MIND POWER AND LEADERSHIP

The power of the human brain has not only been a matter of debate but of purposeful research. The last two decades have witnessed extensive research in the field of neuro-cognitive sciences which gives us a deep understanding of the functions and the dynamics of the human brain. The study on the relationship between a healthy brain and a healthy mind has also been the crucial point of discussion and interpretation between neuro-scientists and neuro-psychologists.

The ability of the human mind to understand ideas and concepts, its ability to effectively organize knowledge, manifest skills, its uniqueness to create, synthesize new knowledge has helped to perceive information and knowledge for efficiency and efficacy. This understanding of the power of the mind is not only basic but critical to the younger generation both for providing purposeful leadership for the future and to be meaningful partners of a learning community.

The neuro-cognitive researches have demolished the myth that knowledge is assimilated only during the youthful days and subsequently becomes slow with the growing age. The evidence of neuro-plasticity which enables the human mind to be a continuous learner is a great blessing. Evidences indicate the ability of the brain to be an on-going learner even after seventies. This has opened newer vistas for learning among the humans with no compulsions of age. This facilitates newer opportunities for knowledge enterprise and leadership and to blend experience and expertise with further learning.

The power of the human mind lies in actively engaging in creative pursuits. The brain is not tuned for mere formal learning but is comfortable meeting challenges it encounters and rewiring its neural networks in a continuous manner. Therefore, for effective and productive learning to happen, the learning environments need to be more challenging. This is true for all learning environments from Kindergarten to Higher Order Management studies or doctoral research. The experiences gained, assimilated and articulated during these periods empowers the kind of leadership the individual would provide in his professional domains in a later stage of life

“Mind Power” in its narrowest sense of interpretation reflects a combination of skills the mind can perform, deliver, demonstrate or produce. Its ability to encompass these skills in brief packages for delivery, its ability to market these skills for its survival, growth, development and leadership facilitates the path and the dynamics of its value. These core skills that get delivered in the form of ideas, thoughts and other forms of communication empowers the “thought leadership” the individual would provide at a given place, situation, context and time. It is important to support development of these skills in any learning situation.

Some nutrients for this kind of empowerment would be:

1. Freedom to Think

Freedom to think is important to enhance the “Mind Power”. The greatest roadblock to this is the “Fear”. Unfortunately, seeds of fear are sown in the young minds right from the early childhood. Fear, in its multi-dimensional form tries to annihilate the holistic growth at its own pace in all individuals, however, to a varying degree.

Passive acceptance of views of people, communities, societies and organizations develops a sheepish mentality. “Questioning” is interpreted as challenge to authority, seniority and an imposed wisdom. “Freedom to Think” is classified in many places as an “errant” behaviour or a display or arrogance. This needs to be changed.

“Freedom to Think” must be considered as a potential value of a vibrant mind and wherever necessary could be guided and mentored, without demolishing the foundations of such processes.

2. Respecting divergent views

Scientific evidences based on research is available to prove that no two human beings think alike. The permutations that exist to show the number of pathways of thinking about the same thing by humans is astronomical and beyond comprehension. Hence every system needs to accept the divergence of views so long it is a community of humans. As such ‘divergent views’ seed the need and urgency for questioning existing systems, values and practices.

Such differing and divergent views pave the platforms for meaningful questions seeking answers from un-fathomed oceans of knowledge. Thus, the pathways for creativity and innovation are identified and attempted. People with divergent views carry with them analytical thinking and hence could emerge as effective leaders.

3. Learnability

“Learnability” is a great competency of the human brain. The concept of “neuro-plasticity” and related researches show that the human brain can continuously learn till one breathes the last. Researches of Kandel on ‘rewiring’ of the brain networks continuously, which got him the Nobel Prize, goes to explain learnability irrespective of age and geography, so long the brain is healthy. This endows the human beings with the capacity to learn and grow.

“Learnability” is a basic requirement for evolving leaderships. In a fast-changing world where the leadership patterns and styles emerge on a continuous basis, this competency needs to be understood and used effectively. The message of the brain “Use me or lose me” is indeed a powerful message. Leaders must be sensitive to this message. This message should help all professionals to come out of the challenges of “Learned Helplessness.”

4. Knowledge synthesis

The human mind is bestowed with the power of ‘synaesthesia’ – to synthesize even the most unrelated things, construct, reconstruct and re-position them to give newer visions, newer concepts and newer meanings. The power of the human mind to produce “New knowledge” has led both to the convergence and divergence of knowledge domains, thereby ushering differing dimensions of creativity. This has really led to a kind of a ‘chain reaction’ in knowledge architecture ushering unlimited scope for pursuit and organization of knowledge. This has further led to newer styles of knowledge markets, services, processes, products and hence newer leadership styles.

What appears most astonishing is the speed with which such changes are happening. “The irrelevance of Knowledge fields” is expanding as much as “the increasing expanse of newer universes of knowledge”.

As of now, no Nostradamus is available to predict the future of such changes!