How do language and psychology impact leadership behavior and financial performance in organizations? Are we overlooking the influence of corporate language?

In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle sits down with psychologist, neuroscientist, speaker, consultant, and author of Neuroscience for Organizational Communication: A Guide for Communicators and Leaders, Dr. Laura McHale. 

Dan and Laura explore the intersection of neuroscience and organizational communication, looking into Laura’s background in executive communications and her journey into neuroscience for leadership psychology. They delve into how status affects the brain, the SCARF model, and the concept of power distance in workplace dynamics before examining the complexities of employee engagement, the impact of social exclusion, and the importance of relatedness for a sense of belonging. They touch on the challenges of absentee leadership and the significance of inclusive communication practices for a positive work environment. 

They also discuss the intricate relationship between language, communication, and AI within organizational contexts. Laura emphasizes the significance of "pronoun agility" and the problematic nature of weasel words in corporate communication. Using Enron's internal communications as a case study, they explore how language can reflect a company's financial health. The conversation also addresses the potential of AI, like ChatGPT, to revolutionize the communications field while also considering the risks of misuse and the importance of understanding psychology and neuroscience. The episode concludes with reflections on the future skills needed by communicators in an AI-influenced landscape. 

Listen in and hear…

• The importance of understanding psychology and neuroscience in communications within organizations
• The complexity of communication in remote interactions and interpreting cues
• The neuroscience behind followership and cultural influences on behavior
• Impact of status on the brain and the SCARF model
• Leader distance or power distance and its effect on communication dynamics
• Complexity and challenges of measuring and understanding employee engagement
• Impact of social exclusion in the workplace and fostering a sense of belonging
• Implications of absentee leadership on employee communications and internal communications
• The relationship between corporate language and financial performance
• Concerns about the erosion of language and acceptance of weasel words
• Potential impact of AI on the communications profession and political discourse

Notable Quotes

• [27:56] - "When our relatedness is threatened, it lights up so many pain centers of the brain; it's an extraordinarily painful phenomenon." -Dr. Laura McHale
• [22:28] -"Absentee leadership is reported seven times more than any other destructive leadership behavior; it is absolutely epidemic in our organizations and a big problem.” - Dr. Laura McHale
• [45:03] - “It really doesn't matter how perfect a communication is if the leadership behavior doesn't back it up; actions speak louder than words.” - Dr. Laura McHale
• [45:30] - “We as communicators can be brilliant at drafting words, but it ultimately needs actions and behaviors backing it up, otherwise it just becomes an exercise in cynicism.” - Dr. Laura McHale
• [47:55] - “We can only go so far in helping the leaders to frame what they're going to say, but ultimately it's going to be their behaviors that truly matter.” - Dr. Laura McHale

Resources & Links

Dan Nestle

• The Trending Communicator | Website
• Daniel Nestle | LinkedIn
• Dan Nestle | Twitter

Dr. Laura McHale

• Dr. Laura McHale | Website
• Dr. Laura McHale | LinkedIn
• Dr. Laura McHale | Email

Laura's Book

• Neuroscience for Organizational Communication: A Guide for Communicators and Leaders by Dr. Laura McHale

 

Timestamped summary for this episode (generated by Capsho, my AI assistant)

00:00:00 - Introduction to the importance of neuroscience in communication  Dan introduces the importance of understanding neuroscience in communication and the impact it has on leadership and organizational success. 00:01:15 - Laura's journey from communicator to psychology doctorate Laura shares her career journey from being a communicator to pursuing a doctorate in leadership psychology, driven by her fascination with leadership and human behavior. 00:06:39 - Laura's introduction to neuroscience Laura shares her introduction to neuroscience during her academic journey, where she developed a deep interest in the subject and its application to organizational life and communication. 00:13:14 - Differentiating psychology and neuroscience Laura explains the relationship between psychology and neuroscience, highlighting how neuroscience focuses on the physiological aspect of behavior, providing a deeper understanding of human communication and interactions. 00:15:27 - Impact of Zoom fatigue on communication Laura discusses the impact of Zoom fatigue on communication, highlighting the neuroscientific and psychological effects of excessive screen time and self-reflection during virtual interactions. 00:16:19 - The Impact of Zoom on Self-Image and Sociological Effects Laura discusses how our self-image impacts our focus and how the increase in dentistry and plastic surgery is related to the COVID Zoom epidemic. 00:17:07 - The Physiology of Behavior and Cultural Differences Laura delves into the physiology of behavior and how it leads to anxiety and stress, especially in different cultural contexts and power dynamics. 00:18:23 - Power Distance and Relatedness in Leadership The discussion explores the neuroscience behind deference to leaders and how it varies across cultures, emphasizing the importance of relatedness and its impact on the brain. 00:23:00 - Complexity of Constructs in Work Laura highlights the complexity of constructs in the workplace, such as leader power distance, and the challenges in understanding and measuring them, emphasizing the need to acknowledge this complexity. 00:27:29 - The Pain of Social Exclusion and Impact on Communication The conversation touches on the pain of social exclusion and its impact on workplace dynamics, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing relatedness in communication to avoid potential harm and misinterpretation. 00:33:43 - Inclusive and Exclusive "We" Laura discusses the use of inclusive and exclusive "we" in language, how it impacts social exclusion in organizations, and how politicians and leaders deploy them. 00:36:15 - Absentee Leadership Laura delves into absentee leadership, its impact on social exclusion, and the neglectful nature of this behavior in organizations. 00:37:10 - Understanding Absentee Leadership Laura emphasizes the prevalence of absentee leadership in organizations, its impact on employees, and the need for dialogue between leaders and their teams to address this issue. 00:39:01 - Recognizing Absentee Leadership Laura shares personal experiences of absentee leadership, the signs to look out for, and the importance of proactive communication and engagement to address this issue. 00:45:50 - Leadership and Communication Laura highlights the symbiotic relationship between leadership behavior and communication, the significance of words in corporate discourse, and the impact of language on company performance. 00:51:49 - Importance of Authentic Leadership Communication Dr. Laura McHale discusses the importance of aligning a leader's language with their behavior in order to avoid a disconnect. She emphasizes the need for transparent and direct communication without using negative messages padded with positive messaging. 00:53:10 - Impact of Weak Modal Words in Communication Dr. McHale points out how weak modal words and weasel words have influenced the acceptance of ambiguous language in communication. She stresses the importance of clear and direct communication, encouraging communicators to use concrete words and active voice. 00:55:38 - Influence of AI on Communication The conversation shifts to the impact of AI, specifically chat GPT and large language models, on communication. Dr. McHale shares insights on the potential implications and concerns related to using AI to craft messaging, highlighting its ability to generate hate speech and manipulative content. 01:01:10 - Communicators' Superpower in AI Era Dan Nestle expresses optimism about communicators leveraging their expertise in words and language to harness the potential of AI, particularly in prompt engineering. He emphasizes the importance of understanding psychology and neuroscience in working with AI. 01:05:36 - Cynicism and Optimism in AI Application The conversation delves into the dual nature of AI as an enabler and a potential manipulative tool. Dr. McHale discusses the need for vigilance in utilizing AI for communication and its potential impact on social cohesion and pro-social behavior.

 

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