Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner "Ask the Expert" interview about being Wonderfully Human the “Ask the Expert” feature is an interview series that connects you with industry thought leaders and gives you the opportunity to participate in inspiring conversations. This year we’ve spoken with Jane Pollak about possibility thinking, Dorothy Breininger about success, Dr. April Lane Benson about enlisting help, Leslie Josel about motivation, David Allen about time management, Peter Walsh about clutter, Sheila Delson about letting go, Laura Berman Fortgang about next steps, Judith Kolberg about change, and Sue West about fresh starts. This month I’m excited to have with us cognition, learning, and ethics expert, Howard Gardner, to share his insights and experience about multiple intelligences and learning.

Long before I met Howard, I became familiar with his theory of multiple intelligences through our youngest daughter’s third grade teacher. She designed her classroom based on his theories to help each child honor and explore their strengths. Several years later I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing Howard speak at a local music school. My deepest gratitude goes to Howard for graciously saying, “yes” to this interview and for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about him.

Howard Gardner is a psychologist and writer who has been at Harvard for over fifty years. He is the Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the author of twenty-nine books including The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate, Identify, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadershipand several hundred articles. Best known for his work on intelligence, creativity, and leadership, he has been studying the nature of good work, good citizenship, good digital play, and associated ‘goods’ and trying to enhance their incidence in today’s world. You can connect with Howard through Howard Gardner or The Good Project websites.

Linda Samuels:  You are internationally known for developing the theory of multiple intelligences. What becomes possible when we understand that we process and learn in diverse ways?

Howard Gardner:  There is greater understanding of other persons. Why, for example, they can approach a task in a way that is totally different than ours, and yet be equally, perhaps more successful.

At work and play, instead of looking for persons like us, we instead search for individuals with strengths and weaknesses that complement our own.

Linda:  You once said that, “…when we study plants or atoms, they are not affected by what we learn.  But when we study human beings, our findings can affect the future behavior of humans.” What has been your most surprising discovery?

Howard: My most surprising scientific discovery:  While the left hemisphere of the brain processes ordinary language, it is the right hemisphere that understands metaphor, irony, intention, and other speech acts.

Most surprising general discovery:  Rather than being primarily cognitive, creative achievements emanate from a certain kind of personality and temperament living in a certain cultural context.

Linda:  In your book, Intelligence Reframed, you wrote that we each have a “unique blend of intelligences.” How can we best embrace our uniqueness?

Howard:  Not to worry about what we can’t do, nor to worry about whether we are like others. Instead, pursue what you love, what you can get better at, share it with others, and they will reciprocate.

Linda:  Many professional organizers use their understanding about learning styles and differences to more effectively help their clients. How does your theory of multiple intelligences relate to learning styles?

Howard:  Individuals continually conflate MI and learning styles and yet they are ENTIRELY different concepts. Learning styles refers to how people putatively approach a range of tasks; for example, person A has a playful style, while B has an obsessive one. Intelligences refer to the strengths of our several mental computers. I may compute language more effectively than I compute spatial relations, and yet I have every right to decide to become an architect rather than a poet.

Linda:  How have your theories changed the way you personally interact with other people?

Howard:  When assembling a team, I look for individuals whose abilities complement one another and think about how to get them to work synergistically.

Linda:  Is there anything else you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Howard:  What questions do you think cannot or should not be answered in 500 words or less?!

I love your sense of humor, Howard. Yes, I realize that it’s not a simple matter to craft the responses to all these questions using 500 words or less. I greatly appreciated your ability to do so. I apologize if this limited what you wanted to share. If you would like, feel free to add additional thoughts to the conversation (without any word limitations.)

Thank you for sharing your wisdom about learning, intelligence, and being human. The thread throughout your responses of appreciating our differences and embracing our uniqueness resonated with me. We aren’t the same. Why should we be? It’s in the sharing of these differences that makes life interesting.

I invite you to join Howard and me as we continue the conversation. Come share your thoughts about being wonderfully human. Which ideas speak to you?

Jane Pollak

Jane Pollak "Ask the Expert" interview about Possibility ThinkingThe “Ask the Expert” interview series connects you with industry thought leaders and gives you the opportunity to participate in inspiring conversations. This year we’ve spoken with Dorothy Breininger about success, Dr. April Lane Benson about enlisting help, Leslie Josel about motivation, David Allen about time management, Peter Walsh about clutter, Sheila Delson about letting go, Laura Berman Fortgang about next steps, Judith Kolberg about change, and Sue West about fresh starts. This month I’m thrilled to bring you business coach, Jane Pollak, to share her insights and experience about possibility thinking.

While Jane and I have never met in person, I have been following and hearing about her for many years. I have several colleagues that rave about her unique ability to help entrepreneurs clarify, focus, and connect. When I contacted Jane to invite her to be interviewed, she generously accepted. You are in for a treat. My deepest gratitude goes to Jane for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Jane Pollak is one of the Northeast’s foremost coaches of entrepreneurial women and a living example of how to turn a passion into a thriving business. Jane’s story is an odyssey that led her from remote craft fairs and customer rejections to an invitation to the White House and appearance’s on NBC’s Today Show. The lessons Jane learned along the way led her to share her story and give advice to struggling entrepreneurs, travelling the country and beyond. Her book, Soul Proprietor, is not only inspiring and motivating for the entrepreneur or small business owner, it is a handbook of lessons that one could apply to the business of everyday life. You can connect with Jane on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, blog or website.

Linda Samuels:  You’re an expert in helping women entrepreneurs “achieve uncommon success.” What are some ways to create an environment that nurtures possibility thinking?

Jane Pollak:  It’s obvious to everyone looking on what lights you up. But we rarely give ourselves permission to listen deeply to what we really want. Sharing your dreams and visions with one or more other like-minded souls is like putting Miracle-Gro on your garden. It will flourish. Having others reflect their belief in you back to you in a group is powerful.

Be aware of how you language your vision. Eliminate words like “should” and “try” which, subtly diminish our intentions.

Linda:  What might get in our way?

Jane: Other people’s needs. Women are born nurturers and caretakers. Johnny forgot his violin. Your elderly mother needs to have cataract surgery. It often falls to you to take these tasks on, but it may not be necessary, and it most definitely CAN be done on YOUR schedule. I’ve had clients who are desperate to write, create, you fill in the blank, and are unable to put two hours together in their day.

At some point, you need to stake a claim for yourself. Some confuse self-care with being selfish. I don’t adhere to that. I believe that the example you set for your families, friends and colleagues is worthy of the risk it takes to do that. Johnny can experience the pain of his forgetfulness, and you can take your mother for surgery on a day that works for you. Once you get into the habit of scheduling time for YOU, there’s no turning back and it becomes the norm, not the exception.

Linda:  What are some techniques or questions to ask for imagining possibilities?

Jane:  A typical one that has remained evergreen for that reason is: If money, health, location and family obligations were not an issue, what would you really like to do? Or, what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Many women will not even allow themselves to fantasize about possibilities for fear of failure or fear of success. It’s a loaded question and requires a lot of personal development work to get there.

A talented coach will be able to deeply explore your vision once they’ve broken through the layer(s) of resistance. What blocks us is not lack of talent as much as putting many obstacles in our way.

Linda:  What have you observed about the relationship between letting go and possibility thinking?

Jane:  They are mutually beneficial and must co-exist. It would be challenging to have possibility thinking without letting go…of preconceived ideas, demands, guilt, worry, etc. If you want to paint a great masterpiece, you may have to let go of having an immaculate household. I heard a wonderful saying once that has stuck with me for nearly 20 years: Housework, if done correctly, will kill you!

Linda:  What has been your most significant personal challenge around embracing possibilities?

Jane:  Getting divorced at age 63 after a 38-year marriage. While I was comfortable knowing I could support myself and be of value for another few decades, I am a relationship person and had to embrace the possibility of finding love in my 60’s—which I have. My self-talk had to be tamed – Men are only looking for younger women. All the good men are taken. Etc.

Linda:  Is there anything else you’d like to share about possibilities that I haven’t asked?

Jane:  Yes. I could not, nor would I advise anyone else, to do this at home alone! Support is vital in every aspect of our lives. When it comes to possibility thinking, it’s what will get you through the rocky road whether it’s someone to hold your hand, have your back or encourage you to continue to follow your dreams. They can get lost very quickly if you venture out alone.

Thank you, Jane for sharing your wisdom about possibility thinking. There are so many riches here including the uplifting words such as “flourish,” and “vision.”  I love your calls to action like give yourself “permission to listen deeply,” share your dreams with “like-minded souls,” be mindful of how you “language your vision,” "stake a claim for yourself," or learn how to tame your self-talk. These ideas exude possibilities.

I invite you to join Jane and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about possibility thinking. Which ideas resonate with you?

Dorothy Breininger

Dorothy Breininger "Ask the Expert" interview about SuccessIt’s time again for the “Ask the Expert” interview series, which connects you with industry thought leaders. This year we’ve spoken with Dr. April Lane Benson about enlisting help, Leslie Josel about motivation, David Allen about time management, Peter Walsh about clutter, Sheila Delson about letting go, Laura Berman Fortgang about next steps, Judith Kolberg about change, and Sue West about fresh starts. This month I’m exited to bring you organizing expert, Dorothy Breininger, to share her insights and experience about success.

Dorothy and I go way back, having met many years ago through our industry association, the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO.) Dorothy exudes positive energy and confidence that I’ve always admired. I recently had the pleasure of hosting an excellent teleclass she presented for the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) about Hoarding Interventions. She is a wonderful presenter with a vast wealth of knowledge and a clear way of evaluating options. My sincere gratitude goes to Dorothy for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Dorothy Breininger is America’s Most Innovative Professional Organizer, best-selling author of Stuff Your Face or Face Your Stuff, and creator of the “Curb The Chaos” System, which helps individuals conquer their clutter (physical, emotional and body clutter) in a pleasing and fun way. Dorothy is one of A&E’s expert organizers on the Emmy-nominated weekly TV series, “Hoarders.” She appears on the Today Show, the Dr. Phil Show, the View, QVC and PBS in addition to being featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and O Magazine. You can connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda Samuels:  As a nationally recognized organizing expert, author, speaker and coach, you inspire others to make positive changes in their lives? How can we best prepare ourselves for success?

Dorothy Breininger:  It may sound silly, but I have found most of my success has come to me in these recent years. I truly believe that by getting plenty of sleep (yes, that means a bed time), studying or learning about my current and focused goals, and meditating on BEING successful are the best ways to prepare ourselves for success.

Linda:  How does failure relate to success?

Dorothy:I love this question! Failure is the KEY to success. Failure gives you the opportunity to review your mistakes, self correct, and develop a new strategy to make the project, relationship, or goal work. With failure, you get a complete “do over” if you are just willing to look at it as a learning strategy for your own personalized success.

Linda:  What are some essential success ingredients?

Dorothy:

• Maintain life balance. Do not forsake relationships with friends and family for the sole purpose of success.

• Say “No” often. Be very selective about the people you hang with, the meetings you attend, the volunteer positions you accept.

• Avoid responding to nasty emails, social media posts, or phone calls when you are angry or frustrated. Always ask for guidance from the universe (or a trusted friend) to help you respond to others in a dignified way – even when they are inappropriate in their dealings with you.

Linda:  Do you have a philosophy about success?

Dorothy:  Hang on just a little longer than everyone else.  Many people will “self eliminate” themselves from the competition, job, or goal. Don’t give up before the miracle happens.  Being impatient for your success to arrive might completely knock you out of the game. Hang in there and repeatedly tell yourself that the success will come and it will.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge with navigating success?

Dorothy:  I have had soooooooooo many personal challenges in navigating success.  One example was thinking that workaholism was the answer to creating success.  I worked around the clock – at the expense of my good health and intimate relationships. This was a clear mistake.  Now, I get more sleep, eat more healthily, have most weekends off and am experiencing more success than when I was a workaholic. Go figure!

Linda:  Is there anything else you’d like to share about success that I haven’t asked?

Dorothy:  Apologize to others when you’ve made a mistake.  Sometimes our colleagues don’t like to accept our apologies – they may wish to hold a grudge instead.  The apology on our part however releases any resentments YOU may have and you will always be able look back proudly and say, “Yes, I handled this in the best way I could.”

Thank you, Dorothy for sharing your ideas about success. I love how you emphasize the importance of self-care and balance as essential success ingredients. I also like how you regard failure as a learning opportunity and chance for a “do over.”

I invite you to join Dorothy and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about success. What resonates with you?

Dr. April Lane Benson

The “Ask the Expert” interview series connects you with industry thought leaders. This year we’ve spoken with Leslie Josel about motivation, David Allen about time management, Peter Walsh about clutter, Sheila Delson about letting go, Laura Berman Fortgang about next steps, Judith Kolberg about change, and Sue West about fresh starts. This month I’m thrilled to bring you a dynamo in the field of psychology, Dr. April Lane Benson, to share her insights and experience about enlisting help.

April and I met in 2004 when she spoke at the National Association of Professional Organizers New York chapter (NAPO-NY) meeting about compulsive buying. I became a fan immediately. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of talking with her and hearing her present many times. She’s straightforward, energetic, compassionate, and the expert on shopping addiction. My deepest thanks goes to April for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

April Lane Benson, Ph.D., is a nationally known psychologist specializing in the study and treatment of compulsive buying disorder. She edited I Shop, Therefore I Am: Compulsive Buying and the Search for Self  (2000) and authored To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop (2008). April recently conducted empirical research on the efficacy of the Stopping Overshopping treatment model; results will be published in early 2014 in the Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery.

Linda Samuels:  You are a nationally known psychologist who specializes in the treatment of compulsive buying disorder. What is the tipping point that motivates people to reach out for help?

April Lane Benson:  People reach out for help when their behavior has either become unmanageable to themselves, or poses such a big issue for someone else that the other person insists on it. Overwhelming debt is a big motivator for many; feeling enormously burdened by the lying and secrecy that are often part and parcel of this problem is another trigger. As far as other people’s reactions being the catalyst for the compulsive buyer to get help, these are common scenarios. A couple is trying to get a mortgage and in that process, the debt of one member of the couple is revealed. Family members may find a compulsive buyer’s secret stashes or find a credit card or money has been stolen. There may no longer be any room to navigate at home because of such an overabundance of stuff.

Linda:  What conditions make self-help a viable option?

April: If someone has a history of having been able to utilize self-help resources productively for another behavior or is doing so currently, he or she is a good candidate for self-help. Someone who has one or two individuals who are willing to be very involved in a nuts and bolts way with the compulsive buyer and function as shopping support buddies is another good candidate. Knowing about the availability of self-help resources, books, audiotapes, online support groups, and in-person support groups is also key to making it a viable option.

Linda:  When seeking professional help is the appropriate option, what are some useful questions to find the right fit?

April:

• Has the provider worked with compulsive buyers before? Approximately how many?

• What does the treatment consist of?

• What kind of success rate does the potential provider have?

• What method or school of thought does the potential provider utilize?

• How long is the treatment?

• How much will it cost?

• Will any other family members be involved?

• Will the provider collaborate with a professional organizer if the client wishes?

Linda:  As professional organizers we often encounter clients with shopping addictions. What is important for us to understand so that we can best help our clients?

April:  It’s important for organizers to understand that there are sometimes deep psychological issues that are maintaining the compulsive buying behavior and that the emotional underpinnings of the problem need to be understood and worked with alongside the behavioral interventions.  Organizers need to be very clear about their own boundaries and be aware of the differences between organizing, coaching and psychotherapy.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around enlisting help?

April:  For many years, I engaged in a self-defeating habit that no one in my life saw as a significant issue. In part because of that feedback and also because of my own ambivalence about change, it took a long time for me to seek professional help.  By the time I did, I was so clear about wanting to change and ready to change that it no longer mattered what anyone else thought.  What a great decision!

Linda:  Is there anything else you’d like to share about seeking help that I haven’t asked?

April:  It’s important that professional organizers know that there’s no shame, and more likely wisdom, in telling the client that some of what he/she needs goes beyond your area of expertise and that you’ll assist him/her in getting help. This is great modeling for the client who needs to know that effective help is available and that it’s a strength, rather than a weakness to ask for it.

Thank you, April for sharing your ideas about enlisting help. You’ve provided many ways to think about getting the type of support that’s needed. I love your list of questions for finding the right type of professional help. Perhaps what I found most encouraging was your perspective that asking for help is a “strength rather than a weakness.” What a great thought to end with.

I invite you to join April and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about enlisting help. What resonates with you?

As a update to this interview, I am devastated to share that April died on March 29, 2021. She was a tremendous and positive force in this world. I will miss our conversations, touch points, her warmth, and energy. Her presence will be sorely missed. While April is gone, her legacy lives on. In 2019, April sold her business to her friend and colleague, Carrie Rattle. She was trained by April and has taken on the important work of helping those struggling with shopping addiction. If you need help, or know someone that does, please reach out to Carrie.