Neuroscience for Organizational Change

An Evidence-based Practical Guide to Managing Change

Hilary Scarlett

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780749493196
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Negocios y empresa
• Subtopic: Gestión de recursos humanos

Organizational change can be unpredictable and stressful. With a better understanding of what our brains need to focus, organizations can increase employee engagement, productivity and well-being to successfully manage periods of uncertainty. Drawing on the latest scientific research and verified by an independent neuroscientist, Neuroscience for Organizational Change explores the need for social connection at work, how best to manage emotions and reduce bias in decision-making, and why we need communication, involvement and storytelling to help us through change.Practical tips and suggestions can be found throughout, as well as examples of how these insights have been applied at organizations such as Lloyds Banking Group and GCHQ. The book also sets out a practical science-based planning model, SPACES, to enhance engagement.This updated second edition of Neuroscience for Organizational Change contains new chapters on planning the working day with the brain in mind and on overcoming the difficulties related to behavioural change. It also features up-to-the-minute wider content reflecting the latest insights and developments, and updated case studies from the first edition which give a long-term view of the benefits of applying neuroscience in organizations.

Part one

The challenge

Praise for Neuroscience for Organizational Change SECOND EDITION

‘This book is a great synthesis of scientific research and practical implementation. It enables readers to understand the science and then apply it to improve both their own performance and that of their teams.’

Vincent Walsh, Professor of Human Brain Research, University College London

‘This is an outstanding read, packed full of compelling evidence and presented in short, digestible chunks with practical suggestions and ideas. It’s an invaluable handbook for any HR professional looking to get under the human skin of organizational change and to help them to make sense of the stuff we know intrinsically to be true.’

Dr Neil Wooding, Chief People Officer, Ministry of Justice

‘This book is a must-have resource for change practitioners and leaders who want to understand how people process information, what can be done to manage threat and reward responses, and how to lead change. The way we manage change is changing and this book helps us understand that every person travels a unique and personal journey through change that leaders can influence when the right approach is used.’

Michelle Pallas, USA Country Co-lead, Change Management Institute

‘In this second edition, Hilary has added significant insights on behavioural change (both for self and others) as well as clear applications readers can use to maximize their own productivity. This book continues to provide leaders and change agents with a timeless version of how to translate science into practical steps in working with change and leading their people.’

Dr Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge, Visiting Fellow, Roffey Park Institute and the Civil Service College Singapore; recipient of two Lifetime Achievement awards; voted top influential thinker in 2018 by HR magazine

‘Hilary Scarlett has achieved something remarkable – an immensely readable guide to the way that modern work impacts upon our minds. Anyone wanting to improve the impact of their job on them – or do the same for their team – will be enthralled by it.’

Bruce Daisley, VP EMEA, Twitter; author of Sunday Times bestseller The Joy of Work

‘Hilary Scarlett has produced a fascinating and accessible guide to the science behind our behaviour at work. Full of practical advice, this will be a useful book for anyone wanting to become a better manager, and for leaders with the vision to build a more positive workplace.’

Jo Swinson CBE, Minister for Employment Relations 2012–2015; Deputy Leader, Liberal Democrats

‘The additional work in the second edition of Neuroscience for Organizational Change adds an extra dimension of practicality to the ideas in the first edition. Put simply, the extra chapters gave me lots of ideas for the content of my change plans, to really help achieve behavioural change. I loved the emphasis on well-being and how to treat our brains with care. I think this guidance is a great conversation starter for organizations beginning to prioritize mental health at work. This book is useful, relevant and readable.’

Melanie Franklin, Director, Agile Change Management

‘Filled with pertinent research and generous insight, this book is a pleasure to read. Every professional involved with behaviour change should read it to ensure that they have the latest applied information on the topic. Hilary Scarlett has seamlessly integrated the logic for why it is important to change with the realities of how our brains can fight us in changing. Working with behaviour change without the scientific knowledge provided in this book is a certain handicap for all kinds of change professionals.’

Theresa Moulton, Editor-in-Chief, Change Management Review

‘Neuroscience for Organizational Change is a key resource for managers and consultants in the planning and conduct of neuroscience-based organizational change. Hilary Scarlett provides a comprehensive and practical discussion of the link between neuroscience principles and organizational change. This is a book that you will use again and again.’

Walter McFarland, Board Chair Emeritus, Association for Talent Development (ATD); co-author of Choosing Change

‘Change, in all forms, wants to disrupt and do things differently, while our brains prefer a steady state with repetitive actions. Hilary Scarlett has provided a practical, accessible way to understand this reality and improve how we manage our leadership and change needs.’

David W Jamieson, Professor and Director of Organization Development and Change Doctorate, University of St Thomas, Minneapolis

‘Change is the only constant in business (and life), so the more we can each understand how the human brain deals with change from a neuroscience perspective, the better we’re able to create the conditions for employees to thrive during this uncertainty. Understanding the science behind why we react the way we do to change is fascinating, plus it will significantly increase the chance of your change projects landing successfully. I have recommended this book to many friends, colleagues and peers. Read it!’

Kim Wylie, Global Director of People Development, Farfetch; former leader of Global Change Management Practice, Google Cloud

‘This book is the embodiment of the potential of organizational neuroscience. It takes the reader on a journey of discovery into the inner workings and mysteries of how our brains work and influence behaviour in a way that is deep and technically accurate, yet digestible by anyone. Each chapter provides a stand-alone road map for understanding and confronting specific brain phenomena that impact different aspects of organizational change, and the new chapters in this second edition contain further useful real-world applications.’

William Becker, Associate Professor of Management, Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech

‘A superb overview of neuroscience and its application to leadership, communication and organizational change. Hilary Scarlett elegantly plots a path through the growing body of applied research and makes it accessible through real-life examples, workshop models and questions for reflection. This second edition adds a useful chapter on individual productivity and mental well-being. With CEOs and boards increasingly seeing organizational performance as dependent on the emotional engagement and mental health of their workforce, this book is a great source of guidance and inspiration.’

Phil Askham, Global Head of Employee Communications, HSBC

‘This book is a must-read and a must-use! For those of us practising the art of communication and change with people at work, Hilary Scarlett brings insights from solid neuroscience to illuminate and prompt new thinking – with realistic and practical applications, for ourselves and for those whom we aim to guide and support.’

Lindsay Eynon, Partner and Change Communications Manager, John Lewis & Partners

‘A brilliant read for anyone leading change. This book really helps you understand how people tick and is packed full of practical advice to guide people through uncertainty and have change land successfully.’

Mairi Doyle, Director of Internal Communications, Bupa

‘Hilary Scarlett’s Neuroscience for Organizational Change is a delight to read: eminently accessible and useful to both managers and students interested in change. The book offers a compelling blend of theory with practical application and gives the reader a perfect road map forward.’

Paula Payton, Lecturer in Applied Analytics, School of Professional Studies, Columbia University

‘Hilary Scarlett speaks directly to a lay audience to intelligibly, openly and powerfully outline what neuroscience means and how important understanding it is. Her book is an engrossing read for anyone attempting to initiate change in an organization, or, indeed, for all of us working with people in a changing world of work. It is now my go-to guide for welcoming even the most experienced executives into neuroscience’s application in human resources.’

Jessica Hayes, Head of People and Talent, London

Neuroscience for Organizational Change

An evidence-based practical guide to managing change

Second Edition

Hilary Scarlett