Neuroleadership: 4 Ideas About The Brain Bases Of Leadership
Virtually any area of human behavior has a neurobiological facet, which can be studied by investigating the functioning of the brain. However, this area of research does not focus only on the mental processes of the individual isolated from their environment, but also includes the way in which the environment influences our neuronal networks, and vice versa.
That’s why neuroleadership exists a concept that refers to the part of leadership and team management that has to do with what we know about the human brain.
The relationship between the brain and leadership: 4 keys
Here you will find several key ideas that help you understand how the functioning of the brain is related to the way leaders act, according to neuroleadership principles.
1. The importance of emotional memory
The last decades of research into the neurobiological bases of memory have shown us that the emotional part of memories works in a different way to the way in which we “file” in our brain the most rational elements that are easy to explain verbally.
This means, among other things, that the intensity of the memory of an emotion does not have to be the same as that of the memory of an idea, phrase or reasoning. In fact, the emotional imprint is usually more lasting than that which is expressed through concrete ideas and words.
In practice, our attitudes toward a person depend not on those beliefs we have about them, but on the emotions and sensations that it produces in us due to the times we have come into contact with it in the past although we do not remember exactly what happened in those meetings.
For this reason, the emotional tone of a dialogue is usually as or more decisive than the pure content of what is said when it comes to leaving people with good memories and ensuring that our points of view are taken into account. The same conversation can cause leadership to emerge or not, depending on the way it is spoken, the content of what is said being the same.
2. Delay of gratification
The ability to forego immediate rewards in order to qualify for medium or long-term rewards is one of the most useful psychological abilities when it comes to achieving ambitious goals which are those that large teams that coordinate with each other can aspire to.
Focusing on the individual (and more specifically, their brain), this mental characteristic has to do with the way in which the frontal lobes counteract the influences that the limbic system has when establishing action plans. While The frontal lobes are related to socialization and the conceptualization of abstract goals the limbic system is much more passionate and individualistic.
This means that those who have developed frontal lobes that are more connected to the rest of the brain tend to have greater ease in resisting temptations and investing time and effort in reaching objectives, which is essential for leaders both to avoid making projects fail and to give example.
3. Communicative resources
The ability to communicate using language is the definitive characteristic that distinguishes us from animals, and for good reason. Thanks to this symbol-based tool, we can involve a practically unlimited number of people in the same action helping them to agree to achieve a common goal.
For example, thanks to the development of language through a reorganization of the cerebral cortex, it was possible to establish primitive trade networks and hunt in groups, and the expansion of this type of skills from writing gave way to great civilizations with cities in which that social and cultural life was centralized.
In the world of organizations, communication resources have an equally essential role; Although it seems that everyone has to be clear about what they should do, the truth is that in most cases This very individual approach to work creates unnecessary problems and limits the ability of groups and teams to grow.
Learning the most important tools to communicate taking into account the context and non-verbal language is key so that the communicative flow of a company or team goes in favor of the general functioning of the entity, and not against it by fueling ambiguities and misunderstandings. . Leaders must act as facilitators of this communications network within a team, so that ideas can be expressed and doubts can be resolved in time.
4. The keys to group identity
Leaders have to be able to transmit the values and ideas on which an organization is based, regardless of whether it is formal or informal. And in this aspect it is necessary to take into account that Human beings perceive elements as a whole without valuing its individual elements separately.
For example, if in a company in which it is constantly said that cooperation is the key value of the organization, there is an architecture and design of spaces that denote strong separations between ranks and a tendency towards elitist exclusivity of some areas, the result will not be that workers will have a balanced perception of the entity by having the impression that one element is offset by the other; On the contrary, they will believe that there are great inconsistencies in the operation of the company.
That’s why, Leaders must act as Public Relations from the outside, but also from the inside so that there is a clear organizational philosophy that is reflected without inconsistencies both in the way of working and in the aesthetics of the resources used.
How to train in neuroleadership?
This is an exciting area of research and intervention, and it is therefore not surprising that there are already initiatives aimed at deepening the relationship between leadership and neurosciences.
Specific, the Specialization Course in Neuroleadership taught by the Institut de Formació Contínua-IL3 (University of Barcelona) gives the possibility of learning from an expert teacher in the field about topics as varied and useful as stress management, emotional regulation, and others. It has 3 ECTS credits, and is based on a very applied-oriented format. To know more about this course, see more information at this link.
