Here is the second of two articles about mental imagery. In the previous article we explained the technique and how it helps the performance and development of emotional intelligence. This article will focus on the step-by-step process for using it to learn and integrate "soft skills" such as controlling emotions, stress management, public speaking, versatility, influence, creativity, managing conflicts, etc.

We have defined mental imagery as a mental training technique that successful people use to prepare for action, repeating and training their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in order to optimize performance and well-being. Although frequently used to improve physical performance, mental imagery can also enhance activities with a cognitive and emotional component.

Mental imagery is an excellent technique for regaining control, finding balance and strengthening our emotional stamina. Taking a step back from your emotions and seeing them as an observer changes the way the brain processes feelings.

Mental imagery, step-by-step

Step 1: Get ready physically, emotionally and mentally

Mental imagery is much more productive when you are in a state of great mental availability. Be sure to set aside your current concerns and eliminate distractions in order to help create images and maximize brain potential (alpha waves enable 15x more learning...whereas in general, we're in beta mode).

Step 2: Conduct a Post-Mortem   

A post-mortem is a retrospective review of the event or situation you want to change or improve. It is an opportunity to analyze your past performance and evaluate your decisions and actions. Examine the situation and review what happened. Ask yourself:

• What did I find particularly difficult or disturbing?
• What was the source causing my tension or reaction?
• What happened inside of me?
• How did I react?
• Would I have wanted to act differently?

The key to this technique is the ability to question your emotional reactions rather than simply submitting to them.

Step 3: Mentally imagine the performance

in this step, visualization is used to develop and develop more effective strategies. Ask yourself how you could change your reaction, your thinking and to reframe situations – to see them differently:

• How would I like to react?
• What would I like to say?
• What could I do to remain calm the next time this happens?
• How would I like to handle the situation?
• What would I do differently the next time?

It is the step in which to imagine situations as we would like them to happen - how we would like to achieve our goals. We review all the parts of the encounter in a systematic way, the steps that must take place as well as ourselves overcoming the challenges. These mental representations of visualization should be closer to reality.

Perspective is our point of view during imaging and can be considered in two ways:

• A first-person perspective (internal visual imagery): see what we would see if we really experienced the action.
• A third person perspective (external visual imagery): see the action from the outside as an observer. From this perspective we observe our action from several angles to improve how we handle the relevant details.

There is no consensus on which perspective is best. The first-person perspective may be better for repeating attitudes and emotions or for repeating a strategy. A third-person perspective may be use to revise the form when performing a technical skill. Athletes report using both alternately.

Step 4: Use all your senses

Visualization is certainly an important part of the method, but the visual image alone is limiting. A kinaesthetic, an emotion or a feeling, is also necessary. We must imagine the most accurate and precise mental representation possible in all dimensions. Here, it's about experiencing the feelings related to your visualization: emotions, smells, sounds, etc.

Kinaesthetic images involve re-creating the physical sensations you might feel. It may also include awareness of your body movements or facial expressions or your positioning in space. Emotions are also an important element of an image's feeling, and for an image to be realistic, you must recreate the emotions felt during the activity. Repeating and developing the emotional reactions you want to feel during an activity is an excellent reason for using imagery.

Step 5: Recreate in great detail

Intensity, accuracy and positivity. The technique’s effectiveness also depends on the quality of the images produced. Mental images must be vivid, that is, clear and detailed. The clearer and more detailed an image, the more effective it is.

On the other hand, mental images must be accurate, that is, they must reflect reality as accurately as possible. It is important to imagine as many details such as: the physiognomy of people, the size and weight of objects, their placement, location, the distance between them, the surrounding space, etc.

Another thing to avoid when using images is negative language such as "Don’t do that!" or "Don’t say that!” Our brains do not deal with negative language without introducing what we do not want to see or do. Concentrate, and use words that only reflect what you want to do.

Step 6: Control and repeat

The images must then be controlled. This means being able to build sustained images for as long as needed and knowing how to manipulate, transform, evolve and adjust them in response to learning in order to progress. This involves not only physical skills, but also psychological states such as confidence and motivation. You want to control your image so that it meets your expectations.

A positive effect cannot, however, be achieved and maintained without regular and diligent practice. Experts recommend practicing imaging for at least 20 minutes, at least three times a week.

Sometimes, we can become frustrated by the lack of control of the images or their intensity. In this case, it is important to remember that imaging is a skill that can be developed with sustained practice, just

like any other skill. Knowing the results we might achieve, we must decide if we are ready to invest in order to overcome the frustration that may occur along the way.

In this article, I wanted to show that mental imagery is not an approach exclusively for high performance athletes, nor is it an esoteric approach. On the contrary, it is a scientific mental preparation that helps perform and master our professional skills. Whatever your purpose, this technique helps you to relax and find solutions, but most importantly, it can improve your effectiveness and well-being in the workplace. Best of luck!

Many of us have taken part in traditional "Brainstorming" sessions. These are commonly used to generate ideas, and to come up with a creative solution to problems. But you can push your brainstorming sessions a little further by trying this approach:

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming can be used to provide a different perspective on a particular problem. This method helps you to solve problems by combining brainstorming and reversal techniques. By combining these, you can extend your use of brainstorming to draw out even more creative ideas.

To use this technique, you start with one of two "reverse" questions: 

• Instead of asking, "How do I solve or prevent this problem?" ask, "How could I possibly cause the problem?" 
• And instead of asking "How do I achieve these results?" ask, "How could I possibly achieve the opposite effect?"

Reverse brainstorming tries to solve the problem in a reversed way to the flow we already now. The method can influence the human mind to create better ideas and solutions.

Beaucoup d'entre nous ont pris part à des sessions traditionnelles de "remue-méninges". Celles-ci sont communément utilisées pour générer des idées et trouver des solutions créatives aux problèmes. Mais vous pouvez pousser vos sessions de remue-méminges un peu plus loin en utilisant l'approche suivante:

Remue-méninges inversé

Les remue-méninges inversés peuvent être utilisés pour apporter une perspective différente à un problème particulier. Cette méthode vous aide à résoudre des problèmes en combinant le remue-méninges et les techniques d'inversion. En faisant cette association, vous pouvez étendre votre utilisation du remue-méninges pour apporter des idées encore plus créatives.

Pour utiliser cette technique, commencez en posant l'une de ces deux questions "inversées":

• Au lieu de vous demander: "Comment puis-je résoudre ou prévenir ce problème?", demandez-vous : "Comment provoquerais-je ce problème?"
• Et au lieu de vous demander: "Comment puis-je atteindre ces résultats?", demandez-vous : "Comment pourrais-je obtenir l'effet opposé?"

Le remue-méninges inversé essaie de résoudre le problème dans le sens inverse que celui auquel nous sommes habitués. La méthode peut influencer l'esprit humain pour donner naissance à de meilleures idées ou solutions.

1. Consider it a setback, no more than a bend in the road on the certain journey towards eventual success. Didn’t get the promotion? So what? If it was part of a 10-year plan, one knock-back shouldn’t deter us.
2. Don’t fear failure. Those who do often employ avoidance techniques – disrupting a task or pretending not to care – so they fail by default.
3. See it as eliminating what won’t work. Why not assume 10 sales pitches for every proposal and five proposals for every sale?
4. Learn the lessons. Successes and failures teach us things. Focus on this and avoid the arrogance of victory or the despair of defeat.
5. Be strategic. In relationships, both personal and professional, a strategic defeat might work to our long-term advantage.

Robert Kelsey, auteur de "What's stopping you?" nous montre comment échouer correctement et bâtir la résilience nécessaire pour récolter les fruits du succès.

1. Considérez cet échec comme un contretemps, pas plus qu'un virage sur la route du voyage assuré vers le succès. Vous n'avez pas obtenu la promotion espérée? Et alors? Si elle faisait partie d'un plan sur 10 ans, un petit retard ne devrait pas vous décourager.
2. N'ayez pas peur de l'échec. Les personnes qui essaient d'éviter l'échec - interrompre une tâche ou prétendre ne pas être intéressé - échouent par défault.
3. Voyez-le comme un moyen d'éliminer ce qui ne fonctionne pas. Pourquoi ne pas accepter qu'il faille dix prospections pour obtenir une offre et cinq offres pour obtenir une vente?
4. Tirez-en des leçons. Les succès et les échecs nous apprennent des choses. Concentrez-vous sur cela et évitez de tomber dans l'arrogance de la victoire ou le désespoir de l'échec.
5. Soyez stratège. D'un point de vue relationnel, tant personnel que professionnel, une défaite stratégique peut sur le long-terme se révéler bénéfique.

Les personnes épuisées sont plus lentes à réagir et moins conscientes de leur entourage ; leur jugement est altéré - un peu comme quelqu'un qui aurait trop bu.

On pense que la fatigue des travailleurs a contribué aux catastrophes suivantes :

• Le naufrage de l'Exxon Valdez;
• L'accident nucléaire Three Mile Island;
• L'explosion de la navette spatiale Challenger.

Peut-être ne faites-vous qu'appuyer sur des touches de clavier, mais travailler en somnolant pourrait être la raison pour laquelle vous avez fait des erreurs dernièrement.

Exhausted people are slower to react and less aware of their surroundings, and they operate with impaired judgement – just as one does after having too much to drink.

Worker fatigue is believed to have contributed to the following catastrophes:

• The crash of the Exxon Valdez
• The nuclear reactor meltdown at Three Mile Island
• The explosion of the space shuttle Challenger

You may just be pushing keys on your keyboard but drowsy working can be the reason why you have been making mistakes lately.

The next two articles are dedicated to mental imagery. This first article focuses on explaining this science-based technique, how it contributes to performance, and how it can help develop emotional intelligence for use in learning and integrating soft skills within our professional environment.

What is mental imagery?

Mental imagery is the act of representing sensory states mentally, which can include visual, auditory, olfactory, taste, and proprioceptive states, among others. It is a mental training technique that productive people use to prepare for action, repeating and training their thoughts, feelings and behaviours in order to optimize their performance and well-being.

It is used effectively in many areas, including by those working in sports psychology, psychotherapists, psychologists and remedial teachers. In psychiatry, mental imagery is used in cognitive-behavioural therapies, particularly for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social phobia. In the field of sport, mental imagery is a very effective method used by elite athletes as part of their mental preparation to accomplish very specific goals. In therapeutics, teaching, or personal development, mental imagery is used to induce physical, cognitive, or behavioural changes.

There are many reasons to use mental imagery:

• To psychologically prepare for a future situation
• To achieve a specific goal
• To anticipate a possible future stress
• To adapt or master difficult situations
• To improve the healing process
• To calm and control stress.
• To change or improve a behaviour
• To optimize or develop certain skills
• Etc.

Supported by scientific evidence

When we physically learn to do something, the brain changes. Mental imagery is a cognitive process that stimulates the same brain areas involved in the unconscious planning and execution of movements and activates neuronal and behavioural responses similar to actual experience. Neural connections are strengthened, connections are added or removed, and new cells are formed.

Mental imagery is a scientifically proven technique that maximizes the brain’s potential through images. Through the use of brain imaging techniques, such as PET-Scans with radiotracers and functional MRIs (fMRI), it has been shown that the same regions of the brain are activated when we experience a real-life situation as during an exercise in mental imagery, and that the regions related to retinotopy (peripheral vision and/or central vision) are stimulated and reflect the same neuronal model found during the movement’s execution.

Imaging affects more than the muscles, producing cardiovascular and respiratory responses. By vividly imagining tomorrow's stressful meeting, your heart rate increases and your breathing becomes short and shallow, as in real life. This functional equivalence extends to the neural activity that occurs when you see, hear, and smell things in visual, auditory, and olfactory imagery. The same neural process activated when you perceive things with your senses is recreated when you vividly imagine them.

In short, the brain does not recognize the difference between what it really experiences and what it imagines. This is a gray area from which we can benefit!

Improving emotional intelligence

Although mental imagery is frequently used to improve physical performance, it can also help improve activities that include a cognitive and emotional component, such as emotion and stress management or speaking in public.

Our work environments present us with constant constraints, such as angry clients, unpleasant colleagues, demanding superiors, goals to be achieved, recurring problems, and performance requirements, so it is easy to feel overworked, overwhelmed and to have a "short fuse". Whatever our roles, we sometimes find ourselves in difficult situations that lead to an outpouring of emotions.

It is in our best interests to master our emotions. Athletes regulate their emotions before competitions to help them perform better, and soldiers regulate their emotions before going to battle to avoid emotional collapses.

Mental imagery is an excellent technique for regaining control and balancing and reinforcing our emotional stamina. Taking a step back from our emotions and watching them as a detached observer changes the way the brain processes feelings.

Brain imaging studies show that this practice reduces activity in a highly emotional area of the brain, while stimulating an area linked to controlling your physical response to stress - a mental recoil that says, "What’s really happening here? How can I respond?” In other words, you are aware of your emotions rather than expressing them.

Mental imagery conditions our brain, making it more likely to act according to mental representation, resulting in true learning and development of this imagined skill. If you have prepared for this situation, you can simply take the appropriate action you have previously developed and practiced.

 In this article I wanted to make this science-based technique credible and explain how it helps with performance, be it physical or emotional. Start exploring it, and in the next article we will be able to focus on the process and steps required to incorporate it into your professional toolbox as a regular practice. See you soon!

Elle est utilisée efficacement dans plusieurs domaines, notamment par les intervenants en psychologie du sport, les psychothérapeutes, les psychologues et les orthopédagogues. En psychiatrie, l’imagerie mentale est utilisée dans les thérapies cognitivo-comportementales, notamment dans le SSPT (syndrome de stress post-traumatique) de et la phobie sociale. Dans le domaine du sport, l’imagerie mentale est une méthode très efficace qui est utilisée par les sportifs élites dans le cadre d’une préparation mentale en vue d’atteindre des objectifs très précis. En thérapeutique, en enseignement ou en développement personnel, on se sert de l’imagerie mentale pour provoquer des changements soient-ils physiques, cognitifs ou comportementaux.

Le recourt à l’imagerie mentale peut avoir plusieurs objectifs:

• Se préparer psychologiquement à une situation à venir
• Atteindre un objectif spécifique
• Anticiper un stress futur possible
• S’adapter ou maîtriser des situations difficiles
• Favoriser le processus de guérison
• Apaiser et contrôler le stress.
• Modifier ou améliorer un comportement
• Optimiser ou développer certaines habiletés ou compétences personnelles
• Etc.…

Lorsque le client est en colère, il nous est parfois difficile de le calmer. Dans ces cas, la technique de répétition polie s’avère efficace et aide le client à se réorienter vers la résolution de problèmes plutôt que se concentrer sur son émotion négative.

La technique consiste à répéter calmement ce que vous venez de dire, à continuer de le répéter jusqu’à ce que le client comprenne. Il ne faut pas élever la voix, ni se défendre, mais conserver un ton égal et poli.

Exemple:

• Client: «Le service que vous offrez est horrible. J’ai envoyé le formulaire et je n’ai jamais eu de vos nouvelles.»
• Vous: «Quand avez-vous envoyé le formulaire, Monsieur Tremblay?»
• Client: «J’ai attendu assez longtemps, là, je n’ai plus de patience.»
• Vous: «Quand avez-vous envoyé le formulaire, Monsieur Tremblay?»
• Client: «Vous ne survivriez pas deux minutes dans l’organisation privée avec un service comme celui-ci»
• Vous: «Monsieur Tremblay, afin de vous aider je dois savoir quand vous avez envoyé le formulaire.»

La répétition polie peut être également utilisée lorsque les clients n’acceptent pas votre réponse. Ils croiront peut-être qu’en continuant à insister, ils peuvent vous amener à changer d’idée ou à vous faire contourner les règles pour eux. La répétition polie permet alors de laisser savoir au client que votre réponse est ferme.

À la longue, le client comprendra et acceptera la réponse.

When the customer is angry, it is sometimes difficult for us to calm them down. In these situations, the polite repetition technique proves effective and helps the customer redirect towards working on solving problems rather than focusing on negative emotions.

The technique involves calmly repeating what you just said and repeating it again until the customer understands. You must not raise your voice or defend yourself, as you must keep your tone level neutraland polite.

For example:

• Customer: “Your service is horrible. I sent the form and I never heard back from you.”
• You: “When did you send the form, Mr. Smith?”
• Customer: “I have waited long enough, I have no patience left.”
• You: “When did you send the form, Mr. Smith?”
• Customer: “You would not last two minutes in the private sector with service like this”
• You: “Mr. Smith, I need to know when you sent the form so that I can help you.”

Polite repetition can also be used when customers are not accepting your answer. They may believe that they may make you change your mind by continuing to insist or that they will get you to work around the rules for them. The polite repetition then lets the customer know that your answer is firm.

In the long run, the customer will understand and accept your answer.

If the idea of being creative at work makes you think of artistic talent, don't worry, you are not alone. To most people creativity is simply related to the Arts, where being creative is born of skill, technique and self-expression, that is Artistic creativity. But there is also a more technical type of creativity, where people create new theories, technologies or ideas, that is Business creativity.

Business creativity is about “Thinking differently” or “Thinking out of the box” - not relying on old assumptions and models. It is about finding fresh and innovative solutions to problems, and identifying opportunities to improve the way that we do things.

There are many techniques and tools available in order to drive Business creativity and trigger ideas that lead to imaginative solutions to problems. These techniques and tools provide structure and analysis and allow you to break out of rigid thinking… In a nutshell, they should allow you to:

• Doubt everything and challenge your current perspective.
• Probe the possible and explore options.
• Diverge and generate many new ideas without filters.
• Converge, evaluate and select ideas that will drive breakthrough results.
• Re-evaluate regularly to avoid falling pray to a new status-quo.

Anyone can learn to be technically creative, and use these tools. They are designed to help you spot opportunities that you might otherwise miss. Anyone can be creative, as long as they learn to be comfortable with ambiguity, have the right mindset and use the right tools.

Si l'idée de créativité n'éveille en vous qu'une connotation artistique, ne vous inquiétez pas, vous n'êtes pas le seul. Pour la plupart des gens, la créativité est uniquement liée aux arts et être créatif c'est être né avec des habiletés, des talents et l'expression de soi ; on parle ici de créativité artisitique. Il existe un autre type de créativité plus technique, par laquelle les personnes créent de nouvelles théories, technologies ou idées ; il s'agit de la créativité professionnelle.

La créativité professionnelle, c'est "réfléchir différemment" ou "sortir des sentiers battus", sans se baser sur de vieux modèles ou hypothèses. Il s'agit de trouver aux problèmes des solutions nouvelles et innovantes et d'identifier des opportunités pour améliorer la façon dont on travaille.

Il existe de nombreuses techniques et outils disponibles afin de stimuler la créativité professionnelle et déclencher des idées menant à des solutions imaginatives. Ces outils et techniques fournissent structure et analyse et vous permettent de briser le cadre de pensée rigide... En un mot, ils vous permettront de:

• Remettre tout en question et défier votre perspective actuelle;
• Sonder les possibilités et explorer les options;
• Prendre du recul et générer de nombreuses nouvelles idées sans filtre;
• Assembler évaluer et sélectionner les idées qui conduiront à une avancée dans les résultats;
• Ré-évaluer régulièrement afin d'éviter de revenir au statu quo.

Tout le monde peut apprendre à devenir techniquement créatif et à utiliser ces outils. Ils sont créés pour vous aider à repérer les opportunités que vous pourriez manquer. Chacun peut être créatif tant qu'il accepte l'idée d'ambiguïté, qu'il a le bon état d'esprit et qu'il utilise les bons outils.

Interrompre - Ne jamais interrompre le client ou finir ses phrases. La plupart des fournisseurs de service à la clientèle veulent arriver à la résolution au plus vite. C’est normal et naturel, mais cela vous empêchera de désamorcer la colère du client; celui-ci argumentera, se repliera et s’échauffera encore plus.

Peur de ne pas avoir toutes les réponses - Pour bien écouter, inutile de connaître toutes les réponses. Cette mauvaise habitude peut vous faire manquer les vraies questions. Parfois, le client recherche de la compréhension, pas nécessairement des réponses.

Oublier que le client est probablement confronté à ce problème pour la première fois - Vous avez dû traiter cette question des milliers de fois, vous n’y voyez plus rien d’étonnant, mais souvenez-vous que le client y est confronté pour la première fois et qu’il réagit en conséquence.

Croire qu’on est mieux informé que le client - Cette habitude peut vous amener à rejeter le message du client, à l’anticiper ou même à l'interrompre d’une solution prématurée. Oubliez votre talent à lire dans les pensées… il n’est pas toujours fiable!

Réagir trop fortement - Lorsque les paroles du client touchent l’un de nos points sensibles, on est porté à cesser d’écouter. Mentalement, on commence à être en désaccord avec lui.

Faire plus d’une chose à la fois - Se laisser distraire ou faire autre chose tout en écoutant signifie au client qu’on accorde peu d’importance à ses propos.

Se justifier - Ne commettez pas l'erreur de justifier ce qui a mal tourné ou de désigner un coupable (« Les gars à l’expédition… »). Vous vous retrouverez sur la défensive et le client croira que vous cherchez des excuses, ce qui vous fera perdre crédibilité et professionnalisme.

Interrupting - Never interrupt the customer or finish their sentences. Most customer service providers want to solve the problem as quickly as possible. This is normal and natural, but it will prevent you from defusing the customer's anger; this customer will argue, will become withdrawn and get even more upset.

Being afraid of not having all the answers - In order to listen well, you don't need to have all the answers. This bad habit can cause you to miss the real issues. Sometimes the customer is looking for understanding, not necessarily answers.

Forgetting that the customer is probably having this problem for the first time - You've had to deal with this issue thousands of times and it is anything but new for you, but remember that the customer is experiencing this for the first time, so respond accordingly.

Believing that you are better informed than the customer - This habit can cause you to dismiss the customer's message, to anticipate it or to interrupt with a premature resolution. Leave your mind reading talents at home... They're not always reliable!

Reacting too strongly - When the customer's words strike a nerve, we tend to stop listening. In our heads, we start to disagree with the customer.

Doing more than one thing at a time - Being distracted or doing something else while listening tells the customer that we are not paying much attention to what they are saying.

Justifying yourself - Do not make the mistake of justifying what went wrong or choosing someone to blame ("The guys in shipping..."). You will become defensive and the customer will feel like you are looking for excuses, which lessens your credibility and professionalism.