How to Rewire Your Brain for Better Management

Most leaders strive to bring out the best in their teams. But what if the real key to improving performance wasn’t just in strategies, processes, or even behaviors but in understanding how the brain actually works?

Neuroscience offers powerful insights that can help managers connect more deeply, communicate more clearly, and foster lasting change in themselves and their teams. Performance-driven neurology specialist Larry Olsen has spent decades working with leaders to rewire thinking patterns for sustainable success. His perspective blends neuroscience and cognitive psychology to help managers rewire their brain to see their people and themselves in a whole new light.

The Mind vs. The Brain

One of the first distinctions Larry makes is between the mind and the brain.

The mind is the collection of thoughts we have every day, many of which are repetitive, running on autopilot. Thoughts are built from words, which trigger images, which in turn create emotions that drive our actions.

The brain is the physical organ that neuroscience calls a servomechanism that executes whatever programming it receives, without judging whether it’s helpful or harmful.

Here’s the catch: once your brain labels someone or something, whether it’s “late,” “difficult,” or “brilliant,” it stores that information and looks for evidence to confirm it. This confirmation bias is one of the biggest hurdles to fair, effective leadership.

Larry urges managers to be aware of the labels you’ve unconsciously applied to team members. They may be shaping your interactions more than you realize.

Why We Miss the Mark in Communication

According to Larry, even when people are “really listening,” they understand less than 18% of what’s said. That means over 80% of information can be lost or misunderstood. Never assume a room full of nodding heads means genuine understanding.

Instead, great leaders pause to confirm their audience’s grasp of the message by asking clarifying questions, encouraging feedback, and creating space for dialogue.

Larry offers this quick tip: Before moving on in a meeting, ask someone to summarize what they’ve heard or how they would act on the information.

The Danger of Leading on Autopilot

Neuroscience tells us that 95% of our daily actions are unconscious, driven by stored beliefs and past experiences rather than current realities. That means managers often make decisions about the present and future based on outdated information from the past.

This is why someone who was late once might still be treated as unreliable months later, even if they’ve since been punctual. The brain clings to predictability, and without awareness, this bias can undermine morale and trust.

Larry suggests we challenge ourselves to see each team interaction as a fresh data point. Don’t let past impressions dictate current judgments.

Why Most Change Efforts Fail

Here’s a sobering fact: out of 500 people committed to making a change, only two will sustain it for a year. Why? Because 99.9% of people try to change the wrong thing.

Most focus on behavioral change—trying to “act” differently—without addressing the underlying beliefs driving those behaviors. Without a shift in mindset, the change often feels inauthentic, forced, or temporary.

For example, a leader might decide to greet everyone in the morning to boost morale. But if they haven’t genuinely embraced the belief that every interaction matters, the effort risks feeling like a checkbox exercise. Sustainable change starts with changing your mind, not just your actions.

The Science on How to Rewire Your Brain

Beliefs are built through repeated mental and emotional patterns, forming neural networks. Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain can create new neural connections at any age, but it requires intentional practice.

To change a belief:

• Identify the old label or assumption. (“This employee is always late.”)

• Envision the new belief. (“This employee is committed and reliable.”)

• Reinforce the new narrative through consistent mental rehearsal and observation.

Visualization, vision statements, and conscious self-talk are powerful tools for reinforcing new beliefs until they become automatic.

The Role of Self-Talk in Leadership

Larry calls our internal dialogue “rock talk”; each self-directed thought is like dropping a rock into a bucket, building up patterns over time. Negative self-talk reinforces unhelpful beliefs (“I’m bad at public speaking”), which the brain then works to confirm.

The brain’s priority is to keep us “right,” not necessarily successful. If you believe you’re bad at something, your brain will look for evidence to support that, even if it holds you back.

To counteract this, Larry recommends monitoring both your self-talk and the language you use about others. Every repeated thought strengthens a neural pattern.

Shifting from Self-Consciousness to Purpose

Many leaders get stuck worrying about how they’re performing and how they “look” or “sound” in the moment. Larry suggests shifting focus away from self-evaluation and toward the purpose of the interaction such as creating value for others.

When you focus on contribution over self-judgment, you free up mental energy, calm the amygdala’s threat response, and engage the frontal lobes for better decision-making.

For example, before a big meeting or presentation, remind yourself, “I’m here to help my team succeed,” not “I hope I do well.”

The First Step to Change is Awareness

Larry shares a personal story about being at a party, unaware he had spinach in his teeth until someone told him hours later. The lesson? You can’t change what you’re not aware of, and many leaders are never given honest, constructive feedback.

However, labeling feedback sessions as “tough conversations” primes both parties for defensiveness. Instead, reframe them as opportunities for mutual growth, focusing on what’s working as well as areas for improvement. Approach feedback with curiosity, not confrontation. Shift the language from criticism to collaboration.

Similarly, traditional annual reviews often focus heavily on shortcomings, triggering defensiveness and lowering morale. Research shows it can take up to six months for performance to return to pre-review levels after a negative-heavy review.

Rather than discarding performance reviews altogether, Larry recommends rethinking the approach:

• Reinforce strengths regularly, not just once a year.

• Link feedback to beliefs and mindset, not just behaviors.

• Avoid “fix-it” conversations that trigger the amygdala; aim for supportive coaching instead.

Bring Neuroscience into Your Leadership

Here are a few ways to start integrating these principles into your leadership:

1. Audit your labels. Reflect on how you’ve mentally categorized each team member and consider whether those labels need updating.

2. Start with beliefs. When aiming to change yourself or others’, address the underlying mindset first.

3. Practice intentional self-talk. Replace self-limiting statements with empowering ones.

4. Reframe performance discussions. Make them future-focused, collaborative, and strengths-based.

5. Focus on purpose. Shift attention from how you’re doing to the value you’re creating.

By applying these neuroscience-based strategies, managers can break free from autopilot leadership, build stronger connections, and create a culture where sustainable high performance is possible.

When you understand how the brain processes beliefs, labels, and change, you unlock new levels of clarity, empathy, and effectiveness. And that’s not just good neuroscience; it’s great leadership.

Listen to the entire episode HERE to learn more about the neuroscience of leadership.

Keep Up with Larry Olsen.

• Connect with him on LinkedIn here. 

• Visit his website for more here.

• Listen to his podcast & watch videos here.

• Get his book: Get a Vision and Live It here.

Guest Bonus: 20% off coaching with Larry. 

In these sessions, Larry will help you lead with values, shift your mindset, and create lasting success. You’ll gain tools to eliminate doubt, enhance happiness, parent effectively, and achieve more with ease and clarity.

To get this bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

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