Sometimes, our brains are our worst enemies.

It's true - our biology predisposes us to react emotionally and perpetuate negative self-talk. For leaders, this leads to self-doubt, tension, and dysfunctional teams.

So what’s a leader to do?

Simple: outsmart your brain.

That’s according to this week’s awesome office guest, Dr. Marcia Reynolds, a world renowned organizational psychologist and leadership coach, and the author of the books Outsmart Your Brain and The Discomfort Zone.

Dr. Reynolds has delivered workshops in 35 countries and has presented at the Harvard Kennedy School, Cornell University, Edwards School of Management in Canada and Moscow School of Management in Russia.

In our conversation, she lays out a strategy for circumventing our over-protective brains, and reveals how we can change the way we communicate in order to maximize every conversation we have with our teams.

Marcia also recounts an incredible story about a particularly impactful conversation she had during a brief stint in jail during her rebellious youth.

We’re so humbled that Marcia shared so much with us. We know you’ll get a ton out of this interview - we sure did.

Key Takeaways

• Marcia explains why she thinks coaching is so beneficial, and the mindset that prevents a lot of business leaders from fully taking advantage of it. 3:58
• Marcia tells us why training by itself doesn’t work, and why real behavioral change requires ongoing conversations and accountability. 5:45
• Marcia describes the ideal cadence between a leader and a coach. 6:45
• Marcia explains why the most significant conversations are about challenging people to do more. 11:35
• Marcia explains the hazards of focusing on achievement and excellence in our upbringings, and what the missing piece for her was. 11:40
• Marcia tells us her journey into leadership coaching - including a conversation during a brief stint in jail that changed her life forever. 12:45
• Marcia explains how leaders can make deeper connections with their teams, despite the increased demands put on their time and energy, and why leaders should see it as an opportunity, not a burden, when team members come to them for advice. 14:24
• Marcia explains why she titled her book Outsmart Your Brain, and shares the number one mindset shift leaders need to make to improve on a daily basis. 16:43
• Marcia describes why curiosity is actually the most underrated emotion. 19:40
• Marcia explains the fundamental premise behind her book The Discomfort Zone, and why it’s so important to challenge people to become the best version of themselves. 23:40
• Marcia shares two stories about toxic cultures, and the approaches that each company took (to varying degrees of success).  34:20
• Marcia explains why we need to treat employees as partners, not as cogs in the machine. 38:25

Recommended Reading

• Outsmart Your Brain: How to Make Success Feel Easy by Marcia Reynolds, PsyD
• The Discomfort Zone: How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs by Marcia Reynolds, PsyD

Links

• OutsmartYourBrain.com
• Contact Marcia: [email protected]
• Steve Piersanti, President and Publisher of Berrett-Koehler Publishers 

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