Tame the Primitive Brain: 28 Ways in 28 Days to Manage the Most Impulsive Behaviors at Work

Introduction

Anyone who works with other people—which is pretty much everyone—has to deal with all kinds of challenges involving human nature. Chances are that, at work, one of your biggest problems is handling the most basic behaviors of people—such as impulsive decision making, tunnel vision, and resistance to change. And that’s just you!

My guess is you’re feeling the pressure. Who wouldn’t be?

You’ve already seen other people snap, and totally lose it. So now you’re looking for a way to best tame those primitive knee-jerk reactions, anxieties, and outbursts—and help others do the same.

Perhaps you’ve already read a ton of books on the latest trends in how to get the best out of everyone—including yourself. You’ve probably endured a mass of training. And possibly you’ve been tested under a multitude of psychometric models, from Myers Briggs to Strength Finder and, occasionally, have consulted the horoscope in Elle magazine.

Yet after all the new information and insights you’ve gained—and despite your best intentions—you still have no foolproof understanding of why people sometimes behave “like real jerks!”

Some people are continually frustrated by the crazy antics of those they work with. They wake up every morning to spend another day confused, wondering, “Why the hell did they do that?” Sooner or later it gets to be too much and they themselves tip over the edge, hit the roof, flip their lids, or lose it in some way. You can only keep a tight lid on this kind of frustration ...