Future Leaders Scheme: Leadership under pressure

What it was:

A talk and interactive session on leadership, held as part of the Future Leaders Scheme at Ashridge in November 2017.

We also completed a ‘leadership dilemmas’ exercise that looks at choices under pressure.

What I learned:

A simple model for how the brain works:

“Brain 1”, the autonomic nervous system; Sympathetic nervous system, works fast. Controls fear, fight, flight.
“Brain 2”, Parasympathetic nervous system; Controls rest and recuperation.
It’s essential to balance sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Without balance, we lose cognitive function, become tired and stupid!
“Brain 3”, the conscious thinking mind. Brain 3 has not evolved fast enough for us to cope with modern world.
Under stress, brain 2 perceives threat, activates brain 1, brain 3 shuts down.

Sweet spot between challenge and threat is “correct thinking under pressure”- this is what you should always aim for.

My leadership values, according to my guesses (!?):

My leadership values, as evidenced by the ‘leadership dilemmas’ exercise?

What will I aim to do differently as a result:

Consider an exercise to reconcile what team say about me and what I said about myself
Develop and write a “why should anyone be led by you statement”
Keep momentum on learning and development
Write this all up!

Robin Riley