Neuroscience is one of the fields of knowledge that most sparks curiosity, both among scientists and the general public. Understanding how the brain works—the most complex machine in the world—is a huge challenge and has attracted the attention of many companies and investors. According to data from Crunchbase, more than $7.8 billion has been invested in companies related to neuroscience, and this figure is expected to grow.

Within organizations, the impact of neuroscience—although still modest—has been steadily growing over time, and new discoveries in this field have brought important insights for management. Just to give one example, you have probably heard about how important communication is for teamwork, but now we have impressive evidence from a 2020 study.

Led by a researcher from Harvard University, the authors found that when we are discussing in a group and trying to reach a consensus, people’s brain waves become more synchronized—in other words, we generate a collective brain effect. This discovery sheds new light on how teams function and why we are naturally drawn to people who think in ways similar to our own (Sievers, Welker, Hasson, Kleinbaum, & Wheatley, 2020).

Neural Connectivity and Leadership: What’s the Relationship?

We know that the relationship between leaders and their teams is one of the most important in the organizational context. Understanding individual or group reactions to certain events and leadership actions is part of organizational and HR research, and neuroscience has been focused on understanding how brain regions and their connections influence cognition and neurobiological processing.

A study identified the brain effects on individuals led by resonant leaders (who support the team and value the collective) and dissonant leaders (combative, reactive, and fear-inducing). Resonant leaders activated areas related to positive and emotionally engaging processing, as well as structures associated with future self-projection and social connections. On the other hand, dissonant leaders triggered the activation of areas linked to negative emotional responses, consistent with avoidance states (Waldman et al., 2017). Reinforcing this idea, another study showed that a leader’s nonverbal behaviors can send positive signals to the brains of their team members, generating more positive work experiences (Chattopadhyay, 2020; Rule et al., 2010).

Transformational leaders have been shown to play a crucial role in the success of their teams, which can also be explained by how their brains function. A study that investigated the brains of these leaders found that those with stronger transformational leadership profiles exhibited greater activity in the frontal lobes, which are associated with executive functions such as planning, emotional regulation, and the ability to handle complex situations. Additionally, neural patterns related to anxiety were lower in these leaders, suggesting that in complex situations they are better able to remain calm and manage their emotions during more stressful moments (Waldman et al., 2017; Balthazard et al., 2012).

Teams in Synergy = Converging Brains

As important as understanding the role of leadership and its relationship with neuroscience is understanding what happens in the brain during interactions between people in organizations. Studies in this field have been essential for helping us understand how communication between peers occurs and how to create and develop synergistic and productive teams.

Until recently, scientists were focused on mapping and understanding the human brain in isolation. However, recent studies have made highly promising discoveries by investigating what happens when we think and work in groups. Researcher Carolyn Parkinson, from the University of California (Los Angeles), led a study that found that, in general, we are attracted to people who think similarly to us, as there is a sharing of brain activity when we agree with one another (Parkinson et al., 2018). Later, in 2020, Dr. Parkinson’s team discovered that when showing videos with ambiguous content to a group of people, after discussion among participants, brain waves became synchronized—suggesting that conversation can align thoughts and beliefs at a neurobiological level.

New studies have been investigating whether the opposite effect also occurs, that is, whether divergent thinking within a group leads to a breakdown in synchronization. This topic is particularly relevant for better understanding how independent thinking is formed and sustained within organizations, helping to explain how groups can work more efficiently—whether they agree or disagree (Abramson, 2022).

The Main Trend: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Neuroscience in Recruitment & Selection

One of the most widely discussed applications of technology and neuroscience occurs right at the beginning of an employee’s journey within a company—namely, the recruitment and selection stage. Several studies in this field have generated important insights, such as the use of AI technologies in recruitment. Complex systems use bots to identify candidates via LinkedIn, both passively and actively (van Esch & Black, 2019). Beyond that, systems based on this type of technology are used for text mining and to predict the attractiveness of a job posting based on hiring results from millions of other vacancies, enabling a more efficient recruitment process.

At the screening stage, one of the main trends is the analysis of video interviews using AI systems, replacing the need for a human interviewer. This technology analyzes candidates’ responses, as well as other variables such as tone of voice and micro facial movements, generating insights to support decision-making.

In the later stages of recruitment processes, skill tests and neuroscience-based games are used alongside these technologies to assess aspects such as reasoning ability, cognitive skills, persistence, and candidate motivation. These gamified assessments are strongly grounded in neuroscience findings, particularly regarding predictors of job performance (Hunkenschroer & Luetge, 2022).

No entanto, o uso prático ainda encontra muitas barreiras, tanto em termos de custo quanto em termos de adaptação dos gestores a esse tipo de tecnologia. O conhecimento geral dos profissionais, especialmente de recursos humanos, ainda é muito baseado nas técnicas clássicas de gestão e esse é um processo longo e complexo, até que essas tecnologias se tornem realidade no dia a dia das organizações.

In this context, it is important for companies to rely on the support of specialized professionals with a strong scientific and methodological foundation. Not only to implement high-quality solutions tailored to each company’s needs, but also to support the development of their teams. If your company aims to operate in a more efficient and forward-thinking way, using solutions and methodologies based on the latest scientific advancements—ensuring robustness and accuracy—you can rely on Clave Consultoria and its team of specialists.