Dr. Emma Sarro is a researcher at the NeuroLeadership Institute, where she translates cognitive and social neuroscience into practical strategies that help organizations improve leadership, collaboration, and innovation. Formerly a professor at Dominican College and New York University, she also conducted research at the Nathan Kline Institute. She earned her bachelor’s from Brown University and her PhD in neuroscience from NYU, focusing on sensory processing, brain plasticity, and the effects of early life trauma. At NLI, her work highlights how understanding and working within the brain’s capacity—while challenging it in the right ways—can boost creativity, trust, and team performance, all while reducing social threat responses and fostering meaningful growth.

In this episode, Steve and Dr. Emma discuss:

• The link between a growth mindset and improved performance
• How the brain’s plasticity fuels learning, adaptability, and resilience
• Practical strategies for fostering a growth-oriented environment in organizations
• Why moments of stillness and mind-wandering boost innovation and insight
• The impact of stress and cortisol on creativity, decision-making, and brain health

Key Takeaways:

• Adopting a growth mindset actively redirects your brain’s resources toward setting and achieving goals, while easing the grip of fear-based, threat-focused thinking. This mental shift opens the door to greater creativity and resilience.
• Respecting your cognitive capacity isn’t just about avoiding overload—it’s about optimizing brain performance. Protecting your mental bandwidth helps you make sharper, more strategic decisions.
• Mind-wandering is a powerful tool for innovation. Stepping away from intense focus allows your brain to form new connections and unlock fresh, unexpected ideas.
• Chronic stress and prolonged cortisol levels act like roadblocks to creativity and problem-solving. Leaders who learn to manage stress effectively safeguard both their health and their innovative potential.
• Small, intentional changes—like adding the word “yet” to reframe challenges or regularly reflecting on mistakes—can gradually transform your mindset. These micro-adjustments often lead to long-term performance gains.

“Accepting that you can change and accepting that you can improve is completely different from accepting that you are, that you have a certain skill, and that whatever you put out is the best that you can do.” - Dr. Emma Sarro

Connect with Dr. Emma Sarro:

Website: https://neuroleadership.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sarro-phd-in-neuroscience-4766784/

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.