We are autopilot creatures. In a way, our brains were designed to keep us doing as much as possible automatically. Otherwise, our brains would get too tired. Imagine if you woke up and had to really think about what to do next every day. Most of us have a routine. Almost robotic. This is why breaking these routines can be difficult if we must for whatever reason.

I arrived last week (from Vienna), and had a client workshop the next day. For me, it’s the best way of fighting jet lag. It had my brain focused on the client workshop that jet lag took a back seat. And I was excited about working with this new client and their people.

The workshop went well, and we introduced some key concepts to our audience. It was the first half-day of a 2 half-day workshop.

One of the main concepts that I bring to people’s awareness is how our brain is designed and its main purpose. It never fails to bring a smile to my face when I reveal what the main purpose of our brain is. Many think that our brain’s main purpose is more sophisticated than it is.

Let me ask you, what do you think is the main purpose of your brain? Take a minute to answer.

Some answers I received in the past were, thinking, storing data, speech, moving, analysing.

It does all of this and more but its only purpose is to, believe it or not, keep us safe and alive! Period.

Yes, our brain’s main aim is to keep us safe and alive. To keep us away from a threat and move toward a reward. But the focus is on keeping us away from threats. The brain is more likely to keep us running away from a threat than moving toward a reward.

We can thank our forefathers (from many thousands of years ago) for this design. Our forefathers lived in a very different world from ours. His focus was to stay alive. Kill or be killed (think saber-toothed tiger). Having said that the world is such today that some of us live ‘safer’ lives than others.

Overall life has evolved considerably, but that innate instinct is still with us via our primitive or old brain. So, no matter where we are and what we do, whether for the first time or not, our brain’s main purpose is to look for threats.

Let’s put this into practical context. When you meet a client, business partner, potential romantic partner, or potential friend for the first time, this background app, without you knowing, is scanning the person to see if you can trust them. Could they pose a threat to you now or in the future? The brain does this so subtly using resources and programs it has access to. I find this so fascinating.

You know what I mean. Think back to a time when you met someone for the first time and after a while, you stopped focusing on the conversation and were more concerned if you could trust the other person. That’s your brain’s ‘operating system’ taking priority over your conversation.

Some of these algorithms within our ‘operating system’ may be outdated and that’s where you may need more time to think through the findings and rationally analyse the data again.

When I work with people who are in front-line roles or who collaborate daily (that’s most of us!) and they ask me how to engage more effectively with people, my answer is ‘reduce the threat response in the other’.

It’s not you, it’s their brain. And that awareness alone has allowed many of my clients to progress and succeed in their roles. But it takes practise and some key tools.

So, the next time you meet someone for the first time or are getting to know someone, remember to reduce/eliminate the threat response in them. You will have a more effective conversation.

It’s the way our brains were designed.

As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com