Episode 19 – The appliance of neuroscience

Katie Macaulay’s guest this week is a neuroscientist with extensive experience in the field of organisational change. Hilary Scarlett began studying the brain in 2009 after reading an inspiring article about how this relatively new discipline can be used to help organisations better understand and guide their people through change. She went on to write a book – Neuroscience for Organizational Change – in which she explains what happens inside our brains when change is announced, and the change process begins. Her fascinating insight explains why people think and behave the way they do, enabling internal communicators to design change programmes that work with our brains rather than against them. During the course of their conversation, Katie and Hilary address a number of perennial IC questions, like when and how to communicate difficult news and the role of leaders during change. They also address some more personal concerns, such as the difference between having a fixed and a growth mindset, why most neuroscientists practise mindfulness, and what’s happening inside our brains when we tick something off our to-do list.