What Great Leaders Know

In today’s world of work, leaders are under more pressure than ever – ambitious board goals, fast-changing markets, and overstretched teams all competing for time in already overloaded calendars.

The instinctive solution? Push harder, do more. The smarter solution? Understand how people’s brains actually work – and lead accordingly.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve helped leaders across FTSE-100 and Fortune-500 organisations navigate complexity by applying one consistent principle: work with the brain, not against it. In a world where performance relies more on cognition than manual effort, understanding how your people think isn’t a luxury – it’s a strategic advantage. Why?

Because the best leaders don’t just manage behaviour. They shape environments that support better thinking, better decisions, and better outcomes. Here are three brain-based principles you can apply immediately:

1. Productivity isn’t about doing more – it’s about thinking better
Many still equate productivity with output: more hours, meetings, and activity. But the brain doesn’t work best when overloaded. Some of the most valuable thinking happens during downtime – walking, waiting for the kettle to boil, or staring out of a window. Think of all those eureka moments in the shower. That’s the Default Mode Network (DMN) at work – the brain system linked to creativity, insight, and problem-solving.

Great leaders make space for this. They protect thinking time, not just doing time. They understand innovation rarely shows up in back-to-back meetings or under looming deadlines. It lives in the quiet spaces between. Build a culture that values reflection as much as action. That’s where breakthroughs happen.

2. Mindframes shape performance – and you can shape mindframes
Leadership often focuses on mindset. Neuroscience goes further with mindframes – the moment-to-moment mental states that shape how we interpret challenges, feedback, and change. When someone feels clear, trusted, and supported, their brain lights up its “reward” systems. Creativity, empathy, and problem-solving surge. But under pressure or uncertainty, the brain shifts into threat mode. Thinking narrows. Collaboration drops. Same person, different state, radically different results.

Leaders directly influence these mindframes – through feedback, tone, and how mistakes are handled. Great leaders focus on creating the right conditions. They build psychological safety, where people feel safe to ask, test, and fail fast. Want better performance? Start by asking: What mental state is my team working in – and how am I influencing it?

3. Meaning fuels performance – more than metrics do
It’s easy to assume performance is driven by KPIs or promotions. But the brain is wired for contribution. When people feel their work has purpose and impact, dopamine kicks in. Motivation rises. Focus sharpens. Teamwork improves. Without that sense of meaning? The brain’s threat response takes over and, with this, cortisol increases. Cognitive capacity shrinks. That’s why the best leaders go beyond targets. They connect effort to impact:

“Why this matters.”
“Who it helps.”
“How it fits into the bigger picture.”

And they reinforce that regularly – not just once a year, but in everyday conversations and meetings.The result? Teams that stay engaged and motivated, not just driven.

Lead with the brain in mind
Great leadership isn’t just about delivering results – it’s about rethinking how results happen. Performance doesn’t come from pressure. It comes from potential. And when you lead in ways that support the brain, you unlock clarity, energy, and creativity – sustainably. That’s the power of the Whole Brain Potential framework: a practical, science-based approach to help people and teams thrive. No fluff. No trends. Just real neuroscience-backed tools to help you lead smarter.

The first step? Start noticing how your team’s brains are working – and what might be getting in their way. Because the future of leadership doesn’t belong to those who push harder. It belongs to those who think better.