Your team’s performance is only as strong as their nervous systems. Not KPIs. Not strategy decks. The nervous system. That means understanding stress isn’t a soft skill. It’s a strategic one.
Let’s pull back the curtain and take a quick walk through the brain. Not to impress anyone with science jargon—but to help you lead with empathy, clarity, and effectiveness in a fast-paced world.
Meet the Two Brains at Work
Picture this:
Two employees. Both highly capable. Same workload. One seems calm, solutions-focused, energised. The other is reactive, tired, and misses small details. The difference? Not skills. It’s state.
Let’s call them “Calm Brain” and “Stressed Brain.”
- Calm Brain has a well-regulated nervous system. The prefrontal cortex (decision-maker, innovator, planner) is online and humming.
- Stressed Brain is running on fumes. The amygdala (your brain’s fire alarm) is hijacking logic. It’s scanning for danger, not opportunity.
And here’s the kicker: stressed brains can’t collaborate, create, or focus for long. Not because they don’t care—but because their biology won’t let them.
But Stress Isn’t the Enemy. Disconnection Is.
At Glow at Work, we don’t label stress as bad. Short bursts? Totally normal. Even useful.
But chronic stress + lack of support = burnout. It’s not just deadlines or workload. Often, it’s the loneliness of stress that hurts most.
When someone’s struggling and feels unseen, the brain doubles down on its threat response. Safety shuts off. And when people feel unsafe, they can’t do their best work—no matter how smart or committed they are.
The Cheat Sheet for Brain-Savvy Managers
So what can you actually do about this? Here’s your neuroscientist-approved playbook:
1. Signal Safety Early and Often
Start meetings with connection—not urgency. A 60-second check-in (“How’s everyone really doing today?”) shifts brains out of defense mode and into collaboration. Safety isn’t assumed. It’s built in micro-moments.
2. Spot the Subtle Signs
Watch for small shifts:
- Someone going quiet in meetings
- Snappier emails
- Over-apologising or second-guessing
These aren’t attitude issues. They’re neurobiological red flags.
3. Interrupt the Pattern
If someone’s spinning out, offer a circuit-breaker: “Let’s take a pause—can we step outside for five minutes and regroup?”. It shows you see the person, not just the problem.
4. Mind Your Own State
The science of co-regulation is clear: leaders set the emotional tone. If you’re frazzled, your team feels it. If you ground yourself before tough conversations, they feel that too. Start with your breath. Then your words. Then your presence.
The Bottom Line: People Thrive in Regulated Cultures
At Glow at Work, we know performance, wellbeing, and inclusion aren’t competing priorities—they’re connected through the nervous system. When teams feel safe, seen, and supported, here’s what happens:
- Engagement rises
- Conflict drops
- Creativity sparks
- Retention improves
This isn’t woo-woo. It’s brain science. The smartest managers today aren’t just delegating—they’re regulating. Not perfectly. But intentionally.