Author: Tomasz Drybala
Tomasz Drybala - Author, Researcher, Coach, and Director of the Neuro-Based Leadership Centre.
My work is grounded in lived experience, research, and ongoing studies with more than 100 CEOs and senior executives — examining how dopamine–cortisol dynamics influence decision-making, execution, and recovery and rest.
My academic development now includes targeted programs at Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and the University of California, Berkeley.
I’m also the author of three forthcoming books exploring the neurochemistry of leadership, including Breaking Patterns (December 2026), Neuroscience of CEO Decision-Making (March 2027), and Choosing the Right People (January 2028).
The Neurochemical Decision Cycle: Why Your Choices Don’t Start from Neutral
Most CEOs believe they make decisions through logic — that strategy, data, and experience lead the process. But every decision begins in a body and brain already biased by what came before. The confidence you feel in a boardroom, the urgency that drives a new initiative, or the […]
Dopamine-Driven Momentum: Why Conviction Often Arrives Before Logic
Most CEOs trust their conviction. That deep sense of “this feels right” has built companies, driven bold decisions, and carried teams through uncertainty. Yet the same conviction that powers progress can also protect blind spots — not because of arrogance or ignorance, but because of chemistry. The system […]
Cortisol-Driven Discomfort: When Friction Leads to Avoidance
Even at the highest level, decision-making rarely breaks down because of a lack of intelligence or experience. It breaks in the moments where friction appears — and is quietly moved past. A data point doesn’t fit. A concern is raised. Something feels slightly off. The signal is there, […]
Dopamine-Driven Activity: When Reward Hijacks Execution
Every CEO knows the surge that comes with a fresh idea — that spark that hits early in the morning, during a shower, or on a walk when the mind is clear. It feels exciting, fast-moving, and certain, like the answer you’ve been waiting for has finally landed. […]
Cortisol-Driven Resistance: When Discomfort Turns Strategic Work into Escape Routes
Even at the highest levels, there are moments when execution drifts — not because of unclear strategy, but because of the quiet chemistry that shapes how attention moves. You plan to focus on the work that compounds value, yet find yourself starting somewhere else. The day remains full, […]
Dopamine-Driven Continuation: Why Your Mind Stays Engaged After Work Ends
You step away from your desk. The laptop is closed. The day is over. Logically, it’s finished. Yet your mind continues. You replay conversations. You refine decisions. You think through what you could have said, what you should say tomorrow, what might happen next. Even without trying, your […]
Cortisol-Driven Alertness: Why Your System Stays “ON” After Pressure Ends
The day ends. The pressure is gone. The decisions are made. Logically, there is nothing left to manage. Yet your nervous system stays alert. You may feel tired, but your mind keeps scanning. You revisit conversations, anticipate what could go wrong, or wake in the middle of the […]
Reward-Avoidance Pattern in Daily Execution
Every leader recognises this moment. A decision that carries real weight sits in front of you, yet your attention drifts elsewhere — into numbers, strategy refinement, mentoring, or operational detail. It all looks like progress. It often is progress. But in that moment, something more subtle is happening […]