This post is mostly for those who already have some knowledge of the character styles of Sandy Cotter's Centaur model, picking up an interesting link with some output from the Neuro Leadership Institute (NLI). The NLI applies the knowledge of brain functioning coming out of neuroscience research to the challenge of business leadership, sometimes explaining why new and counter-intuitive approaches might be helpful to try out, more often simply validating approaches which are already well established, but not well explained.
One of their principles is differentiating between emotions and feelings. Emotions are the building blocks, "hardwired" into us at birth, activating identifiably separate pathways in the limbic brain and producing predictable responses when stimulated. Feelings are more complex combinations of emotions and thoughts created as the brain develops and makes linkages between emotions and events.
Looking at their list of basic emotions, I can easily link each of the five character styles links to one of the basic "avoidance" emotions (ie Fear, Sadness, Disgust, Shame, and Anger). I can also link each of the 3 character styles which are below the confidence line to one of the basic "attractor" emotions (if I add physical Gratification/Pleasure to their Love/Trust/Security, and Excitement).
I'm not sure what this adds to the Centaur model. We already knew it had a solid psychological basis and was focused on the deep patterns in the limbic brain, as well as demonstrably "working" as a predictor of limbic brain responses. I guess it's just nice to see that the NLI's work supports this idea of predictable limbic responses! And, of course, it confirms that the Centaur model is an essential tool for "the limbic leader" - a great phrase from the NLI which I would love to see take off as a mainstream idea in leadership development.
