Neuroplasticity for Empathy

November 16, 2021

Welcome.

We appreciate you taking the time to work on your leadership and social/emotional skills. Here's a review of what we covered in our time together:

Part One: Introduction

The connection between creativity and empathy.

Part Two: Neuroplasticity is the key

Developing a brain with agility.

Part Three: Challenge Your Paradigms

A curious mind is flexible.

Let's use our brain's differently to achieve higher levels of natural curiosity. Here are a few activities to build the neuro-plasticity to support your your capacity to accept new possibilities and empathize with different persepectives :

1. Black Dot

Supplies: Blank paper and a black pen/marker

People: You can do this solo or in a group of nearly any size

Instructions:

Draw a black dot about the size of a quarter (coin) in the center of the blank page.

Now fill in the page with ideas of what that black dot could be if it was not a black dot. Brainstorm and write for 5 minutes. Write down every idea that enters your mind even if its completely absurd.

After 5 minutes, stop writing and reflect on your ideas. Work alone or with a partner to choose three that are most original, entertaining or smart.

Now answer a few quick questions for yourself or share them with a partner/group:

- Was this challenging? What part of it was challenging? Did you warm up over time?

- What did you notice about how your brain was working? Are you naturaly creative?

- Is there a specific idea that you generated that you are most proud of?

Part Four: My life as...

Let's use our mammalian brain layer to humanize something.

2. My life as...

Supplies: Pen and paper

People: Start solo and then work with a partner or group

Instructions:

Walk around the space you are in and search for an object. Choose something that is inanimate (not alive). Once you've found something, postion yourself comfortably where you can see it clearly without touching it.

Now begin imagining that the object could come to life.

Your job is to write the life story of that object. Take 10-12 minutes.

Here are some prompts to stimulate your thinking:
What does it care about?
Does it have family/friends?
What are its greatest fears, achievements, regrets and moments of courage?
What makes it emotional and how does it express itself?
Does it have a goal?
Does it wish it lived somewhere else? With someone/something else?
oes it have a name?

After you've written for 10-12 minutes, pause and read over your work. If possible, get a partner and take turns sharing your story about your object. Celebrate each others work.

After you're done sharing, reflect on a few questions:
- What surprised you?
- Was it difficult to bring this object to life?
- How do you feel about that object? Any different now than before?
- What was valuable about that exercise?

Part Five: Cheese is a Fruit

"Don't tell me NO. Tell me HOW."

3. Cheese Is A Fruit

Supplies: Pen and paper

People: Work solo in round 1. Then in small teams for round 2.

Instructions:

Here is the one basic rule. "Don't tell me NO, tell me HOW."

We are going to give you a concept and your job is to prove it to be true. Even if your first reaction is "no", "not possible", "that's stupid" or "never gonna happen", your job is to make it a reality. Bonus points for being really convincing.

Round 1 - So, here is the first concept: Cheese is a fruit.

Take 8 minutes and write down the story that makes that true. Don't tell me NO, tell me HOW.

After 8 minutes stop writing and get togetrher with others in a group. Take a few minutes for everyone to share what they have written thus far.

After everyone shares, take 8 minutes to morph your individual stories into one defnitive truth. Pull parts from each story to craft a masterpiece.

Round 2 - Dolphins invented the internet by communicating through trees.

Take 8 minutes and write down the story that makes that true. Don't tell me NO, tell me HOW.

After 8 minutes stop writing and get togetrher with others in a group. Take a few minutes for everyone to share what they have written thus far.

After everyone shares, take 8 minutes to morph your individual stories into one defnitive truth. Pull parts from each story to craft a masterpiece.

After both rounds,debrief with your group or journal. Here are some questions to consider:

- How did you feel creating your story?
- Do you prefer your new reality to your old one?
- Were there any obstacles to your creativity?
- What skill or mindset can we take from this exercise?

Part Six: What have I never questioned?

Expose your paradigms.

Use your journal and make a list of things that you have never questioned. For each one, ask yourself a few key questions:

- Why do I believe this?

- Does this affect me?

- What would be possible if I didn't believe this?

As you navigate each day, be aware of your paradigms and return to this journal to add new ones as they come up. This heightened awareness and willingness to question what you think you know will develop your neuroplasticity and allow your curiosities to drive a more agile brain.

PART 7: JOURNAL

We've partnered with Make Meaningful Work, an organization that helps people to reflect and improve via powerful journaling tools. Download the blank journal and use it to reflect, define areas for improvement and create your next steps.

DOWNLOAD JOURNAL

Thank you.

We hope you got value from this module. Please drop us a line with any comments and feedback.

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