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Inside Out |
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January 16, 2008-- Volume 4, Issue 1 |
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A Message from Kim |
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Hi Everyone, Where else can you be guaranteed of accomplishing your goals this year for just $194? This is a $397 savings to you from what it costs to purchase the products separately. I personally guarantee your results if you follow our system or your complete money back. You have 365 days to work with the system and still ask for your money back. What is there to lose? Let me help you to make 2008 your best year yet. Make today the day you want it to be! |
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In This Issue |
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Feature Article Upcoming Events "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."-- Edmund Hillary Book Review |
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Our Subconscious and Racism The research I’ve done over the past month is teaching me about the strength of our subconscious mind and the fact that we are so unaware of its beliefs, opinions and affects it has on our behavior. I just finished taking the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT) available online at www.implicit.harvard.edu. I recommend you take it, if you haven’t already. When you get to that page, click on the “Demonstration” link and on the next page, click on “Go to the Demonstration Tests” link at the bottom of the page. Then, read the Preliminary Information page, and if agreeable, click on “I wish to proceed.” On the next page, select the “Race IAT” button and proceed with the test. I was disturbed by my results. I am the author of the book, Leveraging Diversity at Work, I facilitate diversity workshops internationally and my score shows I have a slight preference for European-Americans as compared to African-Americans. I would have hoped that I would have scored in the no preference category. What this test measures is our subconscious feelings, of which we are often unaware. For research purposes, the question is asked where you consciously place yourself in your preference of the races. Naturally, I believed I saw both races as equal, however, my subconscious told a different story. There are many other IATs available and I recommend you take as many as you like. Here are some titles you can choose: Gender-Science IAT, Skin-tone IAT, Disability IAT, Asian IAT, Weight IAT, Religion IAT, Age IAT, Sexuality IAT and many others. Check it out to see if your conscious beliefs are lined up with your subconscious tendencies. As I am beginning to understand this dynamic, I find it may explain some things that have been puzzling to me. As a white female in the US, when I talk with other white people, most will denounce racism as wrong. They will state their conscious beliefs that white people and black people are equal and that they, themselves, believe in equality for all and do not participate in oppressive thoughts or behavior and might even say they would be an advocate for minorities in society by taking a public stand against prejudice. This led to my understanding that while racism is still alive and well in some areas, such as skinhead and Ku Klux Klan organizations, overall, white people are less racist than in years past. I would be right if I were only measuring conscious beliefs. Most white people are against prejudice and oppression consciously, however, many are affected by their subconscious programming of which they are largely unaware. Contrast this with the experience of many Black and African-American people in the US. Most Blacks I know will deny that racism is any less prevalent than it used to be. Sure there have been laws passed to protect them from overt discrimination but they know there are so many instances of covert racism that it’s difficult to tell where it is coming from. Could this be because they pick up on the subconscious beliefs of most White Americans? In fact the Race IAT shows that 27% of all who take it, Blacks and Whites alike, show a strong preference for European-Americans and another 27% show a moderate preference for European-Americans, accounting for 54% of all people taking the test. The rest of the people are distributed among five other categories—slight preference for European-Americans, no preference, slight preference for African-American, moderate preference for African-American and strong preference for African-American with decreasing percentages representing each of these subsequent categories. Stephen Young has developed a program, MicroInequities: The Power of Small™. Research shows that the content of our verbal messages means far less than the “subtle, often subconscious signals representing the core of the messages we send,” such as eye rolling, undivided attention given to one group and not others, eye contact, arms folded, etc. MicroInequities are “cumulative, subtle messages that occur when these signals are negative or promote a negative bias. MicroInequities are not one-time events. They are cumulative, repeated behaviors that devalue, discourage, and impair performance in the workplace.” They can certainly come deliberately from our conscious mind but I believe most often MicroInequities are glimpses into what our subconscious mind believes. The first step in understanding this phenomenon is to gain information. Take the test. Understand what your subconscious believes and tells you on a daily basis. Know that you are not responsible for the programming you received. Most of the messages programmed into your subconscious, where placed there prior to your sixth birthday. You couldn’t defend against them. They came from the culture in which you were raised. However, now that you know about the disparity between your conscious intentions and your subconscious beliefs, you are responsible for taking or not taking action. If you want to take action, you need to become aware of the messages of your subconscious and deliberately place yourself in situations where you will be exposed to positive messages and associations with the group against which you have been biased. Gaining more positive information and experiences to balance out the negative is the only way to counterbalance the influence of our subconscious. Bring your subconscious into your conscious awareness. Don’t allow it to play uninterrupted in the background of your daily experience. Shine a light on it and become committed to bringing your subconscious into alignment with what your conscious mind tells you to be true. Copyright © January 2008 Kim Olver. All rights reserved
NOTICE: This article is free and can be copied and reproduced |
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*Click Here to read some of Kim's other articles* |
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Teleconferences All teleconferences are free, one (1) hour in length and all you need is a telephone. When you register we will send you a phone number that you will call five minutes prior to the start of your teleconference. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, but if you prefer to just listen that’s all right too. You do not need a computer or Internet, only a telephone. Don’t delay. There are a limited number of slots available. The following Teleconferences are FREE Celebrate Diversity Do you maintain a diverse workforce in your place of business? Do you celebrate diversity? Would you like to learn how to create a diverse workplace that embraces diversity? Register for this call and learn how creating a diverse workforce in your place of business can increase your bottom line and create a more pleasant work environment for you, your co-workers and your employees. Choice Theory & Reality Therapy January 29, 2008 -- 8:45 - 9:45 p.m. EST This class will preview the revolutionary work of one of the greatest thinkers of our time, Dr. William Glasser. During the call, you will learn the basic tenants and concepts of Choice Theory, an explanation of human behavior; Reality Therapy, a process of self-reflection that encourages problem solution and self-growth; Lead Management, a democratic style of leadership that is not only effective in managing workers, but is also effective with the management of students in the classroom and for agencies working with non-voluntary clients; and Quality Schools, a new way of teaching and managing the classroom environment that creates trust, quality relationships, and improved test scores. Sign up today. De-escalation Skills Have you ever been involved in a situation with an angry person where you felt defeated? Either you escalate to their level of aggression or you allowed yourself to get lambasted and felt battered in the end? Either way, you lost by allowing the angry person to dictate your responses and control your effectiveness. Come learn some easy techniques to work with an angry individual to take their level of volitility down to a manageable level so you can intellectually process the problem with them. Empowered Leadership How would you like your leaders to be more effective? How would you like to create a work environment that is empowering to your employees? Register for this call and learn the skills necessary to create an empowered workforce for both management and your employees. Time Management Protecting our time is important. We all have the same amount of time in a day. It’s what we do with it that is critical. Do you find yourself doing things you really don’t want to do or spending time with people who take more than they give? These are examples of not protecting your time. Your time is your gift to spend, as you will. You can spend it wisely or you can waste it. It’s your choice. However, one thing you can’t do is get it back to do over again. Learn how to manage and prioritize your time in a more efficient manner.
Goal Setting & Attainment Are you serious about attaining your goals this year? Do you want to do more than make a New Year's Resolution that you forget by the time the Super Bowl is on television? Join me on the free teleconference to learn my time-tested 7-Step process for Goal Attainment. We will do more than set goals--we will discuss a system to implement that will exponentially increase your opportunity for success. Also, my Goal Attainment System is multi-faceted. You won't just be focusing your attention on your career goals unless you want to. My system has you take a look at all areas of your life so you can accomplish an optimal work/life balance for yourself. There is nothing to lose but an hour of your time and so much to gain. Let's make this year your best year yet!
Workshops Empowered Leadership Empowered leadership is based on the teachings of W. Edwards Deming and Dr. William Glasser, both of whom had excellent models to capitalize on the talents and abilities of the workforce for the growth and development of the company. In this workshop you will learn concrete steps you can take to achieve the results you want. Finally, real answers to creating an environment that empowers your entire workforce, both management and employees. If you want to keep pace with the changing times, now is the time to take action! Introduction to Choice Theory Stop believing that some degree of unhappiness is necessary in this life and that relationships are always difficult and tumultuous. It doesn’t have to be that way! You can be happy and satisfied in your relationships. All it takes is some adjustments in the things you are doing and the thoughts that dominate your life. Learn the concepts of Choice Theory® and see the difference it will make. Diversity from the Inside Out Discover how to create a diverse workplace that embraces diversity. Register for workshop now and discover how creating a diverse workforce in your place of business can increase profits, reduce turnover, and create a more pleasant and productive work environment for you, your co-workers and your employees. Reality Therapy & Choice Theory The Basic Intensive Week in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy is a 4 day or 4½-day workshop where you will be exposed to some highly innovative ideas of Dr. William Glasser. You will learn the new psychology of personal freedom called Choice Theory. There is application in this workshop for teachers, school administrators, counselors, therapists, social workers, business managers, clergy, nurses, parents, and anyone interested in improving the quality of their life. You will learn how to empower yourself by distinguishing between those things you can control and those you can’t and focus your energy on those you can. There is practical advice about how to improve the important relationships in your life and how to become the person you want to be. This workshop helps you become more effective in counseling and teaching others, particularly those who may not even know they need your help—non-voluntary clients and less than enthusiastic students. The group size is kept small enough that you will receive individual attention and have plenty of time to have your questions answered. |
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Chat Room All Chats are from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. EST |
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"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." --Edmund Hillary The goals you set are the mountains and your subconscious programming is represents yourself. Reaching your goals will be relatively easy when you have the right mindset and are aware of your subconscious programming so you can consciously work to prevent it from sabotaging your conscious efforts. In essence, you really can be your own worst enemy without even being aware of it. |
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The Wisdom of Your Cells: How Your Beliefs Control Your Biology Click here to purchase this book
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Since the theme of this month's newsletter is the subconscious, I'd like you to take part in an activity that will help you see how others see you. Because of our subconscious and its covert nature, there are often nonverbals operating in our lives of which we are unaware but others can see. Next time you are alone in front of a mirror, turn your back to the mirror and put on your normal face ---- the face you wear throughout the day. Think of it as your resting face. When you think you have it, turn to the mirror and allow yourself to see you as others do.
Have you ever been out in public and someone says to you, "Smile"? You weren't even aware of anything troubling you but to that person, you looked either sad or angry. It is important to project out the image you want to project. This will not happen until we bring our subconscious to the light and make a vigilant, conscious effort to take control of our nonverbals to present to others our true intentions. |
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Question: I know in a workshop you did, you talked about being able to change our own perceptions. If perceptions are so unconscious, how can people change them? Answer: This is a great question! There are really three ways I know to adjust your perceptions. The first one has to do with what you consciously attend to. We have five senses--touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell--all of which come into contact with the world outside of us. For the most part, this happens unconsciously. There will be things in your environment you will notice and some things you won't. People are generally wired to notice when things in the environment are not the way they want them to be. One way to change your perception is to consciously attend to things that are just right. Focus your senses on what is right in your world as opposed to what's not. |
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