About My Work
I am a research psychologist and speaker specializing in elevating thinking quality, achieving breakthroughs, and unlocking untapped cognitive potential. I believe that understanding unique aspects of brain function helps us enhance our cognitive abilities, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving in high-stakes environments. My work focuses on innovative thinking strategies, and I am dedicated to helping professionals become more effective and insightful in their roles.
By exploring unique neural phenomena, such as how visualization impacts problem-solving or how sensory cross-talk (like synesthesia) affects perception, I uncover practical tools to refine our thinking. Learning how the brain adapts and reorganizes itself in response to challenges, like aphasia recovery, demonstrates the brain’s incredible capacity for change and improvement.
These insights aren’t just theoretical; they provide actionable strategies for better decision-making. By recognizing and harnessing these unusual brain functions, we can become more aware of our cognitive biases, enhance our problem-solving abilities, and make more informed and effective decisions. This approach transforms the way we think and approach challenges, making us more adaptable and innovative thinkers.
What is thinking quality?
In a psychological and neuroscience context, when I say “thinking quality” I am referring to the efficacy and adaptability of cognitive processes involved in decision-making and problem-solving. It is a multidimensional construct that involves optimizing various cognitive functions, emotional understanding, and self-regulation mechanisms to enhance overall capabilities in decision-making and problem-solving.
In practical application, thinking quality is about harnessing the best from our minds and continuously working to expand our abilities. It involves the awareness of, and ability to choose and apply, the most effective thinking strategies in each situation. This process is continuous, as it requires understanding the internal and external influences on our thinking, managing and regulating those influences to channel them toward the best possible outcomes. It necessitates a deep awareness of our thought processes, enabling us to leverage them effectively when it matters most. Additionally, thinking quality involves managing our mental resources, regulating attention and focus, and being adaptable. It’s about understanding the long-term implications of our decisions, recognizing our mental limits, and not just knowing what we think, but also how and why we think it.
Harnessing Neurological Insights to Improve Professional Decisions
In my work conducting decision-making and thinking experiments and exercises with thousands of professionals over many years, I’ve learned that virtually everyone, regardless of their expertise, education, or status, has aspects of their thinking and decision-making they wish to improve, ranging from enhancing reasoning processes to dealing with imposter syndrome. Separately, my work and research related to therapies used in neurological or psychological conditions such as Autism, traumatic brain injuries or PTSD, as well as performance enhancing therapies, revealed a compelling parallel. The therapies designed to assist in various conditions often target fundamental cognitive processes that, if adapted, could directly address the errors made by the professionals during the experiments. This insight led me to see how adapting these strategies could be beneficial in non-clinical settings, particularly among experts and high-stakes decision-makers.
About My Events
What sets my appearances apart is that they go beyond mere lectures to interactive experiences that contribute to a continuous, living body of knowledge. Together, with my audiences we actively engage in immersive ‘experiments’ that continuously shape an evolving research experience with each audience benefitting from the cumulative knowledge. Throughout my journey as a lecturer and researcher, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with more than 700 audiences of experts in this dynamic manner, that consistently shapes and refines the strategies I bring to future audiences.
Driven by the collective intelligence of my audiences, I am wholeheartedly committed to exploring the intricacies of decision-making, problem-solving, and thinking quality. Through our collaborative research experience, we unlock profound insights and discover hands-on strategies that inspire genuine change. Together, we venture beyond the confines of the laboratory and delve into the real world, uncovering practical strategies that empower experts to make better decisions when it truly matters
I focus on five major components of cognitive processing related to thinking quality:
- Cognitive Flexibility: The ability to switch between different modes of thought and adapt to changing environments or rules. For example, how well can you adjust your thinking when faced with a sudden change at work or an unexpected personal challenge?
- Metacognition: Involves self-awareness of one’s thought processes. It’s about evaluating and regulating your cognitive strategies, recognizing when a particular approach to thinking is or isn’t working. Can you think about your thinking and understand its strengths and weaknesses?
- Information Processing Efficiency: How effectively and accurately an individual can process, store, and retrieve information. This includes attentional control, working memory capacity, and the speed of cognitive processing. Are you able to focus in a world full of distractions and efficiently use the information you learn?
- Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing your emotions, and empathizing with others, significantly influences decision-making and problem-solving. How often do you reflect on how your emotions affect your judgments?
- Bias Recognition and Management: The ability to identify and mitigate cognitive biases that can skew reasoning and judgment. Are you aware of any biases that might be influencing your decisions?