**2. How important features are shaped**

This section describes some of the theoretical support for the predictions that can be made. This could easily be perceived as much too detailed if all the scientific evidences are presented. So here, a shortened and popularized version will be presented and the reader is asked to study the relevant details in the referred literature.

#### **2.1. The early development**

As can be understood from the previous description, the adult decisions and actions are to a high degree controlled by early established processes. You could say that the decisions you make emerge from those processes. When you are born, your brain is a fairly "empty space" with regard to knowledge about the environment. An essential part of the infant brain development is ingestion and structuring of impressions. However, it is the environment, the persons who "deliver" the impressions, who determine the content of the infant brain and its future functionality [18]. If the empty space is not filled with data that fit the intended use (which is to lay a foundation for the following development), the functionality will be severely impaired. Here, some of the typical basic consequences will be highlighted, that may occur when the infant brain is "filled with data—or not."

When discussing the very initial development of the personality one can think of the starting procedures of a computer, which in essence will determine the level of final functionality:

#### *2.1.1. An analogy*

When a computer is powered on, the processor reads and stores in memory a big set of instructions that is called the operative system (OS). The first part of the OS that is loaded is called the Kernel, which is an administrative center for the different functions that the OS can perform. If the Kernel works well, then several programs and tasks that run at the same time is a natural thing (which is called multitasking), and seamless integration of applications is not a problem.

*2.2.2. The early development influences the further development*

Regarding attitude toward difficulties [16, 18, 36]:

failures as negative and signs of incompetence.

few ways that the person commonly is not aware of.

curiosity on how to solve the problem.

parent [17].

criteria.

*2.2.3. The developmental outcome*

in line with the following examples:

Regarding trust in others [17, 18]:

Under the same environmental circumstances, persons with different early developments may make significantly different experiences, which also influence their further development,

Knowledge in Neuroscience Can Help Us Avoid Underperforming Leaders

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• A child with a rich early development trusts people (trusting people is a consequence of a rich IWM [19, 34]) and verifies time and time again that most people can be trusted.

• A child with a poor early development (i.e., a poor understanding of others' intentions [19]) distrusts people and verifies time and time again that most people cannot be trusted.

• A child with a rich early development meets difficulties with renewed efforts to achieve the goal, and the adult with rich early development sees failures as experiences that enhance

• A child with a poor early development meets difficulties with frustration and a refusal to continue (i.e., learns to avoid uncertainty), and the adult with poor early development sees

That is, in the further development their early acquired states of mind are amplified toward either more openness and flexibility, or more covertness and rigidity respectively [18]. These developments are reinforced by the fact that, normally, parents continue their initial caregiving attitudes: the responsive caregiver normally becomes a responsive parent (who gives good life management support) and the inattentive caregiver normally becomes an inattentive

However, life is not always a straight journey. Many unexpected changes can happen (like illness, death, changed marital or economic status) and a few likely consequences of such

A common and significant difference between adults who had a rich early development and those who had a poor early development is to what extent their decisions and behaviors are controlled by an adaptive model or static schemas, that is; by intrinsic or extrinsic guidelines. This difference is apparent in their general leadership abilities and is exposed indirectly in a

When performing a careful analysis of a particular interview, according to certain strict rules—like it is done in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) [29] (which is the best method developed to for this purpose [37])—this state of mind may be determined by way of certain

changes will be mentioned further down, in a much simplified and schematic way.

#### *2.1.2. The storing of initial instructions in humans*

If the caregiver is responsive, comforting, and predictable to the infant (for a description of caregiving, see Appendix A), then the first experiences will build up a basic model of how the environment functions. Bowlby [34] called it an internal working model (IWM). This model will control in a flexible way—based on an understanding of people (and objects)—how impressions are handled, and it will have a guiding role for the person during the rest of the life [34]. This IWM will become an Adaptive model, as described previously.

### *2.1.3. And if the kernel is not complete?*

If the OS Kernel misses some important functionality, the computer will not work well. Such a computer has unwanted limitations and only one program or task can run at a time.

#### *2.1.4. The infant with an inattentive caregiver*

The inattentive caregiver (see Appendix A) does not communicate much with their infant. With a poor early development, this infant gets little opportunity to build a useful model of the environment [26]. Therefore, this infant will have a difficulty to understand the caregiver's intentions [19]. Much of the internal control will have to rely on static "rules" or schemas (see Appendix B), which means that this will become an inflexible child [18]. Later, as an adolescent and adult, s/he may perceive cognitive stability (i.e., rigidity) as security and appears to have a difficulty to have more than one thought or focus in mind at the same time [16]. S/he wants to be loved, admired or at least accepted (to belong) but does not quite understand when s/he is, and s/he has a difficulty with closeness [16].

#### *2.1.5. The infants with an inconsistent, rejecting, or harmful caregiver*

These caregivers give their infants experiences that often are contradictory or even frightening [35]. Their infants get little opportunity to build a useful model of the environment [18]. Hence, they will be prone to misunderstand other persons' intentions [25]. Although their experiences may be very different, their basic features have similarities in common (low understanding of others' intentions and low flexibility) [35], so for simplicity, here, these children will be sorted within the group of "poor early development."

#### **2.2. The further development**

#### *2.2.1. Influences from genetics, epigenetics, and biochemistry*

The less responsive the caregiving is the stronger impact will the influences from genetics, epigenetics and biochemistry have. The less responsive the parenting is the stronger impact will the influences from peers, gangs and media have [32, 33].

#### *2.2.2. The early development influences the further development*

Under the same environmental circumstances, persons with different early developments may make significantly different experiences, which also influence their further development, in line with the following examples:

Regarding trust in others [17, 18]:

Kernel, which is an administrative center for the different functions that the OS can perform. If the Kernel works well, then several programs and tasks that run at the same time is a natural thing (which is called multitasking), and seamless integration of applications is not a problem.

If the caregiver is responsive, comforting, and predictable to the infant (for a description of caregiving, see Appendix A), then the first experiences will build up a basic model of how the environment functions. Bowlby [34] called it an internal working model (IWM). This model will control in a flexible way—based on an understanding of people (and objects)—how impressions are handled, and it will have a guiding role for the person during the rest of the

If the OS Kernel misses some important functionality, the computer will not work well. Such

The inattentive caregiver (see Appendix A) does not communicate much with their infant. With a poor early development, this infant gets little opportunity to build a useful model of the environment [26]. Therefore, this infant will have a difficulty to understand the caregiver's intentions [19]. Much of the internal control will have to rely on static "rules" or schemas (see Appendix B), which means that this will become an inflexible child [18]. Later, as an adolescent and adult, s/he may perceive cognitive stability (i.e., rigidity) as security and appears to have a difficulty to have more than one thought or focus in mind at the same time [16]. S/he wants to be loved, admired or at least accepted (to belong) but does not quite understand

These caregivers give their infants experiences that often are contradictory or even frightening [35]. Their infants get little opportunity to build a useful model of the environment [18]. Hence, they will be prone to misunderstand other persons' intentions [25]. Although their experiences may be very different, their basic features have similarities in common (low understanding of others' intentions and low flexibility) [35], so for simplicity, here, these chil-

The less responsive the caregiving is the stronger impact will the influences from genetics, epigenetics and biochemistry have. The less responsive the parenting is the stronger impact

a computer has unwanted limitations and only one program or task can run at a time.

life [34]. This IWM will become an Adaptive model, as described previously.

*2.1.2. The storing of initial instructions in humans*

102 Leadership

*2.1.3. And if the kernel is not complete?*

*2.1.4. The infant with an inattentive caregiver*

**2.2. The further development**

when s/he is, and s/he has a difficulty with closeness [16].

*2.1.5. The infants with an inconsistent, rejecting, or harmful caregiver*

dren will be sorted within the group of "poor early development."

*2.2.1. Influences from genetics, epigenetics, and biochemistry*

will the influences from peers, gangs and media have [32, 33].


Regarding attitude toward difficulties [16, 18, 36]:


That is, in the further development their early acquired states of mind are amplified toward either more openness and flexibility, or more covertness and rigidity respectively [18]. These developments are reinforced by the fact that, normally, parents continue their initial caregiving attitudes: the responsive caregiver normally becomes a responsive parent (who gives good life management support) and the inattentive caregiver normally becomes an inattentive parent [17].

However, life is not always a straight journey. Many unexpected changes can happen (like illness, death, changed marital or economic status) and a few likely consequences of such changes will be mentioned further down, in a much simplified and schematic way.

#### *2.2.3. The developmental outcome*

A common and significant difference between adults who had a rich early development and those who had a poor early development is to what extent their decisions and behaviors are controlled by an adaptive model or static schemas, that is; by intrinsic or extrinsic guidelines. This difference is apparent in their general leadership abilities and is exposed indirectly in a few ways that the person commonly is not aware of.

When performing a careful analysis of a particular interview, according to certain strict rules—like it is done in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) [29] (which is the best method developed to for this purpose [37])—this state of mind may be determined by way of certain criteria.
