The Neurophysiology of Innovation, with Dr. John Kenagy

On this week’s episode of “The Innovation Engine,” we take a look at the neurophysiology of innovation. We talk about what’s really going on behind the scenes during the decision-making process and why we’re often anything but rational, how that impacts the ways to influence change in any organization, and why habit and singular focus can be powerful tools for any business looking to improve overall performance.

Dr. John Kenagy, author of Designed to Adapt: Leading Healthcare in Challenging Times, joins us to discuss those topics and many more. This marks Dr. Kenagy’s second appearance on the podcast. He previously joined us back in August for episode 27 of “The Innovation Engine” podcast, when we discussed “Innovation and Adaptive Design.”

Dr. Kenagy was dubbed “the man who would save health care” in a 2000 Forbes article that covered his tenure at the Harvard Business School under Clayton Christensen and Dr. Kenagy’s subsequent attempts to lower the cost of health care for organizations using adaptive design.

Here are some of the highlights from this week’s discussion with Dr. John Kenagy:

• Dr. Kenagy shines a light on what research around the human brain and MRIs have shown about how decisions are truly made, and the implications that has for affecting change within an organization
• We explore whether a conscious effort towards impacting beliefs rather than behaviors can really influence the way a company operates.
• Dr. Kenagy shares real-world examples of companies who have experienced tangible outcomes as a result of enforcing some of the powerful neurophysiological functions such as purpose, progress, and the experience of success.
• We talk about the benefit of establishing a clear purpose for a company as outlined by Charles Duhigg in the New York Times bestseller Habit. See this excerpt from the Huffington Post for more on the potential business benefits of singular focus.
• Dr. Kenagy explains whether pushing authority and the ability to influence change down throughout a company really helps drive results

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE

Interested in hearing more? Tune in to the full episode of “The Innovation Engine” podcast below.

About The Innovation Engine

Since 2014, 3Pillar has published The Innovation Engine, a podcast that sees a wide range of innovation experts come on to discuss topics that include technology, leadership, and company culture. You can download and subscribe to The Innovation Engine on Apple Podcasts. You can also tune in via the podcast’s home on Spotify to listen online, via Android or iOS, or on any device supporting a mobile browser.