This is one of those blogs you don’t have to read…honestly
If you are reading this blog, go back and read the title. If you continue to read this blog, my apologies to you!
January 31, 2023, I said to myself, “February is going to be the hardest month of the year.” February 6, I began teaching a four-week, “Entrepreneurial Leadership” class at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary. The class takes place over the same time my cohort meets on Monday, thus adding to my insane schedule for February. Here’s a little snapshot:
1. Mondays, teach class and miss my cohort. In the afternoon listen to the recording of the class, write a summary to Jason by answering every question that was asked in the recording. Send to Jason by Wednesday.
2. Tuesday and Wednesday grade posts from my class. Friday and Saturday grade papers from my class, while responding to my cohort’s blogs.
3. Tuesday or Wednesday attempt to read the weekly book for DLGP. Thursday, post my so-called blog…more like a blob!
4. Answer emails and texts from students throughout the week
5. March 1st- completely drained and ready to move forward
All of this while preparing to train 2 businesses on 2 separate days on how to prepare their staff to work through grief and trauma and preparing to preach one Sunday at my church. Being interviewed for a leadership podcast, meeting with my counselors to talk through a 12-week trauma healing group for our community, meet with one of our female counselors to begin an “Anxiety to Peace Therapy Group.” Finally, studying to teach the Book of “Lamentations” to leaders in my community. Not to mention my own job as an Executive Director, being a husband, and father, and all that it entails. I was glad Jason asked me to ask my cohort to pray for me.
Today is March 2nd and I am glad I had such an exhausting month. It helped me to think fast. So many times I said, “Hurry up and focus hard to grade this paper, so I can…(start the next task). Even Kahneman said, “As you become skilled in a task, it’s demand for energy diminishes.” [1]. I would not say, I became skilled in one month but personally, I can see how my insane schedule helped to stretch me and that was good…even though I would not want to do it again and I also realize my DLGP colleagues are just as busy (productive) as I am. “Studies of the brain have shown that the pattern of activity associated with an action changes as skill increases.” [2]. This emotionally and physically draining month proved to me that the more I read, the more I stayed in engaged with studying or grading papers, the more I could do it! Weird but true! This month my emotions and body felt like a muscle being stretched and ironically it feels good. This muscle stretching reminds me of when Poole wrote, “Templating furnishes leaders with the muscle memory to make them resourceful, because they are able to problem solve better under pressure.” [3]. This leads me to the Kahneman’s book.
Kahneman begins with the distinction between System 1 and System 2 mental operations, the former referring to quick, automatic thought, the latter to more effortful, overt thinking. We rely heavily on System 1, resorting to the higher-energy System 2 only when we need or want to. Kahneman continually refers to System 2 as “lazy”: We don’t want to think rigorously about something. The author then explores the nuances of our two-system minds, showing how they perform in various situations. Psychological experiments have repeatedly revealed that our intuitions are generally wrong, that our assessments are based on biases and that our System 1 hates doubt and despises ambiguity. As I read Kahneman, I thought, “Did any of my biases go into grading papers, answering questions in class, or responding to a student’s email? How aware was my intuitive nature? [4].
System 1 is a fast thinker. We use it to rapidly recall facts we know well, like the capital of South Africa. We also use it to intuitively process information we need quickly, like discerning emotions from facial expressions. System 1 requires little effort and can make quick decisions.
System 2 is a slow thinker. This is the conscious decision-maker. It uses logic to tackle complex computations that are too difficult or unfamiliar for System 1, like math problems. We also use it to intentionally control our behavior, like saying nice things about this blog when you really want to roll your eyes and wonder how this guy got into this program!
This is an efficient and effective way for our minds to operate because we have limited mental energy. To preserve it, we use System 1 by default and only switch to System 2 when required. As I write this blob(g), it is evident my mental, emotional, and physical energy is gone and needs to be energized as System 2 takes over. February has really allowed me to see what Friedman said, “Leadership is essentially an emotional process rather than a cognitive phenomenon.” [5]. Through navigating this emotional month, I really believe I saw and felt the importance of being a well-differentiated leader. I had to navigate so many relationships and honestly, I believe I did well…this time.
[1] Daniel Kahneman. Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2013. 35.
[2] ibid., 35.
[3] Poole, Eve. Leadersmithing. Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Business, 2017. 12.
[4] Kahneman.
[5] Friedman, Edwin. A Failure of Nerve. New York: Church Publishing, 2017. 14.
About the Author
Todd E Henley
Todd is an avid cyclist who loves playing frisbee golf, watching NASCAR, making videos, photography, playing Madden football, and watching sport. He is addicted to reading, eating fruits and vegetables, and drinking H2O. His passion is talking about trauma, epigenetics, chromosomes, and the brain. He has been blessed with a sensationally sweet wife and four fun creative children (one of which resides in heaven). In his free time he teaches at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and is the Founder/Executive Director of Restore Counseling Center.21 responses to “This is one of those blogs you don’t have to read…honestly”
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Todd,
I’m thankful that you are finding relief in the “stretching of the muscles” from your opportunities this past month. From your blog, it sounds like your systems have supported you in the challenges. It is amazing how God created within us these two systems. How have you come to this point of feeling relief?
Hello Cathy! First of all happy birthday! I’m finding relief simply because there are less challenges on my plate and I’m able to ride my bike more. Simple but powerful…and necessary.
Thank you! Ride on!
😊
Hi Todd….Blobspot. I like it!
Wow, you are a crazy person, but I suspect that their is a crazy gene present in those who are taking this course. I know you are an athlete, so I see how working decision making into your muscle memory makes sense. We like to train decision making into our young Army officers early on. So mental muscle memory works for me too.
Like the Chivers book, I will have to go back to Kahneman again and again. While there is an economics focus, I see how his System 1 and System 2 thinking impacts other realms.
In an interview I saw him classify President George W. Bush as a System 1 thinker and President Barack Obama as a System 2 thinker. Wow.
In his biography he mentioned that he and Tvesky seldom responded to their critics. I gather his findings challenged the “rational thought” of man and this made folk who thrive on intuition feel assailed. So there were many critics.
I have to say that his thoughts prompted quite strong feelings within me. Was I strictly a S1 thinker or a S2 thinker? Wasn’t there a sliding scale? As a teen I definitely existed in the S1 realm, but age/experience and TIME also introduced S2 into my muscle memory. Otherwise, how would I have come to this place in life?
So no strict categories, but a fluid dynamic between the two.
And before I forget, Praying unceasingly, inviting God into our decisions sounds like a good precursor to S1 or S2 thinking.
Fun post…Shalom..Russ
I forgot something. C.S. Lewis’ Dignity of Causality.
Pray, unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is Paul’s reminder to bring every facet of our lives to Christ. Jennifer Vernam found the number 35,000 decisions are made by humans daily. While System 1 and 2 thinkers have strengths and weaknesses to contend with, imagine if we prayed continuously so that our decisions were guided by the Holy Spirit, all 35,000 of them.
Hey Russell, sorry you had to read through my entire blog BUT I loved your emphasis on the Holy Spirit and those 35,000 decisions. WOW! That’s huge bro! Thanks for the encouragement sir!
Todd, Thanks for letting yourself shine through in your writing. I’m glad for you that you’ve made it through February! Bravo, you did it!
As you mentioned, this is definitely going to become a templating experience that you will come back to. It’s an amazing feeling when we do hard things and make it to the other side only to look back (sometimes it takes a while, doesn’t happen immediately) and feel like it was a positive experience.
I was just thinking about this in relation to the Discovery Workshops we did in the fall. I remember thinking during the orientation back in August, “I can’t do that. Literally impossible.” But despite being nervous about doing it all in my second language, it actually went fine. Then this morning I was thinking about some next steps in ministry and I had the same thought, “I can’t do that. Definitely impossible.” Time will tell, but I feel more optimistic about future endeavors.
Kim, you actually said, “I can’t do that?” WOW! That’s encouraging for me to hear because you are such a determined brain filled with the Spirit of God. Thanks for sharing that! And if you don’t mind, what are those next steps in ministry you are planning to take? 😊
So many things feel like huge challenges right now, but the one that made me say “impossible” is recruiting/building a team of French people to work with me in a future ministry. So many things need to fall in place (which feels challenging but feasible with a lot of hard work) but actually getting others on board feels impossible because I can’t control others! I think for me that’s where the line between “challenging” and potentially “impossible” lies. Only by God’s grace and the help of his Holy Spirit!
Hey sister! I just prayed for you and will continue to do so as the Lord brings you to mind. And the fact you are doing it in another language is mind blowing to mean. That’s definitely a threshold concept.
You know, I like that phrase, “challenging and potentially impossible” A well-differentiated leader lives on that threshold. Thanks for making me think hard as the Spirit of God leads you. 🙏🏿
I’m glad I ignored your title and read your blog anyway.
“I am glad I had such an exhausting month.” Way to start with a line that forced me into System 2 thinking! This made me remember the shift I made from being a care-free career-oriented employee to a working mom. I remember realizing how much more I got done when time became a precious commodity. To some extent, I wonder if part of this gained efficiency was because I learned to isolate what I could deal with by instinct vs what required deeper analysis?
Glad you made it through February. Now, what will you do with all that spare time?
Jennifer, you are definitely a strong person since you read through my blob! BUT AND I MEAN BUT, your phrase, “To some extent, I wonder if part of this gained efficiency was because I learned to isolate what I could deal with by instinct vs what required deeper analysis?” has definitely been making me think! Oh, this is sooo deep! In fact, this week, I’m going to take apart this phrase to analyze it almost every day. Thanks for giving me something to chew on!
So what is YOUR answer to your statement?
“As I write this blob(g), it is evident my mental, emotional, and physical energy is gone and needs to be energized as System 2 takes over. ”
Me too! I can feel your exhaustion and even though it may not be the best leadership tool, according to Friedman, I empathize with you! My post this week was about how overwhelmed I am and how I am constantly operating out of System 1, making faulty decisions, and need to take a shower to actually be able to think in System 2. (A shower being the only place I am afforded some quiet.)
“Through navigating this emotional month, I really believe I saw and felt the importance of being a well-differentiated leader. I had to navigate so many relationships and honestly, I believe I did well…this time.” I believe you did well too! I am sure of it. Also, I am glad you are able to believe this of yourself. I think that is part of being self-differentiated. Good job friend!
Hey Kally, thanks for that great leadership tool of empathy, that we are NOT suppose to show! And I must say, your empathy and wisdom really came out in response. Thank you!
I’ve noticed you mention taking shower occasionally in your post. FYI: Very warm or hot water on the body is excellent for calming stress. I’m sure it doesn’t work for everyone but I wonder if it works for you!
Thanks for stomaching my blog!
Hi, Todd,
Thank you for being real in the crazyness of such a busy season. No doubt you were stretching your System 1 muscles but I’m also glad you again mentioned that both systems need to work together. This week held some major changes for our church that brought much emotional upheaval and so, I too, was thankful for a greater understanding of what it means to be a “self-differentiated” leader and also for the ability to totally lean on God’s leading. Thank goodness it is not just up to our own thought processes!
Hello Esther! You said in regard to your challenging week, “I too, was thankful for a greater understanding of what it means to be a “self-differentiated” leader.” Think through that week again. Would it be more accurate if you said you were a well-differentiated leader? Or would you say, you were a very well-differentiated leader?
Thanks for stomaching my post.
Thank you, Mr. Todd. Your title makes me wants to read your blogpost and not only that, but I am sure I will learn something from it. I thought to myself that I am very busy, and I don’t have enough time within a week to do a week’s work. But as I read your schedule of activities, it makes me feel like I need to better at managing my time because I have more time to do what I need to do.
I have learn a lot from your postings, and one of them is when you talk about training our brain muscle memory in combination with system 1 and system 2 concepts. I am a system 1 person and I believe that if I keep training my brain muscle memory to active system 2 when needed, then maybe that could be a key to unlocking system 2 to work. Thank you for your sharing.
Hey Noel, I’m sorry you had to stomach my post but what you said was quite insightful because you see how system 1 is helping system 2. I never thought of that. Brilliant sir. Keep up the great work!
Todd, your title was creative because it made me think of my thoughts as thoughts. Meaning, you tell someone not to think about the kitchen sink and what are they thinking about? The Kitchen sink. It’s almost a dare to not read your blogpost. In sitting in March now, when you think of this past month, can you think of ways you engaged your emotions to think slowly and logically? I often separate logic and emotions and I’m curious if you see ways to have both?
Hey Jana. I can see my title didn’t work and I’m sorry you had to stomach my blog!
Beautiful question, Jana! If you seperate them I’m sure it’s for good reason since you are a chaplain, wife, mother, and leader. And I also believe there are times when you think you are separating them but actually you are using them together.
Emotions are our reactions to perceived and imagined stimulation. In most situations our emotions outweigh our known logic. imagine placing a plank of wood on your kitchen floor and walking its length a few times. But suppose you place it a hundred feet in the air between your house and your neighbors house. You know you can walk the plank, you just did it over and over, Yet your emotions and fears outweigh your logic. Your imagination overpowers your knowledge of your ability to walk the plank. Emotions are shortcuts in the brain to generate feelings on certain subjects and situations. Our emotions guide our daily life. We usually think we can make decisions based upon facts, but that is not the case. When most people agree with a particular message, they think that they are being logical or rational. However when they disagree, they are being more emotional. No matter how much we’d like to think that we are rational and logical beings our decision making process is a mixture of both. Please let me know if you have any questions about this or even if you want to expound eloquently on this topic!