2. Focusing…
more than filtering out
distractions.

3. According to neuroscience…
we focus attention in many ways, for different
purposes, drawing on different neural pathways.

6. Three Targets for Attention

7. Focus on Yourself=Self-awareness
Attend to internal physiological signals!
0 Tune in to your heartbeat – can you sense when
something triggers it to speed up or slow down?
0 Listen to your gut feelings – something that “feels”
right or wrong can help simplify your decision-making.
0 Zero in on sensory impressions of yourself—be open
to honest input. What do others think about you and
how do you know? Notice what’s going on around you
without judging—just perceive!
0 Develop your will power—stay calm in crisis, tame
your own agitation, and recover from defeat.

8. Focus on Others
0 Show Empathy
0 Cognitive Empathy –understanding another’s perspective
0 Emotional Empathy– feeling what someone else feels
0 Empathetic Concern – sensing what another person needs
from you
0 Build Relationships
0 Social Sensitivity—instinctively knowing the appropriate
etiquette, putting others at ease, recognizing the flow of
personal connections
0 Responding promptly to all members of the organization
regardless of position

9. Organizational Hierarchy
Research Study: The
longer Person A takes to
Respond to Person B, the
more power of Person A.
Map response times
across the organization to
discover who is
recognized as having
power!
Beware the relationship between
position on the social ladder and the
amount of attention paid!

10. Focus on Wider World
0Ask questions—be inquisitive.
0Explore v. Exploit – to do so means
to be well-rested!
0Innovate—remain alert and let your
mind associate freely!

11. Information “consumes the attention of its
recipients. Hence a wealth of information
creates a poverty of attention.”
~Herbert Simon (1971), Nobel Prize winner

12. attention=most essential skill
Direct attention where you need it when you
need it. Learn to master your attention, and you
will be in command of where you, and your
organization, focus.
~Daniel Goleman

13. Read the full article:
0 Goleman, D. (2013). The focused leader. Harvard
Business Review, 91(12), 50-60.