From the Savannah to the OfficeHow Neuroscience can help us understand modern day Organizational Change.

• It’s all about survival- Avoid threats and seek rewards.

- Our threat response is MUCH STRONGER.

• The Impact of threat and reward on our brains

- Cortisol vs. Dopamine

• Our brains are predictions machines

- Require information and certainty

• Your brain is “lazy”

- 2% of body uses 20% of energy

- Must use short cuts to conserve energy

• Work has changed; our brains have not

• Neuroplasticity

- The silver lining: WE CAN ADAPT

- Hebb’s Law (1949) : “cells that fire together ………….wire together”

Hierarchy of Needs (revisited): Social Connection comes first

Self-

actualization

Esteem

Safety

Physiological

Love/Belonging (Social Connection)

Social Rejection at work:

Slowed work

Lowered IQ (up to 25%) (Baumeister et al., 2002)

Decreased memory

Decreased active reasoning

Less persistent

Less self-control

More Lethargic

Inverted “U” of Performance: Yerkes-Dodson

Yerkes and Dodson got it right in 1908.

Organizational change creates uncertainty and heightened arousal.

Managing and helping to alleviate that stress can make or break a transformation effort.

At the optimal level or flow state the brain produces dopamine and norepinephrine, strengthening the prefrontal cortex (PFC) (Arnsten, 2009)

Threat vs Reward in the Brain

Vicious Cycle

Change or Uncertainty

Increased Threat/Stress/Cortisol

Distraction, Anxiety, FearLowered IQ, increased

anger, poor decision making

Poor performance

Virtuous Cycle

Praise/Connection

Certainty/Esteem

Increased DopamineFlow State:

Increased Creativity/Clarity of Thought

Decrease Cost/Increased Effectiveness

What Can We Do? Self-esteem

Purpose

Autonomy

Certainty

Equity

Social Connection

Bridges’ Transition Model:

Endings:

Listen, help people let go, give information, respect the past, define what is over and what is not.

Neutral Zone:

Acknowledge limbo, create temporary systems and roles, protect people from failure, encourage creativity and growth

New Beginnings:

Encourage new ways, depict the future, rebuild trust, involve people in planning, and celebrate success

Hilary Scarlett’s SPACES planning template

References• Lieberman, Matthew (2013) Social: Why our Brains are Wired to Connect (2013) Lieberman, Matthew (Professor and Social Neuroscience Lab Director at UCLA)

• Scarlett, Hilary (2016) Neuroscience for Organizational Change (Writer, Speaker, Consultant, Director of Scarlett and Grey (Organizational Change Consultants)) *S.P.A.C.E.S. planning approach

• Baumeister, R F, Twenge, J M, and Nuss, C (2002) Effects of social exclusion on cognitive processes: anticipated aloneness reduces intelligent thought, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83 (4), pp 817-27

• Bridges, W (1991) Managing Transitions, Perseus Books, New York

• https://sway.com/QwjUFn6UUJghGkMc