In this article I will be referring to high potential leadership as leadership that encompasses the natural and optimum sequence of the integration of your multiple brains, for decision making, wisdom and successful results.
It’s well documented that high performance leaders inspire the hearts and minds of their followers by being compassionate, courageous, purpose driven and creative, and that they positively impact the people, organisations and communities that they serve.
In an uncertain world of complexity and ambiguity leadership styles that are limited to higher level cognitive processes are limiting. Complex times require COMPLETE leadership.
Leaders who are able to intuitively harness all of their decision making skills through the integration of their head, heart and gut brains.
The landscape of high performance is changing. Burnout, sleep deprivation, high stress and long hours are NOT the most optimum route to success. The pandemic has invited many people to re evaluate their personal and professional lives to prioritise regaining balance and harmony, to support their wellspring within and live a more fulfilled life.
In 2012 Grant Soosalu and Marvin Oka published the book ‘mBraining – Using your multiple Brains to do cool stuff’. In this ground breaking book they brought cutting edge neuroscience together with the powerful methodologies of NLP, cognitive linguistics and behavioural modelling, and created an integrated practical approach for human potential and evolution, decision making and increasing intuitive abilities.
The field of neuroscience has informed us that we have complex and functional brains in both our heart and gut. Grant and Marvin both from the field of behavioural modelling, were interested in researching how the integration of these brains could create powerful results. They discovered that successful leaders intuitively had a naturally occurring sequence or pattern to the way that they integrated their multiple brains to;
- solve problems and create solutions
- inspire and motivate themselves and others
- make decisions and achieve results
- cultivate understanding and perspective
- have positive relationships
They also discovered that issues and problems were a result of how people utilised their multiple brains in ways that were inappropriate to their outcomes. Each brain has a set of prime functions and unless they are utilised appropriately and in the correct sequence, problems and difficulties will arise.
So lets explore these prime functions some more in relation to how high potential leadership can facilitate high performance in the work place.
The prime functions of the head brain are somewhat obvious in that they involve mental cognitive functions of logical thinking and include the processes of reasoning, perception and how we make meaning. The main job of the head is to intellectually make sense of the world and provide executive control.
The prime functions of the heart brain involve connection, values, relational issues and it is the seat of desires, love, goals and dreams and the feelings of what is important to an individual.
The gut brains prime functions are around protection, self preservation, core identity and taking action. The gut is responsible for maintaining health and wellbeing and maintains boundary detection. Behaviours expressed by the gut are motivation, gutsy courage and action or inaction.
We have probably all known a leader who is overly concerned with targets, results, figures and facts and who perhaps is disconnected from emotions, people, feelings and relationships. You might also know a leader who takes fast action but hasn’t considered all the facts or how people might feel about the decisions that have been made. Other behavioural responses when leading from a lack of integration between the multiple brains might be things like;
- impulsive behaviours
- indecision or inaction
- blaming others and not taking responsibility
- sticking to the plan even though it isn’t working and being inflexible in their thinking
- Not developing a trusting and safe culture so people feel threatened or uneasy about making mistakes or making decision
- not giving people autonomy or ownership and many more!
You are probably creating a pretty spectacular picture that illustrates how performance can be hindered when leaders within an organisation are operating from a lack of multiple brain integration.
So if high performance in a post pandemic world is to be successfully achieved, then leaders who operate from their highest potential and integration of their multiple brains are required. Compassion, creative and courageous (the highest expressions of the multiple brains) leadership will not only transform organisations, but it will transform lives and contribute to a better world for everyone.
If employee engagement, lower levels of absenteeism, higher productivity, increased employee retention and environments that are safe for discussion and encourage personal growth are to be achieved, then the mBIT (multiple brain integration techniques) toolkit is a no brainer for the organisation that wants to succeed.
If you would like to know more about my leadership training then send me an e mail sarah@sarahfletchercoaching.com I would love to connect and have a conversation.
or take a look at my mBIT page HERE
My next four day mBIT coach certification for leaders and coaches is taking place in Blackpool on April 27th – 30th. You can find out more here 👇
Thanks for taking the time to read this, please contact me if you’d like to know more 😊
PS. you can watch the replay of the mBIT workshop here if you would like to see it in action 👇
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