Improve strategy, influence, and decision-making by understanding your brain | Evan LaPointe (founder of CORE Sciences)

Evan LaPointe is the founder of CORE Sciences, which teaches companies and individuals how our brains work and how that translates to improved collaboration, better products, faster decision-making, and more growth. Previously, Evan was the co-founder of Satellite, the fourth-largest analytics company on the internet today (it mostly runs behind the scenes, and pretty much everyone listening will have used it today without knowing it), which was acquired by Adobe, where he later ran product strategy, innovation, and long-range thinking for Adobe’s digital experiences business. In our conversation, we discuss:

• The three different systems of the brain

• How knowing this can help you become more influential

• How understanding different brain states will help you increase productivity and creativity

• How to improve your vision and strategy skills

• How to design a work environment that fosters innovation

• How to build better relationships at work

• Much more

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Brought to you by:

• Webflow—The web experience platform

• Explo—Embed customer-facing analytics in your product

• Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments

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Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/understanding-your-brain-evan-lapointe

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Where to find Evan LaPointe:

• X: https://x.com/evanlapointe

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanlapointe/

• Website: https://www.core-sciences.com/

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Where to find Lenny:

• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com

• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/

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In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Evan’s background

(02:37) Understanding the brain’s complex systems

(07:17) The three core brain systems: safety, reward, and purpose

(11:03) Applying brain science to team dynamics

(14:27) The role of personality in team performance

(17:27) Creating effective work environments

(23:16) The science of meetings and decision-making

(29:35) Enhancing strategy and vision

(54:46) Understanding personality traits in strategy and vision

(58:58) Tactical tips for increasing openness

(01:05:46) Building influence and effective relationships

(01:21:17) The importance of trust and appeal in relationships

(01:36:47) Creating a positive organizational habitat

(01:50:35) Enhancing focus and productivity

(02:00:58) Practical tips for deep work and gamma time

(02:07:11) Lightning round

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Referenced:

• The Most Complicated Object in the Universe: https://today.uconn.edu/2018/03/complicated-object-universe/#

• The Myers-Briggs personality test: https://www.themyersbriggs.com/en-US/Products-and-Services/Myers-Briggs

• The Big Five personality test: https://www.thepersonalitylab.org/

• The Enneagram personality test: https://enneagramtest.com/

• An inside look at how Figma builds product | Yuhki Yamashita (CPO of Figma): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-how-figma-builds

• Vision, conviction, and hype: How to build 0 to 1 inside a company | Mihika Kapoor (Product at Figma): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/vision-conviction-hype-mihika-kapoor

• Dylan Field live at Config: Intuition, simplicity, and the future of design: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/dylan-field-live-at-config

• An inside look at Figma’s unique GTM motion | Claire Butler (first GTM hire): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-figmas-unique-bottom

• Inside Canva: Coaches not managers, giving away your Legos, and running profitably | Cameron Adams (co-founder and CPO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-canva-with-cameron-adams

• The Science-Business Mismatch That Puts Your Change at Risk: https://changemanagementreview.com/the-science-business-mismatch-that-puts-your-change-at-risk/

• Daniel Pink on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpink/

• Trello: https://trello.com/

• Cron: https://cronhq.notion.site/

• The Double Diamond framework for design thinking: https://www.fluxspace.io/resources/the-4-ds-double-diamond-design-thinking-model

• CORE Sciences - Tips on Priming Great Meetings PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gm21cj0vi0bjosyu8kd69/CORE-Sciences-Tips-on-Priming-Great-Meetings.pdf?rlkey=6fznhv7bbsxm8nj8m4luej17t&st=2eduirad&dl=0

• How to grow a subscription business | Yuriy Timen (Grammarly, Canva, Airtable): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/transform-your-subscription-growth

• Brené Brown’s website: https://brenebrown.com/

• The CORE personality test: https://www.core-sciences.com/new-core-identity

• Burning Man: https://burningman.org/

• Stripe: https://stripe.com/

• Jony Ive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jony_Ive

• Albert Einstein quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7133605-make-things-as-simple-as-possible-but-no-simpler

• Elden Ring: https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/elden-ring/elden-ring

• Abilene paradox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_paradox

• The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation: https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Sale-Control-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355

• The surprising truth about what closes deals: Insights from 2.5m sales conversations | Matt Dixon (author of The Challenger Sale and The JOLT Effect): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/close-more-deals-matt-dixon

• Siqi Chan on X: https://x.com/blader

• Runway: https://runway.com/

• Shreyas Doshi on pre-mortems, the LNO framework, the three levels of product work, why most execution problems are strategy problems, and ROI vs. opportunity cost thinking: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/episode-3-shreyas-doshi

• Wolfgang Puck’s website: https://wolfgangpuck.com/

• Steven Spielberg on X: https://x.com/sspielberg93

• John Williams’s website: https://www.johnwilliams.org/

• The paths to power: How to grow your influence and advance your career | Jeffrey Pfeffer (author of 7 Rules of Power, professor at Stanford GSB): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-paths-to-power-jeffrey-pfeffer

• Warby Parker: https://www.warbyparker.com/

• Simon Sinek’s website: https://simonsinek.com/

• What is the function of the various brainwaves?: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-function-of-t-1997-12-22/

• CORE Sciences - Your Brain's 9 Modes PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/figg8upeaawir1hnxv0ew/CORE-Sciences-Your-Brain-s-9-Modes.pdf?rlkey=u3zaonxvycvupurq6pwysckfq&st=os06xjnr&dl=0

• Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It: Unlock Your Persuasion Potential in Professional and Personal Life: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805

• The Person and the Situation: Perspectives of Social Psychology: https://www.amazon.com/Person-Situation-Perspectives-Social-Psychology/dp/1905177445

• Cambridge Fundamentals of Neuroscience in Psychology: https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Fundamentals-Neuroscience-Psychology/dp/B08QYNDNYX

• Robert Greene’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-Greene/author/B001IGV3IS

• Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics: https://www.amazon.com/Misbehaving-Behavioral-Economics-Richard-Thaler/dp/039335279X

• Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/

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Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.

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Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.