Can Leadership change the way our brains work?

Can leadership change the way our brains work? And what happens when toxic behaviour becomes 'normal'? In this thought-provoking episode of The FEMCAST, Silvia Adlesic Holmgren joins us for a conversation about leadership, organisational culture, trust, vulnerability, accountability and brain science. We explore what really happens when leaders fail to walk the talk — and how their behaviour can ripple through an entire organisation, affecting psychological safety, health, wellbeing and performance. Silvia challenges traditional ideas about leadership and explores why the future of healthy organisations depends on leaders who are willing to be self-aware, vulnerable, accountable and authentic. We talk about: 🧠 How the brain can normalise harmful behaviour 💬 Why trust and honest communication matter 🎯 The relationship between leadership and employee wellbeing 🚨 Toxic leadership, gaslighting and destructive behaviours 🔍 The power of self-awareness and self-reflection 🏢 The responsibility of boards and management for organisational culture 💪 Finding the courage to speak up and challenge harmful behaviour 🔄 Neuroplasticity and our ability to change ⚖️ Gender dynamics and leadership 🌱 What the future of leadership could look like One of the most powerful reminders from this conversation is that our brains learn through mistakes — and that is a good thing. We are not stuck with the cultures we have created. 🧠 We can learn differently. 🧠 We can lead differently. 🧠 We can build differently. Because healthy workplaces don't happen by accident. They are created by people willing to take responsibility for them. 🎧 Subscribe to The FEMCAST for conversations that challenge power, amplify voices and help build safer, healthier futures. 🔔 Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe — and share this episode with a leader, colleague or organisation that needs to hear it. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction to Silvia Holmgren and her background 03:52 – Leadership: walking the talk and setting examples 07:53 – Transparency and vulnerability in leadership 12:00 – Where harmful leadership behaviours come from 16:05 – Leadership, geopolitics and public accountability 20:01 – Recognising everyone's role in success 24:10 – The CEO who knew everyone's name 27:59 – Toxic leadership, job strain and health 31:54 – Why accountability and speaking up matter 36:03 – Childhood, background and leadership styles 38:07 – Self-awareness and self-reflection 40:01 – The brain science of destructive behaviours 41:56 – The responsibility of boards and management 44:00 – The courage to challenge toxic behaviour 46:05 – The neuroplastic advantage 47:52 – Integrity and staying true to yourself 49:59 – Gender dynamics and leadership 52:10 – Organisational pressure and stress responses 53:53 – The future of leadership and brain science 56:05 – Final thoughts on authenticity, courage and organisational health The FEMCAST — Amplifying voices. Challenging power. Building safer futures. #TheFEMCAST #Leadership #OrganisationalCulture #WorkplaceCulture #BrainScience #HealthyWorkplaces #ToxicLeadership #Gaslighting #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeWellbeing #Management #Accountability