Riding it at the Same Time

Good question Geoffrey, and thanks - you say a lot in few words here. I appreciate your question. The MITA model is not NLP, but originated with similar questions about 30 years ago regarding teens and adults as they’re rewarded intellectually for some offerings in our system - and not rewarded for other offerings.
The result appeared to be a system which left leave behind many bright minds that I taught - who created wonderfully high standards - often using different and unique approaches.
My own PhD at UBC in Vancouver integrated many areas of curriculum, learning and assessment theories, and cognitive helps for leaders and learners. In addition I've spent many years applying MITA brain based learning and learning approaches that use newly discovered facts about optimizing brainpower, along with 17 clearly articulated (and well received learning theories) from Freire to Vygotsky.
MITA™ Leadership Approaches question new opportunities and engage curiosity through developing brain based smart skills. All sessions draw from the MITA™ Manifesto (see http://xrl.us/bht9oy ) for questioning, which has shown empirical evidence for both higher motivation and higher achievement, in several studies, cultures and countries to ensure diverse input that would help create renewal for innovation across wider communities.

A long answer for a brief and thoughtful question. Thanks Geoffrey.

Yes Dave, certification in brain based tactics, is simply the process that facilitates leaders to gain and use tactics daily at work. You’re so correct that it involves rewiring brainpower. Yes, that is the goal. The work rests on two premises: 1). That leaders want more motivation and achievement from themselves and others where they work. 2). That they are willing to consider brainpower as a doable factor to help them build strategies that will improve well being (caring) and productivity (curious) at their work.

Thanks for this site where leaders who have worked toward innovative solutions can learn from and support one another!

We were highly international until recently – where we are targeting US markets that seek growth of motivation and productivity. Initially we worked more with university administrators and faculty – and then business spotted key connections for their leadership. As a result - we won a prestigious award for Excellence - from the Rochester Business Alliance Quality Council –(Chamber of Commerce in this area.)

We’ve enjoyed many wonderful testimonies – and also well respected articles published on MITA methods, that describe it’s practical approach to get measurable results. Now we are looking to partner with visionary groups that that see neural and cognitive advances as central to their growth. Rather than traditional “training,” which fitted folks for another era, we see the need for workers to be problem solvers across traditionally separated fields. Using brain based strategies, proven to get high motivation and achievement, MITA approaches show people how to identify barriers and create solutions. The key goal is to collaborate with leaders to raise motivation and achievement – by rewiring brainpower” possibilities where they work. What do you think?

Recent settings where MITA methods are used successfully, include: PBS – where MITA is selected as the core innovative model for renewed learning and leading K – University. Science Direct – MITA Model to reconfigure university learning – with Dr. Margaret Denny; St. John Fisher University – Business Leadership – with Very Positive Feedback from all MBA participants. Government leaders in Buffalo, New York, under Mike Cardus’ guidance. Rochester Chamber of Commerce – Quality Council – MITA won award for leadership excellence after sessions there. Guardian Life staff and University leaders – Kingston Jamaica – selected premium keynote and sessions on MITA brain based renewal. Waterford Institute of Technology – (WIT) Ireland – University faculty and leaders MITA certified Chile – SA – University faculty at 4 top universities, leaders, government and business leaders MITA certified; World Business Forum 09 – radio City NYC – Selected MITA bloggers and award winning articles related to brain based leadership. Chonqing – China – Senior Business Leaders and Faculty - MITA ethics and leadership – earned MITA leadership awards; Pittsford NY Business leaders in Pittsford, NY; Spenserport Business Leaders in Spenserport, NY; Fairport Business Leaders in Fairport, NY; Regional School Prof Dev and Chair – New Innovative Project of Dr. Bill Cala – to Decentralize Poverty in Rochester NY ; Batavia Business Leaders in Batavia, NY – through Pete Wendel; CEO Roundtable MITA session – for Larsen Engineers CEO, Ram Shrivastava Rochester, NY – sessions for small business leaders; Quinnipiac – Business Leaders and Faculty; Creativity Conference in Florida – invited keynote on MITA innovative change; Singapore Polytechnic Institute – Invited speaker on MITA Brain Based change Approaches for science and technology; Capitol Finance Magazine – Feature article invited to show Brain Based Business Problem Solving ; HR Magazine – MITA Featured Prominently in Work Smart Feature article that included MITA methods for workplace well being; Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper Featured the MITA Center’s work; Hamilton Spectator – Invited Feature on MITA Brain Based Approaches for leaders and learners; Westchester County Leader’s Conference – MITA Brain Based Renewal; Mercy Secondary School Faculty – MITA Certifications - Rochester, NY; University of Buffalo – Master Program – MITA applications in Secondary Science Teaching; Chautauqua Institute - MITA Renewal Institute for Business leaders and Learners; East Strasburg – University faculty and leaders renewal; Monterrey Mexico University, Business and Medical Renewal with MITA brain based approaches; St. John Fisher University– MITA Renewal Conference for Leaders ; MITA Books on renewal approaches – translated into Chinese after the approaches worked well for those in sessions; Chapters Book Store – Ontario – Canada, Invited MITA Renewal talks and book signing; Barnes and Nobles – New York - Invited MITA Renewal talks and book signing; RBA – Rochester Business Alliance – Conference for leaders – won award for excellence; NPR Interview - MITA Renewal & several interviews on MITA innovation at respected internet sites; Red Car Model by Laura Goodrich – MITA addressed brain based issues (by invitation) for the series; Calgary Keynote on MITA Assessment – for brain based renewal – Calgary AB – Canada; CBC – Interview on MITA renewal for leading and learning in coming era PhD Committee member (because of MITA approaches to raise motivation and achievement) for Leader of Entrepreneurial Innovation; Board Member for Non-profit Summer Camp to help needy youth.

Thanks for this site where those who have worked toward innovative solutions can learn from and support one another!

Thanks for your comments Willy. Why not create a hack here on the MIX - with your good ideas illustrated here below in your (PSOD).program.

That way we can see specific illustrations of how you described here, "The PSOD puts into gear the two organizational axis, on the vertical (top-down/bottom-up/top-down) it gets the deployment of the strategic objectives and the strategies to achieve them, on the horizontal it deploys roles-responsibilities-resources-reviews/evaluations-rewards."

I was particularly curious about why you called “commitment” your word for “care?” Can you elaborate a bit more?

Thanks for the challenge Raj, and you raise an interesting case for 2 key contrasts between Machiavelliian methods and MITA brain based approaches. The great philosopher valued realism (which we do also) but did not value innovation, or idealism - both of which drive new challenges here at MITA.

Yes, we do facilitate leaders to take advantage of their wider capabilities through teaching strategies that draw on new neuro discoveries.

We teach the marks of innovative brainpower at work, for instance, (See http://xrl.us/bhwnnw ) and brainstorm what strategies it would take to nudge people to new peaks. We also point out the torpedoes that decrease innovative brainpower in an organization. (See http://xrl.us/bhwyn5 ). Then we illustrate stories of people who reorganize their own brains to win over incredible odds. (See http://xrl.us/bhxdtb )
We challenge – “What innovation strategy would raise your organization’s innovative IQ potential?” and through facilitation of neuro-discoveries leaders discover where to design change for growth.

Raj, I appreciate your thinking and value the curiosity you bring to new ideas, such as MITA. While a comparison to Machiavelli’s observation and conclusions, may well be an exciting approach for a PhD student, it is not my focus for several reasons, and was not my interest when I studied Machiavelli as a doctoral student. The top reason, is that MITA is an applied approach to move lived experiences beyond theory discussions, and to show evidence of visible results in action. MITA changes the way one would learn, engage and draw conclusions about Machiavelli’s observation, for instance.

MITA has been proven in several countries (at PhD levels) to gain higher motivation and achievement for most students. That is my focus. For 30 years I have researched and applied and observed how to craft learning and leading in ways that use a wider range of capabilities. It shifts the question from, How smart are you? which implies a fixed IQ to ask instead, How are you smart? which implies intelligence is fluid, and that people come to work with a unique mix of multiple intelligences.
MITA’s focus is more to apply specific brain based approaches, and to use parts of the brain never before used, to achieve things never before achieved. All Practical Applications in MITA Certification Originate in:
1. Recent discoveries in the cognitive and neuro sciences.
2. Proclivities from many different cultures that helped to frame MITA’s approach
3. The seventeen well-respected learning and assessment theories below
4. Unique manifesto that originated from the above three fact pools.

Background and manifesto for MITA are unique (See http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/change/mita-brain-manifesto/ ) and are rooted in recent solid theory about leading and learning – that accounts for both men’s and women’s proclivities.

Basic brain facts are also used to help people in our program to create strategies that will enhance solutions that seek, based on brain facts they learn and observe. MITA is nothing if it is not applied, and observed and tweaked to improve results.

My invited keynote at a research university on the topic of MITA as a Model for Higher Education Renewal http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/multiple-intelligences/higher-edu... and that topic also becomes another lens through which to view or consider MITA approaches.

In MITA all results are measured by the evidence of improved results for whatever was to improve, and participant negotiate specific strategies that lead to those improvements, based on neuro-discoveries used. So rather than be shaped by Machiavelli’s observation and conclusions, MITA would change the way the very topic is engaged in higher education.

A rather brief answer to a very thoughtful question, Raj, and thanks. I’d be thrilled if you or your workplace community wished to pilot MITA, since 30 years in the making cannot be illustrated in the comments to a Hack, with justice:-).

Thanks for your comments Will, and thanks also for sharing your program PSOD.

Like you I too use follow-up coaching with leaders who certify - since that which is not applied - is not retained. We've done some digital applications and work a great deal online with leaders - but I am wondering how you keep the Platform of Management Innovation from growing too rigid with digital templates? What do you do to allow for different approaches to the same quality results?

Again, thanks for sharing - as it appears we do some rather similar processes:-)