Executive functions
In Boundaries for Leaders, Dr. Henry Cloud explains how executives can function better, by understanding the human brain’s executive function. In other words, communicate in a way people are hard-wired to understand.
Whether building a car, driving a car, or selling a car, the brain relies on three essential executive functions:
Attention – the ability to focus on relevant stimuli and block out what is not relevant
Inhibition – the ability to not do certain actions that could be distracting irrelevant or even destructive
Working Memory – the ability to retain and access relevant information (used for reasoning, decision-making, and taking future actions).
Dr. Cloud writes, “In other words, our brains need a) to be able to focus on something specific, b) not get off track by focusing on or being assaulted by other data points or toxicity, and c) continuously be aware of relevant information at all times.
Think about the example of driving your car to the grocery store and how your brain relies on all three executive functions.
How can you apply this to leadership communications? That’s what we will explore this week in the 2-Minute Tip.
