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A Dash of Neuroscience – DevOps Leaders Listen Up!

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As leaders, we need to understand the people that we are leading.  It is critical to understand that this is a new world and if we are to lead the global enterprise into a successful future, we need to understand the strategic, tactical, and operational objectives of our organization and also that we must have a passion for learning.

“A Dash of Neuroscience“ is one of many topics introduced by the DevOps Institute for the newly updated DevOpsLeader course.  This information is taken from that course and is just a smattering of what you will learn as you prepare for your certification. Learn how to optimize speed to value as a DevOps Leader.  

Live in a perpetual world of learning
Many people feel their brains limit their potential and prevent them from learning.  However, learning can change our brains in terms of function, connectivity, and structure.  Our brain shapes our learning but learning shapes our brain, and research has shown that simply knowing about brain plasticity can improve the self-concept and academic potential of learners.  For a DevOps leader, this is true for you and for those that you lead.

Fear causes an avoidance response
Command and control leadership that generates fear is counterproductive. Fear causes subcortical activity in the amygdala which in turn activates the working memory network in the frontal lobe (where conscious attention happens) which makes it harder to learn as the anxiety is a distraction.

Anticipation creates an uptake of neuromodulators from deep within the brain that influences the way our frontal cortex operates so that our brain can become more focused on the source of the excitement.  Leaders must work to create a safe and open environment where creativity and passion can evolve.  This takes practice!

Practice automates work in the brain
Practice shifts activity from working memory regions (in the front of the brain) to regions more involved with automatic unconscious processing (away from the front of the brain).  In other words, practice helps consolidate freshly learned mental processes until we can do them almost without thinking, so reducing the burden on working memory. This is important because, when our limited working memory is liberated, it is ready to be occupied by new information and we are ready to move on and learn more.

Mirror-neuron response tells us that enthusiasm is contagious
The mirror-neuron response shows that when we see somebody doing or feeling something, our own neurons fire and mirror the experience – so if people see you being enthusiastic and positive, they are more likely to feel that way themselves.
Start today and learn how DevOps Leaders and their teams raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation.  

Educate and Inspire!




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