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CHAPTER 2Can I Have Your Attention Please?

Imagine that you are driving a car down the road. You are effortlessly moving down your path, maneuvering the steering wheel through the twists and turns as well as hitting the accelerator and brake when necessary. You have driven on this road dozens of times so you know each curve and even a few potholes. As you are driving, your attention shifts from the road to an important meeting that is happening at work on Monday morning. As you continue your trip, you think about the work that needs to be done in advance of that meeting. By the end of the 20‐minute drive, you have mapped out how you would like the Monday meeting to flow and even considered how you would like to structure the presentation.

Now imagine that you are driving down the same road and you have a passenger sitting next to you. She is a good friend who is sharing the emotional details of her recent breakup. You are performing all of the same tasks in driving the car as outlined above but also listening and responding to your friend's story. You are constantly shifting focus between the road and your friend, sometimes focusing on the road a bit more when there is a turn and sometimes concentrating on your friend when she gets more emotional or asks you a question. Your mind briefly wanders to the Monday meeting while she is talking, but between the road and your friend, there is little opportunity to focus on the flow of the upcoming presentation or potential outcomes. ...