Cherie Concannon

In this weeks blog I will aim to discuss the complex functioning, effects and integral nature of music in human society. The blog is designed not too provide an overall conclusive summary of this function, and how music operates, but simply to raise questions about how it could have developed as an evolutionary aid to social development. I will also discuss how music affects certain regions of the brain, what this could mean and how this might possibly be utilised for therapeutic purposes.
The first question I would like to pose is; what are the functions of music in society? Essentially I am attempting to consider why music is created and fundamentally why it exists. The answers to this question seem to be many and varied but there are some key functions that can be observed through human behaviour and the development of societal norms.
One of the first functions of music seemed to be a consequence of the attempts of human consciousness in understanding the physical and mental worlds. Religious and ritualistic practice held music as a central part of their practice and worship as it was used as a platform to communicate with spirits or deities whilst reinforcing the social bonds that religious belief creates. This function then acted as a catalyst for the human mind to embrace alternative benefits of music listening and performance. As communicative and expressive mechanism music proved to be highly beneficial as it acted as an alternative platform through which to relay a message or represent the emotion surrounding a particular event. With regards to relaying a message the action of music could be observed in, amongst other instrumental performance, African drum rhythms and the development of call and response. One particular rhythm known as Kuku contains these elements of call and response with the lead player providing introductory rhythmical messages that the other players then respond to. The Djembe, the drum on which this rhythm is traditionally performed was also once used as a communicative tool for long distance messages. Thus the elements of the rhythms performed on the Djembe had certain symbolic reference for the listener. This is a fundamental aspect of music as with all other elements of it such as tone, timbre, structure, key, volume as well as rhythm, act as symbols to which the human brain attaches memories. This symbolic nature proved to be highly beneficial in learning processes, particularly during the most receptive stages of learning in early life. Consider the alphabet song, this is a perfect example where the tonal fluctuation and rhythmical quality of the song enhance the brains ability to remember the key information in it. The familiarity of this process for a child is created as early as during late development in the womb as the nearly developed child is subjected to the consistent rhythm of its mother’s speech and heartbeat.
In evolutionary terms music provided a means through which humans could express their strength, their wealth of knowledge, their emotions and their feelings for others. It could provide social cohesion whilst acting as a mechanism in natural selection as it has been argued that an ability to compose, and express that composition through a musical medium, would prove to result in successful mating practices. The promiscuity of rock musicians such as Stephen Tyler and Mick Jagger are a testament to this theory as, whilst these men hold “unique” physical aesthetic attractiveness, they still captivate the minds of many women throughout the world.
With regards to music listening in particular social cohesion is achieved through many forms. In modern society activities such as group listening, gigs, clubs and dancing reinforce bonds between members of society who might not otherwise communicate with each other. Protest songs are a good example of this as it can be observed that a group of people will come together through a piece of music that contains a message about a cause that is common to all of them. The song “Strange Fruit” performed by Billie Holiday is a significant example of this expression of protest. The song expresses hers, and many others, passion for the civil rights movement and therefore binds these people in protest for a common cause.
The reasons for music’s ability to act as such an integral mechanism in society is subject to large amounts of speculation and the study of it attracts professionals from all corners of human study including sociology and psychology as well as musicology. Possibly one of the most interesting studies is the reaction of the brain during the listening to, and performance of, music. Several studies revealed that almost all known regions of the brain from the, in evolutionary terms, most recently developed Neocortex to the oldest Basal Ganglia, or reptilian brain are involved in the production and processing of musical stimulus. When considering this process it is quite evident how this could be possible. The writing of music and lyrics would obviously involve memories and language centres as well as emotional input from regions controlling personality. The auditory cortex would obviously be involved and all in conjunction with more basic parts of the brain to ensure balance and coordination.
At this point I would like to put forward a case study in order to present a context for a question that is central to the study of music and the general study of brain activity. Consider a boy that suffers from a mental disability that inhabits his basic motor functions such that he cannot even button his own shirt, but when he picks up a clarinet he can play it like a virtuoso. If music draws its creation from most if not all parts of the brain then how can a boy that suffers from a disability that inhibits areas of his brain, that are integral to the production of music, still produce music?
Answers to questions such as, and similar, to this have led to huge breakthroughs in understanding the brain and its functions. With this the creation of therapies to influence and treat certain psychological disorders has been developed. Through this synchronized use of the connections between various regions of the brain music has been found to stimulate damaged or unused neural pathways. Treatment by listening to or performing music does this through the idea of familiarity. The patient will relate to or remember certain structures, timing, tempo, timbre or phrase and it is this memory aid, this familiarity, that provides a comfortable environment in which a patient can carry out tasks, either physical or mental, that they would usually find difficult. Some patients may find that music can be used as an alternative platform through which to communicate. This can be crucial in treating patients that have certain social disorders or disabilities that inhibit their ability to communicate.
The continued studies of music and the brain, alongside studies of the behavioural manifestations of the brain’s reactions to music, consistently stumble upon unique examples such as the virtuoso clarinet player. These examples are integral to enhancing the study by introducing the right questions and ultimately they provide the magic in the unravelling the mystery of the relationship between music and our society.

Cherie Concannon has provided extensive training for many British companies focussing on mobilizing themselves to battle the recession head on. Since the worst of the economic slump she has worked with clients such as Alcatel Lucent, Hambleton District Council, Cummins Engines, Rexam and Willoughby PR, amongst others, to enhance their operation in this dire economic climate. With bespoke training such as Talent Retention, Wartime Leadership, Change Management and Maintaining Performance Under Pressure, Cherie has approached the specific problems of each company individually and enhanced their ability to operate under the strain.

Recently the mainstream media has focussed heavily on the effects of the recession on law firms around the country and what the implications might be for British business. This blog will discuss what the negative and positive implications might be for the law firms themselves, whilst also considering the approaching deregulation laws for the legal services industry and how this could influence the already difficult decisions being made by law firm leaders. The blog will then be finalised with the consideration of how Cherie Concannon could aid the effectiveness of a law firms operation through instigation of change and adaptation to ensure survival.

The case for the law firms is fairly unique within the recession context, as the influence of the economic climate on them has proved to have effects spreading right across the spectrum.  For many firms, both small and large, adapting to the recession has led to decisions similar to those that other businesses have had to make including; implementation of redundancy programmes, general downsizing, and salary freezes or cuts. Firms such as Mundays, Dickinson Dees, Howard Kennedy and Bevan Britton have incorporated most if not all of these steps in their attempts to acclimatize and develop an action plan for their survival. One great influence in these decisions is the mistakes made by firms in the 1990 recession, where many legal service providers ignored the integral nature of talent retention and recruitment in battling the corrosive effects of a recession on a business’s competency. Realising this, many firms have begun to engage in recruitment programmes and turning their attention nurturing the talent they already possess.

At the positive end of the spectrum many firms have been prospering in light of the constraints provided by the recession. Some have sought work on a more international basis and invested in the right knowledge to operate effectively in this context. Their attention has focussed on investment in training including people management, communication and cross-cultural awareness and understanding in a bid to embellish their ability to provide a higher quality service compared to their competition. Due to the inevitable pay cuts and rise in competition this focus has led to a mindset involving awareness of cost efficiency and intelligence with regards to investment. It has also become apparent to many firms, who offer the right service, that the direct effects of the recession have opened or expanded routes of business particularly within civil legal aid and mortgage rights claims and also banking bail outs and store selling. The prevalent debt crisis has actually dramatically increased the demand for the right lawyers who provide the right service.

The coalition government’s reaction to the impact of recession on legal services has led them to employ methods to enforce a deregulation of the them in Britain. This could potentially reverse the roles of smaller and larger firms in the country and reduce both the positive and negative effects of the recession on law firms. Essentially the laws incorporated into the deregulation of legal services will allow solicitors and barristers to operate within “alternative business structures’. Within these structures law firms will be able to enhance their business through other means previously unavailable to them. These include: acceptance of outside investment, operation under external ownership and the opportunity to become Public Limited Companies. In practical terms this could mean that a supermarket could provide legal services at a considerably cheaper rate. The quality of this service could become questionable due to the dilution the market becoming diluted as it is flushed with unregulated legal practices. The move to deregulate seems to be of partial benefit to both the clients and law firms alike. The client could receive cheaper legal representation or advice and have a greater choice within the market. The firms will benefit from growth by other previously unavailable means.

One symptom of this move to deregulate the industry will enable smaller firms to merge, allowing them to have more presence in the market against higher-level competitors. These merges will instigate a huge amount of change for all involved and, along with the increase in competition, possible reduction in workload and working in larger teams, could mean a great deal of adaptation needed on the part of the firms themselves. Measures to increase the quality of their services would have to be made in order to separate the service they provide compared to that of the supermarkets.

Cherie Concannon offers training in techniques and tools that could be utilised to tackle both the dramatic effects of the recession and deregulation. These techniques will empower people and enable them to embrace change and adapt to their shifting environment. This training could address, amongst many other areas position transition, service quality, consolidation and merging as well as other more general changes. With the unpredictable state of the legal industry causing many leaders to make drastic decisions, investment in the people involved could prove to retain effective work practices and even induce growth.

The human brain is undoubtedly one of the most complex and misunderstood biological mechanisms on this planet. It strives to create and learn patterns from the sensual stimuli it receives thus enabling the human being to excel and become the dominant organism in its environment. However, the inconsistent and ever changing modern chaos that is contemporary society demands something more of the brain; a greater knowledge of the variety that exists in the world and a greater knowledge of self. This knowledge is at its peak in those individuals who seek out change and new experiences. But for those who don’t engage in this practice life can become very much about stability, security and comfort. Once this state of being has been acquired it can be increasingly difficult to remove yourself from it and significantly difficult to instigate change within it. In this world of comfort many “bad habits” can arise that, although have a seemingly negative effect on the individual, are actually behavioural characteristics that the individual is comfortable with. Aspects of a person’s behaviour such as poor motivation, lack of confidence and low self-esteem are symptoms of a life of comfort and stability, a life of “sticking with what you know” and a life of not embracing change, the unusual and sometimes the terrifying.
In this blog I aim to discuss how hypnotherapy can aid access to areas of the mind that may not usually be addressed in conscious thought and how this technique runs in parallel, acting as a catalyst for new mental experiences, with other practices such as counselling therapy, coaching, and mentoring.
Summarising the desired effects of Hypnosis is a crude task as its effects vary so dramatically between different experiences. However, ultimately, hypnosis acts to develop subconscious awareness to allow the individual to acquire an understanding of how it is structured and how it operates. Methods employed during Hypnosis sessions include; “guided imagery”, a process whereby the individual focuses on images verbally translated by the hypnotist, “direct language” which are simple verbal commands from an audio source such as recorded or live voice and “ progressive relaxation” where the individual relaxes specific parts of the body in succession. Ideas are then connected with the imagery or verbal commands to ensure a subconscious learning process. These ideas then become intuitive or instinctive as they are not only a part of conscious thought but also the more significant, subconscious thought.
Scientifically this process is really quite logical as the hypnotist attempts to reduce left brain activity, the area of the brain responsible for logic and rationality, and therefore allows the right brain, responsible for creative thought, to develop better communication with the subconscious.
Now, after achieving this understanding of how hypnosis should work it is fairly easy to speculate how it could be used. Issues such as low self-esteem, low motivation, lack of confidence and many others are problems that exist in the subconscious mind. Changes in the subconscious to produce solutions to these issues can ultimately alter a person’s behaviour leading to enhanced performance and success in life.
It is undoubtedly very important to a lot of people to achieve in their career or workplace and issues such as low self-esteem etc seem like problems that prevent this and have no clear solution and it is behavioural change that can bring about an understanding of how to solve them. The process works like suggestive therapy, simply changing the “patients” perspective and showing them a different path. Alongside this a level of personal empowerment occurs so that the individual has the ability to choose the path that they know is right for them.
Now, like so many other psychological therapies and aids such as psychotherapy, counselling, coaching and mentoring, it is clear how the process of hypnotherapy works . For example, a coach will provide different perspectives on relevant issues and practices for their client whilst addressing new and equally or more effective ways of achieving the same result. A mentor, due to the emotional involvement with their mentee, consistently engages the right brain of the mentee and thus has a more profound effect on their subconscious and ultimately their behaviour. All of these processes work through visualising objectives and, not only understanding how to achieve them, but completely and wholly knowing how it is possible for you as an individual to change, adapt and gain the things you want.

This blog aims to discuss; firstly what changes are to be made to the public sector, as this area contains the types of institutions that penetrate the lives of the majority, how these changes are affecting this majority and finally a discussion on what techniques could possibly be employed by governmental leaders in inciting and managing the inevitable changes.

It is increasingly evident to all persons who are responsible for some, if not all, of their own financial income, that drastic change must occur within the economical system and financial management of the United Kingdom. This change is one objective of the current Lib Dem/ Conservative coalition government, presenting a severe challenge to its leaders, as every facet of change they instigate will vastly affect the lives of millions of people. The techniques they adopt in employing mechanisms of change must be hugely complex as they are undertaking what is essentially the Leviathan of change management projects.

The institutions we are concerned with here are the National Health Service, Police Force and Schools. Changes within these systems will affect most if not every person in the country either directly or indirectly. The NHS will incur huge financial cuts as money is diverted from pensions, salaries and employment alongside downsizing on IT and database systems. During the government’s attempts to reduce spending a voluntary insurance scheme may also be included in the new change system. The Police force could endure less spending cuts but not without dramatic policy change as the coalition government consider elections for commissioners and other police authorities with a reduction in paperwork so more officers can patrol the streets. It is, unfortunately, schooling that could endure the highest level of change as building programmes become scrapped, funding is cut and privatisation occurs with more “academies” being created throughout the country.

On the surface the direct effects of policy decision changes, such as this, are extremely obvious; loss of jobs, loss of support and a lack of confidence in the governing body with a decrease in confidence in the sector, its systems and finally its management.  Symptoms of these effects include a reduction in opportunities for, and motivation of, the population, which usually exist in times of prosperity. Other indirect, yet equally as devastating consequences include a general emotional shift in the minds of the nation’s inhabitants. Low morale and increased financial stress inevitably begin to shape social interaction and interpersonal relationships.

So how could the leaders of the UK’s government body preserve a state of relative comfort and decrease the effects of the important changes that must occur in order to instigate a measurable level of prosperity?

Communication holds great significance in events such as these as the leading body must know whom they are communicating to and what methods to employ when communicating to such a diverse population. The leaders should understand that that it is this knowledge of people that will allow them to help the population, as it is the people who will carry out the work involved in bringing about the changes. They must understand the role of leader and eventually be able to communicate the idea that the changes that are occurring will ultimately be beneficial. Conflict management also presents a great challenge in circumstances involving change and governing bodies should create preventative methods and conflict management plans to cope with this.

This example of change management operates on a grand scale but ultimately the methods employed in reacting to change could be applied to the lowest level of relationship management between two people, through to management of family relationships, a small business, a corporation and up to local and national governing bodies. It is the care of the people that cushions the effect of dramatic change through; an understanding of their emotional intelligence, ensuring that all parties have attained knowledge in the psychology of change and generally just a consensus on the fact that change is a constant that is integral if any growth and prosperity is to occur.

­­

­­

It’s almost too often these days that I come across an article in the national press that reads like an advertisement requesting my services! “I do that! Yes, exactly that. Look, here’s my resume”. Unfortunately The Telegraph won’t print my resume. Not even in the Sunday edition. But I’ll settle for sharing what I know with you lucky few who come to this blog.

The article in question, Don’t Let the Best Walk Away (Sunday Times 18.7.10), talks about talent retention. In the current economic climate, with budgets squeezed tight, financial incentives for top talent to remain at a company can no longer be provided. It is essential, then, for organisations to offer something else…

The article sites the example of amiable Adrian Chiles’ defection to I.T.V. With low budgets across the board it is unlikely that the incentive was financial; becoming the primary host for I.T.V’s world cup coverage was apparently too much of a draw for Chiles to resist. What could the Beeb have done differently then?

According to the article 79% of global business leaders questioned in a recent Price Waterhouse Coopers survey said that they wanted to change their strategy for managing talent with 72% placing critical importance on talent retention. How, then, can companies retain their top people now, and in the future?

The article suggests providing opportunities for talent to have a voice and to influence an organisation, providing appropriate feedback so that an individual’s contribution is understood and appreciated, alignment of rationale for action and having regular conversations about development. For employers to know which people they most want to keep and to understand their motivation for working is also placed high on the to do list for companies wanting to retain their talented individuals.

The article then goes on to suggest that training is not necessarily the answer to the talent retention issue. It is here that the article and my own opinions part ways. The above wish list is catered for succinctly, simply, and relatively cheaply (compared to ongoing staff departures and the resultant HR costs) by instilling a culture of mentoring within a business.

It takes time for a culture change within an organisation to occur organically. Taking into account the current economic instability that all businesses are experiencing, a quick fix is essential. And I’m not the only one who agrees. I have recently carried out a successful mentoring programme at Associated British Ports, having previously completed programmes at Jackson Civil Engineering and am currently in the process of designing bespoke courses for other major corporations.

So Don’t Let the Best Walk Away: for more information on mentoring feel free to e-mail me on cherie@cherieconcannon.co.uk or call into the office on 01509 235 325.

The position of CEO, and in many cases of other top executives, is particularly unique within the business world. Throughout all other levels within the corporate arena a certain degree of feedback is supplied, training provided and performance evaluation is achieved, but, as many have said before, it is lonely at the top.

A top executive coach will provide a platform from which to launch a process of self-evaluation and self training, providing the tools from which either a high performance leader, or under performing manager can sculpt their attitude and perception to attain their desired level of achievement and effect those around them.

The coach can act as somewhat of a therapist during this process, allowing themselves to become a separate conscience on which the executive can cast their doubts, emotional responses to pressures and refer to for advice.

In this way the coach can aid the executive’s understanding of themselves and therefore various ways in which they can manage other people. The coach will provide a palate from which the executive can choose a managing approach based on the context, as opposed to prior learnt behavior.

The manger or executive then develops the ability to recognize how to approach training those below them and attaining the best out of a team of people. This newly acquired attitude quickly permeates through the company and a collective understanding of the needs of the company drives it’s employees to an agreed goal.

The general consensus on the effectiveness of executive coaching is rapidly changing within the corporate arena. In most contemporary organizations it is generally considered a better investment than traditional training methods with some providing coaching exclusively. One Times Magazine reporter stated that three quarters of international organizations now invest in performance and personal coaching.

Prioritizing this, as an important investment, is not surprising considering the effect that competent coaches can have on a company’s performance and the lengths to which this effect can spread. The relationship between the coach and executive is similar to that of the mentor and mentee save for one integral difference; the dynamic of the relationship.  This dynamic enables the executive to have the means to manage, mentor, or teach their employees and therefore extend the influence of their coach.

Most if not all executives who have made this investment, and have received effective and enhancing coaching, tend to maintain a relationship with a coach for the majority of their career. The coach will reignite passion for higher performance and develop the executive’s involvement in all aspects of life whilst providing a communication channel that does not usually exist within most corporate environments.

Ultimately coaching exists as a means through which the executive, with the aid of the coaches, can understand themselves. This in turn enables them to sculpt their behavior to attain a desired level of achievement in both their career and their lives outside the business world.

Blog Directory

With the world cup coming to a close on Sunday this will be my final blog on the leadership style of Fabio Capello.

The similarities between sport (or the military for that matter!) and business never stop making themselves more apparent. Just like a sporting team a business must have a strong, respected, influential leader who is capable of leading from the front and instilling a working modus operandi in the team they lead. The leader must be both a puppet master and a passive observer at the same time, respecting the skills of the team they have put together while guiding them in the right direction towards collective accomplishment.

I would define leadership as the process of social influence by which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. In most cases that common task is undeniably set in the minds of the team and the leader.

How, then, is it that some leadership succeeds and some fails. What were the differences, for example, between Alf Ramsey, the 1966 World Cup winning team manager, and Fabio Capello, manager of the less-than-successful 2010 World Cup team?

Flexibility
Of all things in the current business climate, leadership flexibility is of paramount importance. What can we learn, then from the leadership styles of Ramsey and Capello?
During this world cup campaign, Capello has been infamously unflexible, refusing to move from the stale 4-4-2 tactical formation he chose initially and trying to enforce a regime on the players rather than using the players he had on offer to create a regime. A leader, both in business and sport, must be capable of using the tools at their disposal to manufacture the best working system.
Ramsey, conversely, famously altered his traditional 4-3-3 line-up for a then less used 4-4-2 following the group stages of the competition. The standard of the opposition altered and so Ramsey altered his tactics; fantastic leadership!

Image
As a leader, public image is not necessarily of great importance. Getting the job done, however, is.
Before carrying England to World Cup Success in 1966, Ramsey was the manager of Ipswich Town. Upon winning the domestic league title, Ramsey decided to watch one of the club’s junior sides instead of basking in the media spotlight undoubtedly created by his victory. Hours later, he was seen at the stadium sitting on his own in the dark. Finally Alf Ramsey decided to celebrate. He climbed over the wall and onto the pitch, before embarking into the dark on a lap of honour, his chairman the solitary spectator.
Capello infamously rollocked a cameraman for shooting a picture inside the teams medical room during the early stages of this world cup. His level of concern for how his operational styles are perceived is obviously very high. The lesson? Focus on the job in hand.

Ground up capability
Capello’s managerial record speaks for itself, winning domestic and international titles with each of the four sides he managed in Italy and Spain. Those teams, though, were all already in the top flight of football. I mean to say that taking over as the CEO of a large multi-national corporation might be extremely difficult and demanding but is not the same thing as taking a small business from a 50 thousand pound turnover to being one of those large multinationals…
And that is just what Ramsey did, carrying Ipswich Town up the ranks of the domestic English league to lift the championship trophy in 1962.

What this all means to me is that the specifics, the small details of leadership, can be extremely important to the success or failure of an organisation. Leadership is something that should be cared for and nurtured even if it is already well established. I run coaching sessions on leadership for several large corporations that come with well established structures. The constantly changing and developing nature of a modern day company necessitates leadership coaching. Maybe if Capello had been a little more willing to roll with the punches, We all might be a little more excited come Sunday afternoon…

Earlier this week I was asked onto Tony Wadsworth’s BBC Radio Leicester show to discuss my views on the future of England manager (at the time of going to press!), Fabio Capello. Unfortunately I only had 10 minutes to organise my thoughts and I have since been thinking a little more deeply about potential managerial styles that could work for England. I’m calling this entry The Good, The Bad and The Capello.

Let’s start with The Capello.

It’s obvious that something isn’t right with the England set up. I don’t profess to be a great authority on football but it seems to me that everyone agrees that the team, as individuals and team players domestically, are capable of being the best in the world. Why, then, did the team perform so dismally in this year’s World Cup Finals?

Could it be, perhaps, a lack of successful communication between manager and team? After all, despite my belief that only a very small percentage of communication is carried out through verbal language itself, if you cannot understand what your boss is telling you to do, you can’t very well do it. Having said this, most of the English players are lead by foreign speaking managers in their club sides.

The Bad

Language barriers aside, the English players seemed to be performing under some kind of pressure, an abstract force that forced them to lack creativity and that special spark of genius that we have seen from some of the other teams in the competition and that we know they are capable of.

When dealing with businesses in similar situations I say that the employees are working under “compliance”. That is to say that they perform through coercion and because they feel they have no other choice. This leads to feelings of rigidity and boredom in the workforce and, while high levels of control can be exerted from above, produce is standardised, dull and lacking in originality. Ring any bells?

Unfortunately for Fabio Capello, it is the responsibility of any good leader to ensure that the use of The Bad, compliance model of working is minimised to emergencies (defending a 1 goal lead in extra time, for example).

The Good

So, what is the answer to the above problems? Well, as far as I can see getting rid of Capello isn’t necessarily the answer. Neither, as I told Tony Wadsworth who clearly wanted my feminist angle on proceedings, do I necessarily think that a woman would be better suited to the role of England manager. Whoever leads the English, of whatever nationality and whatever sex, should be capable (and this can be taught in English, Italian or whatever language) of eliciting passion, dedication and what, in a business setting, I call “commitment” based working styles.

Commitment, especially in a creative sport such as football is key. It promotes creativity, self-motivation and increased productivity (goals!).

So, if your down the pub this weekend and somebody asks you whether or not you think Capello should get the boot, tell them that with or without Capello in the driving seat, Commitment is the name of the game.

I run several courses on managerial styles, teaching both managers and their reports the importance of recognising the right working style to employ at any one time or in any particular situation. Recognising and understanding these variations in human responses to leadership are the first steps to success. If Capello is kept on I’d love to spend the next four years working with him and pointing him in the right direction, away from The Bad and towards The Good. He can keep The Capello.

Cherie Concannon’s approach to the transference of knowledge operates through two means; coaching and mentoring. Her mentoring techniques take into account the understanding that it involves the communication of a certain level, and type, of knowledge and that it can only be passed on to a mentee through a reciprocal relationship that involves all the factors that a human relationship relies on.
It is usual for only managers, directors and experts along with highly experienced staff that hold this knowledge within an organization or institution, yet increasingly mentor training has become more popular, involving the purposeful creation of mentor/mentee relationships. There are many beneficial factors through involvement in this type of training including increased staff development, providing a contingency for the retirement of experienced staff and succession planning and decisions to create new leaders. Keeping this knowledge “in house” proves to be cost effective and is of particular interest to persons preparing for growth and development of their organization.
Professional mentoring incorporates a comprehensive understanding of all the influential factors of a human relationship and demands a necessity be made out of holding a knowledge of the structure of a mentoring bond and the complex mechanisms of communication that occur.
In the context of a professional organization this relationship between mentor and mentee is separated from that of manager and leader. The leader is elected from below instigating a relationship that demands respect, the manager appointed from above demanding process, but a mentor is chosen by the mentee in a relationship based on admiration.
Due to the complexity of this relationship and the fragile network of emotional ties, that enhance the effectiveness of the transfer of knowledge, there are many characteristics of a mentor that must be present for the solidarity of a bond to develop. This process does not just involve the ability to part information through vocalization but also an ability to listen and cater for the needs of the mentee. Increased social skills including reliability, honesty and empathy are integral in building the level of trust needed for a mentor/mentee relationship.
Mentoring is traditionally an unconscious process as it is embedded deep in human culture. It affects all facets of learning in society and can be observed in contemporary institutions such as corporate business, financial firms and community foundations, but can also be found in more foundational practices such as language development and the creation of norms and values in early socialization.
More specifically, the arena of business mentoring enables a mentee to construct their own methods of learning, based on the one to one developmental relationship with the mentor, in turn improving personal growth. These areas of growth are usually consequential to the inclusion of tutoring, career exploration and life skills development activities that occur during contact between the mentor and mentee.
In this context the mentor will express a want to support and develop a person, actively engaging with them in various social environments in order to gain an understanding of each other.
This is the fundamental difference between teaching, coaching and mentoring. Teaching is defined by the transfer of explicit knowledge through lecturing, vocalization and written transference; such as the methods instigated by ancient Greek practitioners such as Aristotle and Plato in a classroom where the student will sit and listen to absorb knowledge. Mentoring relies on admiration, respect and a level of conditional love between the mentee and mentor. It operates more like an apprenticeship where the mentor will carry out a task, the mentor will carry out a task and the mentee watches, the mentee carries out the task and the mentor watches and finally the mentee is left to carry out the task on their own.
Whilst the information transferred in both these processes is generally the same, teaching can only transfer the knowledge of “what”, yet a mentoring relationship will transfer the knowledge of how and why.
This type of knowledge is known as tacit knowledge; personal knowledge gained through experience. The information acquired from the experience is then developed through the context in which it occurs, the emotional reaction to it and other internalized thought processes.
In communicating this knowledge to a mentee, an activity known as implicit learning occurs and this whole process is incorporated into the previously mentioned “watching and doing method”.

The nature of leadership and the creation of leaders is a subject that is of interest to all members of human society. Through her executive life coaching Cherie Concannon has worked with and developed many prevalent leaders in all business sectors and the following blog highlights a true example of the current effective and diverse leadership methods that are echoed in Cherie Concannon’s book “7 Golden Rules”.
The current World Cup competition has now instigated a vast amount of media attention on one of the worlds most accomplished leaders in football. Now England manager, Fabio Capello has the opportunity to unleash his award winning management style on a team that has the potential for high levels of performance.
The manager’s previous career achievements include Four Italian Serie A titles with Milan, two La Liga titles with the Madrid team and a Roma league title. All occurring during a sixteen-season career that has elevated the England boss far above his other World Cup counterparts.
His management techniques have led him to become a leader who demands respect and credit in light of his achievements and due to his seemingly innate talent for understanding the nature of team performance.
Capello’s management style is the factor that has influenced so much of his success and, not particularly his eye for detail, but his understanding of those elements that will create a team that will perform effectively. This understanding leads him to make decisions based on little other than the people involved and the objectives that they aim to achieve.
His leadership style can be summarised by one particular method he uses to organize his decision making process; the Winston Churchill method. It involves creating two lists; one of all the things that you can do something about, and one containing all the things you can’t do anything about. Churchill is famously quoted as saying, in relation to this method, “ do something about the things you can do something about….and then go to sleep”. This is an attitude that will permeate through the team and spread to influence a group consciousness.
His comprehension of his status and job description has focussed his attention on the factors that he can control, ultimately the emotional state of the team members and how it will affect their performance. Capello invests time and effort in the development of players with consideration of their level of ability and experience. This investment has withdrawn some of the effects of losing players to injury or suspension by creating more universal competence throughout the team roster.
The England manager’s image and personality are huge factors that influence the effectiveness of his management style. A charismatic and intelligent man, he presents himself as a solitary leader who forces focus on his own demands and his own methods. This gives him great control over, and respect from, the English squad. It enables him to enforce relevant self discipline within the players in order to enhance their motivation, concentration and ultimately their cohesiveness as a unit.
By focussing, with paralleled attention, on both individual player identity and also the identity of the team as a whole, Capello creates communication channels between team members and increased levels of confidence in their ability to achieve their goals.
His intelligence influences many facets of the psychology of sport, including maintaining composure under increased pressure. He knows that confidence affects performance and that this is the source of poor decisions and a lack of practical thinking under pressure. The incident that occurred in the previous England captain, John Terry’s, personal life is a perfect example of how Capello operates. The incident was not to affect the football performance as it had very little to do with it and the process of relieving Terry’s status as captain was dealt with the minimum of stress and a pragmatic approach.
In 2007 Capello stated, in relation to England’s performance against Croatia, “They look afraid to express themselves”. This intelligent remark is really a decision on the management style he would adopt when developing the England squad. He would create players that wanted to play football because they wanted to play football and inject knowledge into the team so that they would understand how simple it really is to focus, perform and achieve.
Ultimately this style addresses five main elements, all connected to the player’s psychological status; confidence, inter-player relationships, focus and concentration, performance under pressure and motivation. All of these elements are key in creating high performance levels and maintaining passion with a team.