WE'RE NEUROSCIENCE NERDS
We’re firm believers that if you know how a piece of equipment works, you can operate it more effectively. That’s especially true if the equipment in question is the human brain. We’ve discovered that teaching leaders about the workings of the brain leads to self-awareness and insights that set the stage for increased effectiveness. Neuroscience is a powerful and expanding area of study offering significant benefits to individuals and organizations. We stay on top of the latest research and tools in the field to ensure we can bring the best solutions to our clients. If you're interested in learning more, check out the three articles below. Terry wrote these during her studies for her Certificate in NeuroLeadership through the NeuroLeadership Institute.
BRING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS BY SHOWING A LITTLE LOVE
Leaders, take a look around your office. See that employee, the one in the third cubicle over, studying a spreadsheet? Inside, he’s seething because instead of being asked to present at tomorrow’s meeting to senior management, the new data analyst has been assigned the task.
Notice the woman who leads the R & D function — your peer at the leadership table — gesturing in your direction? She’s rather pleased that the GM took you down a notch at the meeting this morning; she hasn’t trusted you since you got all the praise for the technical solution that saved a key client, and her team got barely a mention.
And see the long-term employee staring intently at his computer screen? He’s checking his bank statements — again. He hasn’t slept well since he heard a rumor that there’s a reorganization coming.
And you thought everyone was working, didn’t you?
LEADERSHIP LESSONS IN EMOTIONAL REGULATION
News flash for employers everywhere: Upset, disheartened, worried, anxious and overloaded employees don’t give you their best efforts. But perhaps not for the reasons you might think.
Even if those employees wanted to do a great job for you, they can’t. Distressed employees are physiologically unable to give their work their full attention, their highest quality thinking, their most profound insights or their best ideas.
At the risk of over simplifying: stress makes us stupid.
HELP YOUR BRAIN MAKE THE LEAP TO NEW SUPERVISOR
One of the most challenging workplace transitions is the one from independent contributor to front-line supervisor. Supervisors new to their roles frequently report feeling overwhelmed by the demands on their time and attention, a problem exacerbated by the struggle many have in letting go of their individual contributor roles.
This paper proposes that organizations would be well served by helping these soon-to-be supervisors understand the neurological underpinnings of these transition challenges as a way of helping them move, with fewer missteps, into their leadership positions.