Ten Questions About Harvest and Happiness: The Top Ten Questions Managers, Consultants, and Men Care About Most

Harvest

Sometimes, even the most astute managers aren't any more adept at dealing with their own "ego" issues than the average person. A few years ago, 36-year-old Hammer, the founder of a telecommunications marketing company, was furious that his most profitable department was managed by 33-year-old Han. Hammer felt Han was rebellious, passive, and inept at seizing high-profit opportunities. "I used to think he lacked energy, enthusiasm, and the spirit to propose solutions to business problems," Hammer recalled. Han also deeply resented Hammer. The young man longed for a mentor like a father, but his boss seemed like his worst high school coach: autocratic, slow-witted, and a one-way communicator. "I was so angry with him that I had to vent to those clowns so I wouldn't actually resort to violence," Han said today. "I didn't plan to hit him, but I harbored deep resentment!" Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and decided to resign. Hammer suddenly realized that it was incredibly inefficient to make the most productive manager walk. He consulted with his father-who was also a member of the company's board of directors-who suggested he see Dr. David Charney, a psychopathologist specializing in consulting with corporate executives. Dr. Charney met with both clients separately. Hammer said, "He could see that we had many similarities. But we just couldn't communicate; we didn't appreciate each other." Dr. Charney pointed out that Han had a dislike for authority figures and suggested they see each other as personal trainers and sports stars; the three began meeting monthly. Finally, Hammer said, "We let down our guard and communicated with each other like ordinary people." Han added, "I've matured; I no longer need affirmation. My work itself is the reward."

Self-conflict of company executives

This is a common phenomenon across the United States: senior managers fight tooth and nail against each other like bulls battling in mating season. The chairman clashes with the general manager; the general manager, in turn, argues with the vice president and other managers. Partners, meanwhile, despise each other; they fight over promotions, spheres of influence, the company's future, or simply personal styles. Rumors of their battles at board meetings are the most frequent reports in business newspapers and magazines.

However, when these cutthroat competitions lead to the sudden resignation or dismissal of key personnel, some companies hire a psychologist or psychiatrist to mediate. The most unique aspect of this type of treatment isn't the counseling itself-since it merely borrows the techniques of marriage counseling and utilizes a bit of business acumen-but rather the clients. Typically, senior managers are the last to admit they need help, let alone suggest psychological counseling. However, they gradually become more accepting and receptive to help, because they must consider the company's interests as well as their own. Therefore, they are now taking courses that benefit everyone involved.

It's unclear exactly how many consultants practice in this field today. Because so many managers view "psychological counseling" differently, many managerial psychotherapists tend to disguise themselves, calling themselves "business consultants," "management consultants," or "communication experts" instead of "doctors." Their workplaces lack leather couches or framed Freud portraits; they have heart-shaped dining tables, bonsai trees, and offices similar to those of corporate executives. Aside from the equipment, it operates much like marriage counseling. The specialist sees one patient at a time-or two together-to avoid bias. He must gain the other's trust, become a bridge for communication, assist them in role-playing, help them clarify, and establish an open and empathetic communication model. Initially, bringing both parties together for meetings may seem somewhat cold, often causing long-simmering resentment to erupt and be released prematurely.

One consultant, Sidley Scott, gave an example: “I was with two lawyers, and when I tried to write down one of them restating his opinion, I misinterpreted his claim. He immediately yelled at me, saying I was incredibly stupid. At that point, his partner turned to me and said, ‘Now do you understand my predicament?’” Many aspects of relationships are like marriages, and some companies are run by two partners. This kind of “marital-like mutual dislike” is also quite common. Dr. Durrell Holland, a psychologist from St. Louis who specializes in management and business consulting, discussed the case of two architects who opened a successful design firm in the American Southwest. When they reached middle age, one partner began to tire of his work, often dozing off in meetings, frequently leaving early without explanation, and leaving a pile of work for his increasingly angry partner. All this unpleasantness was buried inside. Their communication consisted only of “How are you?” “Fine!” “How are the books today?” After months of frustration and panic, the partner who wanted to leave the partnership finally called Dr. Holland, having hesitated for weeks before explaining why he was calling. Including this case, the rate of separation resulting from counseling is far higher than reconciliation: the person realized that he was only staying at the company for money and reputation, and chose to leave. Dr. Holland said, "They went their separate ways, but avoided a major rift and accusations; this was a peaceful resolution!" The psychologist says that such frustration and panic are common symptoms before managers turn against each other; patients often exhibit many other phenomena, from shortness of breath to head tilting (a strange, twisting, numb symptom of the head).

Although "ego" is always a primary concern in management consulting projects, managers who come here invariably present themselves as the more "right" party; even when they are wrong, they are reluctant to admit it. Once they have made up their minds, they will never humbly relinquish them. Management consultants help these managers control their "self-righteousness" and teach them to respect and acknowledge the opinions of others.

Six said, "We try to shift them from an 'egocentric' perspective to a 'relative' one." Psychologist James Tyrell also said, "Our most basic task is to help people understand each other and appreciate things from an 'objective' perspective rather than a 'subjective' one. We help them understand that conflict is not necessarily a win-lose situation; it can also be a mutually beneficial solution."

A strong man in a suit

The psychologist says this need to "win" is real for most people. Dr. Channey points out that emphasizing others' opinions is a courtesy women are taught from childhood, but men never pay attention to it. He says men need to discover something more worthy of emphasis within themselves. Dr. Daniel Kegan also says, "We can find that traditionally masculine men find it difficult to do things that 'resolve conflict.' Because that's not something a typical man would say, like, 'Oh! Sorry, I was wrong!'." Knowing this, managerial consultants must also speak like real men. "After I finished playing the role of a psychologist, I tried to play the role of a real man as much as possible," Dr. Channey says, sometimes scheduling lunch meetings with patients. "I want them to know that I'm good at my job; but more than that, I want them to see me as a businessman who understands their struggles. I use business jargon, not psychiatric jargon, and I stay informed about current trends in the business world. I want to say things like 'what we guys say.' Nobody can know exactly how much."

Ten Happy Questions

From nutrition to sex to baldness-here are questions every man will ask at least once in his life. If you haven't asked them yet, now is the time.

Because society's definition of a (real) man often conveys complex and contradictory information, men are often confused and at a loss when faced with various choices and societal responsibilities. The following questions are common questions men ask in today's society, and the answers are provided by authoritative experts and scholars in the fields of nutrition, medicine, and interpersonal relations.

What nutrients do men need most?

Before answering this question, we must first understand the role of nutrients in disease prevention, especially those common in men. These (male nutrients) can combat circulatory problems, prevent colon cancer, or reduce the likelihood of infertility; however, these nutrients are often overlooked in our daily diet.

With this understanding, we can say that magnesium, vitamin C, zinc, and fiber are all essential nutrients in a man's diet.

Magnesium (Recommended daily intake: 350 mg)

Magnesium helps regulate a person's heartbeat. Insufficient intake can increase the risk of myocardial infarction, sudden death, and lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, sudden cardiac arrest, and suffocation.

Magnesium can prevent blood vessel blockage caused by platelet aggregation. It can also prevent coronary artery spasms, which prevent blood from reaching the heart, causing severe chest pain in mild cases and heart attacks in severe cases. Recent medical reports show that magnesium not only prevents heart disease but can also save lives during a heart attack.

Although magnesium is so important, most people still don't get enough. The body uses magnesium in several ways: it's lost when food is cooked or boiled; it's unknowingly depleted through sweating during exercise; alcohol consumption depletes many minerals; stress accelerates magnesium loss; and magnesium deficiency can also increase stress levels. The older we get, the less magnesium our bodies can obtain from food, and coupled with the fact that we tend to eat less, magnesium intake becomes severely insufficient.

To increase magnesium intake, try eating more seafood (especially shrimp, clams, and crabs), spinach, grains, peas, soybeans, corn, cabbage, walnuts, and almonds.

Vitamin C (Recommended daily intake: 60 mg)

In the past, British sailors often suffered from chronic vitamin C deficiency due to rushing during voyages, which is rare today. However, men who prefer high-fat foods and work in environments with toxic substances are still prone to vitamin C deficiency.

An Indian study found that vitamin C can effectively prevent blood clots, which are often the culprit behind coronary artery spasm.

Another Scottish study found that a daily intake of one gram of vitamin C over two months could reduce cholesterol by 16% in adults aged 24 to 34. For those aged 55 to 61, cholesterol could be reduced by 14%, but it would take six months to a year to see the effects.

The best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, green bell peppers, papayas, cabbage, cauliflower, melons, sunflower seeds, and strawberries.

Zinc (Recommended daily intake: 15 mg)

Male sexual function and fertility both require adequate zinc. Zinc is an essential element for the body to make proteins, and zinc-containing enzymes help long chains of amino acids link together to form proteins, the genetic material within cells: DNA (dianucleotides) and RNA (trinucleotides) both originate from proteins. Because zinc plays a crucial role in protein and DNA synthesis, a deficiency may affect cell division and hinder testicular growth.

Zinc also has a significant impact on the body's resistance to disease and can prevent the accumulation of toxic metals such as chromium and lead in the body.

The best sources of zinc are seafood, liver, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, soybeans, and yeast.

Fiber (Recommended daily intake: 30 grams)

I recommend eating more salads, peas, soybeans, fruits, and whole-wheat bread, as these vegetarian foods are rich in fiber. While the fiber in whole grains or plant stems and leaves cannot be dissolved by the acids in the digestive system and does not provide nutrients, it helps the body absorb nutrients, and its importance is comparable to any mineral or vitamin.

A low-fiber diet increases the risk of colon cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. These are major health concerns for Western men.

Fiber can be divided into five types: cellulose, hemicellulose, mucilage (secreted by plants), pectin, and lignin, each with its own benefits. Water-soluble mucilage and pectin are particularly important for men's health because they can remove cholesterol from blood vessels and prevent thrombosis.

Oats are an excellent source of viscous fiber; almost half of a bundle of oat noodles is soluble fiber, and studies have shown that oat bran can significantly lower blood cholesterol levels. A high-fiber diet can lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol (LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein, commonly known as bad cholesterol; HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, commonly known as good cholesterol).

Pectin is another type of water-soluble fiber that also helps lower cholesterol. Apples, oranges, pears, carrots, and beets are typically rich in pectin.

A lack of fiber in the diet has a serious consequence: colon cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Hemicellulose, also known as pentosans, has been proven to effectively prevent colon cancer. This is because fiber helps to quickly expel carcinogens from the intestines, thus protecting the colon. Hemicellulose can be obtained from various mushrooms, bananas, and plums, and is also abundant in vegetables such as sunflower seeds, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, and eggplant.

Fiber can reduce the absorption of sugar, so some high-fiber foods can effectively control diabetes. Compared to refined foods, high-fiber foods make people feel full more easily, and feeling full quickly naturally leads to eating less, making it easier to lose weight, control weight, and ultimately pursue better health.