Your Brain at Work

Leaders can generally be categorized into one of two types: servant and authoritarian. We'll discuss what drives people to develop into each type of leader, the differences in their belief systems, and importantly, how their brain processes differ. The NeuroLeadership Institute has spent the last 25 years leveraging neuroscience to understand how to develop better leaders, and we do so with organizations in three impactful ways. In this episode, we'll walk through each, from specific customized pathways to a set of leadership principles, all of which are designed to scale and embed fast.

Listen to a special episode of Your Brain at Work as David Rock interviews comedian Ben Gleib on the importance of bringing humor to the workplace and how to do it well. Humor is arguably one of the easiest ways to boost employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity, especially in times of uncertainty, stress, or crisis. Ben and David discuss the three proven tactics for safely bringing levity and humor into the workplace and why they work so well, from a neuroscience perspective.

Getting leaders to engage in learning is one of the central changes for HR and talent functions. During times of intense change, this can often appear to be less important, when in fact it may be even more critical. Yet, how can we engage busy, goal focused leaders in deeper thinking when they already feel overwhelmed? In this timely conversation, explore insights from both the science and decades of practice, including the non-obvious downsides of making learning mandatory, and a set of three focuses for making experiences truly compelling.

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not the only one. With the rate of organizational change at an all time high, you’re having to work with more information than ever and under more pressure to perform. It’s nearly impossible to be effective in this type of cognitive overwhelm. On this episode of Your Brain at Work, Dr. David Rock and Dr. Emma Sarro will share how building habits of self regulation can be the key to navigating the challenges of overwhelm in today’s complex world. They’ll dive into the underlying neuroscience of our threat system and how to effectively dampen its response with emotional regulation strategies that both individuals and teams can build. Learn the tangible strategies that can help you and your team regain focus.

Join Dr. David Rock for a special episode of Your Brain at Work live as he interviews Damien Mander, an Iraq war veteran turned environmentalist and founder of Akashinga, an anti-poaching foundation. His story is a unique one that highlights a profound personal transformation when he traveled to Africa and was faced with the challenges of the world’s wildlife. He founded the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, which focuses on ranger training, operations and integrating modern technology into conservation. He now shares his passion for conservation, the lessons learned and the nature of our priorities in an uncertain world. This is not just a powerful story, but one that has strong connections to how we view and develop our leaders today. Join us for this incredible episode!

In our next episode of Your Brain at Work Live, we are continuing our discussion around the leadership development trends of 2025 – this time focusing on the increased demand for critical thinking in the workplace. NLI’s Vice President of Consulting, Practices & Product, Rachel Cardero and Senior Director of Research, Dr Emma Sarro will discuss what’s behind the growing call by organizations for more critical thinking and other analytical skills in both their employees and leaders. In addition, they’ll discuss the ways that critical thinking enables organizations to thrive, from strategic decisions to its use of AI, and importantly, the underpinning neuroscience – the essential cognitive skills and mindsets that can increase critical thinking in others.

With all the ‘noise’ surrounding political pushback, legal challenges, and a volatile social climate, it's hard to separate what’s true from what’s trending. Join DEI expert Janet M. Stovall, CDE, and legal scholar Kenji Yoshino next Friday the 31st at 1:00pm EST for a critical webinar that cuts through the noise and equips you with the essential truths for navigating this complex landscape. They'll guide you through: - The political landscape, separating policy from politics to uncover the true impact of current political actions on your organization. - The social reality, distinguishing between performative allyship and genuine DEI commitment. - The legal outlook, unpacking the evolving legal framework and the role of the Supreme Court. Gain the clarity you need to: - Mitigate risks and ensure your DEI efforts are legally sound. - Build organizational resilience in the face of uncertainty. - Foster a workplace where all employees are empowered to deliver their best.

Join us for a special episode of Your Brain at Work, recording live from Davos, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Geneva, Switzerland. This event brings together top leaders from across the globe and across disciplines, involving political, business and cultural leaders. Dr. David Rock, who will be in attendance, will share his reflections on the event, this year themed, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear his thoughts, live!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the organizational landscape. Not only does it provide organizations with a means to cut costs and enhance the quality of services, it can also optimize processes, productivity, and efficiencies, at scale. Despite the breadth of opportunities, organizations are still struggling to reap the full potential of an AI-fueled workforce. This is because reaching its full value requires companies to rewire how they work. On this episode of Your Brain at Work, Dr. David Rock and Dr. Emma Sarro discuss the challenges leaders face when working to implement AI into their processes and how to leverage neuroscience to turn challenges into opportunities. They’ll also discuss how a deep understanding of human cognition and the science of change management is the foundation for an AI-strategy that creates the right type of human-AI workforce that enhances productivity and innovation.

Your Brain at Work Live is kicking off the year with a new season and a look at the latest trends to watch in leadership development, a spin off of David Rock’s latest article published in Fast Company. We closed out the year with the staggering realization that change around us is exponentially increasing – 33% in just last year alone. From the volatile state of hybrid work to AI transformations and global polarization, change is likely to continue into 2025. In order to keep up, leaders have had the challenge of adapting just as fast and many are struggling, with 71% of CEOs reporting suffering from imposter syndrome. Whether leaders are able to meet the future challenges head on and turn them into opportunities depends in a large part on their development. This session will explore the key tools to leadership development, from the individual mindsets to embrace to the cultures that can be embedded.