Another Approach to Slow and Fast Thinking
In “Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead,” Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder demonstrate how the leadership habits they discuss are grounded in brain science.[1] They set out to convince the reader that by practicing the habits of 1) remaining relational, 2) acting out of your God-created true self, 3) cultivating the capacity to quickly return to joy after experiencing one or more of the basic six negative emotions, and 4) enduring hardship well, “…that the fruit…is a dramatic increase in trust, joy, and engagement in the people you lead.”[2] These four habits are referred to by the acronym RARE throughout the book. They are related to emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ is defined in the book’s Foreward as “…the soft side of leadership. It is all about the kind of person we are underneath the surface, and how we interact with others.”[3]
A book on leadership that is shaped out of a Christian worldview, this book is classified under the social sciences. But it is more than that because of its engagement with brain science. Wilder brings that type of scientific perspective out of his background and practice in clinical psychology. His commitment as a follower of Jesus combined with his theology study shape the Christian worldview brought to the text. Warner adds to this out of his same discipleship commitment, theological training, and ministry practice.
Their book is structured in such a way to allow the reader to choose how much and what part of their proposed leadership framework they would like to engage. The introduction provides a helpful overview of their thesis and the core components of the brain science they are utilizing. It is followed by Part 1 (Chapters 2-5) which “…discuss how the process of training the fast track works, reasons it has remained hidden for so long, how the leader’s brain works, and how fast-track leadership develops.”[4] Part 2 (Chapters 6-11) is then a deeper dive into “…the four RARE leadership skills”[5] and the practices that develop them. They include what they call a “Brain Science section”[6] at the end of each chapter to further detail the science behind their thesis. Chapter 11 includes an assessment for identifying emotional maturity. This is followed by a notes/reference section and then a very helpful glossary of terms. The book ends with a short case study sharing “A Day in the Life of a RARE Leader,”[7] information about both authors’ ministry organizations, and brief biographies.
I was most captivated by the authors’ discussion of “fast track” and “slow track” brain processes as discussed in their introduction.[8] Chapters 2-5 delve into further details. Their use of this language immediately called to mind Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow”[9] and Michael Polanyi’s “The Tacit Dimension.”[10] I am curious about both the similarities and distinctions in each of these authors’ explorations of how the different primary processes of the brain work. Related to these works is also Bessel Van der Kolk’s “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma.”[11] But in this post I will focus on the interaction between Kahneman’s thinking on these brain processes and that of Warner and Wilder.
Warner and Wilder focus on how these two brain processes (fast track and slow track) impact leadership. The left-brain processes of the slow-track system is “…optimized for management” because “[i]ts primary job is to monitor results and provide explanations and solutions to the problems we face.”[12] The right-brain process of the fast-track system, however, is primarily responsible for “relational reality.”[13] It is “…our identity center.”[14] This means it “…controls how we regulate our emotions, how we remember who we are, who our people are, and how it is like us to act (that is, acting like the self God gave us).”[15]
Kahneman, on the other hand, also uses this language of fast (System 1) and slow (System 2) thinking. His concern is to better understand errors of judgment and choice, especially in uncertain circumstances. As I wrote in my post about Kahneman’s book, “He contrasts the fast thinking of intuition (which includes perception, memory, and the mental shortcuts of heuristics), naming it System 1, with the slow thinking of effortful deliberation or System 2.”[16]
It’s interesting to me that Kahneman puts the emphasis on System 2, “slow-track” thinking in order to make better judgements and choices. It slows us down so we can begin to better understand the intuitions of our System 1, “fast-track” reactions and thus make reasoned decisions rather than reactive decisions. But when it comes to leadership, Warner and Wilder seem to place the emphasis on “fast-track” processes that are responsible for how we relate to others. Perhaps the insights from Kahneman and Warner and Wilder come closer to one another when the latter discuss the role of habits[17] in disciplining “fast-track” processes. They write, “When we leave the development of our fast track to chance we fail to mature and so we fail to lead under pressure.”[18]
Kahneman also hints at the intersection of joy and “fast-track” processes, something that is central to Warner and Wilder’s brain science-leadership thesis. Kahneman writes in his chapter on cognitive ease: “…a remarkable discovery is the powerful effect of mood on…intuitive performance…putting the participants in a good mood before the test by having them think happy thoughts more than doubled accuracy.”[19] Warner and Wilder note, “Joy levels are important in at least three ways. 1) The fast track in the brain is motivated to learn through joy. 2) People with emotional intelligence and relational skills always create joy around them. 3) Leadership skills do not transfer from one person to another in the absence of joy.”[20]
As I move toward the launch of my project portfolio, I want to explore further Warner and Wilder’s insights around brain science and the development of leadership habits that foster not only maturity in a leader’s self-identity, but also develops a community identity shaped by trust, joy, and engaged action. They have added another layer to my leadership map as I invest in the leadership development of others.
[1] Warner, Marcus, and E. James Wilder. 2016. Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead. Chicago: Moody Publishers.
[2] Ibid., 13.
[3] Ibid., 8.
[4] Ibid., 35-36.
[5] Ibid., 36.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid., 215.
[8] Ibid., 20-38.
[9] Kahneman, Daniel. 2013. Thinking, Fast and Slow. 1st pbk. ed. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
[10] Polanyi, Michael, and Amartya Sen. 1966. The Tacit Dimension. Chicago; London: University of Chicago Press.
[11] Van der Kolk, Bessel A. 2015. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
[12] Warner and Wilder, 26.
[13] Ibid., 27.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] “Navigating the Surreal.” n.d. Accessed February 10, 2023. https://blogs.georgefox.edu/dlgp/navigating-the-surreal/.
[17] Warner and Wilder, 29-31.
[18] Ibid., 58.
[19] Kahneman, 68-69.
[20] Warner and Wilder, 24.
About the Author
Elmarie Parker
13 responses to “Another Approach to Slow and Fast Thinking”
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Elmarie while reading Warner and Wilder this week and noticing their strong emphasis on the intersection between theology and neuroscience, it was very clear that your blog would be one the ones I would want to read :)Thank you again for a very insightful post and for comparing Kahneman’s thinking with that of Warner and Wilder. Given your South African roots, what are some ways in which this book might add value to the South African church in her desire for spiritual/emotional maturity?
Hi Henry. Thank you for your encouraging feedback on my post and for your thought-provoking question: “Given your South African roots, what are some ways in which this book might add value to the South African church in her desire for spiritual/emotional maturity?” I feel I can only really speak to what I have experienced in my own family in South Africa and their relationship with the church. Like a lot of other parts of the Reformed family, the Dutch Reformed tradition tends to emphasize the head–‘proper’ doctrine. The other source of security is often in solving problems, or at least being under the impression that one is solving problems :). So, I wonder how Warner and Wilder’s emphasis on emotional intelligence could be of service to that part of the Christian community in South Africa. It can be so easy to value results and solutions over relationships. What might shift in the Dutch Reformed church..especially the oldest and most conservative part of that church if relationships with other parts of the church body in South Africa led the process towards new solutions to the continuing divisions…rather than holding onto doctrine alone (especially when it is distorted doctrine made more difficult to see because of remaining in isolation)? What are your thoughts on what I’ve shared? You are much closer to the day and day out life of the church in South Africa these days than I am.
Thanks Elmarie. Like you, I’m also concerned about the results-driven slant of portions of the South African church I’m familiar with, over relationships. I feel motivated to reflect more on my own relationships versus results paradigm, make the necessary adjustments, and perhaps start informal conversations about the value of relationships with local friends, and see where that goes 🙂
Elmarie,
You wrote about “community identity.” What do you mean by that? How does that relate to your doctoral project?
Hi Andy. Thank you for engaging with my post and for your question. Yes, I wrote: “I want to explore further Warner and Wilder’s insights around brain science and the development of leadership habits that foster not only maturity in a leader’s self-identity, but also develops a community identity shaped by trust, joy, and engaged action.” You asked what I meant by community identity and how it relates to my doctoral project. I was keying in to several statements the authors made about the connection between a leader’s focus and what ends up happening amongst those the leader is responsible for leading. For example, they wrote (p. 24): “As leaders manage increasingly larger workloads and focus energy on better productivity, objectives, and results, they easily miss the decline in joy levels in their lives, families, and work teams.” That statement describes well what I have observed and experienced in my own organization. When I wrote about community identity it was in relationship to a leader’s identity and focus. That interaction effect is of great interest to me. Where it ties in with my doctoral work: central to the intercultural leadership pilgrimage I’ve created with and for young adults is creating a community of belonging, mutual learning, and accountability. But I recognize this process will involve some significant reflection on what a particular cohort understands community to be, how and where else they experience or have experienced community, how this interacts with their own growing sense of self-identity/understanding, and the inherent tensions in working with young adults that come from cultures that emphasize individuality (USA) on the one hand, and communal/familial identity (Lebanon) on the other hand. So, I have a feeling I’ll continue to be learning a lot as we dive into this pilgrimage together. I need to pay attention to who I am as a leader along the way and how that invites (or works against) this gathering of young adults to create the community of belonging, mutual learning, and accountability they need for navigating their individual and collective leadership pilgrimage.
Elmarie, what a comprehensive post. I appreciate how you detailed the connections between the brain science of this book and Kahneman’s System 1 and 2 thinking. What do you think is the biggest difference between Warner/Wilder and Kahneman? Do you think that Warner/Wilder’s emphasis on overcoming negative emotions complements Kahneman or does it introduce a new dynamic to understanding how and why our brains work the way they do?
Hi Roy. Thank you for your thoughts on my post and for your intriguing questions. You ask: “What do you think is the biggest difference between Warner/Wilder and Kahneman? Do you think that Warner/Wilder’s emphasis on overcoming negative emotions complements Kahneman or does it introduce a new dynamic to understanding how and why our brains work the way they do?” To the first question, I think the biggest difference between the two books/authors is their focus for exploring fast/slow thinking processes. Warner and Wilder are focused on emotional intelligence and the role played by our fast thinking processes in a variety of relationship-oriented dynamics. Kahneman is focused on how we can make better decisions under pressure–shifting to slow thinking enhances the quality of our decision-making. I think their two perspectives complement one another. Because they are focused on different concerns, each of the books brings forward a different set of considerations and values, but they are discussing the same brain processes. There’s also the matter of writing style. Kahneman discusses primary sources of research in a more scientific/research oriented manner. Warner/Wilder translate a lot of that scientific research into language more accessible to those without a science or research background. What is your take on how each of these books discuss fast/slow thinking?
Hi Elmarie,
Thank you for your connection and discussions to Kahneman’s book. It also made me go back to Kahneman to draw some connections between the two books. Can you point to any other good books on neurotheology and neuroscience? I am gaining greater interest in those fields.
Hi Jonathan…thank you for interacting with my post…so cool that we both were drawn to these connections. I haven’t done a lot of reading in the field of neurotheology beyond the texts we’ve read in this program. I just did a quick search and there’s some interesting papers and books that pop up. What have you found so far?
Elmarie: I also liked his discussion on “fast track” versus “slow track” –and its obvious connection with Kahneman. Do you find your mind moving from one mode to another? I don’t but I would like to because during the course of a day I switch back and forth several times.
Elmarie, I noted the same difference in thinking on fast-track vs slow-track! If you had to decide on which way to fall, is there one system that is better than another? Personally, I think it depends on the situation and probably requires a balance.
Elmarie: I’m wondering in light of what has taken place in Turkey and Syria since the earthquake, have you noticed more leadership or management emerging within any of the contexts you are currently in?
Elmaire:
I too was fascinated by the connection between slow/fast thinking and the development of habits. I’m interested to learn about your thoughts on the effects of trauma and stress on the speed of our thinking. Is it possible to create habits that override the negative/sandbox fast thinking reactions, or do we revert to a more primal survival response?