In biology, there are just some things that are facts. No matter how much you argue or protest, they will still remain true. What does that have to do with leadership, or even work in general, you ask? John Medina, professor, development molecular biologist, and author of the New York Times best seller Brain Rules, believes there are 12 basic rules that your brain follows and if you apply these rules to your practical life, you’ll come out ahead.
Three of his rules seem especially applicable to business leaders looking to motivate their employees.
Brain Rule #1 – Exercise boosts brain power.
- Want your team to have a longer attention span, increased memory, and better problem-solving skills? Evidence shows integrating exercise breaks into the day provides these results.
- Even Boeing’s VP of Leadership keeps a treadmill in her office and verifies that it helps her focus during the workday.
Brain Rule #4 – We don’t pay attention to boring things.
- Whether you’re presenting next year’s new sales campaign or reviewing employee benefits, you have to provide a relevant, emotional hook every 10 minutes of a presentation in order to keep your audience’s attention.
- Research verifies that multi-tasking is a myth. Don’t let yourself, or your team members, get sucked into the daily, whirling tornado of multi-tasking.
Brain Rule #5 – Repeat to remember.
- Not only do you need to provide a consistent message, you also have to engage your audience from the beginning so they associate that message with vivid memory.
- While it might not be appropriate for your circumstance, John will never forget the film professor who stripped in front of his class to make his point.
Sometimes it’s hard to see how science can apply to the practical aspects of your life, especially your professional career. But, Brain Rules provides 12 great examples of how science really can make you a better leader.
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