Hi there. My name is Avil Beckford, and this is the latest episode of The One Problem podcast. You know, there are many problems in the world, but we will not focus on all of them. We're going to deal with them one problem at a time. Most of the guests who come on this program, I have some prior relationship with them.
So today my very special guest is Maureen Chiana, and I've known her for about two and a half years, and she is another Ellevate sister. You know that quite a few of them have been on this program. So Maureen is a resilience expert. She is an executive neurocoach, and an award-winning speaker. She's always traveling the world speaking. So, over to you, Maureen.
Maureen Chiana
Thank you, Avil. The problem that I come across a lot from my clients is knowing how to lead their people more effectively, understanding how to make people do what you need them to do, or helping them be their best. The solution really lies in the brain. The key thing I tell the leaders that I work with is that most times what you do as a human being is communicate the way your own brain is wired. But the trick is to communicate with people the way they are wired.
So what does this mean? It means that as a leader, the first thing you need to do is understand the people that you lead, understand who they are, understand what their values are, what drives them, what excites them, understand how their own brain is wired, and then speak to them in the language they understand. Because if you don't do that when you're speaking English, they will hear it in Spanish. They will completely hear something different.
And this happened so many times that even in relationships, that one person says something and the other person hears something different. So it's so important that when communicating with people, you communicate with them the way they are wired. For leaders, it becomes so important because the people you lead will then believe or realize that you care about them because you're taking time to understand them. You're taking time to hear them. Because in being able to understand how they are wired, you're going to have to be a good listener. You're going to have to take time to listen to their ideas.
Have you read or watched?
- Ashley Brundage, Leadership and Empowerment Expert
- Sandra Folk, How to Deliver Effective Presentations
- Dorothy Vernon-Brown, Marketing Automation Strategist
- Tessa Drayton, The Importance of Having a Crisis Management Plan
- Safiya Robinson, Writing Coach, Editor, and Author
- Robin Sacks, Confidence Coach: How to Flip the Switch on Negative Self Talk
- Diane Darling, Professional Networking Strategist; Speaker, Instructor & Coach
- Rosie Yeung, Founder and President Changing Lenses
- Nancy Ynchaustegui, Health and Fitness Coach
- Carol Walkner, Life Guide, Energy Healer, and Clairvoyant
- Mariett Ramm, Founder, the Powerful Woman, International Bestselling Author
- Sarah Elkins, Storytelling and StrengthsFinder Coach
- Debbie McKiver, Founder of the Strong and Healthy Temple
- Hedieh Safiyari, Founder, Prompt Health, Healthcare Solutions
- Benita Lee, Trade Consultant, Founder, Benita Lee Professional Corporation
- Jenny Siede, Chief Design Thinker, Green Neurons
- Pamela Jeffery, Founder, The Prosperity Project & Women’s Executive Network
- Alta Odendaal, Financial Coach and Consultant
Maureen Chiana
And then when you're communicating with them, you're then speaking to them based on what really interests them. And what this does is that it connects to their emotional brain. The emotional part of our brain is the key part of the brain that enables us to stay motivated. It's what motivates us and enables us to sustain that motivation. It's that emotional brain that actually makes us care about something. And this is why, as a leader, if you have an idea, the important thing is to connect to the people that you need their buy-in, connect to their emotional brain by speaking to what matters to them.
That way you get their buy-in, that way they really give themselves, they give their all to what they're doing. And I think one of the other things that really comes out of all this is that when you really speak to people, to how they are wired, you enable them to come to work with their whole self. It's like they come to work with their brain because you won't believe this. Too many people come to work leaving their brains at home and using your brain as a leader because you're telling them what to do. Everything is to do with you.
Maureen Chiana, Resilience Expert, Award Winning Speaker & Executive Neurocoach
So they're asking you lots of questions, and you are the one. It's your brain that has been tasked, and you are the one doing everything, even though their hands are doing it. But it's really your brain. So when you really speak to people's brains, when you speak to the way they are wired, when you speak to them based on what matters to them, then they come to work with their brains. And this is where you then have a lot of diverse ideas. You have better creativity, more of their skills and their talents.
Maureen Chiana
So one thing coming back to it again is to speak to people based on how they are wired. So it's that communication of really communicating with people directly. And just taking the time to know them, to understand them. If one person I said is even as simple as asking them, do they have pets? What pets do they have? Why do they like pets?
You can even start with such basic information and then build up because what it's showing is that you care and that they matter. And doing that, you're connecting to that part of the brain that would really enable them to do whatever you want them to do because they want to shine and they really want to help you as much as they want to help themselves.
So speak to people's brain, take the time to understand who they are. This then means on the other side is that you, as a leader, become more adaptable to the way you lead. Instead of being fixed in one leadership style, you then lead based on the people that you're leading. Because a lot of times I hear people say this is my leadership style, this is the way I lead.
That's wrong.
You should be able to adapt based on the people and based on the situation that you're in, and that's the key to being a really effective leader.
Avil Beckford
Thank you so much. When you were talking, you said that sometimes the employees leave their brain at home because you tell them everything, and it just flashed in my mind that people need autonomy, and they need control over their work. So thank you so much. Many of my listeners are going to enjoy this.
Maureen Chiana
Thank you.
