Engineers translate brain signals directly into speech

This advance marks critical step toward brain-computer interfaces that hold immense promise for those with limited or no ability to speak

In a scientific first, Columbia neuroengineers have created a system that translates thought into intelligible, recognizable speech. By monitoring someone's brain activity, the technology can reconstruct the words a person hears with unprecedented clarity. This breakthrough, which harnesses the power of speech synthesizers and artificial intelligence, could lead to new ways for computers to communicate directly with the brain. It also lays the groundwork for helping people who cannot speak, such as those living with as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or recovering from stroke, regain their ability to communicate with the outside world.

Read the full article here:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190129081919.htm

Want to excel? Get a coach !

How important is coaching to and to your organization? Do you coach your direct reports? Would you like all managers and leaders in your company to coach more often and in more effective ways? Could good coaching solve a performance and other deficiencies in your workplace? And in your life?

How is it possible to improve in the face of complexity?

Atul Gawande (American surgeon, writer and public health researcher) studied this question with a surgeon's precision and in this TED Talk he shares what he's found to be the key: having a good coach to provide a more accurate picture of our reality, to instill positive habits of thinking, and to break our actions down and then help us build them back up again. 

"It's not how good you are now; it's how good you're going to be that really matters," says Gawande.

The year 2018 in review

Among the key events of the year, Donald Trump mets Kim Jong Un, Facebook's growth slowed as Apple's market cap hit $1tn and the trade war between the US and China weakening the global economy - the year 2018 here

Feedback is not enough (says Gallup)

Great managers inspire independence and ownership in pursuit of high performance. That only comes through frequent, open-ended conversations where people feel like their honest opinions will be valued and respected.

This is the way to move forward, says Gallup.

Whilst few managers give feedback that is helpful to employees, managers who do give feedback  need to shift from past-focused feedback to future-oriented coaching, because great coaching conversations are a two-way street for true development.

Making Meaning is not the same as Making Sense

The brain remembers more effectively information and makes connections when an experience is meaningful, hence, when a given experience has clear relevance to a person's own life.  

In the same line, learning takes place either by connecting new information to old or by having a brand-new experience. And because new real-life experiences are sometimes hard to come by, making meaning through prior knowledge is easier.

As a leader and/ or people manager, it is important to understand that new employees and older ones are not able to connect on the same level because the new ones experience more novelty and finding ways to present meaningful information and to create meaning is key.

Making meaning and Making Sense don’t provide the same response.  If I tell you that I’m traveling from a town to another that is 2,5h away and that I am going to drive rather than fly, that will probably make sense to you - but is it meaningful?

Because the situation doesn’t concern you, you probably won't care that much to save it in memory because your brain works in different levels of understanding:

• Sense: Understood, but not relevant or necessary
• Meaning: Understood and related to something else you know
• Personal meaning: Understood and related to a personal experience

Making sense is how we exchange and gather knowledge about our world, how things work, how to use them, their purpose. Meaning making and seeking meaning however are inherently human processes at the heart of our humanity.

A good reading on this:
https://illuminateddandelion.com/2015/11/06/making-sense-or-making-meaning/

5 critical steps to fearless confrontation (or, How to Address the Elephant in the Room)

Regardless of people's reluctance to confront tough issues or challenging people, the fact is we need to. It is difficult to advance, succeed, or grow without confrontation. 

Engaging in productive confrontation paves the way for diversity of thought, developing healthy boundaries, arriving at new, innovative approaches, better decision-making, and challenging the status quo, all of which are essential if we want to thrive in our lives and work. The question is how can one make confrontations as productive, healthy and effective as possible? 

Here's a fine article from Forbes with 5 key strategies for facing confrontation not as aggressive or angry conflict, but as the act of facing something or someone that needs to be addressed head on – directly and proactively (also known as "the elephant in the  room").

More than intelligence needed for success in life

Research carried out at the University of Adelaide and the University of Bristol has examined long-held beliefs that success in school and careers is due to more than just high intelligence. Non-cognitive skills are also important.


The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour is the first to systematically review the entire literature on effects of non-cognitive skills in children aged 12 or under, on later outcomes in their lives such as academic achievement, and cognitive and language ability.

"Traits such as attention, self-regulation, and perseverance in childhood have been investigated by psychologists, economists, and epidemiologists, and some have been shown to influence later life outcomes," says Professor John Lynch, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide and senior author of the study.

"There is a wide range of existing evidence under-pinning the role of non-cognitive skills and how they affect success in later life but it's far from consistent," he says.