By Monica Shaffert
As someone who works in the corporate world, I am interested in the ways that a holistic perspective can be brought into business.
One of the ways this is happening, which I find quite encouraging, is in the area of leadership. Corporate leaders are increasingly realising that it is not enough to just lead from the “head” and from the “will;” that old approach is quite top-heavy and often not inspiring.
Instead, trainers are now using terms like “emotional intelligence,” “presence”, and “heart-centredness” when working with business leaders. That is quite a shift from even twenty years ago!
Of course, we need to use our brains in business, but now the question reigns: Which one?
Recent neuroscientists have discovered that we have three independent brains in our body. One in the head, one in the heart and one in the gut. Each “brain” is put together very differently and has a different function but nevertheless, each brain influences decision making and behaviour:
- The head brain is connected to creativity
- The heart brain is connected to compassion
- The gut brain is connected to courage
When a decision has been considered using the head intelligence, it needs the emotional connection from the heart intelligence to carry through on the decision and the gut intelligence to pay attention to risk. A decision that has been “consulted” by these three brains (head, heart and gut) will be aligned with the unified self and therefore have the necessary energy to flow forwards without pushing it out with a lot of will power.
Finding this piece of research made me really excited. It’s great to have neurologists eventually back up with scientific evidence what the field of personal development has long ago believed to be true. It follows then, that leadership development itself involves the development of the whole person.
Now, in whatever field you may be working, you might start to consider how to maximise each of your three brains. Start to notice in which part of your body you feel centred, as you make decisions. Try using one of your hands to connect to each of these brain centres, and see if you can feel the energy and impulses from each. By connecting more deeply with each of your three brains, you should find new creativity and insights emerging from your whole self.
As someone who works in the corporate world, I am interested in the ways that a holistic perspective can be brought into business.
One of the ways this is happening, which I find quite encouraging, is in the area of leadership. Corporate leaders are increasingly realising that it is not enough to just lead from the “head” and from the “will;” that old approach is quite top-heavy and often not inspiring.
Instead, trainers are now using terms like “emotional intelligence,” “presence”, and “heart-centredness” when working with business leaders. That is quite a shift from even twenty years ago!
Of course, we need to use our brains in business, but now the question reigns: Which one?
Recent neuroscientists have discovered that we have three independent brains in our body. One in the head, one in the heart and one in the gut. Each “brain” is put together very differently and has a different function but nevertheless, each brain influences decision making and behaviour:
- The head brain is connected to creativity
- The heart brain is connected to compassion
- The gut brain is connected to courage
When a decision has been considered using the head intelligence, it needs the emotional connection from the heart intelligence to carry through on the decision and the gut intelligence to pay attention to risk. A decision that has been “consulted” by these three brains (head, heart and gut) will be aligned with the unified self and therefore have the necessary energy to flow forwards without pushing it out with a lot of will power.
Finding this piece of research made me really excited. It’s great to have neurologists eventually back up with scientific evidence what the field of personal development has long ago believed to be true. It follows then, that leadership development itself involves the development of the whole person.
Now, in whatever field you may be working, you might start to consider how to maximise each of your three brains. Start to notice in which part of your body you feel centred, as you make decisions. Try using one of your hands to connect to each of these brain centres, and see if you can feel the energy and impulses from each. By connecting more deeply with each of your three brains, you should find new creativity and insights emerging from your whole self.
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