In business, decisions often have to be made under pressure – with limited time and high stakes. But is it possible to turn the brain’s reaction to stress into an advantage? Neuroleadership expert Prof. Steven Poelmans, who works with top executives worldwide and is a visiting faculty member in the International Executive MBA programme at the BMI Executive Institute, has dedicated much of his career to exploring this question – and he has an answer.
“When you understand what’s happening in your brain, stress stops being an obstacle and becomes a signal for direction,” says the professor. This idea forms the foundation of his neuroscience-based leadership lessons.
Prof. Poelmans is one of Europe’s leading researchers in neuroleadership. His work focuses on employee wellbeing and productivity, leadership under change, cultural intelligence, and the neurobiological mechanisms of brain resilience. He developed the NeuroTraining Lab®, a leadership development methodology grounded in neurobiology, and advises senior executives on understanding how stress affects decision-making and how to strengthen emotional and cognitive resilience.
Among the organizations he has worked with are Google, Nike, Danone, Pfizer, Deutsche Bank, Novartis, the European Investment Bank, and many others.
When stress takes control of the brain
Drawing on neuroscience and over two decades of practice, Prof. Poelmans explains that stress fundamentally changes how we make decisions. Elevated cortisol levels reduce our ability to process information deeply.
“When we’re under stress, we make decisions hastily, overlooking important alternatives. In those moments, we focus more on avoiding losses than on achieving the best outcome,” he notes.
His research shows that under stress, leaders not only change their behaviour but also physiologically “disconnect” – the activity of the prefrontal cortex decreases, directly affecting decision quality. Studies show that leaders experiencing high stress are 40% more likely to make impulsive decisions they later regret.
When critical decisions must be made under pressure, many assume that more data will lead to better outcomes. However, Prof. Poelmans argues that clarity in decision-making does not come from information overload but from creating the right mental space for that decision – something he calls a “pause for wisdom.”
It is the ability to stop, breathe, observe, and act consciously rather than impulsively.
Stress is not the enemy
According to Prof. Poelmans, stress or tension is not inherently bad – it is a natural performance enhancer provided by evolution. Athletes or students before exams often use the energy boost that adrenaline provides.
“What matters most is how we interpret stress. The same rush of adrenaline can feel like euphoria or like suffering, depending on the story we tell ourselves,” he explains.
That is why it’s worth distinguishing between positive stress (eustress), which motivates, and negative stress (distress), which exhausts and disrupts thinking.
The brain is an extremely energy-demanding organ – only 2% of body mass, yet consuming up to 25% of the body’s energy. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, can use up to half of that energy.
Short-term stress can motivate and accelerate performance. The problem is uncontrolled, chronic stress, which literally drains the brain and weakens the body’s resilience over time.
What leaders can do: six neuroscience-based techniques
Prof. Poelmans says the difference between a confused leader and a clear-thinking one lies in the ability to interrupt the automatic stress response. He emphasizes that managing stress is not about soft skills – it’s about managing energy and cognitive resources. The brain’s resilience depends on how well a person knows how to rest, breathe, sleep, and restore attention balance.
Based on thousands of observations in his NeuroTraining Lab®, he shares six methods that help leaders maintain clarity even under stress:
- Pause and breathe. Breathing is the fastest way to shift the brain from tension to calm. Exhaling activates a system that cannot operate simultaneously with stress. Long exhalations activate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the mind, moving the body from “fight or flight” mode to recovery.
- Name your emotions. Labelling emotions moves neural activity from the emotional centres to the thinking areas of the brain. Simply saying “angry,” “afraid,” etc., reduces arousal and allows new information to emerge. Studies show that naming emotions can improve decision quality by 20–25%.
- Practice metacognition. This means stepping back and observing your own thinking: “How am I making this decision? What assumptions am I making?” According to NeuroTraining Lab® data, leaders who consciously enter this observer state make impulsive decisions 30% less often.
- Recognize your triggers. Everyone has their own Achilles’ heel. Once identified, you can control your reactions instead of being controlled by them. If certain situations or people cause tension, plan a short pause, music break, or brief walk beforehand.
- Plan recovery. Don’t save all your holidays for summer – spread rest throughout the year to restore mental resources. Even short weekend breaks after intense periods act as a brain reset.
- Prioritize sleep. Sleep is the cornerstone of recovery. During REM sleep, the brain “cleans” emotional experiences and restores cognitive capacity. One sleepless night can reduce attention by 30% and decision accuracy by 20%, while consistent 7–8-hour sleep increases stress resilience by up to 40%.
According to Prof. Poelmans, good leadership begins with emotional intelligence, and its foundation is self-awareness.
“Only by recognizing your physical and emotional signals can you regain control and make decisions guided by wisdom. Until you learn to listen to your body and mind, you can’t effectively lead others. Stress will always be there – but it’s up to you to decide whether it controls you or becomes your ally,” he concludes.
