Over the years, you have probably gained some insight into how your brain works. You may have taken a course or read a book that promised to reveal the secret of maximizing your mental capacity—a common sales pitch of leadership coaches these days. In the process, you may have read that after a critical period in childhood there is no hope for significant learning, that half of your brain is inactive at any given time, or that you’re capable of learning properly only in your preferred style.
【注：原文為英文，摘自麥肯錫公司網(wǎng)站注明的麥肯錫季刊。我本打算用谷歌翻譯來(lái)幫自己省點(diǎn)兒功夫，畢竟讀英文不如讀中文方便，可是谷歌翻譯讓我很失望，把have advanced scientifice knowledge硬是翻譯成了“擁有高級(jí)科學(xué)知識(shí)”（見(jiàn)下文）！狂汗！想了一下，為了自己閱讀方面，我還是大意翻譯一下吧，不求專業(yè)，更不求信達(dá)雅，還請(qǐng)?jiān)淖髡吆妥x者們理解?！?/span>
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這么多年來(lái)，你很可能已經(jīng)獲得了關(guān)于你的大腦如何運(yùn)作的某些洞察。你或許參加過(guò)某門課程或讀過(guò)某本書，其中會(huì)承諾向你揭示最大化你的心智能力的秘密——這聽(tīng)起來(lái)像是近來(lái)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力教練們的常用銷售調(diào)門。在這個(gè)過(guò)程中，你或許知道了以下信息：在度過(guò)了童年期的一個(gè)關(guān)鍵時(shí)期后你就沒(méi)有顯著提升學(xué)習(xí)能力的希望了；無(wú)論何時(shí)，你的一半大腦都處在非活躍狀態(tài)；你只有用最適合自己的方式才能恰當(dāng)?shù)貙W(xué)習(xí)?！?/p>
Each of these claims is what we call a “neuromyth,” a misconception based on incorrect interpretations of neuroscientific research. Our experience advising companies on their lifelong-learning initiatives suggests that such misunderstandings remain embedded in many corporate training programs. As companies increasingly pour money into developing their employees, they can no longer afford to invest in training programs based on inaccurate and out-of-date assumptions. In recent years, for example, US businesses alone spent more than $164 billion annually on employee learning.1 The stakes are high and getting higher.
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上述的這每一條聲明我們都稱之為”神經(jīng)神話“，都是基于對(duì)神經(jīng)科學(xué)研究的不正確解讀所產(chǎn)生的錯(cuò)誤認(rèn)知。我們給多家公司提供終生學(xué)習(xí)舉措建議的經(jīng)驗(yàn)表明，上述這些誤解仍植根于許多公司培訓(xùn)項(xiàng)目中。由于大量公司正不斷加大人員開(kāi)發(fā)的投入，因此它們無(wú)法承受把錢投到基于不準(zhǔn)確和過(guò)時(shí)假設(shè)而開(kāi)發(fā)出來(lái)的培訓(xùn)項(xiàng)目中。比如在近幾年，單單美國(guó)商界就在員工學(xué)習(xí)上花費(fèi)了平均每年1640億美元。這其中巨大的利害關(guān)系正變得越來(lái)越大?！?/span>
Bridging the gap between popular neuromyths and the scientific insights gathered in the past few decades is a growing challenge. As modern brain-imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have advanced scientific knowledge, these misleading lay interpretations by business practitioners have advanced as well. Unless such misconceptions are eliminated, they will continue to undermine both personal- and organizational-learning efforts. In this article, we’ll address the three most prominent neuromyths in light of the latest research and explore some of the implications for corporate learning.
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因此，我們現(xiàn)在面臨著一個(gè)不斷增加的挑戰(zhàn)：如何縮短流行的神經(jīng)神話與過(guò)去幾十年中通過(guò)研究獲得的科學(xué)洞見(jiàn)之間的差距呢？隨著功能性磁共振成像技術(shù)（fMRI）等現(xiàn)代腦成像技術(shù)推動(dòng)了科學(xué)知識(shí)的進(jìn)展，由商業(yè)實(shí)踐者們的這些誤讀所導(dǎo)致的誤導(dǎo)效果也在不斷增強(qiáng)。除非清除這些錯(cuò)誤認(rèn)知，否則它們會(huì)繼續(xù)破壞我們的個(gè)人和組織學(xué)習(xí)努力。我們?cè)诒疚闹袑⒏鶕?jù)最近的研究成果來(lái)探討三個(gè)最為顯著的神經(jīng)神話，并對(duì)公司學(xué)習(xí)提出一些啟發(fā)。】
Most of us have heard about critical learning periods—the first years of life, when the vast majority of the brain’s development is thought to occur. After this period, or so the assumption too often goes, the trajectory of human development is deemed to be more or less fixed. That, however, is an exaggeration. Recent neuroscientific research indicates that experience can change both the brain’s physical structure and its functional organization—a phenomenon described as neuroplasticity.【參考譯文：
神話一：童年的關(guān)鍵時(shí)間窗
我們大多數(shù)人都聽(tīng)過(guò)關(guān)鍵學(xué)習(xí)時(shí)期——也就是我們出生后幾年內(nèi)絕大部分大腦發(fā)育的時(shí)期。根據(jù)這一假設(shè)，過(guò)了這個(gè)關(guān)鍵學(xué)習(xí)時(shí)期我們的發(fā)展軌跡就或多或少被認(rèn)為確定不變了。但是，這個(gè)說(shuō)法夸張了。最近的神經(jīng)科學(xué)研究表明，經(jīng)歷可以改變大腦的物理結(jié)構(gòu)和功能組織——這一現(xiàn)象被描述為神經(jīng)可塑性。】
Researchers studying the plasticity of the brain are increasingly interested in mindfulness. Practicing simple meditation techniques, such as concentrated breathing, helps build denser gray matter in parts of the brain associated with learning and memory, controlling emotions, and compassion. A team led by Harvard scientists has shown that just eight weeks of mindful meditation can produce structural brain changes significant enough to be picked up by MRI scanners.2
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研究大腦可塑性的人員對(duì)于一心專注（或全神貫注）越來(lái)越感興趣。當(dāng)我們運(yùn)用專注呼吸等簡(jiǎn)單的冥想技巧，就可以有助于我們頭腦中與學(xué)習(xí)和記憶、情緒調(diào)控和情感有關(guān)的部分的灰質(zhì)變厚。哈佛科學(xué)家們帶領(lǐng)的一個(gè)研究團(tuán)隊(duì)的研究表明，只需要八周的專注冥想就能夠產(chǎn)生磁共振成像掃描儀能足以檢測(cè)到的大腦結(jié)構(gòu)性改變。】
Organizations from General Mills in consumer foods to digital bellwethers such as Facebook and Google increasingly give their employees opportunities to benefit from mindfulness and meditation. Most such programs have garnered enthusiastic support from employees, who often see a marked improvement in their mind-sets and job performance. For example, employees at the health insurer Aetna who have participated in the company’s free yoga and meditation classes report, on average, a 28 percent decrease in their levels of stress and a productivity increase of 62 minutes a week—an added value of approximately $3,000 per employee a year. CEO Mark Bertolini, who started the program a few years ago, marvels at the level of interest generated across the company; to date, more than a quarter of Aetna’s 50,000 employees have taken at least one class.3 Leaders like Bertolini understand that providing them with the tools to become more focused and mindful can foster a better working environment conducive to development and high performance.
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從消費(fèi)食品行業(yè)的通用磨坊公司（General Mills）到臉譜和谷歌等數(shù)字時(shí)代領(lǐng)頭羊公司在內(nèi)的很多公司正越來(lái)越多地為自己的員工提供機(jī)會(huì)以從專心和冥想中獲益。由于員工們經(jīng)常能夠看到自己在心智模式和工作績(jī)效方面的顯著提升，故而大部分的這一類項(xiàng)目受到他們歡迎。例如，健康保險(xiǎn)服務(wù)商Aetna的員工們就報(bào)告了在他們參加了公司的免費(fèi)瑜伽和冥想課程后，壓力水平平均減少了28%，同時(shí)每周生產(chǎn)力增加了62分鐘——一年下來(lái)就是大約3000美元的增加價(jià)值。作為幾年前的項(xiàng)目發(fā)起人，公司CEO Mark Bertolini對(duì)這一項(xiàng)目在全公司員工中所引發(fā)的興趣水平感到不可思議；到目前為止，他們公司50000名員工中超過(guò)1/4都至少參加了一期課程。像Bertolini這樣的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者們明白，為員工提供能使其更專注、更用心的工具能夠培育出更有利于發(fā)展和高績(jī)效的更好的工作環(huán)境?！?/span>
A recent European survey discovered that nearly 50 percent of teachers surveyed in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands believed that the idle-brain theory has been proved scientifically.4 This misunderstanding originally stemmed from inaccurate interpretations of activation hot spots in brain-imaging studies. By now, more carefully interpreted functional brain scans have shown that, irrespective of what a person is doing, the entire brain is generally active and that, depending on the task, some areas are more active than others. People can always learn new ideas and new skills, not by tapping into some unused part of the brain, but by forming new or stronger connections between nerve cells.
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神話二：大腦空轉(zhuǎn)理論
近期在歐洲開(kāi)展的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)，被調(diào)查的英國(guó)和荷蘭教師中有將近50%的人相信大腦空轉(zhuǎn)理論是被科學(xué)證明了的。這一誤讀根源于腦成像研究中對(duì)于活躍熱點(diǎn)的不準(zhǔn)確解讀?，F(xiàn)在，通過(guò)更加認(rèn)真地解讀大腦功能性掃描結(jié)果，人們發(fā)現(xiàn)不管一個(gè)人在做什么，他/她的整個(gè)大腦都處于活躍狀態(tài)，且任務(wù)不同大腦的一些區(qū)域比其它區(qū)域更為活躍。人們總能通過(guò)形成新的或更強(qiáng)壯的大腦神經(jīng)元之間的連接而非通過(guò)向某些未經(jīng)使用的大腦部位灌輸來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)新觀念和新技能?！?/span>
This insight into the brain’s capacity becomes particularly relevant for the environment and context in which learning typically occurs. Everybody knows, all too well, about the habit of quickly checking e-mails or planning for the next meeting in the middle of a training session. The problem is that such multitasking engages large parts of the brain’s working memory. Without freeing that up, we cannot successfully memorize and learn new information. In short, multitasking and learning cannot occur effectively at the same time.
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關(guān)于腦容量的這一發(fā)現(xiàn)與學(xué)習(xí)發(fā)生的典型環(huán)境和背景尤其相關(guān)聯(lián)。我們每個(gè)人都知道（而且非常清楚地知道）我們?cè)趨⒓右粋€(gè)培訓(xùn)項(xiàng)目學(xué)習(xí)過(guò)程中會(huì)有習(xí)慣去迅速檢查電子郵件或規(guī)劃下一次會(huì)議。問(wèn)題是這樣的多任務(wù)活動(dòng)涉及到我們大部分的大腦工作記憶部分。如果不是釋放出一部分大腦記憶，我們就無(wú)法成功地記住和學(xué)習(xí)新的信息。簡(jiǎn)而言之，多任務(wù)活動(dòng)和學(xué)習(xí)不能在同一時(shí)間內(nèi)有效發(fā)生?！?/span>
Some organizations, recognizing this problem, are working to build immersive learning environments where distractions are eliminated. At McKinsey, we’ve created a model factory that participants can walk through to see operating conditions in action. But first, everyone is asked to place their phones and other distractive belongings in a locker, so they can fully concentrate on the learning exercise at hand. At many companies, removing the temptation of using mobile devices during learning sessions is becoming commonplace.
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有些組織認(rèn)識(shí)到了這個(gè)問(wèn)題，正在嘗試構(gòu)建沉浸式學(xué)習(xí)環(huán)境以減少干擾。在麥肯錫公司，我們已經(jīng)制造出了一個(gè)模范工廠，可供參與者四處參觀工廠的環(huán)境條件。不過(guò)首先每個(gè)人被要求將手機(jī)和其它會(huì)造成干擾的隨身物品放到儲(chǔ)物柜里，這樣他們就能夠完全專注在進(jìn)行的學(xué)習(xí)訓(xùn)練上來(lái)。在許多公司里，員工學(xué)習(xí)期間去除他們使用移動(dòng)設(shè)備的誘惑正逐漸變得越來(lái)越常見(jiàn)?！?/span>
Almost everyone has encountered the theory that most people are either dominantly analytical (and left brained) or more creative (and right brained). However, this either/or dichotomy is false. The two hemispheres of the brain are linked and communicate extensively together; they do not work in isolation. The simplistic notion of a false binary has led, in many businesses, to the misconception that each one of us has a strictly preferred learning style and channel. Recent studies have flatly disproved this idea, suggesting instead that engaging all the senses in a variety of ways (for instance, audiovisual and tactile) can help employees retain new content.
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神話三：學(xué)習(xí)方式和左/右腦假說(shuō)
我們幾乎每個(gè)人都見(jiàn)到過(guò)說(shuō)我們大部分人要么是分析型（左腦型）為主要么是創(chuàng)造型（右腦型）為主的說(shuō)法。然而，這種一分為二地看法是錯(cuò)誤的。我們大腦的兩半球是連接在一起且相互之間廣泛溝通的；它們并非獨(dú)立工作。在許多企業(yè)中，這種視大腦為二元運(yùn)作模式的錯(cuò)誤的簡(jiǎn)化概念導(dǎo)致了人們誤以為我們每個(gè)人都有一個(gè)嚴(yán)格的學(xué)習(xí)方式和學(xué)習(xí)渠道偏好。最近的研究直截了當(dāng)?shù)胤穸诉@一看法，反倒表明通過(guò)借助多種方式（比如視覺(jué)、聽(tīng)覺(jué)和觸覺(jué)）能夠幫助員工記住新內(nèi)容?！?/span>
One organization that puts this idea into practice is KFC, which uses multiple forms of learning in customer-service training. Sessions begin with an after-hours board game placing the entire team of a store in the role of the customer. This is followed up by “gamified” learning that fits into roughly 15-minute windows during shifts. These video game–like modules put the employees behind the cash register to handle a number of typical customer experiences, including responding to audio and visual cues of satisfaction. At the end of the online modules, employees physically reconvene at the front of the store to hear feedback, report on what they’ve learned, and receive live coaching as reinforcement.
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肯德基是將這一理念落到實(shí)處的一個(gè)組織，它在客戶服務(wù)培訓(xùn)方面利用了多種學(xué)習(xí)形式。在項(xiàng)目一開(kāi)始，店里所有團(tuán)隊(duì)成員都要在打烊后玩一個(gè)扮演顧客角色的游戲，第二階段學(xué)習(xí)是在每一次換班間隙進(jìn)行的“游戲化”學(xué)習(xí)活動(dòng)。在這些類似于視頻游戲的模塊中，員工被置于收款機(jī)后面來(lái)處理一些典型的客戶服務(wù)問(wèn)題，包括回應(yīng)客戶的與滿意度有關(guān)的聲音或視頻的尾白。在每個(gè)在線學(xué)習(xí)模塊結(jié)束時(shí)，員工本人在店前重新集合以聽(tīng)取反饋、匯報(bào)所學(xué)并接受強(qiáng)化輔導(dǎo)?！?/span>
Although significant progress has been made, much remains to be done to eradicate neuromyths from the philosophy of corporate-training programs. Neuroscience research has confirmed some of the approaches that learning professionals already use, such as on-the-job reinforcement and engagement without distractions. But that research has also contradicted other approaches. Companies should draw on the newly substantiated insights and may need to rethink their training programs accordingly. At the very least, they need to improve their dialogue with, and understanding of, the scientific community.
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盡管人們?cè)趶墓九嘤?xùn)項(xiàng)目領(lǐng)域中消除神經(jīng)神話方面已經(jīng)取得了顯著進(jìn)展，但依然還有很多工作要做。神經(jīng)科學(xué)的研究盡管已經(jīng)確認(rèn)了學(xué)習(xí)專家已經(jīng)在用的一些方法，比如在職強(qiáng)化和無(wú)干擾學(xué)習(xí)的有效性，但這些研究也反駁了另外一些方法。公司應(yīng)該吸取已經(jīng)證實(shí)了的最新發(fā)現(xiàn)，并且需要相應(yīng)地重新思考公司的培訓(xùn)項(xiàng)目，最起碼的，他們需要增加與科學(xué)界的對(duì)話并增強(qiáng)對(duì)于科學(xué)界的理解?！?/span>
Artin Atabaki is a consultant in McKinsey’s Stuttgart office; Stacey Dietsch is an associate principal in the Washington, DC, office; and Julia M. Sperling is a principal in the Dubai office.
The authors wish to thank McKinsey’s Jennifer May, Michael Rennie, and Kristina Wollschlaeger for their support of and contributions to this article.
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