Tweet

Entrepreneur Learning: The Social Brain at Work

Guest post by: Sylvia Lafair

Article Overview: I bet you don't remember when you were born. I bet, however, your mother does. You were being set up to be cared for and nurtured, even without you or your mom knowing it, So, what in the world does that have to do with workplace cultures and workplace relationships? It's all about the social brain and how we are all connected. You see, when you were being birthed, a hormone called oxytocin was flooding your mother's system, and thus you got a shot of it, too. It is the beginning of the bonding experience. It is what helps all the mom's in the world forget about the pain of that arduous journey from the womb to becoming a member of this planet.

Entrepreneur Learning: The Social Brain at Work

I bet you don't remember when you were born. I bet, however, your mother does. You were being set up to be cared for and nurtured, even without you or your mom knowing it, So, what in the world does that have to do with workplace cultures and workplace relationships?

It's all about the social brain and how we are all connected. You see, when you were being birthed, a hormone called oxytocin was flooding your mother's system, and thus you got a shot of it, too. It is the beginning of the bonding experience. It is what helps all the mom's in the world forget about the pain of that arduous journey from the womb to becoming a member of this planet.

It is the beginning of a strong social connection. Now, it doesn't always work that way. There are behavior patterns that can get in the way of that early bonding and cause a sense of danger, a need to be careful, to watch out for impending threat.

Yet, there are ways to overcome difficulties and participate in the oxytocin phenomenon. Whenever you meet a new person, you quickly get a friend or foe reaction. Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink gives great examples of this. Once you are able to go from foe to friend, or at least possible friend, your brain begins to secrete that valuable hormone. The good news is, male or female, you don't have to give birth to a child to get the positives that range from affection to generosity.

Now all the diversity programs make sense at work. If we see someone as super different from us, the older parts of our brains, the parts that were only there for survival, kick in, and we sense threat. Then we react accordingly, using gossip, rumor, and exclusion. Do you know any work environments that thrive on the negatives? They are the ones devoid of oxytocin.

When strangers become friends, when we get to know each other and hear their stories and are willing to tell ours, then our brains tell us it is safe, reach out, find a way to collaborate. It is okay to cooperate.

Handshakes are a perfect example of changing an old pattern into one that breeds positive responses. The handshake is as old as our times living in caves. It was a way of meeting together to open fists and make sure the other was not carrying a rock to pound over our heads. So, initially it was a survival mechanism. Now, it is a social grace, a way to say "hello" and even now it subtly shows that there is no rock to hurt anyone.

Finding ways to activate the neural pathways of friend is worth billions of dollars in the workplace. Conflict resolution workshops that help people focus on the similarities, rather than underline the differences, can move issues along faster toward resolution. Leadership development programs that help individuals understand that there is a brain component to sharing stories and learning about each other will create a culture of trust and productive relationships.

Extend your hand, give a good hearty shake, find out about how you and your work colleagues are connected and get a good dose of oxytocin as an added benefit.

Related Articles
  CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN
  The Brain That Changes Itself
  Nurturing Nature-Does Your Brain Need a Workout?
  My Brain is Full- The Importance of Personal Development
  How entrepreneurs stay motivated
  The 7 Universal Laws of Learning
  Can Concentration Really Improve Memory?
  Serious Entrepreneurs Use Social Media To Get Leads Without Being Annoying
  New Online Business Entrepreneur are like Kids at a Candy Store!
  Entrepreneurs, Great Leaders of Today!
  Don’t know much about the internet, Can I be a Successful Entrepreneur?
  How Do You Improve Memory and Prevent Traveling Down Long Lost, Dreary Roads?
  Neuroscience of Goal Setting
  Stuck for an idea?
  Being an Online Entrepreneur the Right Way
  Switching-On the Human Brain
  The Appeal of "New" is Hardwired
  What Do I Need Zinc For, Again?
  PATTERNS OF NEW LEARNING
  Do What You Love

Article Tags: entrepreneur, moms, oxytocin, social brain, womb, workplace cultures



Related Forum Posts
Re: My Favourite 7 Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time - Hi Evan, I have a new suggestion for "Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time" and a suggestion for your Learning from the Masters series: 1. Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time = Christopher Columbus: "... he saw the possibility of treasure and commerce where others saw only danger. He committed so wholeheartedly to that vision that not even dozens of rejections and ongoing penury could dissuade him from pursuing a journey to Asia via the West. He built on his technical strengths as a seaman to plan a viable journey and eventually marshal an expedition." - Christopher Hoenig, 6 Essential Secrets for Thinking on a New Level I bought Hoenig's book about 10 years ago but couldn't make head or tail of it then... reading it now and finding it inspirational... 2. Nomination for Learning from the Masters video: Dee Hock, founder of VISA. (Source = Hoenig.)
Re: How to Promote Your Blog – The Definitive Guide to Promoting - Social Bookmarking sites seems to be ignored by most bloggers, preferring the use of Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter. I have come to observe that visitors referred through Social Bookmarking sites tend to engage and converts to lead more than the former. And the Traffic is more regular! Diigo.com scores highest in terms of traffic in the Social Bookmarking sites I have tried out so far.
Young Entrepreneur Organization - All You Need To Know - The Young Entrepreneur Organization (YEO) is a global community of entrepreneurs. This non-profit organization aims to make its members successful in their business through networking and training programs. This article tells you all you need to know about the Young Entrepreneur Organization, and the opportunities it makes available to young entrepreneurs from across the world. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Facts. 1) The Young Entrepreneur Organization has 5,000 members in 35 countries across the world. 2) The organization was founded in 1987. Since then, it has helped many aspiring entrepreneurs with training facilities and getting in touch with the right people. 3) The average age of the members of Young Entrepreneur Organization is 34 years. 4) In order to be eligible for the membership of Young Entrepreneur Organization, you need to be under the age of 40; and be the founder or partner in a business that has annual sales of more than $1 million. World Entrepreneurs Organization: A part of the Young Entrepreneur Organization, the World Entrepreneur Organization and takes the message of Young Entrepreneur Organization to many additional places around the world. This organization is especially active in the area of education and training for entrepreneurs. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Objectives. 1) To foster entrepreneurship. 2) To support Young Entrepreneur Organization members by providing them the chance to network and grow. 3) To provide resources to its members so that they can benefit the economy through innovative business ideas. 4) According to Young Entrepreneur Organization, you get to share your story with those who have had similar experiences, and thus gain insight into the best principles of entrepreneurship. Young Entrepreneur Organization: Facilities. At the Young Entrepreneur Organization, you get to meet and share views with like-minded people and fellow entrepreneurs. In order to facilitate a free exchange of ideas and growth for its member, the Young Entrepreneur Organization provides the following facilities to members. 1) Forum: Join the forum of the Young Entrepreneur Organization and start networking with entrepreneurs from across the world. Each forum group has 12 members who come together regularly to share their experiences and discuss issues related to entrepreneurship. 2) Mentor: In conjunction with the World Presidents’ Organization, the Young Entrepreneur Organization guides and counsels young entrepreneurs through a mentor program by the best business leaders. 3) Social Innovation: The Social Innovators Program involves Young Entrepreneur Organization member who wish to do something for about social issues. It helps members become socially aware citizens and gives them the opportunity to do something for their community. 4) Marketplace: The marketplace allows members to post business offers and receive replies from other members. These are just some of the facilities you will get if you become part of the Young Entrepreneur Organization. Others, like meeting prospective clients through trade shows, and special tools to network and meet with the right people are also part of the YEO facilities.
Re: Should bad tippers be exposed on Social Media? - Should bad tippers be exposed on Social Media? No they shouldn't. I guess the customer must have used a credit card, or possibly a cheque (do people still write cheques nowadays? I haven't written a cheque since 2001 - after 7/11 my UK bank refused to send me a chequebook because they were tightwads hiding behind "the threat of terrorism" but I have done just fine without one) or maybe even an IOU. This is an excellent argument in favour of paying in cash... and I had almost been persuaded by the 4-Hour Work-Week argument that you should pay for everything with a credit card that earned you air miles... In a world of angry cry-babies, CASH is still KING!!
Re: Marketing 2.0 - What Are Your Thoughts - Hi Shri, Thanks for posting this. I also read it and I believe Social Media is here to stay, until the next best thing comes up. Social media proved to be useful for me many times and I think everyone should use it for their business.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

THE “SECRET RECIPES” OF LEADERSHIP

Smart & Simple Internet Techniques

When Living the Dream isn't enough!

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.