Neurons, Chemistry, Electricity and Leading Change

What do neurons, chemistry, electricity and leadership have in common? While attending the annual conference of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy I learned some new fascinating things from social neuroscience about the brain and change.

Drawing from old and new research findings of more than 20 interdisciplinary scholars, I want to share a few basic things to remember about the brain, leadership, and change.

1. The brain is constantly changing. It can alter its structure, generate new neurons, adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma, and change deep-seated emotions and behaviors throughout life. Therefore, change is normal. But it does not mean that it is easy.
2. Power of the mind and focus. Brain cells are undergoing continual remodeling and reorganization as a result of thoughts and experiences. In order to make changes, or to lead others in a process of change, you have to harness the power of the mind, and especially focus the will power and attention in the right way.
3. The brain is “social.” We are wired to connect. We help co-create each others brains. But in order to have neurons “mirror” neurons in another brain, there needs to be an emotional connection that helps the limbic system create the chemicals that make connection and change easier. Therefore, in order to facilitate change, a leader needs to genuinely care about those he works with. Also, he needs to ensure that the change process elicits collaboration instead of conflict. Otherwise, the emotional system gets into “fight, flight, or paralyze” mode and change is not possible.
4. Stress is the biggest enemy of change. Our brain needs a balance between safety and novelty. If individuals do not feel safe in a change environment, they will resist change as a survival response. Anything a leader can do to lower stress levels will help the change processes.
5. Repetition matters. Neuroplasticity (a fancy name for brain-change) happens through exception and repetition. A leader will do well to point out those unique moments when the people are successfully doing the expected changed behavior, amplifying those exceptions as a way to encourage their repetition. Only through repetition will the new behaviors become the new norm. Many change efforts fail just at the point when, if everybody had persisted a little more, the change would have become the new easy way to do things.
6. Heart and Brain need to work together. A leaders needs to appeal not only to the rational part of the brain, but also to positive emotions. Positive emotions result in physical healthy heart rhythms. The electromagnetic signals generated by the heart have the capacity to affect others around us. Positively managing stress and emotions, which results in more coherence between the heart and the brain, will also maximize individual flexibility, creativity and intelligence. If negative emotions are affecting the heart with stress, causing erratic rhythms, there is not enough coherence in the body to encourage improvements in cognitive performance.

If you want to know more details about how the brain can enhance your success, take a look at what everybody ought to know about change, The introduction of the workbook I use in my program: REWIRE your brain for success: how to convert dreams into positive action.

I invite you to share your comments and thoughts about this subject below.

Photo by: Patrick Hoesly