You've heard the expressions: "He lost his nerve;" "He doesn't have the stomach for it;" "No guts."

"As it turns out, those expressions are anatomically accurate," says Dr. Stephen Josephs. "The nerve that you lose when you're afraid is the vagus nerve, which runs from the belly to the brain. It transmits messages about whether the world is a safe or dangerous place. What we now know about the functioning of this nerve has direct applications making leaders more effective and all of us happier and more courageous."

Josephs, author of the new book, "Dragons at Work," (www.DragonsAtWork.com), teaches executives how to reliably create states of optimal performance by achieving control of the vagus nerve. When making decisions about resources, leading teams or talking with the board of directors, courage and poise in the face of rapidly changing business environments are essential for a leader.

"Rather than losing your nerve, you can strengthen it. Courage is a skill you can learn and a capacity you can systematically build. The vagus nerve has been linked to everything from digestion issues to stress and depression," he says. "A benefit of inner body balance includes the projection of true poise; authentic confidence from a leader is what can create a business culture that breeds financial success because employees and clients trust the person in charge to make important decisions from a stable perspective."

Using specific techniques from martial arts, meditation and other mind-body disciplines, Dr. Josephs guides executives to build resourcefulness and courage as a habitual response to challenge.

He offers tips for business executives to promote a healthy, vagus nerve-friendly environment:

• When angry or afraid, take a high quality breath: People might tell an agitated person to "take a breath," but it's the quality of the breath that makes all the difference. For someone who has practiced breathing has wired in an automatic relaxation response, one breath immediately begins to calm them. To practice do this when you're not under stress: As you inhale, relax your belly and the muscles of your torso, and soften your muscles on the inhale. On the exhale become still. Widen your peripheral vision - take in more of the room, and rest in a more wide open awareness. At this point, your vagus nerve will be sending you messages that the world is a safe place and your ability to respond intelligently will be greatly enhanced.

• Move forward with a relaxed vagus nerve. Now, in a calmer, more resourceful and masterful state, you can apply a saner perspective to a variety of tasks: connect with employees; complete the agenda; let good ideas emerge from employees, with less pressure from management, so they affirm their own competencies. Acknowledge what's already working well by giving individuals and teams credit. Enjoy your work, knowing that whatever emerges, you can handle it.

• Get over thyself and lighten up: See how much you can accomplish with the least amount of force. And drop self-importance. Remember, unless you're Donald Trump or Miss Piggy and self-aggrandizement is part of your brand identity, it's bad for business. It introduces unnecessary noise into the system and distorts communication. Drop self-importance and you'll hear critical bad news faster, and people will trust that you can handle it.

About Dr. Stephen Josephs

With more than 30 years experience as an executive coach and consultant, Stephen Josephs, Ed. D, helps leaders build vitality and focus to make their companies profitable - and great places to work. His doctorate at the University of Massachusetts focused on Aesthetics in Education: how to teach anything through art, music, drama and movement. Josephs is particularly interested in the intersection of business performance, psychology and mind/body disciplines. His new novel, "Dragons at Work," tells the story of a tightly wound executive - a fictionalized case study of coaching that produces fundamental changes in a leader. Josephs has also co-authored "Leadership Agility: Five Levels of Mastery in Anticipating and Initiating Change" (Jossey-Bass, 2006) with Bill Joiner, which shows how certain stages of psychological development affect leadership.

Launch 'Friends of Magic' to Provide At-Risk Students with Resources to Get Back on Track and Build a Bright Future

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today joined Earvin "Magic" Johnson to launch the NBA Hall-of-Famer's new organization, "Friends of Magic." The movement aims to provide at-risk students with the tools they need to graduate high school and have a successful future. The Governor's participation in the launch is part of his agenda to prepare every child for success in college, career and beyond.

"It means a lot to have someone like Magic Johnson make this important investment in the students of Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "We must remember that it is everyone's responsibility to help students who are  struggling by keeping them in school or on the road to recovery. I thank Magic for bringing attention to this cause, especially as someone who knows that - either on the court or in the classroom - you can accomplish great things if you never give up."

Friends of Magic is a new organization that brings together a network of individuals, foundations and companies whose mission is to provide students who are at risk or have dropped out the resources and assistance they need to not only graduate high school, but the opportunity to build their future through educational resources, internships and real-world experiences.

"As many as one quarter of our nation's students are not finishing high school, our goal is to ensure that no student falls through the cracks, and that all students have the opportunity to receive their high school diplomas and be fully prepared for college or the workplace," Johnson said. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to bring our Bridgescape program to Chicago, and greatly appreciate the support we have received from the community."

Today's announcement takes place at the newly established North/South Lawndale Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academy, one of two Chicago-area blended-learning programs that provides students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of school with a free alternative path to earn a high school diploma in an environment that fits their schedule, life circumstances and learning needs. Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academies are currently in six states with a total enrollment of 1,675.

Governor Quinn has been leading a strong education agenda to build a brighter future for all Illinois students. The Governor signed landmark education reform laws in 2011 that gained national attention and in August enacted a new law that lowers the compulsory school age for students in Illinois in order to ensure all children have the opportunity to build a solid foundation for academic achievement and to help combat truancy. Research shows that children who start school at an earlier age are more likely to attend college and less likely to drop out of school, be placed in special education or commit crime.

DES MOINES, IA (09/18/2013)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald met with the family of a Mason City child yesterday to present a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account. Hannah Dixon, age one, was randomly chosen to receive the award after her mother, Michelle, entered her for the giveaway as part of College Savings Iowa's Summer Giveaway.

"With college tuition rising faster than inflation, saving for college is not an easy task these days," stated Fitzgerald. "Saving ahead of time is one of the most significant things a family can do to help make college a reality for their child. It can reduce a parent's need to borrow to cover educational expenses, which can help them-and their child-get through college with less debt."

College Savings Iowa offers a convenient, affordable, tax-advantaged way for families to start saving for their children's education. It takes just $25 to open a College Savings Iowa account, and anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest on behalf of a child. Participants who are Iowa taxpayers can deduct contributions up to $3,045 per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income in 2013 and there are no income or residency restrictions.*

Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investment federally tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and certain room and board costs at any eligible college, university, community college or technical training school in the United States or abroad. To learn more about College Savings Iowa, go to www.collegesavingsiowa.com or call 1-888-672-9116. You can also like College Savings Iowa on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/CollegeSavingsIowa529Plan to keep up to date on other giveaway opportunities.

*Adjusted annually for inflation if withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income. The earnings portion of nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as the responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 1-888-332-7545, or visit www.my529iowaplan.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa State Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer of the State of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the Treasurer with marketing and distributing the Plan. Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

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MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT's local public affairs program "The Cities," hosted by Jim Mertens, is now being taped at the WQAD studios in Moline.

"The Cities," which premiered on Thanksgiving Day in 2010, features a new opening and graphics and a more intimate set.

"We are excited to be working with WQAD as we enter our fourth year producing 'The Cities,'," said WQPT General Manager Mary Pruess. "We look forward to expanding this partnership in the coming months."

"The Cities" airs on WQPT on Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Sunday at 5:30 pm, and on WVIK on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays at noon.

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University located in Moline, Illinois.

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