Page 137 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

THE WHY OF WORK

We rely on our rational thinking and empathy for oth-
ers to resolve conflicts creatively and compassionately, but
people vary greatly in their skill at these basic tasks. Our
conflicts with one another are sparked by all kinds of dif-
ferences in how we think, feel, and see the world. We have
come to appreciate more and more how much people need
help to learn to get along. The skills of resolving conflict and
remaining cool under a perceived attack are complicated,
but they can be learned.
Understanding some of the physiology of the human
brain as we respond to conflict can help us have more empa-
thy for ourselves and others in times of disagreement. First, it
helps to know that special cells called mirror neurons help us
imagine, empathize with, and mimic the emotions of others.
When we feel connected with people with good emotional
and relational skills, our mirror neurons help our own skills
improve. Just modeling how to be cool under fire and skilled
at conflict management is an asset of good leadership.
Once a conflict surfaces and we decide we are under
threat (and what we find threatening varies greatly from
person to person), high-power hormones like cortisol and
adrenaline (epinephrine) kick in. These hormones empower
the body with quick self-defensive responses—a great boon
when we need extra energy or faster response time against
a genuine attacker. But the same hormones, especially
if chronically elevated, have a disastrous effect on learn-
ing, problem-solving skill, and empathy for others. While
a certain amount of pressure or expectation increases our
learning, work performance, and problem-solving ability,
once we get past this optimum level of demand our perfor-
mance begins to decline. Adding more pressure will not help
us do better; it will only undermine our performance more.

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