My brain is plastic – yours too!
When I was younger, I was taught that our brains stopped developing at the age of 25. It was believed that the brain had a static structure and that, over time, brain cells died and could not be renewed.
Today, we know better. Lucky for me – who turns 56 this year – is that my brain has shown to be plastic.
Our brains adapt and change throughout life
Brain plasticity has nothing to do with the increasing findings of microplastics in our brain.
Instead, it is a term utilised to describe the brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout life based on experiences, learning and environmental influences.
This dynamic property of the brain has enormous implications for the view of human potential and personal development. This property even supports your innate capabilities to fulfil your New Year’s Resolution (I’m not claiming it is easy; I’m just saying it is entirely possible).
Our brains are, in fact, extraordinary! Its adaptable ability, known as neuroplasticity, is the brain’s innate power to rewire itself, forming new neural connections in response to experiences, learning, or even injuries. It is this adaptability that allows us to learn new skills, recover after setbacks, and evolve throughout life.
Neuroplasticity unfolds in fascinating ways. At the synaptic level, it involves strengthening or reshaping the connections between neurons, laying the groundwork for learning and memory. On a structural level, it can lead to physical changes in the brain, including the growth of new neurons or the reorganisation of neural pathways. Functionally, the brain can even shift responsibilities from one area to another—a capacity often witnessed during recovery from injuries.
This dynamic capability isn’t limited to a particular phase of life. While it’s often more pronounced in our younger years, neuroplasticity remains with us, shaped by our actions, environments, and the challenges we embrace. Every new experience, every intentional habit, and every moment of reflection has the potential to sculpt the brain, aligning it more closely with who we are becoming.
Understanding and embracing neuroplasticity reminds us of something profound: change and growth are always possible. Whether learning a new skill, adopting healthier habits, or rebuilding after difficulties, our brains are wired to support us—if we’re willing to put in the work.
In the end, neuroplasticity is not just a biological phenomenon; it’s a call to action. It’s an invitation to intentionally shape our lives and, in doing so, the world around us.
We can also use this knowledge for leadership development.
What makes leadership programs succeed?
As you have understood by now, we are not static but dynamic beings. I’m not the same person as when I was 25 years ago; neither are you.
We could even say that we are continuous “works in progress” with an innate capacity to unlearn old knowledge and patterns and instead learn new knowledge, approaches and mindsets. We can even outgrow our current worldview and reshape our identity in a completely natural process of inner growth and renewal. All thanks to our brain plasticity.
This insight may explain the growing interest in leadership development – together with the fact that leaders (depending on their level of maturity and development) have a potential systemic influence across their teams, organisations and ecosystems. Something many leaders and organisations increasingly struggle with in our VUCA world of accelerating change.
Global organisations, however, every year spend more than $60 billion on leadership development programs without always knowing what works. Research at Harvard has shown that seven ingredients help make leadership programs succeed.
- Focus on whole-person growth: “Leadership development is less about learning specific, tactical skills than it is about cultivating the broad capabilities, such as self-awareness or resilience, that are necessary to adapt to dynamic, evolving challenges.”
- Provide opportunities for meaning-making and self-reflection: “…it is crucial to give employees plenty of time and space for structured self-reflection, and to explicitly encourage them to reflect on their purpose. “
- Offer targeted programs to support leaders with acute or chronic stress: “…employers should prioritise leadership development when stress due to collective or personal challenges is particularly high, as these initiatives can help destress employees and bolster their psychological resources.”
- Don’t underestimate short, intensive programs: “…shorter, more-intensive programs may actually achieve better results while taking up less time and financial resources.”
- Acknowledge and address psychological barriers to growth: “Not everyone is equally open to self-improvement… Given these limitations, organisations must manage expectations about different programs’ specific learning outcomes, and help participants choose programs that fit their personal learning goals.”
- Ensure that short-term growth leads to sustained, long-term impact: “… organisations would be wise to distinguish between short-term success and true, sustained impact — and ensure that their development efforts avoid prioritising the former at the expense of the latter.”
- Embrace online learning: “…development can happen just as effectively online as it can in person.”
Leadership Development for Better Business and a Better Future
What does this have to do with going beyond business as usual and building Better Business and a better future, you might think?
Well, exploring human potential is especially crucial in today’s dynamic and fast-moving business environment, where leadership faces a range of new challenges and demands.
To cope with the current poly-crisis, we will need to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world we live in. Here, traditional leadership programs don’t do the job. Just adding more skills – and growing “horizontally” will not be enough.
Instead, we are asked to grow vertically – to expand our capacities and shift our mindsets because the leadership we need going forward is wiser, more inclusive, holistic, and mature, with a capacity to navigate and lead complex systemic change and transformation towards a better future.
This aligns well with the findings from the study presented above – such as a focus on the whole person and providing opportunities for meaning-making and self-reflection.
Unfortunately, research in adult development shows that only a tiny proportion of today’s leaders and managers currently possess those qualities. Most of us are still stuck in a focus on short-term goals, performance, efficiency, and control (i.e. a ‘business as usual’ mindset). Many are, however, beginning to question how effective this really is and are looking for new answers.
Ready for a leadership development journey beyond business as usual?
Just as when we train our fitness and strength, personal development requires us to truly challenge ourselves. It can be uncomfortable, and it takes time. In fact, personal development is a lifelong journey.
Becoming a wiser, more mature, and sustainable leader is, however, well worth it! The winners are you, your family, your team members, the business you lead – and even the world and society.
I use a well-established method for accelerating your Vertical Leadership Development. I’m also an ambassador for the Inner Development Goals because it acts as a signpost focusing on a so-far undervalued development area that now needs our full attention.
Let me know if you would like to set up a free discovery call to explore how this method may help you or your leadership team accelerate the shift toward expanded leadership capacities.
Learn more about our fully customisable leadership programs here >>
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).