3 Ways Our Brains Undermine Our Ability to Be a Good Leader

So how many of these unicorns are out there? One of us (David), along with Tricia Naddaff, CEO of Management Research Group, analyzed data from thousands of employees in which people rated their bosses on goal focus and people focus. Less than 1% of leaders were rated high on both.

The result is that leaders become more “vision-focused” and less concerned with detail.

However, for leaders who were strong in both results and social skills, the likelihood of being seen as a great leader skyrocketed to 72%.

According to management consultant Elliott Jaques, the higher you go in an organization, the further out you need to think.

Rather than just doing the work of today, leaders must constantly scan for what’s next and make sure their teams are prepared. This is at odds with how our brains evolved to value the immediate and short-term future. Indeed, in one study, 27% of Americans say they rarely or never think about what might happen five years into the future.

To be successful, our research at the Neuroleadership Institute has found we must excel across three core domains of great leadership: being future-focused, being good with people, and being able to drive results. And yet, as we develop as leaders, our brains evolve in ways that challenge our ability to excel in these areas.

Social neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman points out that a leader who is both technically competent and highly personable is somewhat of a unicorn.

For example, if you’re embarking on a new project and think it should take three weeks to complete, ask for the perspectives of others who will execute the day-to-day tasks to ensure alignment on how much time it takes to deliver a quality product – and then be open to shifting your timeline, if possible.

One of the biggest conundrums of leadership is the way our brains perceive power. As individuals perceive themselves to be more powerful, they tend to become more optimistic. This often leads to unrealistic targets and inflated expectations, which can cause a disconnect between leaders and their direct reports who are doing the heavy lifting.