Book: Energy Rising – The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power
Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power, by Julia DiGangi (Harvard Business Review Press, 2023), delves into the intricate relationship between neuroscience, emotions and leadership, emphasizing the critical role of emotional energy in effective leadership.
Why?
According to leading neuropsychologist Julia DiGangi, your success in life—at work and at home—rises when you harness the energy that powers your brain. Your drive to create change, catalyze impact, and build relationships all come from neuroelectrical energy—real, electrical impulses—firing in your brain. Who you are as a person depends on how you work with this energy. When this energy rises within you, you feel empowered and dynamic. But when this energy falls, you feel down, stressed, and defeated.
To reach your full potential, you can learn to recognize and harness the energy in your brain. In this book Julia DiGangi will teach you how through eight ”codes.” You will learn why these codes work and how to apply them to your own challenges through exercises and reflections.
DiGangi is an expert in the connection between our brains, our emotions, and our relationships. Her lab and clinical work have been conducted at Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, the University of Chicago, DePaul, and University of Illinois Chicago. Her fMRI and EEG research examine the brain, stress, and resilience. Extensively published in the scientific literature, she applies her research to help business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, parents, and couples. Her understanding of stress, trauma, and resilience is also informed by her work in international development and humanitarian aid.
I have personally participated in one of her online courses that took the learnings of the book even deeper.
Emotional energy is key to leadership
The book is structured around the core concept that emotional energy is a pivotal element in leadership.
The first part of the book is dedicated to helping the reader understand his/her own emotional power. From how to transform our emotional pain into emotional power; how to harness the brain’s pattern-detection abilities; how to work with our deepest emotions in the toughest situations; to how to stay emotionally powerful in the energy of uncertainty; and how childhood directs the way we lead our lives.
The second part of the book is about connecting to others. From how to release the ineffective command-and-control style of leading; how to create more effortless leadership; to how to design powerful relationships at work and at home.
Integrating neuroscience and leadership
One of the book’s standout features is its integration of scientific research with practical application. DiGangi draws on the latest findings in neuroscience to explain how emotions and energy influence leadership effectiveness.
She breaks down complex concepts into accessible language, making it easier for readers to grasp and apply the insights. The book includes case studies, real-life examples, and actionable exercises that guide leaders in implementing the principles discussed.
DiGangi also addresses common challenges leaders face in managing emotional energy, such as burnout, triggers, conflict, and resistance to change. She offers strategies for overcoming these obstacles and maintaining a sustainable level of emotional energy.
The book emphasizes the importance of self-care and continuous learning, encouraging leaders to invest in their personal and professional development.
Who is it for?
Energy Rising offers you a provocative and neuroscientifically accurate path to greater emotional power, influence, and connection. This book is relevant for anyone who seeks to become a more self-aware and impactful leader through a better understanding of the neuro energetic codes that provide insights into the science behind how your brain works:
”When you more clearly understand how your brain constructs your reality, you can engineer your life in more satisfying and empowered ways.”
Join the conversation!
In this first episode of The Journey Beyond Business as Usual, you are invited to a conversation between me and Dr. Julia DiGangi about her book. We explore everything from the power of emotions in leadership to the pain of uncertainty. Enjoy!
Learn more
Visit Julia DiGangi’s author’s website for more information >>
About the author
Elisabet Lagerstedt
Elisabet Lagerstedt is the founder and director of Future Navigators. As a trusted advisor, consultant, and Executive Coach, she helps business leaders navigate beyond business as usual to build Better Business and co-create a better future - through insight, strategy, innovation, and transformation. Elisabet is also the author of Better Business, Better Future (2022) and Navigera in i Framtiden (2018).