Neurosequential Leadership
Have you ever been short with coworkers after a poor night’s sleep? A recent client (let’s call him ‘Steve’) lamented the fact that he ended each day in a terrible mood. Sitting in traffic after a long day, his self-talk would go haywire and road rage usually followed.
It might not be the road that is causing his rage. The traffic might have revealed a building discontent, stored energy that erupted when a fellow commuter cut him off. There are psychological factors at play here, of course. There are also physiological ones, which cannot be overlooked. Steve soon admitted that this disposition was more likely when he had not slept well the night before.
Sleep-deprivation – a misstep on the bedrock level of the High Order Performance framework (fig. one) – has been associated with trouble concentrating, mental health concerns, and increased emotional reactivity (Rosales-Lagarde et al., 2012; Davis 2021; Andrillon et al., 2017).
This degraded physiological state can influence all areas. Steve wondered out loud, ‘is it really Patricia from accounting who is the source of my [professional] issues?” After all, the impact of sleep-deprivation doesn’t end at road rage. Sleep-deprived leaders find it more difficult to positively relate to their peers, even when they share a purpose and believe in their ability (Davis, 2022).
This should not be a surprise. For those who are sedentary, sleep-deprived, and malnourished, the stressors of modern life hit harder.
The Role of the Body
figure one
The nuances of human experience are irrelevant if the body’s fundamental needs are not met. Consider that the evolved outer cortex of the brain, capable of designing and constructing spacecrafts, evolved after the limbic system, which is responsible for our deeper and more essential needs (Rakic, 2009). This is a foundational idea in the High Order Performance framework (Davis, 2023).
From a neurobiological perspective, this approach refers to the work of Dr. Bruce Perry. His neurosequential model (fig. two) identifies a sequenced, differentiated understanding of the human condition, and recommends therapeutic approaches that take its complexity into consideration. That sounds complicated. It certainly can be. It gets easier with time and understanding, and its impact is too important to shy away from.
One essential component of the approach includes a recognition of the hierarchy of brain function. The earliest tier is the brainstem, which controls movement and is responsible for biological safety. This is the font of fight/flight/freeze and the driver of certain biological needs, like sleep. Just above the brainstem is the diencephalon (midbrain), which regulates circadian rhythms, coordinates the endocrine system, and shuttles sensory input to the cortex. These two lower regions can run the show, since their primary responsibility is the survival of the organism. When they are triggered, empathy and decision-making ability can be limited.
Next up is the limbic system, which some refer to as the emotional hub of the brain. It is heavily influenced by the preceding levels. The tasks of this region include emotion regulation, learning, memory, and certain decision-making/behavioral selections.
Atop it all we find the cortical region, which is responsible for problem-solving, creativity, and consciousness. It is also responsible for, and influenced by, all the other regions. It is the most complex of them all, ultimately responsible for bringing intentional decisions to life.
Although it is helpful to understand the levels, over-segmentation is a regular misstep in understanding the brain’s processes. These regions are not like walking from one room of the house to another. If that were true, when one was in the limbic region, they could not simultaneously be in the cortical region. Instead, activity is constantly shifting around the brain, across all regions.
figure two
The internal conversation is a continuous one. When there is a lot of activity in one region it does not mean the other regions are ‘off’, but it does mean that there is less available capacity to be active in those other regions. Imagine that overall neural capacity is a jug of water, and each brain region is a glass. When water is poured into the diencephalon glass, there will still be water to pour into the cortical glass, just not as much. The supply is limited. But if some of the diencephalon glass is poured back into the jug, there will be a greater activation capacity for the cortical glass.
The nervous system coordinates communication throughout itself, taking into consideration inputs from the body (internal, like thirst of sleep drive) and environment (external, like traffic).
On a biological level, emotion, hunger, and sleep-drive precede high level processing. That is where the ‘water’ is prioritized. Higher-level processes evolved over time to ease the procurement of those basic needs. When biological needs like thirst are not met, one will deprioritize high level cognition and creativity (which occur in the neocortex) to respond to the physiological alarm bells ringing in the ‘lower’ levels of the brain (Holding et al, 2019; Steinberg et al., 1997). After all, there is no need to contemplate string theory and muse on the nature of the universe when one is on all fours in the desert, desperate for a drop of water.
The actual neural processes happen with unimaginable complexity at a speed of approximately 340 mph. But you don’t need to be neurologist to understand the impact of this shifting activity, and bring awareness to moments when you are not your most conscious, thoughtful self.
Next Steps
When you find yourself getting frustrated, take a breath. Go for a walk. Sleep on it.
Dr. Perry suggests that rhythm might be a key factor to keeping your cool. “Patterned, repetitive rhythmic activity: walking, running, dancing, singing, repetitive meditative breathing – you use the brain stem-related somatosensory networks which make your brain accessible to relational (limbic brain) reward and cortical thinking,” (Perry & Siegel, 2013).
Perry added that “cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is great if you have a developed frontal cortex” but if that frontal cortex is offline, it’s no good. In some cases, we simply cannot process – don’t even have access to the brain regions for processing – until we have settled.
So when you are stuck in traffic, laying on the horn and cursing other drivers, slow down and reflect on the bedrock level. Tend to the body first, if possible.
Maybe all the other highway drivers are idiots. And maybe Patricia from accounting is the true source of your frustration. You might be right. But before you try to have Patricia fired, try sleeping on it. Remember that leading well depends on the wellness of the leader.
Do this for yourself and remember the leadership mantra: Know the way, Go the way, Show the way to others. Build understanding of how the brain and body function, behave in a way that incorporates your knowledge, then pass it on. Use this understanding in the creation workplace and professional expectations. Share aligned methods with your peers. Integrate it into all levels of leadership. And keep going. It won’t always be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.
And if you’re looking for support along the way, don’t hesitate to REACH OUT.
References
Andrillon, T., Marmelshtein, A., Suthana, N., Cirelli, C., Tononi, G., Fried, I. (2017). Selective neuronal lapses precede human cognitive lapses following sleep deprivation. Nature Medicine 23(23), 1472-1486.
Davis, James D. (2021). Sleep and Mental Health in Students. Harvard Public Health Review. https://hphr.org/davis-blog-1/
Davis, James D. (2022). Leading Well Depends on the Wellness of the Leader. Teacher Leadership Magazine (Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy). https://sesp.northwestern.edu/graduate-professional/teaching-learning-and-education/theory-practice/2022/leading-well-depends-on-the-wellness-of-the-leader.html
Davis, J.D. (2023). Using the High Order Performance Framework for Effective Leadership. Journal of Character and Leadership Development, 10(3), 77-84.
Davis, J.D. (2023). High Order Performance Framework. SEL Summer Institute, August 4, 2023, Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA.
Holding, B.C., Sundelin, T., Lekander, M. et al. (2019). Sleep deprivation and its effects on communication during individual and collaborative tasks. Sci Rep 9, 3131.
Perry, B. & Siegel, D (2013). “Trauma, Brain & Relationship: Helping Children Heal,” The Post Institute. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYyEEMlMMb0 – introductory video on Attachment Disorder and development trauma.
Rakic, P. (2009). Evolution of the neocortex: a perspective from developmental biology. Nat Rev Neurosci. 10(10): 724-35.
Rosales-Lagarde A, Armony JL, Del Río-Portilla Y, Trejo-Martínez D, Conde R, Corsi-Cabrera M. (2012). Enhanced emotional reactivity after selective REM sleep deprivation in humans: an fMRI study. Front Behav Neurosci. 6 (25).
Steinberg, H., Sykes E.A., Moss, T., Lowery, S., LeBoutillier, N., Dewey, A. (1997). Exercise enhances creativity independently of mood. Br J Sports Med. 31(3): 240-245.