Lecture Notes

Date: August 16, 2002

Setting

• Location: Valley in Afghanistan
• Aircraft: Two A-10 Warthogs
  • Purpose: Provide ground cover for troops
• Weather: Cloudy, stormy night
• Troops Below: 22 Special Forces, feeling uneasy

Actions

• One pilot, callsign Johnny Bravo, goes below clouds to scout
• Troops come under effective fire ("Troops in contact")
• Johnny Bravo provides suppressing fire, narrowly avoids cliffs
• Runs out of ammo; his wingman takes over
• Both A-10s work together to provide suppressing fire
• Result: 22 troops went home with zero casualties

Question: Who are People Like Johnny Bravo?

• Motivation: Willingness to risk lives for others
• Johnny Bravo’s reason: "They would have done it for me"

Military vs. Business

• Military: Medals for self-sacrifice so others may survive
• Business: Bonuses for sacrificing others for personal gain
• Ideal Organization: Confidence that colleagues would sacrifice for you

Human Behavior and Chemicals

• Human survival driven by chemical incentives
  • Endorphins: Mask physical pain
  • Dopamine: Motivation to achieve goals; highly addictive
  • Serotonin: Leadership chemical; reinforces bonds
  • Oxytocin: Trust, love, friendship; promotes generosity and health
  • Cortisol: Stress and anxiety; inhibits immune system and oxytocin

Endorphins and Dopamine

• Endorphins: "Runner’s high"; mask pain during strenuous activities
• Dopamine: Reward for achieving goals; can be addictive (similar to alcohol, nicotine, cell phones)
  • Important to have tangible goals to focus motivation
• Social/Corporate impact:
  • Unchecked dopamine leads to destructive behaviors (e.g., financial crises)
  • Balance necessary for healthy performance

Serotonin and Leadership

• Serotonin: Feeling of pride, status; promotes leadership and public recognition
  • Awards and ceremonies elevate serotonin
  • Builds confidence and cooperation

Oxytocin and Trust

• Oxytocin: Strong bonds, trust, love
  • Physical touch, acts of human generosity
  • Produces good health outcomes, inhibits addiction
• Building Oxytocin: Takes time, involves acts of generosity and trust
  • Example: Handwritten note vs email

Cortisol and Stress

• Cortisol: Activates during danger; causes stress
  • Impacts immune system, increases paranoia
  • High-stress environments can cause long-term health issues

Leadership and Organizational Safety

• Leaders’ role: Extend a "circle of safety" within the organization
  • Make employees feel safe and valued
• Circle of Safety: Include everyone; encourages cooperation and innovation
  • Importance of protecting team members, not just oneself

Conclusion: Path to Effective Leadership

• Self-sacrifice critical over personal gain
• Leadership behaviors mirrored by chemicals like oxytocin and serotonin
• Building trust and safety within organizations leads to better outcomes and resilience against external threats