Unlocking Leadership Secrets Straight from Your Brain’s HQ

Have you ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering how to light a fire under your team? Are you struggling to retain your top talent and prevent them from getting sucked out the door by your competitors? Do you wonder why management programs that garnered massive ROI and propelled the author CEO to best-seller status fail to bring the best out in your people? Well, prepare to have your mind blown because the answers you seek might not be in your dusty old management textbooks and the heads of charismatic leaders, but rather in the mind-boggling world of neuroscience.

Let’s face it, our brains can seem like a tangled web of enigma. That’s because it is. But fret not, you don’t need to wear lab coats and acquire a Ph.D. in neuroscience for you to use what science has already learned about how our brains work. You don’t even need to recruit and hire a team of brilliant scientists because there’s an all-star team of brain molecules, known as neurotransmitters, sitting on your bench just waiting for you to put them in the game.

And here’s the kicker: these molecular marvels—dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—just might be your secret sauce to unleashing your team’s untapped potential. These tiny titans reign over motivation, joy, and social bonds, firmly establishing them as the unsung heroes of your managerial toolkit.

Are you ready to unleash the power of neuroscience to become the manager you’ve always aspired to be—a master of motivation, a happiness hero, and a champion of camaraderie? Imagine emerging from this journey armed with the knowledge and strategies to supercharge your team’s performance.

This isn’t some dry, boring science lecture either. Oh no, my friend. It’s an exhilarating exploration of the fascinating world inside your brain—a world that holds the key to your success as a manager.

In addition to writing about innovation, adaptability, leadership, and the future of work, watch for a series of mind-opening articles based on the science that is rewriting our brain’s user manual! Get ready to dive deep into the science that will drive your success or failure in the future of work. Walk away with a fresh perspective and transformative management approach backed by science, not gleaned from an era of work long gone.

And best of all, I promise, no lab coats or complicated jargon required!

Check back often. Bookmark my blog. I’ll be posting new articles every few days.

First things first: what does grit even mean? You’ve probably heard the advice “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” attributed to coach Kunte Rockne. That quote captures the essence of grit.  The character trait of grit often refers to passion, the consistency of interest, and perseverance, the ability to endure tough times.

For instance, we’ve all experienced setbacks. They could range from struggling to learn a new skill, recovering from an injury, losing a job, or even bankruptcy.

What Does Grit Look Like?

People with high levels of Grit are confident in achieving long-term goals. They are often described as ‘determined’ and ‘hard workers’. No-pain-no-gain might be the grit motto. Gritty people tend to keep going until the work is done. They take pride in finishing what they start. Their mental focus and emotional stamina are very high. They don’t let short-term gains, negative feedback, or hectic schedules deter them. People with high grit are not discouraged easily; they see setbacks and obstacles as challenges that can be overcome with commitment and hard work. Grit, however, is not always a good thing. Gritty people are often so focused on their goals that they get blinded-sided by outside influences and have blind spots when it comes to alternative ideas. 

People with low levels of grit give up quickly. Setbacks and obstacles easily discourage them. When change happens they can find it difficult to stay on course with long-term goals. They flee at the first sign of trouble and often blame others. They start a lot of projects but get discouraged easily. 

How Grit Can Help Your Business

Why is grit something you need to look for when hiring and developing employees? The future of work is full of opportunity but the journey will be anything but certain. Perseverance and passion will be needed in abundance. These are some scenarios where employees with grit become a beneficial trait for your company.

They Understand That Good Things Take Time

Millennials have often been criticized for their need for instant gratification. While it might be true for some of them, grit had to be part of this generation’s makeup. Now in their 30s and 40s, they have endured school shootings, 9/11 terrorism, and the Great Recession…and they are now growing and thriving. It’s only human to get frustrated when we don’t see the instant rewards from our work. Contributing to a project day in and day out, and not getting recognition or confronting bureaucratic idiocy, is disheartening. Many employees may be tempted to just quit.

If your employee has grit, however, they know good things take time. Setbacks are not failures, but part of the journey.  When personal interests align with goals, it’s easier to persevere and feel that your efforts will be rewarded. People with grit stay and push through.