Publisher Description

Understanding the power of subliminal influence makes or breaks leaders. What is it that subliminally motivates people to give their best, not just what's in their job description? How do you build an outstanding team? (Spoiler: it's not just by putting the best people in a team.) The answer lies in the power of subliminal influence. This book explains in a clear and accessible way this important, yet little known and understood, area of psychology and leadership.As Emotional Intelligence helped managers and leaders to understand the importance of empathy in the workplace, Subliminal Leadership takes us to the next level by explaining how influence through non-verbal communication mostly happens below the threshold of our conscious awareness: subliminal forms of body language and communication which influence other people's attitudes, thinking and behavior – and which may boost, or undermine a leader's authority, the performance of teams or the quality of key customer relationships. Readers will learn how we unconsciously communicate and how we positively or negatively influence other people in the process. Understanding subliminal influence will help people in, or aspiring towards, leadership positions to build trust, understand others' emotions, make better decisions, and strengthen professional relationships. Based on recent scientific research in disciplines as diverse as psychology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, medicine, neuroscience, and management studies, the book offers a breakthrough, multidisciplinary approach to influence and leadership. This book is for everyone interested in the psychological, biological, and medical dimensions of leadership.

Author Biography

Thomas Frankl had senior management positions in Fortune 500 companies and the United Nations. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Munich and has been teaching at Swiss business schools and universities for over ten years. He co-founded three companies and is the Chairman of Ruti Group which owns and operates a 800-pupil school in Nyamata, Rwanda.

Table of Contents

About the AuthorAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 Leadership in contextLeadership in organizationsDay-to-day leadership2 Leadership as social influenceInfluence, leadership, and evolutionary biology Making sense of the worldTouchSightHearingSmellTasteInteroceptionProprioception3 Brain, mind, and bodyThe mind–brain connectionThe mind–body connectionLatent talent4 The underworld of the subliminalCharacter assassinationsSmelling memoriesFright or flight5 Influence, emotions, and self-leadershipHomo sapiens vs. Homo corporaticusAmygdala hijack and the fear of flying computersFear, risk-taking, and innovationBuckle up and enjoy the rideEmotional framing 6 We communicate more than we think Every body communicatesNo glossing over glossophobia The power of gaze7 Empathy revisitedThe busy sidewalk challengeRandom acts of influenceReading the room 8 Everyone is an influencer Botox and the power of embodied emotions Dressing the partTouching experiences A face for radio Beauty: More than just in the eyes of the beholder9 Emotional contagion The 1962 Tanzania laughing epidemic First olfactory impressions countA good nose for bad health The persistent smell of aggressionWill you join us for our smellwalk?10 The power of humor, trust, and charismaHumor, a universal language Funny speeches and other ordealsTrust – the social superglue Trust me, I'm smiling Charisma: A gift from the gods? Making it stick: The secrets of powerful speech 11 Leading with guts Credit to the roomers Gut health and gut decisionsThe power of kraut-based computing12 The intuitive leaderAll quiet in Anacostia Making intuitive decisions workSteve Jobs and the dork problem Intuitive farming 13 Connecting brains Spooky action at a close distance The leader as entrainer Brain synchronization and team performance 14 Toxic leadership: An organizational spectrum disease The productive narcissist What makes a psychopath? The oxymoronic successful psychopath Welcome to our Jurassic organization Is the world in need of toxic leaders? Nutric leadership: An antidote Ethics in action Commitment Kindness and modesty Honesty and candor A positive mindset Strength and decisiveness Health and energy Vision and empathy 15 Epilogue Index

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