Page 75 - Getting to the Heart of High Performance

WHY THE CONSCIOUS MIND IS NEEDED

Mirroring is a cornerstone of our social skills. It helps us
read people and get on the same emotional wavelength.

Mirror neurons put us in synch with others, cue up
empathic responses, and prompt the urge to act. They also
create the very first person-to-person loop. This uncon-
scious connection serves as the launch pad for a
relationship, the staging ground for Action-Reaction

Behavior Cycles that may follow.

Problem is, your emotion-driven mirroring impulses can
also work to your disadvantage. Sometimes these neurons

misread the other person or leap to a wrong conclusion.
Other times they size up the situation accurately, but
you’re better off not doing what comes naturally. That’s
when you need help from the prefrontal cortex, the think-

ing part of your brain.

Even if your mirror neurons are serving you beautifully, they
aren’t equipped to handle your social interactions all by

Your Hot-Wired Emotional Brain 59