One of the disciplines that informs our work with leaders and teams is neuroscience. Neuroscience is technically the study of the nervous system; our interest in it is in the context of leadership effectiveness and how the brain functions in a business setting. I’ve been boning up on the topic by reading “Your Brain at Work” by David Rock.

The book is a fascinating and easy read. Rock boils down the principles of brain chemistry and function into a series of scenes involving two characters—Emily and Paul, business leaders experiencing the typical challenges of an ordinary work-day. At the end of each scene, Rock replays the particular challenge, applying the principles covered in the chapter to achieve a happier ending.

What struck me most is what happens to our ability to perform mental activities and tasks when we are overwhelmed by the complexity of a situation or project, or, as Rock puts it, when we have “too many actors on the stage.” Because our brain has limited capacity in the pre-frontal cortex, the region of the brain that is used to solve problems and make decisions, there is a very real physiological limit to how much information we can keep in our minds and deal with at any given time. When we are overwhelmed, we literally cannot think straight and we lose access to our creativity and problem-solving agility.

So, it’s not just in my head (pun intended) when I start to glaze over when someone is relaying a complicated engagement and I am challenged to figure out how to staff it while the details are still taking shape in my mind! It is a real limitation that I need to deal with in the moment.

Here are some suggestions to try the next time you find yourself in overwhelm:

• Simplify the project or situation; boil it down to 3-5 high level phases or issues
• Break phases or issues down into manageable pieces
• Begin working on the highest priority piece that takes the most mental energy first; follow with the quick-hits or nuisance items

 
Most importantly, cut yourself a little slack. As a leader, you get to be human—limitations and all!