ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: "How to Go from Extreme Cynicism to a More Positive Attitude" by Flavia Medrut
The experiences we go through shape our character, and while we might have a lot to be happy about, our brains can be hard-wired to pay more attention to negative experiences. If we’re constantly exposed to negative events, it’s only natural to develop some coping mechanisms in order to avoid getting hurt again—
cynicism is one of these.
Before thinking that every cynical person is a grump beyond saving, those with positive attitudes should take some time to look back at some moments when they were cynical. Yes, it happens to everyone and you don’t have to feel bad about it. In a small dosage, cynicism is actually good.
Many cynics value honesty and integrity, and have more realistic expectations from a less-than-perfect world. These are obviously good traits, but what happens when we slip into cynicism’s extreme side?
"Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter" by Liz Wiseman - Book Reviewed by TLP Cohort #6 Member
Multipliers is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone in a leadership position or with aspiration of obtaining a leadership position. The book provides an in-depth comparison of positive and negative management styles. Being a positive manager certainly has its advantages, not only with production from the employees, but also by creating a happier environment.
"What's One of the Keys to Mastering Multitasking?"by Srini Pillay
Some 2.5 percent of people are thought to be supertaskers—people who excel at multitasking. And we can use some of their strategies to boost our own skills, says psychiatrist Srini Pillay.
When you need to respond to an email while you’re on the telephone, you have to read, write and listen at the same time. Frequently, however, your brain can do only one task at a time properly. It’s as if there’s one checkpoint, and tasks that need to be done have to arrange themselves in a single file in your brain.
When many tasks try to squeeze through a bottleneck, the results can be disastrous. Think of driving from an
on-ramp onto a jam-packed highway. That’s what every new thought faces. It slows down, and eventually the brain becomes a parking lot for thoughts. That’s when you drop the multitasking, when instead you should see this as a signal to switch to the mode that I call “supertasking."