Business leaders are in charge. They are in charge of people, of budgets, of production lines. Most leaders also believe that they are in charge of their greatest resource—their own brain. But how true is that? The more we understand about how the brain works, the clearer it becomes that often our brain kicks in before we do. For example, the more expert we become, the less we "think." Our brain can con us into being sure that we’re right—even when we’re wrong. And without consulting us, our brain decides who to trust. The good news is that leaders can use what researchers have learned about the brain to manage their own brains more effectively. That’s the first Brain Advantage. Just as important, leaders can use that knowledge to manage other people more effectively. That’s the second Brain Advantage. This book does for business leaders what few have time to do for themselves. It combines the latest brain research with insights from psychological studies of how people think. It uses powerful stories to convey that information, and presents it in short, readable chapters, each divided into three parts:
• "What’s the story?" reports in concise, digestible terms the science behind how the brain works.
• "Interesting, but so what?" discusses how this research is relevant to business leadership today.
• "What if …" illustrates what leaders might do differently if they were truly to "lead with the brain in mind."
The Brain Advantage shows leaders how to become even more effective decision-makers, communicators, and change-agents.