Keep it Simple in Turbulent Times.
NeuroTip #4 | July 2023
Are you here to invest in your professional growth?
Well welcome, good to have you on board.
As we are surrounded by complexity, we’ve kept the Neuroletter straightforward, with tangible ‘so whats' that work with your brain to synthesise and simplify the information.
We all want to be champions, and we all can be because being a champion for you differs from what it means to me. That’s how teams complement each other.
And like our brains, nothing transformational or inspirational remains the same shape for long. We are constantly looking to adapt, flex, and quickly move on to the next thing.
To meet these shifting needs talented, inspirational leaders surround themselves with the right team because the top job is too big for one person.
These leaders look at the individual talents and strengths and how the team compliments, helps, coaches, and challenges each other.
You know that humanity needs to shape the future through a new lens. The question is which one?
From our research and knowledge, we would suggest it is one of curiosity, courage, and fairness. Technology is hurtling us into the unwritten and our brains are on a flight or fight alert, making them feel safer and doing their job.
This is where culture steps in. For wellbeing and potential to thrive environments need to foster psychosocial safety, reducing anxiety and threat switching our mindsets to a positive, healthier valence.
The value of neuroscience is that the insights into how our brains operate mean you can understand the wholeness of yourself enabling you to be the craftsperson of your own life. That’s the beauty of being an authentic individual with your unique brain.
So what?
Here are 3 Champion team, evidenced brain tips that we have used in our research and with our clients, to inspire your team and achieve transformational results:
1. Foster a growth mindset culture. Help people move away from being fixed in their thinking because it feels safe. Mindsets can be moved as the brain remains malleable with neuroplasticity and seeing opportunities and learning will become a habit. Accept that setbacks can become progress, and if you believe the glass is half full it will be as this is the perspective you are giving to all the brains in the room.
2. Connect work to purpose and leverage it. This engages the motivation networks like dopamine reward pathways and opioid release. Create a compelling story as this activates the sensory and association cortices aiding memory, learning and visualisation of new identities and behaviours.
3. Reward effort. This releases dopamine to reinforce behaviours and stimulates the brain's neuroplasticity to develop and shape new neural pathways. Progress also builds resilience both collectively and for the organisational culture.
4 x Leaders Brain Techniques
1. As the leader you will have a rough idea of what needs to be achieved and how. But it is not all down to you. If you want fellowship you must inspire others to follow.
2. Sit down with your team and use a facilitator so you can be fully present. This could happen over one or more structured meetings. Share your idea and strategy for success, and then play to their strengths and talents, sound check it, shape it, challenge it, and mould it to meet your agenda for the future.
3. Be aware of creating an environment where everyone speaks, not just the loud few. Show respect, listen, be genuine in how you ask when points are not clear and thank everyone.
4. Share and ask for updates on the newest developments in tech or otherwise. Nothing is more valuable than other points of view especially across age groups and diversity.
Remember no one knows it all.
“Listen to all the brains in your business. The diversity of thought you’ll find is astounding”.
🚀 Testimonial Time
We believe in paying it forward because applied organisational neuroscience is a developing field accelerated by generative AI and new talent. We like to share with students as they are our future.
“Soraya’s sharp insights into how neuroscience can be leveraged in business and creative pursuits were enormously helpful to me as a developing neuroscience researcher. She helped me think creatively about how my research might be relevant to commercial ventures, and shared her pioneering vision for how all people-focused industries might be optimised using innovative strategies informed by psychology and neuroscience”.
✍🏼 News Spot
• Next week a white paper on Bullying and how it damages the brain that I have contributed to will be released.
• September sees the first of a series of roundtables on “Reframing Creativity”.
• In October the ION partnership book 'Brains Inspiring Business' will be available and includes my chapter on ‘Resilience & Wellbeing’.
🧠 If you want to support all the brains in your business to evolve and reach their higher potential – get in touch.
