49. Self-Leadership: Neuroscientific Perspectives

Discussions about the self and self-leadership give knowledge of various perspectives. Many leadership theories focus on the psychological and intellectual motors of positive change in human activity which are internal to the agent. Self-leadership focuses on the capacity to direct one’s choices and actions through internal convictions and intrinsic motivation. The process of directing oneself to achieve certain goals takes for granted that the individual is capable of performing normal intellectual activity. However, there are some neurological prerequisites that ensure the normal healthy functioning. These biological requirements are often the object of exploration in neuroscience as the field of study seeks to enrich the knowledge and contribute to a holistic understanding of human beings. This chapter explores the neuroscientific dimensions that underlie elements of self-leadership. It sheds light on the role of normal biology for attaining fulfillment in all human activity, including those carried out in the workplace, given that a large chunk of the human being’s wakeful and productive hours of the day are spent at work. One can thus see that the theoretical dimensions of self-leadership, often observable in their behavioral manifestations, are connected to the empirical biological dynamics in the human body as described with neuroscientific research.