FEATURE
FIVE SIGNS COGNITIVE OVERLOAD IS AFFECTING YOUR LEADERSHIP WITHOUT YOU KNOWING
Leaders often feel stressed as they deal with the many different challenges thrown at them. But what does it look like when that stress tips over into cognitive overload? Nik Kinley, Leadership Coach, Assessor and Advisor, outlines the five signs to look out for and what to do about it. focusing more and more on immediate problems and short-term issues at the expense of wider implications. He didn’ t feel burnt out. He wasn’ t failing. It just felt like there was just too much to focus on and think about.
Mark had the kind of calendar that would make most people anxious just looking at it. He ran two business units, sat on three committees and was across every major project his organisation was running. People respected him. Results were good. He was, by any standard measure, an excellent leader. And then, quietly, things started to slip.
He couldn’ t quite pinpoint when it had begun. But decisions began to take longer. A direct report mentioned, carefully, that he’ d seemed under pressure lately. And he found himself
Cognitive overload occurs when the total demand on working memory exceeds its capacity. The prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning and emotional regulation – is the first region to suffer. In fact, research shows that even mild acute stress can cause a rapid, sharp decline in prefrontal cognitive function. And this means that the executive capabilities we rely on most – sound judgement, perspective-taking, strategic thought – are also the first to degrade when the load becomes too high.
The problem is that leaders experiencing this kind of overload often can’ t see it in themselves until it’ s too late. So, here are five signs to look for.
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