The Six Ingredients Of Engagement and Learning

I have just walked down Oxford Street in London and couldn’t help but notice even with my eyes fixed on the latest text message received and swiping the screen of my iPhone that Christmas is just around the corner. 

And for some reason it fills me with mixed emotions.  I have two children as you know and they will be looking forward to opening presents with excitement.  The other part that carries mixed emotions for me is that the time we have left coming towards the end of the year.  

My good friend Andrew Finan launched a game that is The easiest way to learn a language www.kloogame.com I was intrigued by the thinking behind it because it mirrored the very ingredients that are vital for engagement and learning of any skill in sport or life and it uses exactly the same ingredients that addictive computer games have. 

Ingredients of Engagement:Today I noticed for the first time because this article has been at the front of my mind for a good while but was only triggered by a conversation about iPhone apps. All day I have found myself on and off trains and tubes noticing people engaged with their phones.  Nothing new there you say. Not at all.  We live in a time when the thought of being without a phone is more traumatic than being without a car.

So I not only observed people engaged in their phones with music or typing I started to look even closer.  And found something astonishing.  Most of the people (6 out of 10) in a given part of the day were playing some sort of game on their phone. 

The lady in the suit behind me, the student sitting erect across the carriage, the businessman on the Virgin train sat next to me were all playing games.   Was I missing something here?  My daughters Hello Kitty game and Ben 10 apps on my phone were not so appealing?  Yet to a generation, these video games have become the primary source of engagement and entertainment.  Some parents and establishments have been concerned about these trends.  Why the resistance? They are also coaching some very good skills. 

Try this: Ask a young person to recite something, tell you about their day at school or remember a fact and you can be met with several grunts.

What are the ingredients that have not only Gen Y glued to these games but all of us?  And how can you apply this to peak performance in sports, business and life? Here are some ingredients that I believe that playing games can help your performance go to a different level.

1.    Start with Small Steps: All these computer games, Wii, Xbox and Phone based games all have this crucial ingredient in them.  You start with small steps.  No jumping from level one to level five, right?  What many people do with in effective goal setting is start with the big plan.

2.    Multiple Long Term and Short Term Aims: How many long term or short term goals do you have?  One or two, three or four? Think of a computer based game that you have played recently.  There are several of both. Just enough to keep you moving forward and engaged.  But putting several tasks to complete.  “Have you ever reached level 13?” is usually a question you here fans of a particular game ask.  A massive amount of different tasks that are designed to keep you interested and never the same amount on the next level.

3.    Effort Is Always Rewarded: Now this is one that lends itself to being a chat rather than a conversation.  Games are constantly reinforcing your effort.  You are rewarded along the way with small prizes, gifts, sound bites of success, flashing reminders “It was worth trying, have another go” type of encouragement.  No failures here.  Mmmm, something to think about. 

4.    Feedback: How am I doing?  Well you don’t need to ask because games are probably the best way of providing feedback.  Pain if you do something wrong and rewarded with pleasure if you do something right.  The learning mechanism is about consequences.  An interesting aside is that many times we do can do something today in society that is deemed wrong but rewarded with pleasure.  The flipside is when we do something that is a success and forget that we should reward ourselves.  Waiting for someone to pat us on the back.  The games we are engaged with are all designed to take care of that for us. 

5.    Keep me guessing: Surprise is a human need.  You love surprise.  Well, the surprises that you know about you love.  And if this sounds complex.  It is.  Because uncertainty is by it’s nature what keeps us engaged in most activities.  It’s why we love films because of the ever unfolding plot that keeps us on the edge of the seat.  But games do this all the time.  Computer games and all sorts of games.  That element of not knowing what is going to happen but we are trying to predict the outcome.  It drives us crazy.  It is exciting and whilst there is that level of emotion in the guessing stage there is also a tremendous amount of learning going on too.

6.    Connection To Others: The real jackpot with playing games has to be that connectedness we feel when playing them.  Computer games have taken this need to the next level by allowing players to engage worldwide and pit their wits against each other.  Competition or collaboration today is what drives all human beings. It is what excites us and keeps us engaged.  Where in your world can you improve or add connectedness?  Add these elements to what you do both professionally and personally and see your results and group engagement go to a different level.  Let me give you a Kloo.  Andrew knew that if he was going to get his daughters to REALLY learn Italian quickly and have it stick he had to get them playing games.   Play is the brains favourite way of learning....ANYTHING. (sorry for the shout but this is important in all skill development)  “I have played the game with family who are hopeless with languages and it really works!” Sarah Ormerod, Trainee Teacher

I urge you as a manager, coach, parent to add these ingredients to what you do and at the same time if you fancy a Xmas game that will have you friends and family speaking fluently, having a blast, being competitive then give www.kloogame.com a go. 

P.S. Kloo is on free trial now for a short period of time

PART ONE: What Do Coaches Look For?

NEW OFFICE NUMBER  0207 125 0027

Just back from Harrogate. I didn't take this bus. Love that town. Spoke at the GOLF SHOW to a group of coaches about being Mont Blanc’s in their industry. The subject of personal coaching came up. Why do we have coaches outside of sports? How they can help etc. I bumped into a few guys. One of them reminded me about a deal we had.

“I told you that if this stuff worked on me (like there was some magic) I said I would write you a blank cheque….I just haven’t got round to sending the blank cheque yet.” More from Daniel and how HE has worked his magic professionally and personally in another post.

LONDON: Yes, I am now London based for a few days a week. If you have ever considered coaching and thought that it was too far to travel north of Manchester or your work schedule didn’t allow. A short walk or tube from the Tottenham Court Road and we can be working towards your goals for 2011.

CHANGED NUMBER: Please update your records and make a note of the new office number

0207 1250027. Email addresses remain the same.

TICKING THE BOXES: I just got off the phone with a coaching client who is based in the Middle East and was getting ready to go to Oman to do a corporate talk. He wanted some tips on getting his message across.

“Be yourself!”

That can be tough when you have a myriad of thoughts and feelings spinning around the body and mind before a speaking engagement. (Speaker Bootcamp coming soon)

He has had extensive experience working with elite athletes, personally managing them and especially through challenging times. He talked passionately about some distinctions that he has seen through the years being around the world’s best in Golf, Football and other sports.

“….But do they tick the other boxes? Psychology, Health, Fitness, Partner/Mentor/Coach……When they tick ALL the boxes they became successful or world class. When they leave one out they don’t deal with it well and look for excuses.”

What is interesting is this client and friend has come out of a challenging period of his own life and talked about the importance of coaching in his own process.

We worked together on and off for over five years and many a time I have been on a call that has been about shifting perspective. He talked of another mentor/coach he has in a different part of his life.

It makes me smile when a client executes and transforms their thinking. He has ticked many boxes and things have clicked for him.

NO MORE QUESTIONS: Every time you improve your thinking in the workplace or in sport the damn game (situation) throws up another challenge. Another question is asked of you. It’s like expanding your tolerance perimeter. It moves further and further out, it expands. Expansion of self starts with asking yourself a new question. Or have someone show up and have you ask those tough questions. That’s the coaching process.

What will I do? What does this mean? What will I become now I have moved to this level….?

WHAT COACHES LOOK FOR: What does the coach do? They see things that you don’t see. The best athletes all have coaches. Michael Jordan had a coach. Best on the planet at what he did. He had a coach? Actors have coaches. Singers have coaches. Those contestants on X Factor are being put through their paces behind the scenes with voice and dance coaches. Because they pick up on when something is slightly out or a miss. Most people say at some point…I don’t need a coach or I don’t need one now. Interesting mindset.

When will the best athletes in the world stop needing a coach? (continued by clicking PART TWO at top right of page)

Part Two: What Do Coaches Look For?

PART TWO.....

They never stop needing a coach because they know that their improvement is a work in progress. What coaching do you have in place that is elevating you to the next level in an area that you want to succeed?
If it’s not coaching…. are you part of a group that meets on a regular basis. A group of people that will hold you accountable to being where you want to be?

PEER GROUP IS PRICELESS: You cannot put a price on the quality of your immediate group or who you have access to.  Can you imagine a peak performing team not meeting for practice on a regular basis? No practice sessions to challenge each other? As much as this an obvious one or common sense. Be careful to fall into that trap of thinking that. It’s obvious that great athletes have coaches and consistently meet to challenge each other.  Again, a common trait for teams and individuals who are the best at what they do is pushing each other to the next level constantly and having a mastermind, a network of others to help them see what they don't.

Are your peers pushing you, pulling you or even kicking you to help you reach your goals?
What if you are performing at the highest levels you can. What are you planning with your coach or group?

STANDING OUT MEANS HAVING A KLOO: My good friend Andrew Finan spoke at the Business Building Summit in February last year. He was only meant to do 90 minutes and ended up doing 3 hours!!! That sounds like something I would do!

Andrew spoke about being a One Man Army. Taking on the big boys and winning. After selling his company to global sports marketing giant IMG he wanted to base his next business on a product idea he’d had for a while.
Only this week we talked about how do people stand out in challenging times. Something that I am talking about at the PGA Conference in Harrogate this week.

Language skills are one distinction in the world today that can propel and enhance your offer professionally and personally.
In fact most of the opportunities are being taken by European counterparts because they are cultured in speaking a second language and maybe a third language in many cases.

What are the skill sets that are needed for an employer today or that could expand your Joint Venture partner or partner associations? What will organizations look for when they have SO much choice today.
Languages will be one skill set in a changing world for many professions.

If you want to develop skills in a way that you REALLY want to and is engaging. That you can play on your own or with friends and family…..go to www.kloogame.com.

Has your coaching process stopped? Stalled...not even started yet? For further information on how you can develop your performance skills call on the new number below.

Jamie
P.S. Make a note of the new number 0207 1250027 and visit www.kloogame.com for your FREE trial.

How To Recover From Injury Quicker

Recover From Injury Quickly - ENERGY THERAPY from Jamie Edwards on Vimeo.

LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED
You can use this TAPPING to rid of any negative, persistent or inappropriate emotion you don’t want to feel.

This sequence is one of many and is specifically for dealing with INJURIES. I have been using this myself to help the healing process of my Achilles Tendon Rupture.

In the past when helping Athletes overcome these emotions linked with being immobile the emphasis has been on changing the thoughts around the events and injury because they create emotion that isn’t conducive with healing. The body can only heal if the mind is working with it. There are many instances of the mind overcoming life threatening illnesses such as cancer.

One of the truly amazing stories I often refer to is Norman Cousins who wrote a great little book that in the past I have given to friends who have been challenged by the "C" word. Anatomy of an illness by N. Cousins.

He was told that he had little chance of surviving but he suspended his belief and created a recovery programme that incorporated traditional medicine (large doses of Vitamin C) along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films (US comedy).

He said, "I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep and when the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval."

Many of you will have heard about many alternative therapies. This exercise uses a combination of ancient Eastern methods and alternative therapy. This may look a little weird at first but you will have heard of acupuncture. It works in exactly the same way. Releasing blocked energy or emotion.

Used also for overcoming phobias, depression, cravings and cases of post traumatic stress for the military.

INJURIES:
This is specifically for injuries. The sequence (or pattern) that the energy flows in your body will be unlocked, yet is different for various emotions.

1. Choose a feeling or put your attention on the feeling.
2. What sort of feeling is it? Dull or sharp?
3. How intense is it? Scale of 1 to 10
4. That’s the blocked energy what you can feel.
5. Put attention on the feeling you found. Tap the Karate chop point (fleshy part of palm near little finger)

REPEAT: "Even though I have this injury…I deeply and completely accept myself.......Even though I have this niggling/uncomfortable/painful injury I deeply and completely accept myself." (Use words appropriate for you)

Mine are "Inconvenient....uncomfortable......etc"

At this point you might notice a difference in the intensity of the feeling. It may increase. It may have reduced.

NEXT STEP
Now we are going to engage all of your brain to make sure that we have all of the feeling.

Follow the second part of the video. THAT IS ONE ROUND. Rate the feeling on a scale of 1 to 10. Then do more rounds to reduce the feeling.

THE REAL SKILL OF THE MENTAL GAME: To change a feeling that is related to a thought.

This is great for injuries and pain.

Hope this helps. Pass it on to friends who may have pain.

How do you get more out of yourself and your team?

Get More Out Of Yourself and Team from Jamie Edwards on Vimeo.

There are three areas (W) WORK (R) RELATIONSHIPS (S) SELF that are important to focus on to create some type of BALANCE…..unlike me on my crutches.

At certain times of our life they have a different emphasis. Our behaviour can be very predictable at certain these times. If you think of these areas as CIRCLES that will and can change in size and importance if left unattended and with conscious application can affect BALANCE in any direction.

For example we know that from the age of 23 to 28 the W of work will be very large because it's the start of your career. We can predict that (R) will go from testing to serious consideration of longer term partnerships. And as we move from emerging careers to settling (28 -30) to planting foundations in the next decade 30s to 40s our thinking will shift again in areas that matter the most.

The circles start to have different meanings when in transition 40 to 45 where these circles are questioned.....even beyond this period. So whilst obvious there are many factors that distract us from attending to a circle at a particular time. The need to review the size of the areas and focus has an impact on performance in and out of the workplace and business and even sports.

A recent presentation to two separate audiences in very different industries prompted me to ask the question. Both groups wanted to look at how they could squeeze more from performance in business. Both peak performing teams at the top of their business game.

Watch the video and ask your self the question at the front end of the video. See if you can see the mistake too.

Talk soon,

Jamie