To excel in business we need conscious command of all our faculties, mind, body and heart to ensure our work/life balance. Then we can seize the moment of opportunity and create exceptional results.

Western business schools us in our physical and mental aspects of business. We learn the requirements for:

1. Great processes to deliver complex team results, and,

2. Great strategies to out perform the competition and deliver to our client's expectations and beyond.

In contrast, Eastern business schools us in the discipline of our heart and physicality, to remain committed and involved to the outcome of the project, regardless of the distractions.

The image of the samuri comes to mind, waiting in absolute presence for his opponent to be distracted so that he can conclude the task at hand.

Western business gives us the opportunity to gain experience. From this we learn what we need to do to become physically and mentally competent for most situations, most of the time. It is also hoped that we will sort out any heart discipline issues that interfere with the delivery of our true potential.

Organizations do not know when their business circumstances will change radically. What leaders will they require, who may not flourish in their current environment, to seize the presented opportunities for success?

How do we unleash the true potential of people who have great abilities that are inconsistently delivering on time and on target?

Humans are consciously and unconsciously emotionally-conditioned beings. "There is a plethora of elegant neurophysiological data suggesting that the nervous system is not capable of taking in everything, but can only scan the outer world for material that it is prepared to find by virtue of its wiring hookups, its own internal patterns, and its past experience."(1)

The brain's development reflects this, with the emotional patterning center maturing in utero, whilst the rational center begins to mature at 4-5 years of age and reaches full maturation in the late teens to early twenties.

From our early explorations of how to be successful in this world, we have formed some linked memories of actions, thoughts and emotions. Some of these are strongly self-limiting. The priority of any change management program is to deactivate these associated memories that are potential landmines!

So Why Don't We Have Schooling to Ensure our Hearts' Discipline?

Hogan (2), through analysis of 300 published studies, has concluded that as human beings we are very poor judges of our own reputation: what others know of us, because we are preoccupied by our identity: what we would like to believe is true about us.

Our colleagues may hold a consistent view of our abilities as pushy and we cling to our beliefs about ourselves that are in opposition. We are seen to 'not walk our talk', or our heart is distracted and unsteady. However, we may not share this perception.

Some football teams unconsciously understand this. They taunt their competition until they have distracted them from their game. They then play their best football whist the competition turns to fighting them!

There are two choices here:

1. Winning: To be more disciplined in their hearts and remain focused on winning, or,

2. Losing: To be manipulated into losing by changing the focus to fighting the competition.

The discipline of our hearts' requires us to learn the nature of these choices within us, to be willing to consistently choose, and, accept the consequences of our choices. Then we begin to learn the wisdom to be a great leader and achieve the success we seek.

NB. This process is not logical or linear as memories are stored by association. Non linear learning was pioneered by the Russians and has become popular through accelerated learning techniques in the West.

(1)2Dr Candice Pert is a Research Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University Medical Centre in Washington, D.C. She was the first to map the receptor patterns of heroin in the brain and show its emotional 'high' characteristics. She lectures extensively throughout the country.

(2)Dr Hogan is an eminent psychologist whose personality and leadership profiles are utilized by over 50% of the Fortune 100 companies in the USA. He has over 300 publications to his name.

This article may be reproduced in printed or web format, provided the resource box below is included.

Rosemary Johnston is a professional corporate, business and personal coach. Working with executives from some of Australia's largest and most successful companies for over 15 years as well as numerous professionals. Rosemary's new book, "How To Develop Your Leadership Style and Skills to Take Charge of Your Career and Life" is now available to download at her web site. Read about how you can share some of the success Rosemary has had coaching leaders in Australian blue chip companies. http://www.leadershipfirst.com.au