Rule 1:Be Dominant —Reptiles love social hierarchies and are always getting into power struggles to prove that they are the top dinosaur. “The way to deal with power-hungry lizards is simple— don’t engage them in a dominance fight,” advises Bernstein. “Let them talk louder, interrupt or sit at the commanding place at the table. Let them use their power stares. Just realise what is going on and don’t give in to them on important issues.
”Rule 2:Do It Now—The impulsive urge to do things now is a knee-jerk response rooted in the instant action required to survive attacks by predators. “Dinosaur Brain managers are always putting out brush fires and never finding time for long-term planning,” says Bernstein. “Their arousal systems are going full-time, producing chaos for co-workers, not to mention stress-related symptoms such as ulcers, headaches, insomnia and maybe, excessive smoking or drinking. “If you work with impulsive people, deal with them gently. Tell them their strong points, and gently let them know their weak points. “Impulsive people tend to talk rapidly and make it hard for you to get a word in. If you want them to notice you, start out by speaking as loudly and quickly as they do. Then adjust your pacing to slower and softer.
”Rule 3:Defend Yourself—Infringe a dinosaur’s territory and his hackles will rise instantly. He will do anything to scare off or destroy the intruder. “If someone defends their territory fiercely then back off and speak from the figurative boundary line,” says Bernstein. “Use the channels that the lizard has decreed are appropriate. Write a memo, make a phone call, set up a meeting, whatever is the proper way to gain access to the territory. If you try to sneak in the back door, you might accomplish your immediate goal but the lizard will be more difficult to deal with:
Rule 4:Get A Mate— The mating instinct is the powerful force which draws together the unlikeliest of partners in passionate office romances.“The season comes to a distant rainforest and the giant dinosaur seeks a mate. He preens, puffs and parades before the females until he finds one who is receptive,. He singles her out from the herd and they begin the intricate dance of courtship. Their tiny brains shut out all thoughts except each other,” says Bernstein. “The only thing to do is stand back and watch the earth move.
”Rule 5:Fight Back – When the dinosaurs in your office turn threatening, your instincts will tell you to fight, run or freeze. To avoid being trampled: Stop, think, and use lizard logic. “If your Dinosaur Brain is always screaming, ‘Fight, fight, fight’, ask yourself, ‘What do 1 win if 1 compete in this situation, and is what 1 would win important to me? Is it important enough to risk the animosity of the person I’m competing with’,” advises Bernstein. “If you are an avoided you have to set priorities and stick to them. If there is a hard way and an easy way, take the hard way. “Recognise your internal voice trying to talk you into running away. Talk back. “If you are afraid of something, force yourself to approach it. It will be scary at first but the more you practise the easier it will become. The more you say, ‘I can’t’, the more it becomes true. Look instead for what you can do within the situation and build on that.
”Rule6:Show Pain – DINOSAURS were very vocal about their pain, which served to warn the herd about danger or to summon aid, says Bernstein. Therefore it is wise to listen out for the roars of their modern counterparts. The trouble is that today’s monsters are mostly the architects of their own misery…but don’t realise it. The dinosaur never sees himself as the source of any of his troubles. Whenever something goes wrong, he has two responses – to complain or to blame other people,” says Bernstein. “When you’re surrounded by a crowd of people who are screaming, yelling and demanding some body’s head, just sit there quietly. This response is much more thought-out and creative than simply agreeing with them. “‘Whatever someone complains about, brings up a good point. This might get the complainer to s 0 and think, and it’s also a good way of covering you tail.“People who remember the situation at a later date might see you as the only one who didn’t lose his or her head. You might even be considered the leader when everyone has calmed down.
”Rule 7:Keep Cool- The world is divided into two categories for dinosaurs -good and evil, says Bernstein.“Good,of course, means people like them. Often decisions that should be made on the merits of a case are made instead on moral judgments. Trying to shift someone from their prejudices usually has the same success rate as wrestling with a tiger. All you can do is try to tame your own tendency towards unfair bias, he says. Finally, here’s how to spot the Dinosaur Brains in your office … They give themselves away by using emotional statements rather than arguing logically. If a colleague begins a conversation with any of the openers below you’ll know it’s Dinosaur time:“l want to tell you my real feelings… ““You always…”You never …“We all feel…”“Why wasn’t I consulted about…?”“How come some people are allowed to…”“I thought I was in charge…”“In the good old days…”