The Fear-Free Organization: Vital Insights from Neuroscience to Transform Your Business Culture

Leadership that makes a difference takes guts and confidence, plus belief in oneself and belief in the key players in the organization. It is built on trust, not fear. Scared people spend a lot more time plotting their survival than working productively, so The Fear-Free Organization has zero tolerance for bullies, vicious gossip, undermining behaviors, hijacking tactics, political jockeying for position or favoritism. Instead, it works on inspiration. Evidence from neuroscience shows that individuals and organizations are more successful when people are encouraged to take risks, to explore new ideas, and to channel their energies in ways that work for them. The Fear-Free Organization reveals how our new understanding of the neurobiology of the self - how the brain constructs the person - can transform for the better the way our businesses and organizations work.

About the Authors

Dr Paul Brown has worked as a clinical and organizational psychologist for fifty years with an international practice that has taken him throughout Europe, the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Lao PDR. He is Visiting Professor in Organizational Neuroscience at London South Bank University - the first such appointment in the UK. He lives in Laos, where he acts as an adviser within the advisory office of the Prime Minister; works substantially in Vietnam with the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation concerned with the legacy effects of war; is Expert Adviser to the International Energy Research Centre at the Tyndall Institute, Ireland; and teaches regularly in England and Ireland. He is the co-author of Neuropsychology for Coaches (Open University Press).

Joan Kingsley is a consultant clinical and organizational psychotherapist who has spent the past 25 years doing research into the links between brain systems and our psychological lives. She practices as an Executive Coach and works with senior management in business organizations. She is Vice President of a New York based business and sits on the Boards of two UK organizations.

Sue Paterson is a consultant with a deep understanding of how to live and work successfully in different cultures, and how different organizations work (or not). She has also worked in HR, leading a team delivering talent management, leadership development and recruitment to over 5,000 staff based in Europe.