SEEC’s Dr. Brynn Winegard Weighs in on the Neuroleadership Trend

As busy grad students and working professionals, we can always use a productivity “hack.”

Whether it’s healthy snacks, supplements, power naps, or experimenting with our coffee doses, it’s easy to understand the desire to give yourself a boost, both mentally and physically.

As a recent article in The Globe and Mail reminds us, these are forms of “biohacking – the practice of treating your body like a machine for optimal performance.”

But there’s another emerging discipline that takes a similar belief in biological motivation in the business world. The theory of neuroleadership is the science of developing more effective leaders by applying principles of neuroscience to management and business decision-making.

In other words, a healthier brain might help you climb the corporate ladder.

Dr. Brynn Winegard, a graduate of the Schulich MBA and PhD programs and faculty member of the Schulich Executive Education Council, reminds us that our brains,  like our bodies, respond to biological motivation.

She’s quoted as saying, “Whether it feels like it or not, just about everything you do is for the purposes of gaining access to resources” -resources that go beyond the rewards of food and sleep to include a better salary, comfortable house and a nice car.

In short: there’s a connection between a healthy, motivated brain and career success at the biological level. To be a high performer and a great leader requires that you “feed” your mind with things like exercise, rest intervals and a corporate culture conducive to the “brain breaks” that help leaders refocus.

How healthy is your brain?

Check out the full article here. It’s an interesting piece and perhaps a timely reminder as we really get into the thick of the semester.