Fran: A lot of people are not really aware about how our brain works. The common mistake is that you would label people with their behavior. I’m Fran. I’m a certified neuroscience-based leadership coach. I’m also a life purpose coach. I use the brain science concepts, how our brain works to teach leaders how to understand their people, how to understand themselves.
Philippe: Like you said, either the leaders are born with it or they’re made depending on external factors.
Fran: I’ve just noticed that a lot of leaders will learn from their mentors practices. If they were mentored by a strict person, they become a strict person themselves.
Philippe: Is that possible when it comes to the brain and the development of certain intelligence? For example, modifying DNA to give characteristics of certain leaders. Is that a possibility these days?
Fran: I would say…
Fran: What I like about neuroscience is it’s absolute like science is always absolute. I’ve just noticed that a lot of leaders will learn from their mentors practices and these mentors are not perfect either. So if they find, if they were mentored by a strict person, they become a strict person themselves and does that that doesn’t match with another person, right? So I realized that my degree actually have a master’s degree in biology.
I studied molecular biology and I just sort of left it there because I didn’t see a career in science in the Philippines. It’s sad but that world is not you know lucrative and so, or not a lot of us probably will get the opportunity but BPO was the fastest something happened in the family.
Fran: I needed money fast and so I jumped on and I thought it was just it was just really a temporary thing but it became a 23 years stint before I retired from the corporate and do my consulting and so I realized so as a scientist in a BPO and doing leadership development I realized that a lot of people are not really aware about how our brain works and if you could just channel that just have that you would understand why certain people are this way.
And the common mistake is that you would label people with their behavior when behavior is not your identity. You know, behavior is about in the brain. It’s in your reward system. That loop in the brain is motivating you to act a certain way. I would even, Yeah. So if for example someone, a leader would say “Oh that trainee or that uh person or agent is really stupid”.
Fran: So you would know that this you have to sit this person down and ask about his experiences like because probably this kind of leadership that’s more authoritative right came from a model right came from his mentors in the past. So, but then when you ground them on, okay, uh what made you say stupid? Cause I was emotional. I was angry. Why were you angry? Because he couldn’t get it. All right.
So, and then and then you’d say both detrimental. You’re emotional. You have cortisol. This is the neurotransmitter, this hormone is neurotransmitter sorry a brain messenger like hormones, right? So hormone cortisol makes you feel stressed out. So your body systems just heat up, right? You’ll get sick. It’s been shown to have caused cancer.
Fran: And also your coochi also is experiencing stress and also tomorrow he’s going to come in with a cold and because the immune system just dropped and so it’s counterproductive. So you think just you know getting angry to your people is good.
There are prefrontal cortex which is like behind your forehead that’s your logical brain. That shuts down as soon as cortisol increases and your creativity also shuts down as soon as you have stress is released or cortisol is released. You have adrenaline only working for you. So, um, that’s why when you get mad at people, your people, you notice that you’re getting mad every day. It’s because everything just shut down.
Fran: They will commit mistakes cuz they’re they can’t think logically anymore and they’re not as great anymore. So, I would teach them on how to like increase dopamine and you know, if it’s happy thing, right? It’s a happy thing like you praise them. But why is it that isn’t it working anymore uh through time? Simple because once dopamine increases your serotonin goes down.
Serotonin is another neurotransmitter or brain messenger or another hormone that is telling you when you’re satisfied. So if I’m satisfied about something then you know I’m happy. So if you’re too happy, your satisfaction decreases. This is the loop in the brain that is being targeted by drug addiction. That’s why I have empathy with people who went through drug addiction.
Fran: It’s really their serotonin going down and they couldn’t really control. So they wanted more and more. So the dosage increases. So, if I could channel that or could use that to sustain or motivate someone to to learn a new skill. So, I would praise the first time, the first step, he’s done, right? Great. And they could stop there, but no, because if you made them feel happy, they want more and then they want more.
And so, they will compete with themselves and not with other people, right? And so, that’s why you have to vary your praises. You just don’t say good job every time cuz that’s get that gets desensitized by the brain that becomes zero meaning eventually and so you say specifically what they did for example. So things like that like it could be a lot about a lot.
Fran: Lastly, for example if they’re mad if they’re feeling emotional I would always say like they want to cry they have to engage their prefrontal cortex they have to put rational meaning to that emotion and they notice that slowly their emotion dies down because they engage their prefrontal cortex. So, most of my not advices, guidance would be based on brain science and that is absolute, right?
You wouldn’t need someone, whether the mentor is nice or good and whatever yard stick we’re looking at doesn’t matter because on average our brain works that way on average, right? So yeah that’s what I do. I’ve already given you context of the coaching thing.
Philippe: Before you start sharing a little more, which is great actually because I love the fact where you connect. You’re you’re a different type of coach because with the many coaches that I met in the previous in the past, it’s really more about what they’re going to teach and what they’re going to share in terms of their knowledge and all.
But you come in the room with a totally different approach where you connect actual science. Brain science, and the coaching thing, right? It’s quite unique because I’ve never met any coach that made that connection in terms of you having your hormones, your cortisol, the stress hormone, your dopamine? Tama ba?
Fran: Yeah, dopamine, happy hormone.
Philippe: It’s quite different because that kind of approach kind of makes all your coaches understand what’s going on with you. Because they come in, they start coaching, maybe they came in a little stressful than previously because they sort of experienced something negative on their way to the session.
So it’s quite nice that you’re giving clarity on how our brain works because that gives other people like the chance to actually question themselves of why am I feeling stressful? Why am I feeling angry? So, I like that kind of approach.You studied biology in terms of Okay. What’s specific of biology?
Fran: So it’s biology cuz supposed to be premed and then I fell in love with my thesis and I said, “Wait, doctors are just administering meds. I want the the side of it that produces meds.” And so I went um so initially was molecular biology as the masters. But then I noticed that it will take me long for me to finish that and so I just went to the general biology. But and then I went conservation biology.
Philippe: And usually when it comes to the the study of biology, what do you learn from that apart from anatomy?
Fran: Yeah, it’s body science really. Like cell biology for example, which was really huge chunk of the curriculum. It talks about like one single unit of your body, how it operates and how it becomes how it decodes who you are initially. But environment shapes you as well what you’re predisposed to.
For example, they could we could see you know what your tendencies are as well as yeah what are you sensitive with for example. So for example I’m trying to find a way to like give a concrete example so if you have puppies right? Before they were formed in the when they’re formed in the womb it’s two cells together Right? And so these two cells share a genetic material. I like to call the genetic material as an imprint from your ancestors.
Fran: So for by random selection, you get this set and then this set, right? Or both. And then the first thing that they will decide is what does this puppy look like? Will there be patches of black or is it going to be full white? Right? So that’s the physical one. And then some of that genetic code will express what kind of brain from anatomical to functional.
Oh, will it be the mom’s side or is it the dad’s side? And so they have what they call a dominant gene and a recessive gene. For example, blood type. So if A is a dominant blood type and the dad has the dominant blood type of A and then the mom had say O then the blood type of the kid is AO which is an A blood type, right? So if it put it to both a dominant like A and B for parents and become AB so things like that.
Fran: So that’s just blood type but there’s so many like I think millions of decisions that these two set of genes will have to decide to make that very beautiful, you know, puppy and what character will it have. So, same with human being, of course. I just want to use puppy because it’s cute.
Philippe: It’s a good example. And that all deviates from the time of DNA. That’s set from the beginning, right?
Fran: Yeah. It this is going to be a whole new set of of DNA. That’s why I really like that, you know, human beings eventually were called individuals because we’re really individual. I don’t know if you’ve read Strengthfinder 2.0. That book they actually have a test in the end to to to know what your strengths are and what your values are.
And they had millions of samples and they realized none two are alike so that’s like because because we have different set of DNA we’re really special spiritually speaking we’re really unique even twins they don’t have the same set of genetic makeup, right?
Philippe:Do you believe that defines a soul?
Fran: That, soul is okay. soul is an energy. So energy cannot be broken, cannot be destroyed. It can only transform nor can it be created. So knowing what energy is only God can create energy or universe or whoever you believe in as a great or divine being. So that energy becomes, is transformed. So it’s transformed to various forms human being, animals, plants, whatever, right? So you get transformed. So I am a believer of that.
And so once you it’s your time because as mortals, you know, we’re meant to just contribute to the soil of this earth and nurture it. all other purpose of course of our existence then we transform and I feel that we transform back to our purest form which is that energy. So that is your soul. Your genetic code is your vest is the vessel of your soul is how I see it then.
Fran: And so your tendencies your characters may be shaped by your environment. But then you have your what they call essence. I love that. Yeah. They have essence. um your oil of some sort like if you extract like a rose there’s an essence which is that oil and the fragrance is always unique. So that’s who you are. Yeah. And that’s your soul.
Philippe: Since you mentioned about you you set a great example about essence, extraction of oil mixing it up, and coming up with your unique sort of fragrance. Right? Is that is that possible when it comes to the brain and the development of certain intelligence? For example, getting pieces of modifying DNA with certain characters to give, the to give characteristics of certain leaders, and mimic that type of characteristics. Is that a possibility these days?
Fran: Yeah. These days I would say yes, because you can actually you can actually insert these genes but it can be fatal based on my knowledge. It can be um because the genes are in a very specific sequence. And so if you insert one gene, you have to make sure that the rest of the genes doesn’t move in a certain way that will decode a different thing, right? Cause others may be affected.
So, but there are ways when they can just insert you know scientists now are really powerful but to put that on a specific person. That probably would require a very that would be a very sensitive genetic engineering. I would say and they would be careful that say the function of the arms doesn’t get affected probably but if you ask neuroscience scientists is from what I know but probably not all senior scientists if leaders are born or made.
Fran: They would usually say leaders are born because these qualities they should already have it in them. Right? but leaders are made as well because there you have the set of environments that will dictate who you become and you will forget who you are based on,
Philippe: Yeah.
Fran: Which call genetic evolution. So your genes evolve through time. Yeah. So you really have to be very careful. That’s why I love, I love people who say that they always meditate or they spend time priv privately by themselves because that’s when you just are with your thoughts and if you prolong spending time meditating just quieting the noise around you that will for sure make you meet yourself and know who you really are and yeah you just quiet the noise around you I believe. Sorry, I think I’ve come far. You let me, you pull me back, okay, when I go far.
Philippe: On the contrary, it’s such an interesting topic because I’m a big fan of the human brain.
Fran: Yeah.
Philippe: I’m also a big fan of basically anatomy.
Fran: Yeah.
Philippe: You know, but what I’m really interested about is the connection between leadership, your type of coaching, and how you connect the science with it.
Fran: Yeah.
Philippe: Because like you said, either leaders are born with it or they’re made depending on external factors and then your approach is really more on the evolvement of leadership using science. Right? So can you share with us hold on , what do you want to share with us today your book your way of teaching, or do you want to sell the the services or anything like that.
Fran: Oh, what would be good. I’m just thank God. I’m so busy. I don’t know how I can squeeze another trainy in. I just missed three sessions last night. Because I was busy in the morning, but yeah, probably because it’s just once a month anyway. Yeah, I would, you know, if you would want to try that out if you’re a leader, who wants to achieve peak per performance, of course, you know, let me know.
But what I really want to talk about is my latest book. I well I have I’ve written two about the same time but I put the other one on hold just keep it off to the on the side and then the one is the um third one is already um at Amazon. So it’s published on Amazon. Yeah. It’s the magnetic theory of leadership.
Fran: Yeah. So people have always called people magnetic. my dad. So my my papa, I grew up in a household where my father was a community leader of 20 years. So he wasn’t replaced that easily. He became a kagawad the barangay counselor, without even having to run for office. It was the mayor, who city mayor, city mayor who asked him if you know he could you know do the work and you know I’ve just been watching since I was 3 five watching him.
He wasn’t, he studied engineering but he didn’t finish. He was, he was a businessman, a repair a watch repair man and you know very humble person. People have have said that he’s magnetic, but I’ve seen him pulled people for bayanihan, got some materials under the ground to just put up a playground eventually, a basketball court without, you know, without much support from the government.
Fran: And he and, I asked him why do you do this? And then he said, you know, it’s my passion to help people, you know, and and so that’s what he did. And so he said he’s magnetic. He went to my PTA meeting at one point and my classmates said, “Oh, your dad is so handsome and they probably are surprised cuz I wasn’t that handsome or wasn’t that pretty.” So, but I thought he’s really magnetic. And so so that just you know in my head for a while and then when I retired
I’ve been thinking about you know those things that I thought that I just put aside and so I remember, so I was finishing up my neuroscience course in Harvard on the online courses and then I was thinking what makes someone magnetic like just that I’ve been a fan of physics like for many years.
Fran: I thought I’d take physics actually as my college course, but you know, parents want pre-med, so that’s fine. Anyway, and so and then I thought the the yoga teacher I was, I was having pain at my back and then the yoga teacher that I, I watched you know he was giving instruction and then after he said you know you meditate to to elevate your frequency and that hit me elevate frequency, babe.
She probably meant frequency as metaphor. And so I asked Chat Gpt, I said I asked like what do they mean when they say frequency? It’s a metaphorical description to elevate your higher self. That’s not right because frequency is true. And so what I so I thought wait I remember like just everything just pulled in rushed into my brain all the things I studied. Wait wait wait, when I was doing neuroscience one because there are three courses in Harvard.
Fran: I remember I was computing mill volts I wasn’t like you know memorizing or you know. I was computing and I cause because everything in the brain the brain functions or moves or, or harmonizes through electrical energy. Right? Another energy that engages in our energy and that electrical energy allows you to think this way.
So did you know that now that we’re talking what, what’s happening is that as I am talking and you’re listening and you’re I think I’m able to motivate the thoughts that you have you’ve had, to our, my brain cells are are working in in harmony. So they’re they’re moving in in synchronicity. If that happens, they create a gamma brain wave.
Fran: A gamma brain wave is the highest one of the highest brain wave that produces the highest frequency. These are people who are in the zone speaking about what they’re passionate about. When they’re in the insight mode, right, you become in gamma state. So everything in the brain cells are just producing a harmonious brain wave.
That’s a frequency in megahertz. Gamma is in megahertz. So that’s not that’s not a metaphor. And then and then I said to myself, see it’s not a metaphor. But what if you’re the type of person who’s always thinks negative and that’s the beta brain wave. The beta brain wave is the chaotic brain wave. It does like that literally um in the frequency meter, right?
Fran: And so people leaders who are very anxious who neg negatively thinks about their people the question is why why do they affect other people right why if you have a leader who’s cranky you become, become cranky yourself or some are not affected, why? And then I realized all of a sudden I realized, that when there is electricity there is mag magnetic mag magnet there’s a magnet.
It creates a magnetic field and so I had to ask check that wait does, uh brain waves create electromagnetic field. Yes, it does okay and so there’s an electromagnetic field but it’s not as big as your heart. I came across this article about the heart math institute that our heart creates even bigger and stronger electromagnetic wave that they measure, right? That is as wide as 6 m from your body.
Fran: Um 6 ft, sorry, 6 ft away from your body. And that’s powerful to know, but the brain doesn’t create that much of an electromagnetic field. So that just really took me a back. I said, “So that’s why purpose is required because to make your heart beat faster is to be happy about your intention. So what you’re thinking about has to be has, to be motivating enough for your heart to feel that passion, that burning passion, that happiness, that joy, that bliss.
And that creates an electromagnetic field. That’s what you’re feeling. Right now, as you’re listening to me. So, you probably can say, “Oh, I can sense her passion. I can feel her passion.” But it is the electromagnetic wave, right? That you’re feeling because that’s what I’m emitting now because I’m talking about my purpose.
Fran: So, it’s align. Then, you mentioned alignment. That’s the critical part. When your thoughts are aligned, right? So if what you want, if you’re doing what you want then you’re magnetic because if you’re doing something that you don’t like, I don’t think your heart will go with it, right? So you’re not going to be affecting people.
So they say that so when sorry not they say so once you enter the room you’re already broadcasting, right? Not and you’re very magnetic you’re you have a charisma as well so probably you’re born with it but actually it’s you some positive attributes of you that just resonate with people.
Fran: That’s just really it. So that’s what I’m very passionate about. I want people to know that they can in the book as leaders, you actually can improve your frequency. Just rewire your brain. Just improve your thoughts. Manifestation is not magic, it’s science. Because your brain for example has a mirror neuron, a mirror, a mirror neuron is so now that I’m speaking you’re observing me and you’re imagining it.
It’s it’s as if you’re in that situation as well. That’s why you’re able to feel it. That’s mirror. And so when I like someone’s, what someone is doing like my leader that did something I got inspired by it right so that’s mirror now to manifest it is to make sure that I’m aligned and in the brain we have reticular activating system that’s ras.
Fran: I don’t know if you noticed that you’ve not talked about for example, a sports car for example but one day you said I’m going to buy a sports are and with all your heart and mind you said I am going to, right? Like I, I believe it’s just right at the corner all of a sudden you’re going to see all of those uh sports car as often as as you you can. When you used to not see them around your brain has a filtering system that will only filter the ones that you intended to see and because of that your frequency has also elevated, right? All of these are just
working hand and head. And then everything has frequency. That ambition, that thought has a frequency. How can you achieve to be, how can you desire to be great, when your frequency is beta, right? You’ll never be great. You have to elevate your frequency. And so, it’s easy to attract all the things that of the same frequency.
Fran: Think about tuning in a radio station. You have to tune in to like 91.1 something and when you’re there things become clear because when you’re there all of the things that are on the same frequency, it’s just achievable, right? So it’s really it’s, it’s really it’s not magical but I would love to like you know feel it’s magical but it’s really science there’s there’s meaning to it and my advocacy is to let people know so they can improve their thoughts they can improve their thinking process. Yeah.
Their thoughts and the things that they do, right? And be true to themselves. They have to be authentic. If this is what they want, God has already given, planted the seeds of that desire in their hearts. And so they try to pursue it. So yeah that that’s what really I’m very passionate about.
