Can your leaders achieve change? Here’s what the data says
Most companies are going through change of some type and some sectors are experiencing unprecedented transformational change; that is change that shifts the underlying assumptions and norms of the way the organisation and even the industrial sector operates. We wanted to understand how leaders were perceived to be doing in leading this change and their […]
Financial services & manufacturing leaders ‘worst in UK’
The Financial Services and Manufacturing industries have the weakest leaders in the UK, according to a detailed study released this morning by Head Heart + Brain, a leadership development consultancy. To gauge the standard of leadership in different industries, Head Heart + Brain commissioned a poll of more than 2,000 people which asked UK workers […]
Evidence-based HR – neuroscience in business and the HR department
We're hurtling towards a time when HR departments are driven by science and through understanding what makes people who they are. This evidence-based HR approach will be married heavily with big data. One of the key areas that is fueling evidence-based HR is neuroscience – the more we understand about the human brain and the […]
The neuroscience of trust and how it can improve your engagement results
A while ago I was working with a leadership team who got into a debate about trust. The team was split with the senior leader insisting their role was to mitigate risks by putting in place policies and policing people to ensure the company was safe. His starting premise was people are not trustworthy, if […]
The importance of social connection – insights from the NeuroLeadership Summit 2013
I have just returned from the 2013 NeuroLeadership Summit which was held for the first time this year in London. For those of you who may not be aware of the summit it aims to move forward the understanding of neuroscience in leadership and organisational performance. For the first time this year the Summit ‘travelled’ […]
Multitasking. What’s the productivity cost?
Technology has definitely made life easier, for example I can remember getting stuck on the train and being unable to let anyone know. Yes this was the days before mobile phones. There was one person with a phone in the whole carriage, probably the whole train. It was carried around like a brief case and […]
How being brain-savvy can improve performance management
The press coverage of Microsoft’s ‘stack rating’ system has put the whole process of performance management and ratings back in the headlines. I am sure many HR people are rather surprised that a system that was popular in the 80s and 90s is still being used by a ‘modern’ company like Microsoft, especially one that […]
Exploring the link between emotional control and success
One of the underlying assumptions about success in business is that we have to control ourselves and our emotions. For most of the last century emotions have been a ‘dirty’ word in business. The British stiff upper lip is seen as the pinnacle of control. Emotional Intelligence (for more on EI, read my previous article, […]
How to use storytelling to influence people
"A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared stuck. The man decided to help the butterfly and with a […]
How understanding neuroscience can increase the ROI on your training investment
Mark Twain said ‘training is everything’ but maybe what he meant is applying training is everything! Training and development is still a major focus for companies despite the recession. Learning and Development practitioners say they are being more commercial and business focused yet we are still told that programmes are not producing the behavioural change […]
Want to get your HR initiative agreed? How understanding the brain can help you
‘The goal of a presentation to your boss is not to get him to think you're smart, but to get him to think he's smart to support your idea’. This is a tweet (the new form of quote) from Tom Peters. It struck me as perfect for this article on how understanding the brain can […]
Five scientific discoveries that will save your change programme from failure
What factors influence the success of change? Every client I talk to is struggling with a major change project and most have pretty low expectations of what they can achieve. This is not surprising given around 70 percent of change initiatives fail or only partially succeed. People issues contributed to nearly 60 percent of the […]
Decision-bias in HR – are you really making fair decisions?
Read Jan's other articles: What should HR professionals know about neuroscience? How understanding neuroscience can increase the ROI on your training investment What is decision bias? Decision bias is a combination of economics and psychology. Behavioural economics looks at understanding how humans make decisions in reality rather than, as traditional economic theory would assume, completely […]
What should HR professionals know about neuroscience?
It's Neuroscience Learning Month on HRZone. You're reading one of the pieces that has been written to help you develop a sound understanding of why neuroscience principles are important to business, and a basic understanding of how you can apply them effectively. There's loads more content going live over the month to help you on […]
Technology: stopping employees going rogue
It seems that stories of employees ‘going rogue’ are always in the press – but how can companies stop them before they make the headlines? Do you even know if you have a rogue employee? If you’re a large multi-national organisation, the laws of probability aren’t in your favour. Add to the mix a person […]
Blog: Do you know how to be happy?
It was pitch dark and cold as we scrambled up Mount Batur at 4.30am. We were in a rush to the top of the Volcano up in the Balinese highlands to see the spectacular sunrise that greets the people who endure the vigorous climb. At full pelt, my lungs were straining to get more air […]
Blog: How to grow your brain in 30 days
A lot can happen in thirty days. Buildings can be constructed, Governments can fall, love can blossom and without doubt new habits can be formed. My previous two blogs on this subject (here and here) have outlined fascinating evidence that scientists have uncovered over the last 10 years – yes our brains continue to grow […]
Blog: Yes, you can really grow your brain!
“I’m just off to the gym to give my brain a workout”. That’s not something that you hear people say very often! No one would doubt the link between exercise and muscle development, it’s a well understood fact; if I want to grow my muscles I need to work them. Unsurprisingly the same fact is […]
