The talk was given by Dr. Lucas Canga—a PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Neuroscience at Maimónides University (Argentina)—who shared his insights on how advances in neuroscience are impacting business leadership.
Neuromanagement and Neuroleadership
During the event, Dr. Canga addressed key topics regarding how humans process information, make decisions, and regulate our emotions in both personal and organizational contexts.
He explained that neuroscience has led to a deeper understanding of these processes, giving rise to new disciplines such as neuromanagement and neuroleadership, which are redefining the traditional approach to management.
Dr. Canga, who holds a medical degree from the University of Salvador (Argentina) and an MBA from Adolfo Ibáñez University (Chile), specializes in the use of techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) for the diagnosis and training of leadership skills.
“Temporary anticipatory defense”
During his presentation, he emphasized the importance of focusing not only on self-awareness but also on the impact our actions have on others: “Self-awareness isn’t enough; you have to consider how your actions affect others,” he said.
Among his most notable observations, Dr. Canga noted that human beings are animals that develop what he called a“temporal anticipatory defense.” Sometimes, instead of focusing on the present, they focus on the future, anticipate potential dangers, and create “a shield” to defend themselves against them.
For example, a professor who is invited to teach a class might, instead of focusing on what is actually happening during the session, be thinking about everything that still needs to be covered to finish the course syllabus.
It can also happen that the mind wanders into the past instead of focusing on the present.
In this regard, he noted that companies often hold meetings, but those in attendance do not always focus on the issues at hand.
“They might be thinking back on the last meeting or planning their weekend. The person leading the meeting doesn’t know this. They simply check whether or not the person showed up,” he explained, emphasizing how organizations often overlook these mental processes in leadership management.
Reflections on Leading with the Brain in Mind
The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on how to apply findings from neuroscience to organizational leadership, highlighting the importance of leading with the “brain in mind.”