Neuroscientist Nobuko Nakano
discusses the relationship between growth and happiness
For important life decisions, neuroscientist Nobuko Nakano takes the following approach: “When faced with two choices, I always choose less predictable one. Do you really want to watch a movie that you know the synopsis of? If I had to choose, I'd rather watch the movie with the story I’m unfamiliar with.”
We sat down with Nobuko Nakano, who specialises in the mechanisms of human cognition, to hear her thoughts on what kind of work and challenges make people feel happier, comparing it to the values that we uphold at Robert Walters.
Our brains trust people who speak and act with conviction
In business negotiations, presentations, and internal relations, some people excel more so than others, but where does this difference come from? According to Nakano, the key lies in being able to communicate in a way that gives others a sense of security.
“In our society, it is often the opinions of those who are quickest to express themselves and have a strong power of persuasion that are accepted. We are designed to trust people who we feel will make decisions quickly and whom we can trust to make decisions for us.”
Nakano explained how this relates to how our brains are wired. “People don't really like to think too hard. We don't really want to think about logic or rightness or anything difficult. Even when we are resting, we use a quarter of our oxygen and one-fifth of our glucose. Because our brains are wired to want to conserve as much as possible, our brains don’t like people who force us to think.”
Nakano continued, “On the other hand, people who make decisions for you will feel more comfortable if you follow them because they can shoulder your burden. Therefore, it is important to say and do things with conviction to make people think, ‘I feel comfortable having this person as my subordinate,’ or ‘If I follow this person, I will be able to open doors that have never been opened before.’ It's about taking over some of the cerebral functions of the other person. If you behave in such a way, you will gain more credibility both inside and outside the company, you will gain more fans, and you will find it easier to get more responsibilities. In an age of rapid change and uncertainty, it is even easier for such people to gain power.”
Share your strengths without hesitation
With modesty considered a virtue, some Japanese may not be comfortable with selling what their strengths are. “It's a shame,” says Nakano. “There are people who have the abilities but don't communicate it to those around them. This is probably the most important thing that Japanese people lack when it comes to global talent. They don't really understand the value of what they are doing. It would be better to train yourself to be able to say, “I'm doing something amazing.”
Nakano recommends practicing saying what you are good at without being modest. “It also helps to add a bit of humour when sharing what your strengths are if you don't want to sound too strong,” she added.
Overcoming the fear of failure in the workplace
Many people are reluctant to take the plunge because they are afraid of failing at work. Nakano explained how we can challenge ourselves without fearing failure.
“The fear of failure at work is not so much a fear of failure as it is a fear of not being able to get a job and losing the foundation of one's life,” said Nakano. “But we can separate the two. If you have a safety net in your mind that says, ‘If I fail once, I can recover this way,’ then you won't be so afraid of failure.”
Nakano continued, “If you make a mistake, you can practice how to do it better. This is called ‘ukemi,’ practicing how to fall in a way that will not hurt. We are taught that it is important not to fail, so we tend to think that if we fail, it’s the end of the world. But this is not true at all. There are ways to make the failure less painful in every workplace. You can have information, or you can consult with whomever you want. If you have a method in your mind to do this when you fail, then failure is not something to be afraid of.”
Communication skills can evolve with training
Some people may think that they are not very good at socializing or dealing with colleagues or clients at work. However, Nakano pointed out that communication skills can be developed through training at any age.
“In terms of cognitive function, especially language ability, genetics play a small factor of around 15%. If you're not a good communicator or you can't read the atmosphere, there is always room for growth.”
"If you're not good at communicating, try listening to the way people talk on TV or the Internet and imitate them every day,” advised Nakano. “It's important to start from the form. Since communication is an ability that you will continue to develop for as long as you live, I strongly encourage you to give it a try.”
“Trade abilities” with people who can do better than you
Human language abilities can evolve throughout our lives, depending on our efforts. However, there are some considerations that we need to be aware of.
“We need to be careful that we're not making the wrong effort. The wrong kind of effort can give you a sense of satisfaction, but it may not get you to where you were aiming,” explained Nakano. “It's important to always be aware of where you're going, look over your shoulder and consider whether there’s another way.”
Nakano continued, “Perhaps there is someone better than you in a certain field. You can make a rational trade of exchanging value with that person. This isn’t cheating— it is a balance between effort and rational trade. You have to show that you are here to trade what you can do with someone who can do something better than you. Even the Beatles wouldn't have been successful if they didn't have a manager. So if you find the good points of others, and at the same time appeal to your own good points, and exchange them, your possibilities will expand even more.”
Keep asking yourself, "What do I really want?”
“There are people who are doing things that I can't do, and what attracts me to them is their work, social status and prestige, standard of living, or friendships. It may be important for you to first try to figure out what it is that you value most.”
“Then again, social status may not be that important to the person, and it may be friendships that are important. Or it may be having a stable and warm home. It might be a good idea to have a careful dialogue with yourself and write down what you prioritise the most.”
"When you're in an independent bubble, you're made to feel like you have to be complete by yourself, but you don't have to be complete by yourself to survive. You can get someone else to do the things you lack, and because that person is not perfect, there will always be things that you can do better, and it is more beneficial to exchange those things, and it makes you stronger as a community.”
Communication skills can evolve with training
Some people may think that they are not very good at socializing or dealing with colleagues or clients at work. However, Nakano pointed out that communication skills can be developed through training at any age.
“In terms of cognitive function, especially language ability, genetics play a small factor of around 15%. If you're not a good communicator or you can't read the atmosphere, there is always room for growth.”
"If you're not good at communicating, try listening to the way people talk on TV or the Internet and imitate them every day,” advised Nakano. “It's important to start from the form. Since communication is an ability that you will continue to develop for as long as you live, I strongly encourage you to give it a try.”
Constantly seek challenges to stay happy
Lastly, Nakano shared with us what she thinks is the key to making major life decisions.
“For me personally, I always say, given two choices, I'll take the one with less certainty. I don't want to live the life I already know. Do you want to watch a movie that you know the synopsis of? If I had the chance, I would like to read a novel without knowing the plot. I think it's definitely more interesting and beneficial to choose the unknown.”
"Dopamine, the substance in the brain that brings about feelings of pleasure, is secreted in high amounts when we are challenging ourselves to reach a higher goal,” explained Nakano. “Once you have achieved your goal, the amount of dopamine secreted decreases. Then, if the inclination of the challenge at that point in your life is always positive, you will be much happier. When your challenge inclination becomes stable, you may want to try a new challenge again. I would like to encourage you all to keep challenging yourselves.”
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