Labeling situations when we are consciously or unconsciously reacting out of fear, as “hearing shark music”, is a metaphor for when we are struggling to think rationally and respond thoughtfully.
The idea is that when shark music is playing in the background (in our heads), we are operating in fight, flight, freeze, or faint mode…and unable to experience empathy, engage in collaborative problem-solving, or act with compassion….things critically needed by effective leaders, brain architects, and fellow citizens.
Click here to watch a quick video I made about “hearing shark music” and here for a video you can share to teach others about “shark music”.
Recognizing our own shark music stems from self-awareness, which can be defined as the ability to:
- recognize and understand one’s own emotions
- capitalize upon one’s strengths
- recognize one’s own biases, emotional triggers, and limitations
- know that, ultimately, we have control over our emotions and how we respond to situations
To learn more about how to promote self-awareness during professional development and learning events, read my blog titled, “How Being Aware of “Sharks” Improves Professional Practice.”
In the blog post, I share how to support the social-emotional well-being of adult learners through teaching them to recognize when they hear shark music. I also provide a suggestion for how to “turn down” the shark music.
In addition to the activity shared in the blog post, you can also use our Superpowers Self-Assessment to help yourself and others learn how to respond vs. react to shark music.
Click here to learn about our work around superpowers and gain access to all the files (including the PPT) needed to facilitate the Superpowers Self-Assessment.
FYI, the self-assessment can be completed individually or as a group during professional development and learning. For example, it’s a great way to kick off a staff meeting and trigger the positive emotional attractor.
Bonus #PDTip
There are 32 superpowers, which we also refer to as attributes from our Essence Glossary™. The superpowers include things like humor, hope, and kindness, and they have associated free and for-a-fee resources associated with them (see related resources below).
One resource is our Printables Pack, which includes activity sheets for all 32 attributes (click here to download a sample activity sheet).
Each activity sheet provides an opportunity for adult learners to color and to reflect. And both the act of coloring and journaling slow the body and help focus the mind…which helps to increase self-awareness skills! The sheets can be printed and duplicated for use during training and/or coaching sessions.
To download more, go to the Pre-K Teach and Play shop, and pick the Product category, printables. From there, you can purchase individual activity sheets to meet your professional development needs.
You can also purchase the Workbook of Human Superpowers Printables Pack (all 32 activity sheets). Click here.
Related Resources
- The Workbook of Human Superpowers [link]
- IEP Superpowers Quiz (free) [link]
- Podcast on unleashing your superpowers as a PD activity [link]
- Children’s books aligned to the Essence Glossary™ attributes [link]
- Excerpt from a conversation with Laura Fish about attention vs. awareness [audio]
- Essence Glossary™ Daily Journal [link]
- Essence Glossary™ Package (free) [link]
- Video about the Essence Glossary™ (free) [video]
- Video on how to use your superpowers in the face of resistance (free) [video]
- One for fun – JAWS