1. Carole Osterweil
Presentation to the Midlands SIG
May 2015
How Insights From Brain Research
Can Help You
Manage Projects and Influence Change

2. To give you
• a flavour of how the brain works
• a springboard for discussion and learning from each other
So you can
• reflect on your own situation and experiences,
• consider the implications for:
• you as a project/programme professional and,
• project/programme management as a discipline
Objectives
By making the invisible more visible

3. CONSCIOUS
UNCONSCIOUS
PART
CONSCIOUS
Least Energy Efficient
Energy Efficient
analysis, decision-making,
creativity, empathy
emotional command centre,
impulses, memories
body processes
heart, lungs, temperature
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

4. 1. External Signal
(senses)
1. Internal Signal
?2. Hostile/
Familiar3. Approach/avoid
80mS
240mS
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

5. ? Survival
Defend
Attack
Withdraw
Freeze
Behaviours
Avoidance
• Fear
• Anger
• Disgust
• Shame
• Sadness
Generates
these
Emotions
2. Hostile/ Familiar
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

6. ? Survival
Defend
Attack
Withdraw
Freeze
Behaviours
Avoidance
• Fear
• Anger
• Disgust
• Shame
• Sadness
Generates
these
Emotions
2. Hostile/ Familiar
• Out of awareness
• Autopilot
• Distracting
• Happens to us all
• Response to
‘perceived’ hostile
• Triggered by small
signals
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

7. ?
Create
Collaborate
Motivate
Learn
Behaviours
Approach
• Trust
• Love
• Excitement
• Joy
Generates
these
Emotions
Attachment
2. Hostile/ Familiar & Safe
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

8. ? Survival
Defend
Attack
Withdraw
Freeze
Create
Collaborate
Motivate
Learn
Behaviours
Approach Avoidance
• Fear
• Anger
• Disgust
• Shame
• Sadness
• Trust
• Love
• Excitement
• Joy
Generates
these
Emotions Emotions
Attachment
2. Hostile/ Familiar
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

9. “Whether you like it or not, everything you say
or do as a project/ programme/ change
manager by way of communication by every
verbal and non-verbal means is transmitted
into the feelings systems of others…”
…and has an impact on delivery
Neuroscience for Leaders, Swart , Chisholm & Brown 2015

10. Increasing uncertainty
Increasingno.stakeholders/decreasingagreement
1. More of the
same in
different
conditions. We
have the
experience
3. We have an
idea where
to go. We
don’t know
how
2. We know
where to go,
getting there is
demanding
Increasing Complexity
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

11. Increase Stress
Increase in
avoidance
response
Decrease in
Collaboration
Decrease in
Creativity
Decrease in chance
of achieving
desired outcomes
Increase in need
for a ‘sense of
control’
Increase demand
for data/info
Increase
stress
in others
Decrease in effective
relationships
& communication
Decrease in
time/inclination
for ‘new’ relational
activities
less
Decrease
psychological
safety & trust
Increase
reliance on
the ‘old’ –
(tech) way of
doing things
Avoidance behaviours create stress
and multiply across projects
creating a cycle that impacts delivery
Copyright © OMQConsulting 2015

12. In Trios / Pairs
• Where have you seen all/ part of the project stress
cycle play out?
• What was the impact?
• Where can you now see opportunities to interrupt it?
Making the invisible more visible

13. We are constantly setting up ‘invisible’ dynamics
through our interactions with others which have a
profound impact on how projects proceed.
Now we know they exist, we can begin to identify
and influence them.

14. Get in touch
together we can spread the word
Carole Osterweil
carole@omqconsulting.co.uk