This week on the Evolving Leader, co-hosts Jean and Scott talk to Professor Stephen Fleming, one of the world’s leading neuroscientists whose life’s work is the study of metacognition (the ability to think about thinking). How does this influence our self-awareness and our ability to make good judgements? Find out in this fascinating episode.

Know Thyself - The New Science of Self-Awareness (Hachette, 2021)

0.00 Introduction

2.35 Could you start by giving us a definition of metacognition?

4.38 What’s the difference between conscious and unconscious metacognition?

7.11 In your book Know Thyself, you write about how our brains are constantly trying to solve inverse problems, trying to understand the root causes of things. Can you help us understand this concept?

11.08 How might we sense metacognition?

15.46 What kinds of experiments are you looking at that help to see when unconscious awareness and explicit awareness are at odds?

19.14 Can you talk to us about how metacognition (as an attribute) can be developed?

21.50 You’ve said that recognising people with low metacognition can be one of the best predictors in identifying people who are more dogmatic. Can you tell us about some of the work that you’ve done around this and what you’ve learnt?

28.52 How can metacognition help us to understand other people more?

32.51 What are the breakthroughs that you are making and how might they inform artificial intelligence?

36.32 When we start to embrace more embedded technology in human beings, how does metacognition work when it’s directly integrated into our bodies?

40.20 What’s really exciting you right now? What are the standout things that you are working on?

44.17 Can you paint a picture for us as to what it’s like to work in your lab. What’s going on?

49.06 What are the important take-aways from your work for leaders to consider?

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The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside production.

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Know Thyself - the Neuroscience of Self-Awareness with Professor Stephen Fleming