Brain chemistry isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about business leadership. Yet, understanding how our minds work might be the key to building better teams. That’s what caught Dr. Amin Sanaia’s attention after two decades in executive operations. As a neuroplastician studying how brains adapt and change, he noticed something interesting: the best leaders weren’t just skilled – they understood what made people tick. Now, after 25 years of watching teams succeed and fail, he’s boiled it down to three essential practices that turn brain science into better leadership.
Understanding Leadership Through Brain Science
Here’s a funny thing about business: we spend a lot of time talking about leadership skills but not much time thinking about why they work. That bothered Dr. Amin. As a certified Master neuroplastician, he kept seeing the same patterns. “Leaders must go beyond traditional skills and develop a deep understanding of human behavior, motivation, and the science of decision-making,” he says. Sounds complicated, right? But it boils down to something simple: understanding how brains work makes you better at leading people who have them.
1. Changing Your Brain, Changing Your Leadership
Remember when people thought you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks? It turns out that’s wrong – at least for human brains. Dr. Amin calls it neuroplasticity. In plain English? Your brain can rewire itself. “Neuroplasticity is foundational to neuroleadership,” he explains. Think about it like this: if your brain can change, you can get better at leading. Always. “Leadership is not static,” says Dr. Amin. Your brain keeps learning, so you can keep improving. Pretty cool, right?
2. Fostering Safety for Better Teamwork
Want to know what kills good ideas? Fear. Not the scary-movie kind. The what-if-I-look-stupid kind. Dr. Amin sees it all the time, and he’s got the science to explain why it matters.
“When leaders foster psychological safety, they reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and increase dopamine and oxytocin,” he explains. Translation? When people feel safe, their brains work better. They come up with better ideas. They work together better. They just do better. His fix? “I encourage leaders to actively listen, demonstrate empathy, and celebrate efforts and results.” Simple stuff that makes people’s brains happy. And happy brains make better teams.
3. Linking Emotions to Brain Science
Everyone talks about emotional intelligence these days. But Dr. Amin takes it somewhere interesting: your brain. See, emotions aren’t mysterious – they’re just your brain doing its thing. “NeuroLeadership takes EI to the next level by linking it to brain science,” he says. When you know how brains process emotions, you get better at handling them – yours and other people’s. His advice isn’t complicated: “I emphasize the importance of mindful practices and reflection.” The goal? Notice your emotional triggers before they hit so you can “respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.” Because nobody ever solved a problem by freaking out.
After watching leaders succeed and fail for 25 years, Dr. Amin keeps coming back to one thing: “When leaders understand the brain, they can truly understand their people.” His three-part recipe – brain plasticity, psychological safety, and science-based emotional intelligence – isn’t just another leadership theory. It’s about understanding why people do what they do, starting with their brains. The payoff? Leaders can “unlock their team’s full potential and lead with greater purpose and effectiveness.” Because, at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about being the smartest or toughest. It’s about understanding how people work – especially their brains.
To learn more about Dr. Amin Sanaia and his approach, check out his LinkedIn profile.
