102: Use Brain Science to Be a Better Manager with Noelle Cordeaux

You don’t need to be a brain scientist to leverage brain science. The question for managers is: How can we create the optimal cocktail of chemicals, neuron firings and natural responses to enable people to do their best work? And, by the way, how do we avoid triggering the unhelpful systems that can send someone down an unproductive path?  Today’s guest is Noelle Cordeaux. Noelle is CEO and co-founder of JRNI Coaching and the Catalyst Coaching Intensive. She is also a feminist scholar, coach, speaker, and sexologist who specializes in the relationship with the self. Noelle and I talk about the difference it makes when you approach situations and people with a positive mindset, how to minimize defensiveness when having accountability conversations, and how to use brain science to inform your management style and get the best performance from your team while also creating a positive, healthy environment.   Read the related blog article: How to Apply Brain Science to Give Better Feedback   Join the Modern Manager community (www.themodernmanager.co/join) to access dozens of guest bonuses, episode guides and a community of supportive managers in our private Slack team.    Members get  $100 off the The JRNI Coaching Intensive which is a 20-week life coach certification for imperfect people to pursue their perfect calling and launch a coaching practice that makes an impact If you work for a nonprofit or government agency, email me at [email protected] for 20% off any membership level.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and free mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    KEY TAKEAWAYS Managers can leverage brain science to create the optimal environment for their team members.  The Poetic Principle says we can learn anything we put our mind to. When you look at your team members, its important to see them as full of potential. Social Construction theory says people are born into believing they have limitations given their past experiences. Help your team members see their potential for themselves. Mastery experiences help us develop confidence as we learn that we can achieve our goals. THey are little moments that lead us to the realization that “wow! I can do it!” Create opportunities for emotional interval training for your team members. This gives them opportunities to take small risks and go to the edge of their comfort zone but then retreat to safety. Over time, people become more tolerant of discomfort and are able to take greater risks before needing to return to safety. When the nervous system fires up, it closes down the logic center. When the endocrine system fires up, it causes people to be more creative. People do their best