Leading with the Brain

Foreword by Gerald Hüther It has now spread: In the course of their lives, everyone has acquired specific skills, collected certain experiences, and acquired specific knowledge in certain fields. All that makes a person who he is. But during his or her life, he or she still has the possibility to learn something new, to acquire new knowledge and new skills, and to make new experiences. So it's possible throughout a lifetime to evolve and to grow beyond oneself. This potential is created in the internal organization of the brain from the outset. No one can fully develop all of his potential, but everyone has, no matter how old he or she is, the possibility to use this potential to acquire new knowledge and to acquire new skills. Nobody can force him, but only invite, encourage, and inspire him. However, many leaders have a problem with this, not only at school, during training, or at the university, but also in businesses and organisations. That is why so much of what students, apprentices, or employees know, and therefore can apply, stays far below the possibilities. The teachers in the schools, the instructors in the companies, and the professors at the universities can live with this. The continued existence of their institutions is not jeopardised. However, businesses and companies work differently. They cannot survive in the market, and they can go bankrupt if their employees do not want to evolve. It is no longer sufficient if, every now and then, someone will tackle issues, think along, and take responsibility. Companies today, especially in our culture, need employees who want to get involved and for whom it is a pleasure to explore what else could be improved. In principle, companies and organisations do not work much differently than a brain. They also have a potential that is greater than expressed in their balance sheets. In principle, a lot more can be achieved, however, not by applying more pressure or even better control. With these measures,

ContentsForeword by Gerald Hüther 11A symbiosis of science and economy 15Chapter 1Big Bang - You are the person with whom change begins 19What do we want to tell our grandchildren? 21We can change an entire lifetime 27Why don't we always succeed in this? 29Start with the internal pictures 30Why is this role model function so important? 31In face of your future 34Chapter 2Belonging - People want to feel connected 41Phoenix Contact - Years of crisis 42Why everyone needs his monkey 45Phoenix Contact - Like the phoenix from the ashes 46Loss of belonging - Worse than a prison sentence 49Gardeur - Back to success 53Gardeur - Re-inventing the brand 55Unleashing your spirit 59A quick way to more connectedness 62Chapter 3Development and co-creation - Human beings want to get involved 65Eckes-Granini Germany - The C.I.A. strategy 67Eckes-Granini Germany - From C.I.A. to OMD 69Why we love Ikea 71Police Directorate Braunschweig - The stimulus of the workforce 73Development and co-creation - Three ways to morestress resistance 76Eckes-Granini Germany - The enterprise inside the company 79Development and co-creation - The boss spares hisbrainpower 81Chapter 4Trust - People need someone who believes in them 85Naturtalente by Weleda 86The Circle of Potential - How humans growbeyond themselves. 90Strong internal pictures unfold our potential measurably 93Johammer - Overwhelmed with confidence 97The attitude of the boss is what ultimately counts 102Faith and the amygdala 103Chapter 5Experiences - people grow when challenged 109dm - Learning on the job 110dm - The Adventure of Culture 114The Circle of Potential - Experiences shape our internal pictures 117Experiences shape the young brain 120Upstalsboom - Growth in cascades 123Neuroplasticity in the adult brain 129Why doesn't every experience subsequently createneuroplastic changes? 132People need controllable stress experiences 134Chapter 6Meaningfulness - People get access to their resources 139Märkisches Landbrot - Baking within

Sebastian Purps-Pardigol is a leadership coach and organizational consultant. Renowned neurobiologist Professor Gerald Hüther encouraged him to combine the insights of brain research with management training methods. Together they founded the non-profit project 'The Culture Change Code' (www.the-culture-change-code.com).