Bridging neuroscience, storytelling, and surprise.
Leadership development has traditionally focused on psychological theories, behavioural strategies, and self-reflection. However, the latest advances in neurobiology and storytelling are shifting how we approach this vital field. In this article, we explore how these insights, integrated into Cranfield’s approach to leadership development, combine both art and science to foster growth, adaptability, and resilience in leaders.
Neurobiology and Leadership: Unlocking the pre-cognitive mind
Modern neurobiology reveals that much of our experience is shaped by pre-cognitive processes - those automatic functions that occur below conscious awareness, such as heart rate, gut-brain signalling, and hormonal regulation. Leadership development has historically centred on cognitive and emotional intelligence, but we now understand that these ‘pre-cognitive’ layers also play a significant role in a leader’s effectiveness. By tapping into this deeper level of neurobiological functioning, leaders can optimise their physiological states to enhance their ability to thrive in high-stress environments.
For example, Lisa Feldman Barrett, an award-winning Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University in the United States, argues that the brain is not primarily for thinking, as traditionally believed, but for managing the body’s energy and making predictions. This is because the brain’s most important task is to monitor the internal and external environment to anticipate the best next action, often based on imperfect data. From this perspective, effective leadership is less about rational decision-making and more about understanding how the brain’s energy regulation and predictive mechanisms shape behaviour and decision processes. So we often risk making bad decisions, not because of insufficient understanding or ‘smarts’, but because we’re tired or hungry. By embracing this understanding, leaders can cultivate practices that align with how the brain truly operates - supporting both personal wellbeing and optimal performance.
Our approach to leadership development integrates these neurobiological insights by exploring how to work with, rather than against, these automatic processes. We contend that the mind and body are one, and without nurturing both, peak performance is unachievable. Recent research in metabolic psychiatry supports this, showing that conditions like inflammation and metabolic dysfunction directly affect brain health and mental resilience. By fostering physical health through movement, sleep, exposure to natural light, nature and nutrition, leaders can create a strong foundation for cognitive and emotional performance.
The Power of Surprise and Awe in Leadership Development
A critical but often overlooked aspect of leadership development is the role of surprise in triggering behavioural change. While values-based education has been a mainstay in the field, we introduce a novel concept: surprise-based leadership development. Neuroscience reveals that surprise, unlike other motions, can ‘reset’ the brain’s emotional state. This reset can help individuals become unstuck from negative behavioural patterns, opening them up to new ways of thinking and acting.
Surprise is not about shock value, it is about creating a space where leaders can challenge their assumptions and preconceived notions. We argue that the emotional experience of awe also plays a significant role in this process. Awe is often underused in leadership development. Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkley even argues that awe is the ultimate human emotion, and suggests that it can unlock creativity and connect us to something greater than ourselves, fostering a deeper sense of purpose and inspiration – in leadership and in life in general.
Storytelling as a Tool for Transformation
In addition to surprise, storytelling is a powerful tool for leadership development. Humans are inherently meaning-makers, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and how the world works shape our beliefs and behaviours. Our whole belief system sits in these stories. In our approach, we harness the transformative power of storytelling to help leaders reframe their internal narratives and break free from limiting beliefs.
Neuroscience supports the idea that stories are more effective than facts and figures for driving behavioural change. The brain is wired to remember stories because they engage our emotions and social cognition. By facilitating reflection on personal and collective stories, leaders gain greater self-awareness and reshape their actions in alignment with their values. The combination of neuroscience and storytelling creates fertile ground for leadership development, tapping into both the conscious and subconscious layers of the mind.
Connecting with Nature: An Embodied Experience of Leadership
We also emphasise the importance of reconnecting with the natural world as part of the leadership journey. Nature offers a unique space for leaders to escape the cognitive overload of daily life and engage with their deeper selves. It is in nature where we often find the quiet needed to reflect on our inner narratives and recalibrate our sense of purpose. This connection with the natural world reinforces the idea that we are part of a larger system - a concept aligned with emerging fields of research like quantum biology, which suggests that all matter is interconnected on a fundamental level.
By incorporating nature, storytelling, neurobiology, and the transformative power of surprise, our approach offers a holistic model of leadership development that transcends conventional frameworks. Recognising the interconnectedness of mind, body, and environment allows leaders to thrive not only as individuals but also in their relationships and broader social systems.
The Energy of Leadership
Cognitive and physical decline is prevalent in western cultures, driven by fast-paced lifestyle and environmental changes. Now, more than ever, our societies require leadership that is powered by cognitive stability, clarity and focus to solve the macro and micro economic, environmental and social challenges we face. Organisations have long sought to develop leadership through enhancing skills, knowledge and behaviours, while taking the energy of their leaders for granted. But with workplace burnout common and an attitude of ‘hanging on in there’ widespread, this model is crumbling.
We work with leaders to reframe the model of ‘more work done equals more impact’ and support them to make a transition into managing their energy, rather than their time. By incorporating research by Jim Loehr and Tony Swartz, we give leaders the opportunity to explore their intellectual, emotional, physical, and even their spiritual energy. Working with these different types of energy can be a powerful experience. By noticing how to intentionally work with each energy in different situations, and how to recharge each energy, our participants discover powerful, paradigm-shifting insights.
Our approach includes integrating lifestyle habits and rituals that can offer sustainable performance and ultimately a competitive advantage. This is achieved by a combination of performance-tracking wearables, personalised coaching and group activities. We encourage participants to examine where they direct their attention, and by challenging them on how they manage distractions ranging from personal devices to ‘work’ that is of lower value. We have observed a visceral shift at the moment a participant starts to experience what it is like to direct their finite resources towards activities that truly create value.
Learning as an Experience
By moving away from the notion of a ‘learning programme’ towards learning as continuous experience, we open up myriad opportunities for personal growth. Our approach takes leaders on an open-minded exploration of their very own human experience, encompassing their learning journey so far and discovering future potential.
Within the structure of this approach, leaders are gently challenged as part of a creative process. Through working at their learning edge, by default a slightly uncomfortable place to be, our participants develop deep self-knowledge and form close bonds with peers based on shared experience. This learning process leans heavily on reframing personal stories and the stories of their organisation and society. Herein lies the boundless opportunity for mastery.
Conclusion
The art and science of leadership development is evolving. By integrating neurobiology, using storytelling, and strategically applying surprise, leadership education is becoming more holistic, personalised, and dynamic.
Addressing both the tangible and intangible aspects of human experience, our approach offers a new vision for leadership in the 21st century, one that fosters resilience, creativity, and collective wellbeing.
Notes
This article was first published in EFMD Global Focus Magazine http://globalfocusmagazine.com
Authors
Dr Jutta Tobias Mortlock - Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management.
Chris Coghlan - Executive Development Director at Cranfield Executive Development and Programme Director of the THRIVE: Passion, Purpose, Performance leadership experience.
