How to improve your communication style so you can contribute to the co-creation spirit in a team?

We evolved as a species because at some point, our ancestors realized that there are some curious people who need to be protected when they go out in the unknown and try out new things by risking their lives. The curiosity genes have been passed on from generation to generation. Without curious minds, we wouldn’t have benefited from innovation in any field of the society.

Thanks to neuroscience, we came to understand that the brains of innovative people reward them with positive emotions, with the experience of joy when discovering something new. But there is also a cost of the discovery, at the level of human energy.

Most often, the innovators among us have to go against what is known. They have to deal with self-doubt and failure until their ideas prove worthy of general attention. In addition, having new ideas is similar to having a baby. Due to the complete identification with the baby, that there is emotional pain when outsiders would criticize the baby.

Studies of the brain in social interactions show that it is easy for someone to accidentally say something or do something, which can be interpreted as a threat, especially when you feel vulnerable. When the brain is in the threat mode, the mind stops seeing possibilities.

Whether you are the idea generator or any other stakeholder in an innovation team, how can you have an empowering conversation that leads to good synergies of co-learning and innovation?

In this talk, we’ll discuss the following issues:

• The two modes of operation of the human brain and the challenge of the creative drive.
• The five places of focus when we are discussing a new idea.
• The conversation style conducive to co-creation.

About the speaker:

Oana is a NeuroLeadership Coach who trains knowledge workers to enhance their creativity and collaboration skills to improve their performance and wellbeing at work. She believes that we become happier, healthier and better human beings when we reconnect with our creative selves. Oana holds a Ph.D. from Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki.