Automatisms and autopilot in leadership

Use the autopilot of your brain

1. personal To Do for this week: Use the power of your subconscious mind by establishing good habits and linking them to smart key stimuli.

2. your To Do for your team: observe your team and their habits and see what you notice e.g. smoking, too much coffee.

Here's Why: No matter how strong-willed you are otherwise - the power of habit is sometimes stronger. That's not just true for unhealthy vices. Researchers at Duke University have found that more than 40% of daily actions are not conscious choices, but habits! This means that half the time you're basically not thinking at all, you're just doing. Your actions are automated and follow a neurological loop in your brain. So much for our self-determined self-image ;)

Why does our brain like to go into autopilot so much? Habits don't consume cognitive resources. You don't burn 🧠 weighing arguments or mustering willpower. That doesn't mean your brain is lazy. But the more activities your brain unwinds via ingrained patterns, the more resources it can devote to other things! ☝️ After all, not all habits are as harmful as 🚬. You can also sneak in healthy routines like regular 🏃‍♀️ or 🧘.

While you'll have to invest a little more energy to do this initially, as it takes time to establish new habits, the more the brain internalizes new routines, the fewer resources it has to expend. Habits are often based on so-called key stimuli. Therefore, it can help to tie the new routine to patterns you already have.

You want to get into the habit of starting your day with a big glass of water? Then start putting a glass next to your coffee maker so you drink it before your first coffee. Eventually, the routine will activate on its own.

You can apply this to your team as well. If you notice that, for example, too much coffee is being drunk, but not enough water - give each employee their own carafe on the desk or be creative and send a circular email once a day "Drinking!" It's allowed to be fun ;)

The message is clear: don't fight the power of habits, use them. Use the autopilot of the brain!

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