The Inclusive Illusion: A Neuro-Leader’s Lament

I set out on Monday, inclusion in tow,

Armed with a bias test, ready to grow.

With brain scans and values and equity charts,

I thought: How hard can this be? Bless my heart.

I quoted Kahneman, wore my EDI pin,

Said, “We all have blind spots” (with a confident grin).

But I tripped on my cortex — again, what a thrill —

Turns out good intentions don’t cancel free will.¹

I nodded through stories, said, “Thanks for your voice,”

Then offered a TED Talk, like it was their choice.

I meant to be helpful — neuroplastic and kind —

But my feedback loop skipped, and I rewired my mind.²

I said, “Everyone’s welcome!” — a beautiful claim,

But forgot that inclusion and sameness ain’t the same.

I hired for ‘fit’ (which felt neutral and fair),

But somehow the hires all looked like me… there.³

I ran mindful meetings with candles and bells,

Then shut down dissent when it didn’t go well.

Tried ‘safe space’ and ‘brave space’ and silence for grace,

While my amygdala flared like a pie in the face.⁴

I championed pronouns, and fumbled them twice,

Then panicked, and over-apologised (nice).

Tried to outwit my bias with logic and flair —

But my hippocampus just wasn’t all there.⁵

I shared “I don’t see colour” with well-meaning might,

While my mirror neurons blinked: That… isn’t right.⁶

I talked of resilience, grit and hard knocks,

While ignoring the privilege tucked into my socks.

So now I step back, and listen, and learn,

Let discomfort bubble, and biases burn.

I’ve traded the checklist for curious eyes,

And admit when I stumble — and why I revise.⁷

Inclusion’s not perfect, performative gloss,

It’s growth, it’s repair, it’s unlearning the boss.

Not a halo or title or grand strategy —

But messy, embodied neuro-humility.⁸

So here’s to the leaders who cringe, then reset,

Who trip over terms they’re still trying to get.

The brain is no villain, but it loves a shortcut —

And inclusion begins when we learn to disrupt.⁹

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Footnotes from the Frontal Lobe:

¹ Free Will & Bias – Sapolsky’s work shows that much of our “decision-making” is unconscious. We’re often reacting long before we know why.

² Neuroplasticity – The brain rewires with repetition. Good intentions aren’t enough — new pathways require sustained, uncomfortable action.

³ Affinity Bias – We naturally favour those similar to us. It feels neutral, but it’s deeply rooted in our limbic system’s need for familiarity.

⁴ Amygdala Hijack – When we feel threatened (even socially), the amygdala can override logic — derailing calm, inclusive leadership.

⁵ Cognitive Load – Under stress or when multitasking, recall of inclusive practices can falter. Our hippocampus prioritises survival shortcuts.

⁶ Mirror Neurons & Empathy – Saying “I don’t see colour” short-circuits genuine empathy. Our brains need awareness to engage authentically.

⁷ Feedback Loops – Reflection + revision strengthens neural pathways more than one-off training. We grow not by knowing, but by noticing.

⁸ Embodied Cognition – Inclusion isn’t just a mental model. The body, gut, and heart co-create what we believe is “safe” or “right.”

⁹ Heuristics – The brain uses mental shortcuts to save energy. Inclusion often requires us to deliberately override those default settings.