Building a Better Geek

In this episode of "Building a Better Geek", Craig and Emmanuella share personal stories of Amygdala Hijacks, what they are, and how to manage them:
- The amygdala is the part of the brain that perceives threats and triggers the "fight, flight, freeze, or fawn" response quickly without context. 
- Amygdala hijack is when the amygdala reacts strongly, overriding logic and reason. 
- Craig shares a story of yelling a profanity when a lift door closed too soon, and the dressing down that followed. Emmanuella shares story of an audience member fainting during a show. 
- As a leader, recognize amygdala hijack and help create psychological safety. Anger is a surface emotion masking deeper feelings of disempowerment, frustration, fear. Dig deeper.
References:
McEwen, B. S., & Gianaros, P. J. (2010). Central role of the brain in stress and adaptation: Links to socioeconomic status, health, and disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1186(1), 190-222.
Thayer, J. F., Åhs, F., Fredrikson, M., Sollers III, J. J., & Wager, T. D. (2012). A meta-analysis of heart rate variability and neuroimaging studies: implications for heart rate variability as a marker of stress and health. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), 747-756.

In this episode of "Building a Better Geek" Emmanuella and Craig discuss how to avoid - and recover from - burnout.
Key points:
- Burnout is characterised by exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of inefficacy. 
- Men may have more difficulty articulating emotions and can use the "SEW" technique - describing Sensations, Emotions, and stating What they Want/need. 
- It's important to connect with your emotions and body sensations to understand when you are heading towards burnout. 
- Rehearsing/practicing at lower intensity leaves room for elevated performance during events. Similarly, maintaining boundaries and space in your schedule allows resilience against burnout.
- There are cycles to energy levels. It's important to manage energy, not just time. 
- Post having a baby, honour the "4th trimester" - take recovery time or risk longer-term depletion.
- Moving from resilience to buoyancy. 
- Exercise, being outdoors, movement are important for mental health and preventing burnout.
Emmanuella Grace is a communication coach and consultant, working with individuals and organisations to develop and strengthen the skills of voice and communication. Find out more at Find Your Voice.
Connect with Craig at: linkedin.com/in/craiglawton
References:
Maslach, Christina. "Job Burnout." Annual Review of Psychology 52 (2001): 397-422.
Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989. Print.

In the first episode of "Building a Better Geek" Emmanuella and Craig discuss preparing for and doing well in job interviews, particularly in tech roles. They discuss common mistakes and things that annoy them in interviews from both the interviewer's and interviewee's perspective. 
Key points:- Don't just "be yourself" in an interview, prepare thoroughly. Have practiced responses ready for difficult questions. Present your best professional self.  - Make sure you understand the company culture and tailor how you present accordingly. Research the company beforehand.- See the interview as a two-way conversation to assess mutual fit, not an interrogation. Ask questions of your own. - Don't pretend you know something you don't. Integrity is important. Say you don't know and talk about how you would find out.- Don't criticise past employers or roles. Focus on the positive about what you want next.- Dress appropriately for the role. Appearance matters.- Personality tests are flawed for assessing job fit. Look for work samples instead.- Don't burn bridges. Let companies know if you are or aren't interested in a role after interviewing. 
Overall, preparation and integrity are key for interview success. It's a two-way process to assess fit for both parties.
Emmanuella Grace is a communication coach and consultant, working with individuals and organisations to develop and strengthen the skills of voice and communication. Find out more at Find Your Voice.
Connect with Craig at: linkedin.com/in/craiglawton
References:Jung, C.G. (1959). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Princeton University Press.