Join getAbstract to access the summary!

The Leading Brain

Join getAbstract to access the summary!

The Leading Brain

Powerful Science-Based Strategies for Achieving Peak Performance

TarcherPerigee,

15 min read
8 take-aways
Text available

What's inside?

Live right: Sleep, exercise, eat a healthy diet and stimulate your brain to achieve “peak performance.”


Editorial Rating

8

Recommendation

Neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius and consultant Dr. Hans W. Hagemann have decades of experience helping organizations understand and leverage brain science for better performance and productivity. They describe the influence of neurochemicals on human performance in an engaging, clear manner that laypeople can easily understand. They detail scientific techniques and insights that can induce peak performance, both by living well and healthfully, and by organizing work to stimulate the release of neurochemicals. Though some of the advice they offer sounds mundane – deep-breathing exercises, positive thoughts, power posturing or smiling to make yourself happier – the authors also provide applicable and original advice derived from the latest neuroscience. 

Summary

Knowing more about your brain can help you achieve moments of peak performance.

Many recent discoveries in brain science apply directly to business and leadership. This wealth of new insights from neuroscience can guide more effective organizational decisions, whether in personnel, finance or other areas.

People reach peak performance in different ways. Unfortunately, few know how to put themselves into that zone. A better understanding of how your brain works can guide you toward achieving peak performance more often or even at will. When you experience just enough stimulus to narrow your focus on a task, but not so much that it causes extreme fear or anxiety, you’re ready to enter the zone.

Your brain consists of about a trillion neurons that communicate chemically through neurotransmitters. The fact that your neurons aren’t physically connected lets them rearrange themselves and create new pathways for learning.

To perform at your best, activate the three neurotransmitters; they are the “DNA of peak performance.”

Three neurotransmitters matter most to your performance. They form the acronym “DNA.”

    About the Authors

    Friederike Fabritius and Dr. Hans W. Hagemann consult and lead leadership development training using lessons from neuroscience. 


    Comment on this summary

    More on this topic

    Related Skills

    Be Creative
    Be Emotionally Intelligent
    Become More Adaptable
    Build Confidence
    Develop Your Thinking Skills
    Human Resources
    Lead Ethically
    Leadership
    Manage Change
    Manage Learning and Development
    Manage Remuneration
    Management
    Navigate Leadership Challenges
    Personal Growth
    Plan and Strategize Your Sales
    Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    Sales
    Shape Organizational Culture
    Soft Skills
    Understand Yourself
    Build Useful Habits
    Support Employees’ Well-being
    Learn from Experience
    Pursue Lifelong Learning
    Workplace Skills
    Make Good Decisions
    Understand Cognition
    Take Other Perspectives
    Take Group Decisions
    Master Interpersonal Skills
    Lead through Change
    Practice Gratitude
    Delegate Effectively
    Leverage Employee Resource Groups
    Promote a Learning Culture
    Make Data-Driven Decisions
    Place Talent Strategically
    Design Incentive Structures
    Overcome Self-Doubt
    Become a Self-Driven Learner
    Support Others
    Foster a Culture of Innovation
    Sleep Well
    Enhance Employee Experience
    Reward Employee Contributions
    Dare to be Vulnerable
    Become More Productive
    Develop Self-Mastery
    Facilitate Discussions
    Innovation
    Lead Yourself
    Understand Motivation
    Drive Employee Engagement
    Foster Ownership in Others
    Promote Neuro-Inclusion
    Build an Inclusive Culture
    Build Your Resilience
    Manage Team Boundaries
    Master Collaboration
    Develop Team Members
    Foster Collaboration
    Cultivate Self-Discipline
    Manage Your Leadership Impact
    Live Well
    Facilitate Group Ideation
    Overcome Impostor Syndrome
    Cultivate a Growth Mindset
    Practice Humility
    Improve Team Performance
    Collaborate Creatively
    Practice Mindfulness
    Lead Remote or Hybrid Teams
    Manage Your Emotions
    Understand Personality Types
    Create a Sense of Belonging
    Enhance Team Agility
    Practice Transformational Leadership
    Understand Team Dynamics
    Adopt a Learning Habit
    Strengthen Team Collaboration
    Build and Maintain Well-Being
    Build Team Cohesion
    Build Psychological Safety
    Manage Sales Teams
    Practice Servant Leadership
    Lead Inclusively
    Improve Your Mental Health
    Motivate Your Team
    Manage People and Talent
    Foster Team Culture
    Manage Stress
    Drive Team Performance
    Enhance Your Focus