One thing is becoming apparent in conversations with leaders and managers: surviving in today’s fast-paced environment demands more than technical knowledge or years of experience. Leaders are seeking clarity in decision-making. Gut instincts alone aren’t enough; logic doesn’t always suffice, and even the increasingly popular “heart-brain” approach falls short.
Effective leadership often involves utilizing three key decision-making aspects within every individual: the head, heart, and gut. These elements can work together to navigate complex decisions. Grounded in neuroscience and psychology, Christoffel Sneijders’ “3 Brains Intelligence model” provides tools leaders can use to incorporate these systems into their decision-making processes.
Why Leaders Get Stuck
Despite their efforts, even seasoned leaders often struggle with indecision or make choices that may lead to poor outcomes. This happens because decisions are unconsciously dominated by one brain while neglecting input from the others. Deeply ingrained habits, emotional memories, and stress influence this imbalance.
For instance:
Head Brain Dominance: Leads to overanalyzing and delays as leaders strive for an ideal solution.
Heart Brain Dominance: Prioritizes empathy over strategy, which may jeopardize long-term objectives.
Gut Brain Dominance: Encourages impulsive decisions that overlook potential risks or broader implications.
These tendencies can be seen as natural behaviors shaped by evolution. Each part of the decision-making process plays a role—the head focuses on logic, the heart on connection, and the gut on survival. When one aspect becomes overly dominant, it may lead to challenges such as overthinking, emotional overwhelm, or hasty decisions.
The Importance of Balance
Modern leadership demands balancing these three perspectives. McKinsey & Company recently highlighted the complexity leaders face today, including ethical dilemmas, competitive pressures, and managing diverse teams. A “whole-brain” approach, which integrates logic, empathy, and intuition, is essential for success.
When leaders consciously engage all three brains, they unlock the following:
Ethical Decision-Making: The heart helps alignment with values, the head evaluates consequences, and the gut provides instinctive checks.
Innovation: The head creates creative ideas, the heart builds collaborative teams, and the gut takes calculated risks.
Adaptability: The gut responds swiftly, the heart manages emotions, and the head plans strategically.
The outcome was remarkable. Innovation flourished, team morale soared, and Alex rekindled his passion for leadership.
Practical Steps for Leaders
To apply the 3 Brains Intelligence model, leaders can:
Pause and Reflect: Identify which brain is dominating your decision-making.
What does the data suggest? (Head)
How will this impact others? (Heart)
What does my intuition say? (Gut)
Balance Inputs: Ask targeted questions:
Head: “What logical steps address this challenge?”
Heart: “Does this align with values and meet people’s needs?”
Gut: “What risks or opportunities does my intuition reveal?”
Test Decisions: Seek feedback from trusted colleagues who favor different brains to identify blind spots.
Practice Integration: Reflect on past decisions and analyze how each brain contributed. Use this insight to refine future approaches.
The Path Forward
Leadership today requires more than intellect alone. Leaders can overcome indecision, inspire innovation, and make ethical, impactful decisions by tapping into the power of the head, heart, and gut.
Christoffel Sneijders’ “3 Brains Intelligence model” offers a framework to help balance these perspectives, supporting leaders in navigating complex decisions. This approach aims to assist leaders in addressing challenges effectively and fostering positive outcomes for their teams and organizations.
Published by Anne C.
