Praise for Neuroscience for Leadership “Neuroscience for Leadership is a must-read for any leader, not just business leaders. The authors take the complicated world of brain function and emotions and map them to those critical decision moments all leaders face – making it clear that the inside factors are just as important, if not more so, as the outside ones!” –Glenn A. Youngkin, Co-President and Co-Chief Operating Offi cer, The Carlyle Group “Where science meets leadership, for aspiring leaders in the new and dynamic tech world. This fascinating book takes over where other ‘how to’ books leave off .” –Ned Spieker, Former Chairman, CEO, Spieker Properties NYSE (New York Stock Exchange); Chairman, Continuing Life “In absolute contrast with the typically lightweight fare found in books on leadership, Neuroscience for Leadership really educates, informs, and gives actionable advice. It’s not tediously academic nor riddled with airport bookstore clichés. Food for the mind. Highly recommended.” –Raymond van Niekerk, CMO, Investec “In all of the dozen or more businesses I have created, the towering issue has been enabling people to do simple things they fi nd diffi cult to do. The neuroscience of this is the missing link in management training. The authors provide a hugely valuable insight.” –Brian Kingham, Chairman, Reliance Security Group Ltd. “The authors blend neuroscience, brain chemistry, psychology, and business to better understand what leaders do, why they do it, and most importantly how they can change to be more eff ective. The book is infi nitely readable and pragmatic, with fun facts about the brain and practical steps to creating sustainable behavioral change. Covering topics from emotional intelligence to goal setting, values and purpose to self- confi dence, risk to inertia, this book is wide in reach and application.” –Deborah L Ancona, Seley Distinguished Professor of Management, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd i 08-01-2015 17:25:13 “Thoroughly researched and fi nely written, the real brilliance of Neurosci- ence for Leadership is how it links scientifi c brain network research with solid advice on decision-making, employee motivation, and organizational growth! Perceptive and brilliant!” –Marshall Goldsmith, author or editor of 34 books including the global bestsellers MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There “If you have ever wondered what could be going on in the brain of individuals you are managing – or in your brain – this book provides a clear, easy to understand, and entertaining neuroscience explanation. More importantly, it shows how to use these neurochemical processes to develop your leadership capacity to full potential and to inspire and motivate others to innovate and achieve common organizational goals.” –Dr William A Ribich, Director, Physical Sciences Inc; Former President, CEO Foster-Miller Inc (one of the 100 most innovative companies in the USA, INC Magazine) “If you are jaded by the torrent of books on leadership and organizational behavior, read this one for a refreshing change! The authors distil the conclusions from neuroscience research and apply them to leadership, governance, management, administration, and personal development in a most readable way. Each chapter presents fascinating vignettes on a wide range of topics.” –Sir John Daniel, O.C., Former Assistant Director-General, UNESCO for Education; Former Vice-Chancellor, The Open University “This stimulating book brims with useful insights and sage advice on practically every page. Managing emotions, communication, decision- making, and intuition are just some of the topics that it illuminates. Highly recommended!” –Dennis Tourish, Professor of Leadership and Organisation Studies, Royal Holloway; author of The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership! 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd ii 08-01-2015 17:25:14 The Neuroscience of Business series Neuroscience is changing our understanding of how the human brain works and how and why people behave the way they do. Properly understood, many of these insights could lead to profound changes in the way businesses interact with their employees and customers. The problem is that, until now, most of this research has been published in specialist journals and has not made its way to managers’ desks. At the same time, however, business leaders and managers are faced with a plethora of extravagant claims based on misunderstood, or exaggerated, neuroscientific research. Palgrave’s The Neuroscience of Business series seeks to bridge the gap between rigorous science and the practical needs of business. For the first time this series will describe the practical managerial applications of this science in an accessible, but in-depth, way that is firmly underpinned by a clear explanation of the science behind the management actions proposed. Series editors: Peter Chadwick and Roderick Millar Series ISBN 9781137478320 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd iii 08-01-2015 17:25:14 This page intentionally left blank 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd iv 08-01-2015 17:25:14 Harnessing the Brain Gain Advantage Neuroscience for Leadership Tara Swart CEO, The Unlimited Mind, UK Kitty Chisholm Director, Boardwalk Leadership, UK Paul Brown Senior Advisor, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Vietnam. Faculty Professor – Organisational Neuroscience, Monarch Business School, Switzerland 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd v 08-01-2015 17:25:14 © Tara Swart, Kitty Chisholm, Paul Brown 2015 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The authors have asserted their rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2015 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndsmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY10010. Palgrave is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978–1–137–46685–3 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Swart, Tara. Neuroscience for leadership : harnessing the brain gain advantage / Tara Swart, CEO,The Unlimited Mind, UK, Kitty Chisholm, Director, Boardwalk Leadership, UK, Paul Brown, Senior Advisor, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Vietnam. pages cm. — (The neuroscience of business) ISBN 978–1–137–46685–3 (hardback) 1. Leadership—Psychological aspects. I. Chisholm, Kitty. II. Brown, Paul. III. Title. BF637.L4S93 2015 158’.4—dc23 2014038811 Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India. 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd vi 08-01-2015 17:25:14 Dedications Tara: In their memory – my grandmother Amiya Kana Ganguli, a true leader as matriarch, and my grandfather Narendranath Banerjee, who nurtured my developing brain with unconditional love. Kitty: For Aleca and Jacey (the but for whom), Alexandra and Roderick, with my love and gratitude. Paul: To Tara, who made this book come alive for me; and to Jane Meyler who made the introduction to Tara. 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd vii 08-01-2015 17:25:14 This page intentionally left blank 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd viii 08-01-2015 17:25:14 Contents Boxes and Figures x Acknowledgments xiii Preface xiv 1 There is Chemistry and Then There is Chemistry 1 2 Brains, Bodies and Businesses: A Systems Approach 18 3 The New Model Leader 40 4 Testosterone, Risk and Entrepreneurship 60 5 Why is the Soft Stuff so Hard? 76 6 The Challenge of Decisions 93 7 Changing Yourself – Changing Others 111 8 Elite Performance, Brain Agility and Engagement 126 9 Stress, Resilience and Confidence 150 10 Creating the Spark, Lighting the Fire 173 11 Difference, Diversity and Gender 192 12 Whole Person, Vibrant Organization 211 Glossary 224 Notes 233 Index 247 ix 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd ix 08-01-2015 17:25:14 Boxes and Figures Boxes 1.1 Neurotransmitters 5 1.2 Neurotransmitters and hormones 5 1.3 Hormones 6 1.4 Adaptive behavior 10 1.5 Oxytocin 15 2.1 Executive functions 19 2.2 Evolutionary responses 20 2.3 Maintaining success 21 2.4 Studies on neuroplasticity 22 2.5 Dealing with distractions 29 2.6 Don: a case study 33 2.7 Body scan exercise 35 3.1 Self-control and marshmallows 47 4.1 Risk and culture 64 4.2 Carter: a case study 70 5.1 Your brain creates the world 77 5.2 Theory of Mind 79 6.1 Decisions are hard work 95 6.2 The Zeigarnik eff ect 99 7.1 Neuronal connections 111 x 9781137466853_01_prexviii.indd