Groundbreaking development in the Neurosciences has allowed us to increasingly understand how the human brain works. This scientific evidence is a potential valuable tool that can help us improve our understanding of ourselves and others in the workplace.
This article will discuss the neuroscience behind decisions we make every day so we can ultimately strengthen our decision-making, skills, and efficiency in the workplace.
Your Complex & Evolving Brain
Did you know that the human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion connections? Talk about complexity! Everything that you do, all decisions that you make, and all of your thoughts and responses are due to chemical reactions that occur in your brain.
The human brain has developed considerably over time, turning initial human weaknesses into strengths. First to develop was our ability to focus. Contrary to other animals, our ancestors did not have any specific strength (speed, flying, physical strength, etc.), so they learned to rely on the intensity of their attention – the ability to distinguish quickly between an opportunity (prey) and a threat (wild animal). Thanks to this ability to focus, they could distinguish patterns and anticipate actions.
The next strength to develop was our ability to socialize, communicate, and make alliances. The realization that there is strength in unity then led to the development of empathy and language (first non-verbal, and then verbal).1
Learning how our brain works can help build upon our own self-awareness along with our understanding of colleagues and professional peers. By doing so, we can drastically increase our decision-making abilities, learning capacities, reactions to events, efficiency, and even our well-being.
Neuro-What?
Neuroscience encompasses any or all of the sciences, including neurochemistry, experimental psychology, neuroeconomics, and neuroleadership as they relate to the structure or function of the nervous system and brain.2
Soon after the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the 1990s,3 neuroscience proved to be critical in understanding the behavior of individuals in various fields, including marketing, finance, and management.
Decision-Making for CFMs
It is estimated that people make 35,000 decisions each day,4 and the more crucial our responsibilities, the more decisions we make. Of course, not all decisions are necessarily critical; in fact, much research supports that most decisions are unconscious, and many may be small-scale (choosing what to eat, which lane to drive, etc.). However, a good number of these decisions are often medium- to high-priority, and deciding correctly can be pivotal in the workplace.
Righty or Lefty?
We have two brains: the right and left. Popular thought links the right brain to artistic abilities as it is fast, instinctive, and unconscious. On the contrary, the left brain can be known as the rational brain; some theories show that it tends to be slow, complex, conscious, and reliable. Every decision that we make usually incorporates aspects from both sides.
As illustrated below, we first perceive a decision that needs to be made. The left brain/right brain theory posits that the right brain processes and communicates information to the left brain. Per this theory, depending on the decision, both brains can communicate until a decision is finally made. Accordingly, if we were to use only the right brain, it can be argued that we might make decisions that could veer harsh or irrelevant. On the contrary, if we were to use only our left brain, we arguably might take more time to make the decision, if any decision is made at all.
Some decisions may require more input from one side of the brain than the other. For example, we should make an investment decision primarily using the left-brain. If we don’t, the fact of investing in a company just because of its external image (based on brand reputation, industry perception, etc.) without looking deeply and objectively at its financials or other objective data – or in short, soliciting only the right brain – could easily lead to a financial loss.
However, during presentations, the right brain should be more involved to decide the best ways in which to present, as well as which elements to emphasize. In fact, being sensitive to how you convey your message by selecting the right layout and color of your PowerPoint slides, adopting the appropriate tone of voice and posture, and emphasizing the right keywords can make your presentation successful and will help people better understand the message you want to communicate. We will also see later that emotions can help with memory retention.