What does neuroscience say about being a better leader?

Cambridge neuroscientist Dr Hannah Critchlow recommends a few key tips for managers to improve the wellbeing of their staff — and their own wellbeing too. We all know the benefits for our bodies of exercising regularly and eating well, but it turns out keeping active is good for our brains too. And it’s because of stress. Stress produces cortisol, which then “seeps into the brain, and basically starts to damage the dendritic spines — the connections in the brain, so you get a much less connected brain and it becomes much more difficult to think flexibly and creatively,” explained Cambridge neuroscientist Dr Hannah Critchlow at last month’s Not For Profit People conference, hosted by ethicaljobs.com.au in Melbourne. A range of studies have shown that things like going out for a jog can help to mitigate the effects of stress on these connections within the brain, she says. Some people have naturally high rates of a hormone called BDNF — brain-derived neurotrophic factor — which nourishes and cultivates new nerve cells that have just been born in the brain, helping them be productive under stress. For those without this natural advantage, exercise can help boost production of BDNF. Positivity is the enabler But it’s not just the boring stuff that’s good for you. Socialising and a good night’s sleep also help. “Exercise can help new nerve cells be born in the hippocampus, a key region in the brain that’s involved in learning and memory,” Critchlow says. “So you’re allowing more connections to form within the brain. If you mix exercise with exploring new environments, keeping socially active and discussing new ideas with people, then that helps these new nerve cells that have just been born — even within the adult brain — to connect and integrate in the circuit board […]

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