Good morning, Team!  It’s Friday!

I recently heard about a study that claimed the wrinkles on your brain (ridges are “gyri” and crevices are “sulci”) are where information is stored or where strong memories deepen the wrinkles.  This sounds plausible…but it’s a myth.  The genuine activity comes from neurons firing (synapses) and blood cells growing and increase in number.  You become smarter, wiser, more knowledgeable from the activity inside, not what’s on the surface.

When it comes to matters of the heart, physical activity is considered a good thing, forcing blood cells to pump through the heart faster.  Exercise makes you stronger.  However, when we consider the emotional scars that mark up our hearts, it is up to you whether this strengthens or weakens your resilience to love and care for others.  You become more emotionally aware but not necessarily more emotionally intelligent.

Why am I referencing the brain and the heart in a leadership blog?  The connection between the two is undeniable, remarkable but not necessarily simple to understand.  Please click the link below from the Dana Foundation for more specifics.

https://www.dana.org/article/emotional-rescue-the-heart-brain-connection/

What do I expect you to do with this information?

Remember John O’Leary teaching us about love and fear, the two primary motivators?  The information from the Dana Foundation not only confirms some of the claims but gives some indication that anxiety, like the kind triggered by an angry boss, could lead to chemical reactions causing heart attacks and strokes.

I have to ask, as leaders, are you loving your people and helping them grow … or are you stressing them out and (potentially) shortening their life?

Think about how you treat your Team.  It really matters.

Have a blessed weekend!