The ‘NeuroMyths’ Neuroletter NeuroTips #9 | January 2024 The Neuroscience of Creativity: ‘Brainy Podcasts’

Happy New Year and great to see you here

Look my first co-authorship! I'm chapter 2 "Developing a Resilient Organisation".

“Brains Inspiring Businesses looks at behaviours and leadership practices from the lens of applied neuroscience. Dr Paul Brown and 13 authors share their best knowledge and lived experience with practical examples, cases and deep research.”

Follow this link to order: https://ideasforleaders.com/product/brains-inspiring-businesses-for-leaders-and-executives.

At the end of 2023 my co-presenter Tracy Filler and I finished recording the first series of ‘Brainy Podcasts: Talking Creativity & Innovation’ with a big dollop of ‘How to’s’ from Neuroscience, https://www.brainycasts.com/

We’ve picked the brains of 6 entrepreneurial and entertaining guests as we explore this fascinating and sometimes illusive area of our ingenuity as humans.

We have learnt so much.

Creativity itself is a myth, with the main insight being how the word ‘Creativity’ can put people into a box of “I’m not creative, I can’t do that!’

Here is a preview of a few key take outs.

·????? Creativity is about ‘our’ selves no matter who we are, what we do.

·????? The only limits are our lack of self-belief.

·????? Creativity is at the heart of people and business innovation.

·????? Innovation is the engine of growth.

·????? We can accelerate creativity or block it.

·????? And that our brains are far more amazing than we think! (I’m tempted to add a pithy quote here but you’re all creative so can add you own!).

·????? Beware of so many neuro myths!

This information has never been more necessary. Research conducted by PwC over at Davos amongst 4,700 CEO’s, found optimism was up from last year even with the unstable geopolitical conflicts but because of AI many 45%, feel that unless they innovate their businesses may not be viable in 10 years.

That is truly challenging.

If this resonates with you, please get in touch as Tracy and I have been compiling our ‘how to’ neuro-based takeaways from our Brainy Podcast conversations. ?

These really do matter for leaders and businesses as we move into the year so much so that one of the large leadership academies have chosen the series as listening material for their cohorts.

“So, what’s all the fuss about Creativity & Innovation?”

?All companies want to do well, yes?

With people who can deliver, yes?

With talent knocking at the door, yes?

And they want those people to bring 100% of their brains, right?

Importantly the people whose brains they want to use, want to use their own brains too!

?So why don’t they?

?“One way to deliver creativity?”

?There was a view that kept being repeated “My creativity and ideation can flourish when I can express myself in the confidence that I will be free from negative comments and respected for my views”.

?This truth is echoed by the research we’re developing in tandem with Brainy Podcasts.

?So, if your brain’s not worrying about the sabre tooth tiger – if you don’t understand this you need to see one of our presentations - your brain can focus freely on being curious, making connections, questioning, and forming ideas that can be tested to provide growth.

We know from Neuroscience, including a study just published in ‘Nature Portfolio’, that there are specific neurons that function creating connections with the fear-memory neural network that is engaged in trauma memory creation.?

?Meaning that as these memories are strengthened the hub-neurons trigger a fear response that shuts down your ability to think, respond or ideate. This also has a negative impact on the myelin sheath that surrounds and insulates nerve fibres in the nervous system. ?

?As you can imagine if you expect a negative response including your own gremlin voice, then you’re not going to put your opinions out there. Those fear-memory networks get stronger and deeper the more they are activated so that they become a default reaction.

?Well let’s see then, that means that if you don’t feel you are able to speak up and express an idea or thought, then you really aren’t comfortable where you are, who you are with or how you trust yourself.

?And here’s the “How to”:

?Quick fixes exist but as we know they’re shallow. Their success is fleeting at most, expensive and creates distrust because most people don’t like change thrust at them. ?

?It’s also expecting those deep neuronal highways just to disappear! Very unlikely - changing mindsets is rarely a one size fits all fix. It requires focus, practice, an open mind, and an appreciation of the neuroscience unfolding in your head.

?We are busy planning the launch of the 2nd series for March so in the meantime you can listen to the series again or for the first time following the link below, and because we know that people’s attention span is precious, they are about 30 minutes long, so perfect for day-rest, workout, or daily walk time. Enjoy and please, please spread the word!

https://www.brainycasts.com/

?If you are planning? professional development for your teams in 2024, yourself or as an event get in touch for a free Scope Out Session to explore your needs and inspire growth by leveraging all the creative diversity in your organisation [email protected] & mailto:[email protected]

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NEW BRANDING – Making every day a good day.

I felt it was time to focus on my personal brand so I have simplified my brand name to Soraya Shaw Brain Shaw? Applied Neuroscience Consultancy, positioning and expression to reflect evolving over the past 5 years into an Applied Organisational Neuroscience Consultancy.

I’ve got some great specialist partners to collaborate with in crafting neuro-informed workplace cultures and processes, including:

§? ‘Say Hello to Your Brain?’ masterclass series.

§? GrowWell? Neuro Coaching

§? BrainShaw? Psychosocial Culture programme

§? Leadership for Influencers course

§? What’s Next? Succession development

§? Plus, my popular ‘Shaping the Minds of Leaders’ speaking topic.

A new website is about to be launched www.soraya-shaw.com, and I can be reached at [email protected]

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NEWS SPOT

???Currently due to many new studies a key topic in brain health is how to age healthily. In this short video neuroscientist Professor Wendy Suzuki explains in a straight-forward way the complex relationship between exercise, memory, aging and sleep, and how together they protect our cognition and health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_c76-SQtps ???Benefit of suppressing negative thoughts: Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh5292

??One second is the active advertising attention span of Gen Z as they are better at tuning out the noise! McKinsey & Company findings from the State of Fashion Report https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion?cid=other-eml-mtg-mip-mck&hlkid=ee1ea7376b7b45b68f9f6033812ba078&hctky=14673071&hdpid=b09509e9-b35c-4d02-989f-1ce4b79a21bc - /

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About Us

We are an Applied Organisational Neuroscience Consultancy led by CEO Soraya Shaw MSc, a?recognised Applied Neuroscience pioneer. Soraya is a Founding member of the Applied Neuroscience Association and a Fellow and founding member of the?Association for Coaching. Speaker and a former global management creative communications Director.? Our purpose is to collaborate with companies on how to harness the neuroscience advantage to transform their cultures, so everyone wants to bring all their brain to work happily and instinctively. ?This shift puts their brains into the business as competitive differentiator. If you’re interested in discovering more get in touch and book a free Scope Out Session plus information on our 'Say Hello 2 Your Brain' ??series and GrowWell? Neuro Coaching.

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