13 Inconvenient Neuroscience Based Leadership Truths

1. Hierarchy in position 99% of the time means that the leader has lower level of stress than others when faced with the exact same challenge.

2. Hierarchy in position (99% of the time) means that the leader has higher levels of Seratonin. It also means that any request made by the leader is likely to be met with a YES even if that person doesn’t have the time or has to stop doing something of greater priority spreading stress and negatively effecting outcomes.

3. When the leader gives an opinion it is not considered of equal value as others but of greater value because everyone automatically considers the cost and consequences of loss of connection and hierarchy.

4. When the boss gives their opinion more than once a relationship dynamic is set that permanently reduces the creativity of those lower in hierarchy when the leader is present.

5. 99% of the people the leader communicates with internally will respond through a filter of their worst past interaction not the best.

6. 99% of the people the leader communicates with internal will answer with the primary goal of maintaining hierarchy and connection not theirs or the companies best interest.

7. Stick (threats) teaches them that the boss is volitile and dangerous not just that this situation is urgent.

8. Carrot (if you do this I’ll give you that) causes people to hate doing THIS within very few days and makes people resent their work.

9. People will infer all possible meanings of the leaders communication. If the boss is being mis-interpreted it’s on them to get more skilful at communication.

10. If you interrupt people at their desk to ask for 5 minutes or for help NOW, task switching that is the culture you have chosen and it’s a stressful one to operate within.

11. When people don’t experience their own competence throughout the day their general state is anxious and overwhelmed. It’s on the leader to create that for everyone in the company.

12. Dictation and instruction or any removal of freedom is seen as a threat by the nervous system of every human. Over use it is a choice to have reactive people who cannot solve problems who literally DEPEND on the boss for permission and instruction on everything EVEN when what’s required seems like common sense.

13. Any leader in an organisation that fails to acknowledge and operate from these truths will create stress and chaos among those they lead. The CEO must act fast to resolve this as stuff absence and turn over will rise fast.

Leadership is a HELL of a skill to master!

Neuroscience teaches us that these are the realities of human nature. Using these as a filter you have a far better chance of navigating leadership and perhaps understanding some of the strange things that might be happening in your business.

Did any of these really jump out at you?

What was your biggest takeaway?