Reviewer June Maffin:Living on an island in British Columbia, Canada, Dr. Maffin is a neophyte organic gardener, eclectic reader, ordained minister (Anglican/Episcopal priest) and creative spirituality writer/photographer with a deep zest for life. Previously, she has been grief counselor, broadcaster, teacher, journalist, television host, chaplain and spiritual director with an earned doctorate in Pastoral Care (medical ethics i.e. euthanasia focus). Presently an educator, freelance editor, blogger, and published author of three books, her most recent (Soulistry-Artistry of the Soul: Creative Ways to Nurture your Spirituality) has been published in e-book as well as paperback format and a preview can be viewed on YouTube videos. Founder of Soulistry™ she continues to lead a variety of workshops and retreats connecting spirituality with creativity and delights in a spirituality of play. You can find out more about June by clicking on her Web Site.
Author: Srinivasan S. Pillay
Publisher: Pearson Education Inc.
ISBN: 978-0137064441
Click Here To Purchase Your Brain and Business: The Neuroscience of Great Leaders
Author: Srinivasan S. Pillay
Publisher: Pearson Education Inc.
ISBN: 978-0137064441
Srini Pillay is an M.D., Harvard psychiatrist, brain-imaging researcher and pioneer in the field of “neurocoaching” – taking brain science out of the theoretical realm and putting it into the business world to help Executives improve the social and profit-making variables at work.
His seventeen years of experience in neuroscience research and funding by Harvard Medical School encouraged him in writing this book which has been nominated as one of the five finalists in “books for a better life.” Pillay is among a growing number of educators who advocate for understanding and the implementation of neuroscience (the science of how our brains work) in the training of senior leadership in today’s business world.
These leaders are called to develop the critical skill of coaching (the art and science of facilitating positive change within the organization) because it's not enough in today's business world for Executives to lead solely with supervisory and management skills. Empowerment coaching skills are not only needed, Pillay believes, but are an essential skill-set. Pillay offers lessons for the growing new role of manager/leader/coach to overcome common leadership problems, maximize productivity and enjoy a sense of satisfaction with their work.
The book’s eight chapters take the reader from the basic question of What is Brain Science to the final chapter’s description of Coaching Brain Processes with some fascinating questions/subjects in between: “How does positive thinking affect the brain … what about the negative emotions/thinking … why should leaders be optimistic … the psychology of mindfulness and compassion … the neuroscience of empathy / perspective-taking / fairness / trust / vicarious reward / community / persuasion / attachment / innovation / intuition / body language and much more … why is change such a challenge in the human brain … is change possible in the human brain … memory and brain and its relevance to change … brain regions and their basic functions. Each chapter has its own conclusion and reference listing and the book is professionally indexed.
This is a scholarly presentation, solidly researched, soundly written for the business community with an abundance of charts and diagrams and it offers insights into the many ways that neuroscience can effectively be used at work. However, the implications and applications of his thesis don’t stop there. Pillay also offers insight into the field of relationships in general and in all areas of life, not just the work environment. Snippets of wisdom abound throughout the book i.e. “When you surround yourself with fear talk all day, even if you are not consciously listening to it – the news, negative colleagues, minute-to-minute stock market updates – your amygdala is on overdrive.” “With all these fears impacting his <sic> brain, his <sic> capacity to remember and make the right decisions are compromised.” “Hope and optimism and not ‘soft skills’. They are necessary brain adjustments to allow your brain to navigate the path toward success” “Brain imaging studies have shown that with mindfulness, the amygdala is quieted down and the leader will have better access to thinking circuits in the brain.”
his is a cutting-edge book that at first glance reads more like a university thesis than an easy-to-read book, but once into the book, anecdotes, easy-to-grasp charts and repetition of information makes it a welcome addition to any Executive’s personal and professional library, to the library of anyone interested in how the brain works and in the library of anyone open to learning new ways of relating to and with others.
So, if you are looking for an introduction to neuroscience, want to discover how to be a more effective manager/leader/coach, seek to know more about how your brain affects you on a daily basis so you can enhance your decision-making, communication, motivation and relationships (business and professional), then Pillay’s most interesting book is for you.
Click Here To Purchase Your Brain and Business: The Neuroscience of Great Leaders