Certainty
Your brain craves certainty.
One of the most active pathways in your brain, the Default Mode Network, plays a major function as a prediction engine.
Your mind is in an unconscious and constant state of predicting what will happen next.
When you get it right, you feel a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction.
This is why being able to say “I told you so,” feels good, whether you say it aloud or not.
Statistically, your prediction engine is far less accurate than you will admit, but your mind is equally good at unconsciously manipulating the data to appear positive.
When you get it wrong, you feel shocked and your emotive reactions are automatically triggered.
That feeling of “being stuck” you fall into is indicative of your mind using resources trying to make sense of whatever surprise emerged.
Your mind seeks to create a rational explanation of whatever has caused uncertainty; however, in a complex socially-derived reality, one usually does not exist.
As a leader you have to not only experience but also bring change to your team.
This means you, by signing the contract to lead, are an agent of uncertainty.
It also means that making the decision for change, albeit hard work in itself, is at most 25% of the work; supporting, contextualizing, and listening to your team as they process the clash with uncertainty is where the bigger work begins.
Macadamia nut cortado over ice,
- Morning Cup