Our Brain, Our Habits, and Why It Doesn't Have to Suck at Work – Advice for HR and all of us from Neuroleadership coach Ed Ley

Work in Progress – People & Culture

What if the difference between feeling stuck at work and thriving isn't just about your environment, but about your nervous system? In this eye-opening conversation with neuroleadership coach Ed Ley, powerful insights at the intersection of neuroscience, habit formation, and workplace culture are unlocked.

Ed's journey from sports conditioning specialist to neuroleadership coach began with a surprising observation: most people don't struggle with knowing what to do—they struggle with getting themselves to do it. This revelation led him to explore the biology behind our decision-making processes and ultimately develop approaches that help individuals and organizations transform their experiences from the inside out.

In this episode, Ed takes us deep into the neuroscience of habit formation, revealing how our brains (specifically the basal ganglia) constantly scan for behaviors that efficiently gain us status or meet our needs. These patterns become automated, continuing to run even when they are no longer serving us in new environments. For anyone feeling stuck in unproductive workplace patterns, understanding this biological foundation offers a path forward through deliberate habit rewiring rather than willpower alone.

At the organizational level, Ed introduces a framework centered on three fundamental human needs: mastery (clarity about what you're trying to excel at), autonomy (taking responsibility for your choices), and belonging (feeling recognized and connected). When companies build cultures that support these elements, people naturally shift from stress states into more productive modes of operation. His insights on how organizations unintentionally celebrate burnout behavior while professing different values highlights why many workplace transformation efforts fail.

Towards the end of the episode, Ed offers an equation for navigating uncertain work environments: "Uncertain self plus uncertain environment equals fight, flight, or freeze. Certain self plus uncertain environment leads to proactive, aligned action." The key to thriving isn't controlling your external circumstances but developing internal certainty about who you are and what you stand for. As he eloquently puts it, "On the other side of that door is the adventure of your life."

Ready to transform your workplace experience from the inside out? Listen now and discover why, in Ed's words, "People aren't stuck. There's no such thing as being stuck. There is only movement. The trick is to move things in the right direction”.

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1. Meeting Ed Ley, Neuroleadership Coach (00:00:00)

2. The Gap Between Knowledge and Action (00:04:27)

3. Beyond Good: Ed's Journey to Denmark (00:16:05)

4. The Biology of Habits and Change (00:27:44)

5. Why People Stay Stuck in Bad Situations (00:36:11)

6. Creating Healthy Workplace Cultures (00:43:28)

7. Taking Responsibility for Your Experience (00:53:15)