Our conscious brain generates about 10% of our decisions. Surprised at the low number? Furthermore, if that is true, where do the remaining 90% of our decisions come from?* The answer is the unconscious. And one part of our unconscious is our habits – repeated actions or thoughts that become standardized into our behavior. The old adage “We are our habits” now has neuroscience research backing.
As leaders, we need to learn about habits. In order to model the way and influence others to their greatness, we need to be aware of our own habits as well as have the ability to assist others in their awareness and changeability. So, the question for this writing is ‘What can leaders do to facilitate the brain to create habits that help us be better?'
Principle 2: Habits are a Brain Efficiency System
Have you ever driven to work and not remembered driving to work? Scary, isn’t it? Well, that experience is led by the part of your brain, the basal ganglia, which governs routine behaviors. Storing our routine behaviors is our brain’s way of conserving energy. How wonderful is that…our brain helps itself by being energy efficient. How can we use this efficiency system function in our brain to help us live a great life of intended habits?
First a little background information. In his book Quiet Leadership, Dr. David Rock explains that our habits are like the Grand Canyon. Just like the years and years of Colorado River water flow cutting a pathway through the rock of the Grand Canyon, repeated thoughts form pathways in the brain. Now think about how difficult it would be to change the water flow out of its repetitive pattern; it’s the same with our habits - changing them is very difficult. Dr. Rock tells us that it’s much easier to start a new habit instead of trying to change an old one.
In order to change, here are a few thoughts on an executable process from Dr. Kevin Ochscner, one of the founding fathers of the social neuroscience field.
1. Leaders need to work BOTH the habit systems as well as our thinking
systems. In business, leaders tend to work the thinking system only.
2. Most often our leadership feedback is directed to our thought systems. In other words, goal setting. Again, we need to engage the 90% of the unconscious as well.
3. Performance feedback is most often negative and not positive. Positive is more reinforcing.
So, our question again, “What can leaders do to facilitate change?”
1. Get commitment. All change fails without full commitment. We onlyFor example, let’s say I want to stop being late to meetings. I watch my behavior and notice that it’s most often the 2pm afternoon meetings when my energy is low. I also notice that it’s most often when I skip lunch.
make it through the tough spots through determination.
2. Identify the situations when this change-goal-item exists. Is it during a time of day, an event of the day, a particular person, etc.? Once you have identified the trigger, develop an “IF THEN” implementation strategy statement.
At this point, I craft a behavior IF-THEN statement: “If I skip lunch, I’ll eat a fruit and cracker snack in my office.” Now I have an actionable behavior and can then commit to the behavior. I write it down and place it in view as a friendly reminder. And then I prepare by bringing my snacks to work.
Successful leaders pay attention to habits. In summary, I leave you with a great poem (anonymous author) I read recently:
Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.
Watch your words, for they become your actions.
Watch your actions, for they become your habits.
* The actual numbers of conscious to unconscious thinking varies from 3% & 97% to
25% & 75%. Neuroscientists continue their study.
Author:
Dianne Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/
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To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 1, check it out at http://leadershiplaunchingpad.blogspot.com/2010/11/leaders-change-by-dianne-garrett.html
Great post!
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