Last month in Warsaw, together with Agnieszka Kręciszewska FCMA, CGMA, EMBA, we met with a group of finance leaders to talk about something very close to everyday CFO reality: how our brain works, how we think, decide, and lead under increased pressure.
The workshop focused on the leader's brain under stress, but what really stood out were the discussions-practical, direct, and very honest. Many of the challenges people shared sounded familiar: constant responsibility, limited time, high expectations, and the feeling that decisions need to be made NOW, even when not everything is clear.
Some of the key insights we explored together:
- Brain(s) under pressure: Every management decision is a constant dance between instinct (reptilian brain), emotion (limbic system), and reason (neocortex). The reptilian brain reacts fast to make us survive, whereas the rational neocortex requires more time to analyze and plan. Often in high stress triggers an "emotional hijacking," completely cutting off our neocortex's logical capacity.
- The cognitive autopilot trap: The brain accounts for 20% of the body's energy consumption and is naturally wired to save energy through subconscious repetitions and routines. While efficient, this pattern-seeking creates deep cognitive blind spots and biases (stereotypes, fixed reactions) that can sabotage leadership decisions. Authentic leadership is about intentionally stepping away from this default mode.
- The state of our "Internal Battery": Mental resilience is deeply connected to biochemistry. A culture of fear releases cortisol, which impairs cognitive functions and immunity, while an environment of psychological safety stimulates dopamine (motivation) and oxytocin, forming the biological foundation for trust and collaboration.
- The evolution from CFO to CVO: The role of the finance leader is shifting from a traditional controller (focused on compliance and asset protection) to a Chief Value Officer (CVO). In an AI-enabled landscape, technology handles data production, while the human leader governs strategic meaning, judgment, and risk-essentially acting as the "emotional barometer" of the organization.
What I truly appreciated was how open the group was engaged on our workshop and opened in sharing real situations, not theory. That made the learning very concrete and relevant. Thank you all for your contributions and engagement over the entire sessions! This session was a fantastic follow-up after the workshop on the same topic we held the month before in Cracow.
Both sessions prompted several practical recommendations during the workshops, so I'm sharing them here-and I'd love to expand the list together:
- Control your heart rate and apply breath techniques: Negative emotions generate erratic heart rate rhythms, which impair brain performance. Using simple heart coherence breathing exercises restores a smooth, wave-like pattern, physically facilitating the neocortex's capacity.
- Manage change without structural gaps: To drive rapid business transformation without friction, you must provide your team with all 5 essential elements simultaneously: Vision, Skills, Incentive, Resources, and an Action Plan. Leaving a question mark on any single one of them instantly triggers biological resistance, such as anxiety, confusion, or severe team frustration.
- Utilize objective, fact-based feedback (The FUKO Model): When correcting team actions, anchor your communication in a strict sequence: Facts (describing what happened precisely), Feelings/Emotions, Consequences, and clear Expectations. This structure allows you to deliver difficult feedback based on logic, entirely avoiding triggering the defensive, fight-flight-freeze responses of the recipient's reptilian brain.
- Build systemic resilience with the 4C Model: Strengthen individual and corporate resilience by measuring and practicing the four key pillars: Control (remaining calm and maintaining emotional regulation), Commitment (staying focused on goals despite obstacles), Challenge (viewing unpredictable changes as opportunities to grow), and Confidence (trusting your skills and assertively representing your judgment).
If you have books, articles, or practices that have genuinely helped you stay grounded as a leader, I'd love if you shared them in the comments.
I'm very curious how these topics resonate with you:
- When pressure rises, what do you personally notice first-in your thinking, emotions, or behavior?
- What helps you pause before reacting automatically on autopilot?
- How do you take care of your own "internal battery" and mental rest during longer periods of stress?
- What role do you think finance leaders play in building psychological safety and spreading positive emotional contagion in their organizations?
If you're comfortable, please share your perspective or experience in the comments! 👇
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Wojciech Wieronski
Media Saturn Holding Polska Sp Z O O
Krakow
+48506001500
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