Neuroscience makes better people managers

Neuroscience is the physiological study of the brain. Thanks to new technology including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography, researchers are able to study the neural connections as they happen in the living brain. This research is shedding new light on human behavior and has tremendous implications in how to most effectively manage people.

Some of the most important implications include:

• People need sufficient sleep to integrate learning into long-term memory.

• Social pain such as rejection or being belittled affects the brain in the same way as physical pain.

• Social fairness and respect give the brain a chemical boost while unfairness and disrespect do the opposite.

• Stress causes people to think unclearly.

• Uncertainty arouses fear circuits and decreases the ability to make decisions.

• People require ownership over decisions to accept change.

• Engaging people in more active learning techniques improves retention.

• People’s ability to think clearly is hindered when they are exposed to uncertainty or their expectations are not met.

By understanding the results of neuroscientific research, managers can better create and implement strategies that will maximize employee productivity and job satisfaction.

This blog post is provided by Allen Miller and Business Advantage International. For assistance in dealing with human resources issues including organization effectiveness, training, compensation, and compliance, call Allen at 801.444.9919.