I have been designing and facilitating leadership workshops for more than two decades and those of us in the leadership development community finally have scientific research to support the effectiveness of best leadership practices. Simon Sinek has written a thought-provoking book called Leaders Eat Last that refers to the neurochemistry of leadership. It turns out that [...]
If senior executives treated their employees in the same way that CEOs in manufacturing companies treated their production equipment, their organizations would be much more innovative, productive and profitable. In manufacturing operations, there is a significant focus on maintaining the effectiveness and efficiency of the machines that produce hard goods. Typically, such companies pay 12% [...]
Simon Sinek has written a thought-provoking book titled, "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". In this book, Sinek states that most companies define themselves by describing what they do instead of why they are in business. Sinek argues that the companies that focus on the why deliver superior returns to their [...]
Authors Brown, Roediger III and McDaniel, in their excellent book, Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, challenge commonly accepted approaches to learning and recommend several learning strategies that are supported by neuroscience. It is thought that "massed practice" (practising something over and over again) is an effective learning strategy but the authors debunk this [...]
It is about time that management teams start to manage their employees in a way that recognizes how the human brain functions. Neuroscience is giving executives insight into the brain with corresponding management and leadership implications. Some examples of how neuroscience is helping challenge such workplace principles are: Our attention is limited and we do [...]
During the 1970s, Procter & Gamble, a world leader in consumer packaged goods with brands like Crest and Tide, was caught off guard when a competitor, Colgate, launched a new product Irish Spring. The green-striped Irish Spring was the first such soap bar launched in North America and proved to be quite successful. This didn't [...]
It amazes me how many corporate cultures get in the way of employee engagement, morale, productivity and creativity. Such cultures are based on a foundation of numbers, logic, spreadsheets, analysis, strategic planning, ROI, rules and regulations, etc. and view their employees as Mr. Spock-like machines who lack emotion and don't have to time to engage in [...]
Dr. Evian Gordon, CEO of Brain Resource, has a brain model called "Brain 1-2-4". Its central premise is that: 1 - The brain's organizing principle is focused on "Minimize Danger - Maximize Reward". 2 - There are two modes of processing in the brain - nonconscious and conscious. 4 - The brain has four key [...]
It is estimated that 80% of training dollars are wasted every year by North American companies. The truth is that the majority of corporate work cultures are not conducive to best teaching and learning practices. These workplaces are fast-paced, stressful environments where employees' brains are overtaxed and in constant overload. This reality carries on to corporate [...]
Chris Hurn’s son was distraught. He had left his favorite stuffed giraffe “Joshie” in his hotel room during a recent stay at the Ritz-Carlton. Mr. Hurn, in an effort to placate his distressed son, assured him that Joshie had decided to stay a few extra days on vacation. Mr. Hurn then called the Ritz Carlton [...]
