|
 Understanding our operating systems can help us better navigate
challenges and be more effective movers and shakers. That is the
message of "The Leader's Brain," a book by Michael Platt, professor
of marketing, neuroscience and psychology at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Platt, who is also director of the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative,
spoke with Reuters about how to optimize what goes on in our heads,
to better understand ourselves and others.
Q: How are our brains reacting to this extraordinary time?
A: What we know is that there has been a massive increase in things
like anxiety disorders, mental health issues, suicides and opioid
use. People are under a lot of stress, with all the uncertainty and
the financial repercussions.
Unfortunately, social distancing robs us of one of the primary
mechanisms we have to adapt to stress, which has led to an increase
in loneliness.
Q: How have leaders handled the pandemic?
A: It has been interesting to see the rises and falls of leaders
over the course of the last year. Some have demonstrated strong
leadership, and then had difficulty at other times. It is hard to
maintain in the face of all these economic and social troubles.
What is very important right now is to be a clear and effective
communicator, who leads with the heart. Look at Joe Biden, who has
made empathy the core of his administration.
Q: Is it possible to lead teams effectively, when so many people are
working remotely?
A: That's the No. 1 question for business leaders right now, and I
feel it myself in my own lab. What we have seen is that people are
just as productive, if not more so, than they were in the office.
But innovation has been falling dramatically, in large part because
we don't have "watercooler" conversations anymore - those
spontaneous moments where you can cook up new ideas. That's hard to
manufacture in a remote environment.
Q: Are people born leaders, or can that be learned?
A: Everybody's dials are set a little differently, and those dials
can be turned. For instance, a key part of being a leader is the
ability to connect and relate to other people: You can turn that
dial up by exercising those faculties, and doing it intentionally.
Communication skills are something people can work on.
[to top of second column] |
Q: Can the lessons of neuroscience be helpful in the hiring process?
A: Neuroscience can have a huge impact on businesses, by helping
leaders get better, more precise ideas of who people are. Some of
the standard ways people are assessed are things like IQ tests or
personality tests.
But neuroscience can help you change the questions you might ask.
For instance, if you're trying to identify if a candidate is good at
thinking outside the box, you can present different scenarios in a
gamified way. That way you can avoid putting people in positions
that are not right for them.
Q: How can insight from this brain research help us make better
decisions?
A: There are certain rules our brains live by, and we can't really
change them, so we need to learn how to live with them. For example,
our brains don't tend to make good decisions when there are too many
options in front of us. So simplifying choices and limiting options
can be a useful strategy for making better decisions.
Also, understand the tradeoff between speed and accuracy, and figure
out which is the most important. There are some situations that are
urgent, where you have to make a quick decision. But otherwise,
slowing down can be critical, because that will allow you to avoid
many regrettable mistakes.
Q: Are you optimistic that our brains are going to be able to handle
this stressful period?
A: I was writing this book last year as the pandemic was unfolding.
For the most part, people have done pretty well, and we should give
ourselves a pat on the back for making it this far.
It's still challenging right now, and we can't let down our guards.
But optimism is the key for moving forward, and having the
motivation to power through. People should know that we are going to
lick this thing.
(Editing by Lauren Young and Richard Chang)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content |
