Okay, so I’m in a reflective mood – in particular thinking about the soft skills of management. No, not team building or leadership – something more fundamental.

What triggered this blog, was having a business meeting with a business project partner tonight. You see, he has a photographic memory – yeah, I know, how many times have you heard that phrase – but it’s true in Darren’s case. He really is amazing. His skills are built-in. The rest of us have to struggle.

But I remember some 10 years ago, I was watching a programme on TV that featured memory skills – but went a step further than the usual techniques you may have already heard of…

Now I tried some of these, and although would not call myself a ‘memory man’ by any measure, I did find that they worked – spooky Eh?!

So try this if you dare:-

Think of a part of your house that you are VERY familiar with – it might be your hallway or your kitchen for example. Maybe even your office space. Whatever.

Now concentrate. I want you to initially close your eyes and remember particular features/objects of that area. If it’s your hallway, enter by the front door, and LOOK to your left to your left and right – what do you see?

Pick out particular items – the hall mirror, the picture by the stairs, the cupboard, the ornament…etc….find about 10 or 12 objects that you are VERY familiar with. Got Them?

The human brain is a powerful database isn’t it? See how vividly you have remembered these familiar objects?

Okay, so here’s the transition you have been waiting for…

They are at it again, you know, the soothsayers, prophet profiteers, all coming out of the woodwork with doom and gloom. Why? – because an ancient civilisation, the Mayans well known for their study of astronomy and sacrificing of virgins (obviously a bunch of deep thinkers), came up with a 'long count' calendar due to end in 2012.

So now all the bar-room doomsday merchants are predicting we will perish in a variety of ways – all of which are extrapolations (= guesses) of possible outcomes.