Decision Making Under Pressure: How Neuroscience Helps Leaders Be More Assertive

In an increasingly dynamic corporate environment, leaders are constantly faced with the need to make quick, assertive decisions, often with incomplete information and under high levels of stress. This reality is corroborated by data from DDI's Global Leadership Forecast 2025, which reveals that 711% of leaders experience a significant increase in stress after taking office, and 54% express concern about the risk of burnout.

Studies from sources such as WifiTalents and ZipDo Education associate burnout in leaders with an increase of up to 30% in work errors, which directly impacts productivity and innovation capacity. Given this scenario, the search for methods that enable assertive decisions under pressure, without compromising well-being or the quality of choices, has become a strategic priority.

The Leader's Brain Under Pressure: A Neuroscience View

Neuroscience offers valuable insights into what happens in the brain when a leader is under stress. In high-stress situations, the amygdala—responsible for rapid emotional reactions—is activated, triggering the "fight or flight" response. This process, known as "amygdala hijack," can reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region linked to logic, planning, and empathy. The result is impulsive decisions, limited focus on immediate solutions, and reduced strategic depth.

On the other hand, Cognitive Resource Theory suggests that experience and intelligence can act as a protective shield. Experienced leaders, for example, can mitigate the harmful effects of stress on rationality, maintaining greater clarity of thought.

Neuroscience-based techniques for effective decision-making

The good news is that there are neuroscience-based techniques that can improve decision-making in critical moments:

1. Mindfulness and conscious breathing: Research from the NeuroLeadership Institute shows that simple mindfulness and conscious breathing practices can reduce emotional activation in the amygdala, restoring control to the prefrontal cortex. This results in calmer, more rational leaders, better able to make strategic decisions.
2. Predefined decision structures: The adoption of frameworks such as decision trees, OODA loop (Observe, Guide, Decide, Act), pre-mortem Prioritization matrices speed up decision-making, even when faced with partial data. In corporate tests, the use of OODA has shown an improvement of up to 25% in crisis response efficiency, while prioritization matrices can reduce rework caused by impulsive decisions by approximately 30%.
3. Simulations and “war games”: Practicing crisis scenario exercises and simulations prepares the brain to react more quickly and less emotionally. Executives who participate in these activities report more structured responses in real-life pressure situations.
4. Expanding perspectives before final decision: To avoid “tunnel vision,” techniques such as quick “second-mentoring,” strategic questioning (such as “what if we had unlimited resources?”), or adopting a competitor’s perspective can broaden your field of vision and prevent hasty decisions.
5. Development of emotional intelligence and self-knowledge: Training in self-control, empathy, and emotional regulation is essential for more balanced leadership. Institutions like Harvard, MIT, and companies like Google have shown that programs that strengthen emotional intelligence increase problem-solving ability under pressure by up to 30%.

Practical tips from Madalena Feliciano

Madalena Feliciano, a neurostrategy specialist, emphasizes the importance of mental management in times of crisis. "In times of stress, what defines the quality of our choices is not just what we know, but how we manage our minds," she observes.

She suggests simple but effective routines for leaders at any level:

• 4×4 breathing before the critical decision: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and repeat. A quick technique to restore mental clarity.
• Deciding with “sufficient data”: Avoid paralysis caused by the relentless pursuit of perfect information. Define a preliminary criterion to conclude when there is a sufficient basis for action.
• Post-decision reflective journal: Quickly write about how you felt, what worked, and what didn't. This practice reinforces learning and prepares the brain for future choices.
• Active Trust Network: Maintaining a small group of peers or mentors ready to act as quick advisors makes all the difference in high-stakes decisions.

“Neuroscience gives us the map, and self-knowledge is what knows how to use this GPS when the engine is overloaded,” concludes Madalena Feliciano.

Conclusion: Strategic decision-making under pressure requires mindset and structure

In 2025, it's clear that leading under pressure isn't just about "taking the bull by the horns," but rather knowing how to structure the internal and external environment for well-informed decisions, even in times of crisis. Mindfulness, practical frameworks, emotional intelligence, and simulations become powerful allies in this process.

As Madalena Feliciano points out: "It's not about eliminating pressure, but being prepared to face it with clarity, balance, and strategy." The question that arises is: which technique will be the first to be applied in your leadership to navigate this complex scenario?