(Thoughts on yesterday's poem)

The “higher thinking” parts of the brain are 80K times faster than the emotional brain.  Our reactions are instantaneous, which is why reflecting on our patterns and practicing new responses are key EI strategies. 

Today's poem

Watching for the tiger

I don’t hear a word you say.
I’m ready to pounce.

© 2018 Laura Lewis-Barr all rights reserved

How often does this happen?

(Thoughts on yesterday's poem)
Can we challenge ourselves to listen deeply?  So deeply that we can hear, like the robin, what is buried below the surface? 

Poem for today --

My hardworking brain

creates your reply --

even before you speak.




© 2018 Laura Lewis-Barr all rights reserved

Haiku meditation – what does it mean to you?

Arguments rumble within.

Outside the boardroom window

a robin listens.






Check tomorrow's post for thoughts on this haiku.

© 2018 Laura Lewis-Barr all rights reserved

Business benefits of micro-poems like haiku

• These three line micro-poems don't tell you what to think. Instead, they challenge us to discover what is hidden within the three lines, and within our own assumptions.
• Engaging with this condensed language requires slowing down and reflecting.  Such reflection is vital for any kind of creative thinking or problem solving.
• These poems require our interaction.  Our effort to unlock these puzzles produces insights that are more lasting than more passive reading.
• Like any kind of puzzle, they are an excellent vehicle to stimulate complex thinking.  As with all poetry  -- haikus help a reader explore other viewpoints and develop empathy.

Here's one as I think about the relationship between emotional intelligence and safety.

Boss scowls across warehouse.

Electric cords wait like a snake.

I keep thoughts to myself.

© 2018 Laura Lewis-Barr all rights reserved