Prof. Tarhan: "Leadership is managing the chemistry laboratory in our brain"

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan was a guest at the "CEO’larla Beş Çayı” (Afternoon Tea with CEOs) event organized by Rotaract. Addressing the topic of "Psychological Resilience in Leadership," Tarhan explained leadership in all its aspects. He stated that a leader is not only responsible for making decisions but must also possess the ability to manage crises, cope with stress, and maintain motivation. Emphasizing the importance of psychological resilience, Tarhan noted that it is the most crucial trait a leader should have and underlined that leadership is essentially managing the chemistry laboratory in our brain.

During the online talk, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan highlighted key aspects of psychological resilience as follows: "The first step in building psychological resilience starts with self-awareness. For this reason, a psycho-SWOT analysis is conducted. The individual identifies their strengths and weaknesses, then sets a goal and determines threats and opportunities along the way. Without a goal, this analysis cannot be done. Setting goals is also the fundamental principle of resource management. We manage our psychological resources in the same way. Psychological resilience is the most critical trait a leader should have. Achieving psychological resilience at an ideal level is more challenging than going to the Moon. Those with medium- to long-term goals can succeed in this, while those with short-term goals struggle. Psychological resilience is one of the most important aspects to focus on, and it is essentially the ability to cope with stress. Stress will always be there; we cannot eliminate it, but we must learn to manage it. In fact, we can even turn stress into an opportunity. Another crucial aspect of psychological resilience is psychological flexibility. The second component of resilience is being flexible, also known as cognitive flexibility. Its complete opposite is stubbornness. For example, Teflon itself does not burn, but anything that comes into contact with it does. If it gets scratched, it becomes useless and is discarded. Therefore, one of the key values of psychological resilience is the ability to bend and return to its original state."

"Leadership is managing the chemistry laboratory in our brain"

Emphasizing the importance of staying calm under stress, Tarhan stated that "Having a positive attitude in the face of events is another crucial factor. If a person panics when something happens, it indicates weak psychological resilience. In such cases, we teach people how to stay calm under stress. Developing a positive attitude is essential. Individuals with a positive mindset keep their morale and hope high during challenges. Leaders with a positive outlook can see opportunities in difficulties and manage crises more effectively. There is a hidden variable in psychological resilience, and that variable is neuroleadership. In other words, a person who cannot lead themselves cannot lead a group. Leadership is managing the chemistry laboratory in our brain. A person who thinks long-term pursues meaning and ideals. For example, imagine being presented with a delicious meal. If they can say 'No' to it, it means they have a goal. At that moment, they struggle, but later, they can rejoice like a victorious commander. Because they have realized their purpose, they do not become depressed or unhappy. A person is defined by their ego ideal, that is, whatever they choose as their ideal which is who they are."

"Anyone who disciplines themselves is a leadership candidate"

Emphasizing the importance of delayed gratification, Tarhan stated that "Emotional resilience is crucial. To develop this, there are skills for delaying gratification. Groups that possess these skills tend to have emotional intelligence levels that are 20% higher. This is also a form of resilience training. You postpone your desires in alignment with your goal. It is a challenging process, but as an old Anatolian saying goes, ‘Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.’ In essence, resilience works the same way, and you endure, you tolerate, and eventually, you achieve good results. The ability to think long-term is vital for psychological resilience. Being your own leader and managing the chemicals in your brain are essential. Anyone who disciplines themselves is a leadership candidate. Every child born is a leadership candidate."

"True leadership is transformational leadership"

Giving examples from third-generation psychotherapies, Tarhan explained that "In third-generation psychotherapies, meaning therapies are introduced. That is, studies on meaning are conducted. Previously, psychology never addressed the concept of meaning. There are things a person can control and things they cannot. Some things are within their power, while others are beyond it. Some things can be changed, while others cannot. In such situations, when a person becomes part of a greater meaning, they transform into a transformational leader. They develop a vision and think long-term. For instance, when people see life events, death, or illness as part of a greater meaning, they can manage them more effectively. This is why true leadership today is transformational leadership. Having a vision is crucial, and the most significant aspect of vision is a high ideal and goal. It is the ability to think strategically."

"Artificial intelligence can now perform the role of a wise leader"

Highlighting the importance of risk analysis in crisis management, Tarhan stated that
"The most critical aspect of crisis management is being prepared for crises. If a person is prepared, they can manage crises with ease. If they are unprepared, they panic. This is one of the major weaknesses of Eastern societies. When a crisis occurs, we manage it and find solutions, but we lack the necessary preparations to prevent crises from happening in the first place. There is no risk analysis or risk management. That’s why, if you conduct a risk analysis and apply risk management before a crisis occurs, you can handle it effectively. This is closely related to wisdom. Today, artificial intelligence has provided us with an incredible advantage. The wisdom that once came from years of professional experience and mentorship, which is built over time through the master-apprentice relationship, can now be performed by artificial intelligence. This is an extraordinary benefit. Make use of artificial intelligence."

"A person must have an ego ideal worth striving for"

Emphasizing the need to resist distractions, Tarhan remarked that "In today’s world, many distractions can divert a person from their goal. It is essential to know how to say 'no' to them. In such situations, we work on the ability to say 'no.' This is also known as frontal lobe training. We train the emotional muscles in our brain. In the past, this was referred to as willpower training. Essentially, this is the brain’s strength. To strengthen the brain, frontal lobe training is necessary. Therefore, a person must have an ego ideal worth striving and working for."

"One of the most significant diseases of our time: comfortism"

Highlighting the link between comfortism and addiction, Tarhan stated that "One of the most significant diseases of our time is comfortism. For example, people talk about ‘Monday syndrome.’ Waking up on a Monday morning and going to work with enthusiasm is quite rare. Some individuals go to bed late and wake up late because their sleep cycle is disrupted. If a person lacks a purpose, they will wake up late no matter who they are. One needs a strong reason to wake up in the morning. Someone with a strong reason can say 'no' to their desires and impulses. Comfortism leads to significant health issues, one of which is obesity. This is known as ‘hedonistic eating.’ Around 80-90% of obesity cases are due to hedonistic eating, and people simply cannot say ‘no’ to their impulse to eat. The two most damaging effects of comfortism are hedonism and addiction. It short-circuits the brain's reward system. Addictive substances trigger dopamine release in the brain, providing momentary pleasure. However, once the effect of the substance wears off, the person craves it again, leading to addiction. At its core, addiction is fueled by ease and comfort-seeking."

"Leaders should be like steamships, not sailboats"

Emphasizing the importance of finding happiness through internal rather than external factors, Tarhan continued his remarks as follows: "True happiness is derived from internal factors. This is known as intrinsic motivation, and motivation that comes from within. This is especially important for leaders. Leaders should not be like sailboats but like steamships. Sailboats move with external motivation, while steamships move with internal motivation. Do not be nearsighted about the future. You must have a valid reason to say ‘no’ to things that do not align with your goals. Never give up. If you try once, twice, eventually, you will score the goal. Even in war, a breach in the fortress is targeted a thousand times before it is conquered. Life is the same; you take a step forward, and then you must remain determined, consistent, and persistent. Success is like snowfall, that is, if it is slow and steady, it will stick."

"If your sense of responsibility is too high, you are prone to burnout"

Discussing the characteristics of burnout syndrome, Tarhan explained that "Burnout syndrome is a well-documented condition in literature. Unlike depression, it is associated with high but unrealistic expectations. Another key characteristic is the ambiguity of its cause because often, people feel depressed for no apparent reason. In the workplace, burnout stems from having unrealistic expectations. Take, for example, certain parents, and if their child scores 97 on an exam, they ask, ‘Why did not you get 100?’ In such cases, the child feels upset, becomes depressed, loses motivation, and eventually gives up. On the other hand, those who are indifferent fail to take responsibility and lose sight of their goals. Meanwhile, those with an excessive sense of responsibility exhaust themselves emotionally. Children raised with an overwhelming sense of responsibility tend to suffer from burnout, while those with none at all become careless and unmotivated. If your sense of responsibility is too high, you are prone to burnout. That is why we need to manage our brains correctly."

"If we can manage our thoughts, we can manage even the biggest crises"

Emphasizing the importance of prioritization, Tarhan stated that "If we can manage our thoughts, we can manage even the biggest crises. We must manage our psychological resources and social capital effectively. The same applies to relationship management, social capital is incredibly important. You should dedicate more time to important people and less time to those who matter less. You must have a ‘priority pyramid.’ At the top of this pyramid should be the most crucial things. Do not waste your energy on insignificant matters. Prioritization is key. There is a brilliant legal principle from the Mecelle (an old Ottoman civil code): ‘Procedure comes before essence.’ The essence of a matter is important, but the process is even more so. For instance, if you have a court case and a 60-day deadline for a procedural step, filing it on the 61st day will result in your case being dismissed. It is not enough to be right, but you must also follow the correct procedure. Life works the same way. It is not just about what you do, but how you do it. Never forget that. Prioritization is about determining how to accomplish something. The ideal approach is to set priorities according to our ‘importance pyramid.’ If we manage our psychological, time, and mental resources well, we will reach our goals more easily. Being our own leader paves the way for leading others. Through effective leadership, we can build a strong and influential personality."

"Leadership in this era is participatory leadership"

Emphasizing the importance of teamwork in leadership, Tarhan stated that "Ideal leadership is participatory leadership. Traditional leadership, where power is concentrated in individuals and a single voice dominates, is outdated. Leadership in this era is participatory leadership. It prioritizes group intelligence over individual intelligence. No matter how exceptional an individual’s intelligence is, they are prone to errors. Take starlings, for example they fly in large flocks without colliding. Eagles are afraid to attack them because their coordinated movement creates an intimidating force. This is a form of group intelligence that is genetically encoded in them. Humans also possess this trait. Success is achieved through teamwork."

"Narcissistic leaders cannot maintain the balance of power and fair distribution"

Answering questions from leadership candidates, Tarhan highlighted the dangers of narcissism in leadership and concluded his remarks as follows: "One of the biggest diseases of leadership is narcissism. In narcissistic leaders, success leads to power blindness. They think, ‘Power is mine, control is mine.’ Narcissistic cells are like cancer cells, limitless, irresponsible, and insatiable. A cancer cell only thinks, ‘Everything for me.’ It gathers an immense amount of power around itself. Narcissistic leaders cannot maintain the balance of power and fair distribution in management. Just like how cancer cells consume most of the oxygen and glucose in the body, growing at the expense of other cells, narcissistic leaders absorb all resources for themselves, neglecting those around them."

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)