In this episode of The Science of Leadership, Tom Collins is joined by Isabelle Fortin, founder of Against the Ordinary, to delve into the transformative concept of human-centered leadership. Isabelle shares her unique journey, shaped by her service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, where she observed a stark contrast between military leadership training and the civilian corporate world. She argues that many organizations promote individuals based on technical skills (like sales or surgical expertise) rather than actual leadership capabilities, leading to floundering teams and burnout.

Isabelle recounts a powerful personal story from her early military career where a sergeant, choosing to see Isabelle as a "human" rather than just a "rank," fostered a partnership that motivated Isabelle to "crawl through broken glass" for her. This exemplifies human-centered leadership in action, creating psychological safety and a sense of being valued.

The discussion emphasizes the vital importance of human-centered leadership, highlighting:

• A McKinsey report suggesting that managers and leaders have a bigger impact on people's health than even medical doctors.

• The "dinner table effect," explaining how feeling seen, heard, and valued at work ripples positively into employees' home lives and communities.

• Significant profit increases (up to 86% in productivity for engaged employees).

Tom expands on the neuroscience of this approach, explaining how kindness and support from leaders trigger the release of oxytocin (the "trust hormone"), which reduces stress, builds trust, strengthens relationships, and boosts engagement and performance. Isabelle provocatively suggests that leaders should initially practice kindness for "self-serving reasons" (like improved well-being and profitability), as neuroscience shows this can reshape the brain to make kindness a natural modus operandi.

Isabelle shares practical advice for implementing human-centered leadership:

• Start with psychometric assessments (like the Nova tool) to understand individual cognitive, communication, and behavioral preferences. This understanding allows leaders to adapt their communication and support styles, fostering a "prenuptial agreement" where teams learn to navigate conflicts and connect on a human level.

• Prioritize these four keys: be kind, be curious, prioritize trust, and communicate with care.

To learn more about Isabelle Fortin's work, visit againsttheordinary.org and connect with her on LinkedIn (Isabelle Fortin - look for purple hair).

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at https://a.co/d/hoLqz1g or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-four-stars-of-leadership-tom-collins/1147876454 and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References:

• Collins, T. (2025). The four stars of leadership: Scientifically-derived principles from the experiences of America’s highest-ranking leaders. Four Star Leaders.
• Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 350-383.
• Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace. John Wiley & Sons.
• Kock, N., Mayfield, M., Mayfield, J., Sexton, S., & De La Garza, L. M. (2019). Empathetic leadership: How leader emotional support and understanding influences follower performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 26(2), 217-236.
• Magon, N. & Kalra, S. (2011). The orgasmic history of oxytocin: Love, lust, and labor. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 15(Suppl3), S156–S161.
• Pekarek, B. T., Hunt, P. J. & Arenkiel, B. R. (2020). Oxytocin and Sensory Network Plasticity. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 30.
• Stocker, D., Jacobshagen, N., Krings, R., Pfister, I. B., & Semmer, N. K. (2014). Appreciative leadership and employee well-being in everyday working life. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 28(1-2), 73-95.
• Takayanagi, Y. & Onaka, T. (2021). Roles of Oxytocin in Stress Responses, Allostasis and Resilience. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(1), 150.
• Voss, C. (2016). Never split the difference. Harper Business.

In this insightful segment from The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins sits down with General Pete Chiarelli, former Chief of Staff of the Army, to unpack the critical concept of second and third-order effects in decision-making.

General Chiarelli explains that every action has ripple effects, often overlooked when leaders are pressured to solve immediate problems.

🔸Anticipating Downstream Impacts: He shares a powerful example from his time commanding in Iraq, where extending troop deployments (a seemingly straightforward decision) had significant, often devastating, second and third-order effects on soldiers' families and personal lives back home.

🔸Proactive Mitigation: True leadership involves anticipating these downstream impacts and proactively working to mitigate them.

🔸Systemic Flaws in Medical Research: General Chiarelli argues that a major flaw in systems like medical research is the failure to consider these broader effects. He critiques the current research ecosystem, which often prioritizes individual publications and hoards data, hindering collaborative "team science" and slowing breakthrough discoveries, especially for complex issues like brain injuries. This contributes to a system that takes 16 years for scientific breakthroughs to become generally accepted in medicine.

Learn why considering second and third-order effects isn't "getting into the weeds" but is fundamental to good leadership, fostering learning organizations, and ultimately, showing genuine care for those impacted by decisions.

Also, I am excited to announce the release of my new book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at https://a.co/d/hoLqz1g and share your thoughts with me!

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, Tom Collins is joined by Dr. Debbie Heiser, an applied developmental psychologist, founder of The Mentor Project, and author of The Mentorship Edge. They explore the science and power of mentorship, delving into its core components and why it's vital for leadership development and legacy building.

Dr. Heiser defines mentorship through five key principles, stemming from the developmental milestone of generativity—the innate desire to give back in midlife. These principles include:

• Generative Match: The mentor must genuinely desire to give, and the mentee must be receptive to receiving what's offered.
• Intrinsic Motivation: Mentorship is driven by internal rewards, not external compensation. If compensation is involved, it's coaching or advising, not true mentorship.
• Meaningful Connection: A genuine liking and mutual investment in each other's success is essential.
• Trust: Both parties must feel safe sharing vulnerabilities without fear of exploitation or negative repercussions.
• Clear Goals: Mentorship is focused on specific, evolving goals that guide the relationship

Dr. Heiser emphasizes that mentorship allows individuals to tap into the "wisdom of others" and broaden their paths. She critiques the "gamification" of mentorship in corporate settings, where external incentives can undermine the intrinsic motivation that defines true mentorship. She differentiates mentorship from advising or coaching, noting that while one can wear many hats, the core generative drive makes mentorship unique.

A fascinating concept explored is "bread crumb legacy" and the "legacy tree". Dr. Heiser shares the inspiring story of Nobel Prize winner Bob Lefkowitz, who mapped his "legacy tree" of mentors and mentees, discovering his impact far beyond his immediate circle. This highlights how even small actions can have a significant, lasting impact.

The episode concludes with actionable advice: "look to your left and look to your right". Recognize that everyone is a potential mentor or mentee, and approach these interactions with awareness, openness, and curiosity.

To learn more about Dr. Debbie Heiser's work, visit MentorProject.org and https://deborahheiser.com/ and check out her book, The Mentorship Edge.

To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

References

Heiser, D. (2024). The Mentorship Edge: Creating Maximum Impact through Lateral and Hierarchical Mentoring. Wiley.