223 - Understanding the Neuroscience of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership with FranklinCovey's Todd Davis

8 Jul 2024 · 31 min
Listening With Leaders

8 Jul 2024 · 31 min

0:00

In this episode of Listening with Leaders, host Doug Noll interviews Todd Davis, senior consultant and former Chief People Officer of FranklinCovey. Davis outlines FranklinCovey’s evolution from the Covey Leadership Center and Franklin Quest into a global performance‑improvement firm focused on behavior change. He describes the company’s flagship solutions—7 Habits, Four Disciplines of Execution, Five Choices, and Six Critical Practices—used to address client pain points such as talent retention, trust, inclusive leadership, unconscious bias, and navigating difficult conversations. The conversation pivots to the science of listening: cognitive versus affective empathy, affect‑labeling, and the neuroscience of de‑escalation (right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activation). Noll shares his own background in law, peacemaking, and the triune‑brain myth, emphasizing that leaders must move from a rational‑only mindset to an emotionally‑aware one. They discuss the origin of “soft skills” in the U.S. Army, the prevalence of introversion among successful leaders, and personal vulnerabilities (insecurity, hidden humor aspirations). The interview ends with Davis’s commitment to continue delivering FranklinCovey’s training and a mutual appreciation for the exchange of ideas.

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