Your Brain at Work - 了解大脑, 笑傲职场

[English] 大家都知道－“干得累不如干得巧”。那怎么才能干得巧？这本《Your Brain at Work》书会给你一点儿启示。

我对本书的第一印象就是它讲故事的笔锋，把很多脑科学知识自然地与Emily和Paul一家人的工作、生活串起来。解释了大脑如何处理信息，怎样最优我们的脑资源，如何最好完成多任务，怎么样和同事有效工作？书中两点我很有共鸣：

1. 趋利避害 － 漫长的人类进化，把我们的大脑处理信息的主要目的变为趋利避害。而且往往对“祸”最先反应。 比如说你老板叫你去，你第一反应很可能是"我干错什么事了？"而不是“太好了，我要加工资了。”
2.  SCARF 模式包括 Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness。增强其中任何一个对人们都可能是“利”。降低任何一条都或许会让你感觉“祸”。我还成功的用了SCARF一次。我4岁的儿子不愿意关iPad，我想可以试试SCARF中的"自治"(Autonomy).我问他选择是我关机还是他关；他爽快地选择他关。

有耐心的可以看看下文的YouTube录像，作者给 GoogleTechTalks。没耐心看完这一个多小时录像的，可以读读作者发表的概要文章。

"Work smarter but not harder" is a platitude until you read this book. Practical, insightful, and detailed information on how to best use your brain.

After I read Your Brain at Work, my first impression is its storytelling style. Using a story about a couple's (Emily and Paul) daily life and work events, David Rock is able to connect the dots of lots of neural science knowledge and explain:

• How does our brain process information? 
• Why our brains feel so taxed, and how to maximize our mental resources? 
• How to handle multi-task and How to overcome distraction? 
• How to collaborate more effectively with others

I resonant with two points of the book:

The approach (reward)-avoid (threat) response: a survival instinct.

Millions years of evolution has formed human beings' brain to respond the external info this way. Our initial response tends to expect the threat first. For example, when your colleague tells you that your boss wants to see you, you first response probably is -"Did I do something wrong?" but not "Wow, I guess I will get a promotion today."

SCARF model: Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness

Enhancement of these 5 dimensions is experienced as rewarding. Diminution along any of these is just as aversive as physical pain. SCARF worked for me once. Here is my true story. When my 4-yr-old son did not want to stop playing my iPad, I promoted "A" (Autonomy) out of his SCARF and successfully persuaded him. I said:"Son, do you want me to turn it off or you like to do it". He said "I want to do it", then turned it off.

I also share David's YouTube video. If it is too long for you, you can read his SCARF paper, sort of a brief summary about his book.
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