Episode 7. Wired to Connect: The Science of Emotion and Leadership

THIS EPISODE WILL BE LAUNCHING IN MARCH 2026

In this Balancing Act conversation, Dr. Lynda Shaw unpacks the complex and fascinating relationship between emotion, leadership and human behaviour. Drawing on her background in cognitive neuroscience and decades of work with organisations, she explains why emotions – all of them – operate below conscious awareness long before we label or interpret them, influencing decisions, communication and leadership behaviour.

Dr. Shaw explores how emotional intelligence is far more than a behavioural skill; it is a neurobiological process shaped by experience, culture and the unconscious triggers that guide our reactions. She discusses why self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership, how triggers can be understood rather than feared, and why leaders must model the emotional and communicative standards they expect from others.

The conversation expands into organisational culture, communication, and global perspectives on emotional intelligence, recognising that cultural norms shape how emotions are expressed, read and valued. Dr. Shaw also touches on the future of neuroscience and what emerging research reveals about connection, performance and wellbeing in a fast-changing world.

This episode offers a deeply human, science-informed perspective on leadership – one that acknowledges both our wiring and our capacity to adapt, understand and connect with intention.

Key Topics Covered

• Emotions as unconscious, neurobiological processes
• The link between self-awareness and emotional intelligence
• Understanding and navigating emotional triggers
• How experience shapes helpful vs. unhelpful emotional responses
• Effective communication as the foundation of strong relationships
• Cultural differences in emotional expression and interpretation
• Leadership modelling: setting the tone through behaviour
• Creating supportive organisational environments for wellbeing and performance
• The evolving neuroscience behind emotional regulation and resilience
• Practical steps to enhance self-awareness and emotional understanding

Dr Lynda Shaw is a cognitive neuroscientist, business psychologist, and entrepreneur whose career over the past 40 years spans academia, enterprise, and applied neuroscience in leadership. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and former President of the Professional Speaking Association UK&I, Lynda specialises in making complex brain science practical for business and leadership.