Leadership is about decision making, which is very much about the ability to perceive and process information. These and related functions are all about the brain. Everything that has to do with attainment of humility, open mindedness, wisdom, and emotional intelligence (among others), is ultimately about the physiology or neurology of the brain.

Thus, leadership development is at the basic biological level all about developing our brains. In neurological terms, this means creating and refining neurological pathways (nerve channels) which store these learnings and memories, as well as cues that assist us in retrieving the relevant memories when needed.

In order to develop the appropriate parts of the brain we must first understand which parts of the brain are responsible for which functions. This is challenging because there are limitations to our knowledge of specific brain functions as well as the precise locations of certain functions. Recent innovations such as functional MRIs allow us to observe which parts of the brain become active when perfoming certain tasks, but we do not fully understand these processes and we lack specific information about what is exactly taking place in these active regions of the brain.

Let's avoid a long and highly technical discussion of brain structure and function, by simply agreeing that any activity that develops our brain in a healthy fashion has a positive effect on our ability to think and decide. Our challenge then is to stimulate and fortify, using all senses and options available.

An added bonus to brain development for leadership improvement is that the stimulation leading to a sharper mind may also help to resist the effects of aging.

Stimulating and Developing the Brain

Intellectual activities must be challenging in order to meaningfully stimulate the brain. Activities which can be performed without conscious effort are not very useful.

• Painting by numbers (good for kids, but not adults)
• Pottery wheel (good for adults)
• Sculpting
• Acting a dramatic play
• Sketching and drawing
• Playing a musical instrument and conducting an orchestra
• Video games (strategy games)
• Memory games
• Philosophical debates
• Recounting of historical events
• Teaching in the face of questions and challenges by attendees
• Low-level distress situations
• Distress event simulations
• Language and literature studies
• Practices of mediation, negotiation, and running a meeting

The ideal activities appeal to multiple intelligences. That is, there is more varied stimulation, and in a group setting there is something for everyone to excel in, and areas to help all people improve.

Return to Top