The ‘NeuroMyths’ Neuroletter NeuroTip #13, 27th May 2024

Pause……………. Enjoy an Oxytocin moment!

‘Unbossing’ is a new term doing the rounds. Essentially, it means managers and leaders employing a hands-off approach, entrusting their team to get things done whilst they focus on wider direction, purpose, vision, stakeholder & shareholders relationships, and future sustainable strategy.

It's a naturally good idea from both a motivational and brain perspectives.

With the massive amount of change and rapid response needed across businesses, expecting the leaders to spring into action with all the right thinking and solutions is impossible, not least because the brain does not have infinite energy – once the buckets empty, its empty, and you can’t force good thinking!

Taking this approach is damaging to the mental health of the leaders, and undermines the autonomy, skills and input of the individual and group experts deployed across the business. It also hinders critical thinking and fluidity of response across the whole organisation. Group think takes over, making an organisation ineffective at remaining competitive in the current continuing, churning markets and global economy (Group Flow.)

‘Unbossing’ means that leaders need to relinquish total control and trust others. It’s a tough one because, as humans, most of us crave control.

For our brains, control means not having to use up precious energy second guessing what might happen and going into survival mode. When we lack control, uncertainty impacts cognitive decision-making, emotional regulation, resilience, and overall mental wellbeing.

So how do you do it?

Here are two neuro-hacks that build on each other and with practice (Alipasha Vaziri et al. Nature), can lessen the anxiety of ‘Unbossing’ and minimise uncertainty:

1.??? Globally amongst business leaders we have seen some horrendous miscarriages of justice lately. Either these individuals never had any values or sense of humanity to start with or they become blinded by power, status, and the fear of losing it. In doing so they lost their moral compass. ?Our observation is that they also became over-whelmed by Imposter Syndrome/Phenomena, (this would be an interesting point of human nature to explore here but sadly it’s not the purpose of this month’s Neuroletter).

“The neurons that fire together, wire together”. To ensure you and your teams are in tandem and you are establishing a psychosocial environment that meets the needs of the Social Brain, utalise the brains natural neuroplasticity. Explore with your teams what the purpose of your work is and why you are doing what you do. What beliefs are important for your roles? What are your boundaries? What line are you not willing to cross?

This provides a behavioural framework and prevents people looking over their shoulders worrying about toxic office politics or if they are in the ‘out’ groups or accepted within their ‘in’ groups (Interoception). It means you bring your personal life values into work as a moral compass.

2.??? Does everyone from new starters right up to the C-suite and key business partners know the purpose of your organisation? Do they understand your organisational values and importantly what behaviours they stand for, specifically what’s acceptable and what’s not? ?

Establishing a preventative, brain healthy culture is a key driver of sustainability.? Evidenced applied neuroscience shows organisations prosper by limiting over-worrying and cognitive shutdown. This should be modelled by the C-suite and ‘heads of’ whose responsibility it is to infuse the environment with a strong sense of trust based on day-to-day transparency, a culture of celebration and regular growth feedback (including feedback on the leaders too). It’s not just brave; its common sense. After all, why would you want all the brains in your business to be on high alert for social and personal threat!

We all have a responsibility for the mental wellbeing of those we interact with, particularly in a work environment. Being cognisant of everyone’s need for control and trust in their lives is a given.

Smugness has no place at work. Our brains are the organ of relationships and how we fit in is at the crux of a healthy social brain and good mental health.

Brain size determines intelligence.

Afraid not.

For those of you with big heads, you’ve just got a big head!

What determines intelligence is still being studied. It’s a complex and multifaceted concept involving not only cognitive (IQ) but emotional (EQ) processes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how they interact together. Studies show that intelligence is based on the strength of neuronal connections, the brains’ ability to integrate across different regions, neuronal networks, application of knowledge, memory formation and retention, and not forgetting genetics. Since there is no neural normal, with each of our brains being different, the basis of intelligence becomes even more complicated!

Latest News

·????? With the UK elections underway, the presentation of the white paper on Bullying at Work by MP Rachel Maskell has been postponed until Parliament sits again. We will keep you updated when we learn more.

·????? ‘The Art of Asking Smarter Questions’ Harvard Business Review. Differentiators across businesses have changed, mostly due to the ease of access to information. So, to meaningfully innovate, it’s the questions you ask that will make the difference and give you a competitive edge. Business leaders and their teams need to be more forensic if they are to reframe, reimagine and rewire to achieve more creative solutions hbr.org

·????? Brains Inspiring Businesses for Leaders is now on?Kindle! Follow this link to order: Ideas for Leaders?Or?Amazon

?Brainy Podcast: Talking Creativity and Innovation Series 2.

Tracy and I are busy recording Series 2. of ‘Brainy Podcasts: Talking Creativity and Innovation’, to inspire your businesses and organisations to stay relevant, avoid complacency, and confidently stay ahead in shaping the world of work.

?As with Series 1. we have some fascinating and interesting new guests. They range from an Oxford Professor of Leadership to an Australian Psychosafety Neuroscience expert and much more in between.

?We’re digging deeper and wider in our human exploration and knowledge of how to use the power of creating, innovating, ideating, remaining curious and asking the right questions. We’ve also pioneering a new strategy and model that underpins our purpose reached through everything we've explored in Brainy Podcasts.

The first episode in the new series is launching at the beginning of June! Don’t miss out. Be the first to get notified at Brainy Podcasts

About Us

We are on a mission to ‘Shape minds to make each day a good day.’ There is no reason work should be so unfulfilling, hard, and stressful! We want everyone to bring all their brains to work so they experience and enjoy using their talents and collaborating with others to develop something positive, enduring and that they feel proud of at the end of the day. Being human is not just a nice to do, and the increase in ROI will speak for itself! ?

Curious to know how to harness the social brain and demystify creativity and innovation? Let’s have a chat.

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