Brain Science in Elders Quorum | An Interview with CK Bray

Dr. CK Bray is a cognitive behavioral researcher who specializes in change/adaption, human performance and potential, and their impact on organizations and individuals. Dr. Bray has a Ph.D. in Organizational Development and Learning, and a second Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology with an emphasis in the Cognitive Sciences (ABD). He bridges the gap between science, research, and organizations and is known for his ability to take complex research and make it understandable and applicable to clients. In the Church, Dr. Bray has served as a Young Men president, bishopric counselor, and stake executive secretary, and is currently the elders quorum president in his ward.
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Highlights
04:40 Dr. Bray talks about his brain research, what he does, and why.
06:00 Brain research and how it relates to the gospel. They work together.
10:00 Where do we begin with brain science? What happens in our brain when we experience change? Threat or reward state. When we want to create change it needs to be small.
15:45 Can leaders get people to change? Change has to come internally vs externally. We can get external motivation and rewards but really the change has to come from our own wanting to do it to make it something that will last.
19:20 Doing lessons a little differently and helping people have the ‘aha’ moment and create change. They start with sharing wins and struggles they had that week. It opened up the quorum to help each other outside of the walls of the church.
28:50 As leaders we need to create aha moments and a community that is sharing those moments. It’s really about helping people change their perception and how they show up.
32:50 We need to learn how to be more resilient in a world that is trying to tear us down.
35:45 How can a leader stimulate resilience? Helping people have a reset. Find moments of silence. Self reflection is one of the best things that we can do to become a better human. Stop focusing on doing but becoming!
42:40 This is a gospel of change. It’s about doing smaller things more regularly. Then resilience gets us through the hard times that we all have.
46:30 One thing that Chris started doing in elders quorum is to change how they do lessons. It’s more of a discussion and getting to know other men in the quorum.
50:00 Feeling uncomfortable changing old processes and ways of doing things. Elders quorum needs to change for us to grow. Chris shares tips on how to create these changes. Remember it’s about small changes.
55:25 Monthly men’s community activities. Things that Chris’ ward does.
59:10 Once-a-week presidency ministering. They have informal visits on the doorstep that are more about getting to know people and creating friendships.
1:04:20 Let go of perfection and use your talents to do what you can.
1:06:50 Chris’ final thoughts and testimony on leadership and becoming a better follower of Christ

[@yellowhumpy14]

Loving this conversation. I've been using the wins/losses question in my quorum for about a month and we've had some really great conversations stem from it. Also, anytime I have to step in to teach a lesson in EQ, or decide to jump in, I almost always default to small group discussions. So glad to hear someone like Dr. Bray validating the utility and value of these practices!