We all like looking behind closed doors to see what’s lurking in there. Sometimes it’s good to find out, and sometimes, not so much!
Neuroscience has given us the ability to look behind closed doors and find out about some of the inner workings of our brains. We’ve been able to uncover secrets and explore areas that could be the equivalent of the pioneers going out into the unknown. We have always been driven to explore, whether it’s new lands or new ideas. And now, we can look at people behaviour from another side, the ‘inside out look’. We’ve uncovered new territory and are trekking across it with anticipation and excitement.
Neuroleadership is a dynamic field of possibilities and opportunities for those who want to be more and do more. This does not make it a craze, rather a body of knowledge that needs to become part of our everyday thinking and doing.
As neuroscientists continue their research bringing out more learnings, connecting the dots and giving us information about the whys and wherefores for our feelings, thinking and behaviour, we are unable to let it go. The more we open the doors, the more we recognise there are so many other doors to open. It explains why some leaders are able to inspire and collaborate with their teams, and others are hit and miss – sometimes working well, and other times not at all.
Can this be a fad? There is no way this is just a “widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived; a craze” (Oxford Dictionary). It is more than that; it’s good, solid information highlighting how we can be better leaders and create enthusiasm for our work, and for those with whom we work.
I think it’s impossible for neuroleadership to be a fad. As an example, let’s take a look at exercise. Exercise itself is not a craze. We need it. It makes everything better. Zumba, CrossFit and X-tend Barre work – they’re fads. Exercise types come and go. Doing exercise does not.
We know neuroscience is no fad. It’s too exciting. The wonders of our brains are being revealed and we are all fascinated.
The leadership concept has been studied since the early part of the 20th century. I believe that fact that we’ve been studying leadership for a hundred years or so, shows it is something we are keenly interested in, and it’s not going away any time soon.
Neuroleadership is like exercise, completely necessary for how we now understand our worlds. Like exercise, it makes everything better and clearer. The fads may be some of the applications where assumptions have been made with no real science to back it up – think about brain games!
For leaders who want to be consistent in their approach and enjoy the ‘leadership ride’, having some insight into neuroscience can make an enormous difference. I see it as a separating from those who try, to those who achieve greatness in their chosen field.
Let’s face it, neuroleadership is not for the fainthearted. It has been built on scientific evidence explaining and identifying how to do things better – for ourselves as leaders and for those who report to us. It means taking time out to absorb these concepts and make them our own.
How can this be here today and gone tomorrow? There’s just so much more to find out and enjoy. Those who have implemented neuroleadership into their own work practices don’t look back. They know they have the inside track for leadership excellence.
I see neuroleadership for those who want to serve others, create excellence, and enhance the collective intelligence of their teams. They need to know how they impact others and use neuroscience to help them with their own thinking and behaviours. Their new knowledge on how our brains work can make that easier for them to achieve outstanding results. They will also know the ‘why’ of how people respond and motivate themselves to go the extra distance to achieve for themselves, their leader and their organisation.
I reckon the genie is out of the bottle. There’s no way you can put that genie back in. The neuroscience and leadership mix is here to stay. It clarifies so much. It gives explanations, reasons of the why. And, we always want to know why.
Long live neuroleadership! May it open our minds and opportunities for new ways of thinking, behaving and feeling.