Benefiting at work from Brain Based Insights

Since Eliot Spitzer was sworn in as New York’s 54^th Governor on January, 2007, we’ve had brain based leadership in this terribly broken state.  In his inaugural address, Governor Spitzer said: "Every policy, every action and every decision we make in this administration will further two overarching objectives: We must transform our government so that it is as ethical and wise as all of New York, as we must rebuild our economy so that it is ready to compete on the global stage in the next century."

Brain based leadership transforms more because it governs with the brain in mind, and that distinctive prepares people and settings to move beyond politics for the sake of oncoming growth.

It takes focus to lead with solutions and sustain success. When focus is disrupted in four common ways below, brainpower for progress is diminished in the same proportion.

1. Violence, cynicism, sarcasm or abusive language rob the human brain of time and talent to create the alliances needed and bring stress rather than success. Spitzer is crossing the line back and forth – so he’ll side with people who present thoughtful solutions and speak up to those who fight for status quo that has killed this state in the past decade.

2. Personal greed leaks out or steals from material resources earmarked to support change and benefit most people in any community. Spitzer commits to ethics and exposes greed at the top levels – where others have either enabled self-indulgence or showed gluttony themselves. People build dendrite brain cells for greed and the basal ganglia locks these in so people build neuron pathways for daily doses of self-serving.

3. Arguments, poor tone and self-serving debates distract people from a keen focus on solutions, while Eliot Spitzer keeps us focused on solutions. He zeroes in on a problem more to reframe it for a prosperous response than to complain or blame. Problems can add to cortisol in the brain – successful solutions spread serotonin all around.

4. Bureaucracy and broken systems – where old socks stick with old - keep people busy, following useless rules, and foolish procedures. Its outmoded routines create Hebbian hobos who begin to protect their turf more than prosper those they serve. This culture, which brain research shows literally kills brain cells and shrinks the frontal lobes of the brain, is deeply embedded in New York and in my city.

So what is the business solution, as Spitzer inspires?

Focus past workplace politics the way Eliot Spitzer looks past terrible loss that New York suffered over ten years, through practicing smart skills.

1. Model good tone and you also build goodwill – even among those who disagree with you. Laugh and help others to laugh at the little things, and refuse “yes buts”.

2. Hold yourself and others to an ethical mind – where honor and standards are visible and growth is measured as a way to put pressure on greedy habits – and build coffers for the organization.

3. Come to every problem you name with a solution you suggest and inspire others to do the same. New research on people who vent shows how venting works against any progress.

4. Expect, encourage, and measure ongoing change in all areas, based on the solutions needed to grow. Motivate people to find new fulfillment of a vision, by developing their skills and using unique talents to reach that vision with the team.

Do and measure these four and watch the kind of change we are beginning to see in new York now that Spitzer took office. Here at the MITA International Brain Based Center, we call it leading with the brain in mind, and we just led a group of leaders in Ireland this month where I saw again the results in action.

That’s what it means to work in a brain based setting and it changes the pathway forward by taking risks to leave deadend highways. What do you think?