Getting Their Brain on Your Side

If we had to give you the keys to corporate success in one conversation, we’d do it by teaching you three crucial concepts…

The first concept is a secret, and it is only shared in person, at one of our events or discussions among members. It has never been revealed publicly.

The second concept is called “The Lens of Power”, which we talk about extensively, peppered throughout our media. It’s about the realization that the corporate world is all about power.

The third concept is called “Getting Their Brain on Your Side”, and in this document, we will introduce you to this concept.

It is, without a doubt, the most crucial cornerstone of career and business success.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Why Human Brains Are Your Competitive Advantage
2. Part 1: The Science Of The Primate Brain
3. Part 2: Primate Decisions In The Workplace
4. Part 3: Strategies To Leverage The Primate Brain
5. Part 4: Advanced Tactics For Career Dominance
6. Conclusion

Introduction: Why Human Brains Are Your Competitive Advantage

Whether you’re hunting for a new job, going after a big promotion, or angling for a corner office or even a coveted seat on the board; one truth rules them all:

All hiring, promotion, and business decisions are made by humans.

This statement seems obvious on the surface, but it has profound, game-changing implications…

And understanding this truth – and learning to leverage it – will unlock possibilities you may have previously believed were out of reach…

Every decision-maker, from the recruiter scanning resumes to the CEO choosing new leadership, operates not as a purely rational professional, but as a human being first and foremost.

When you understand how their brains work, and learn how to align your goals with their instincts, you gain a competitive advantage that is both rare and extraordinarily powerful!

The Primate Lens: Understanding People at Their Core

The human brain is a marvel… of evolution.

We know this for a fact. Human brains are the product of millions of years of refinement, shaped by the survival challenges of our ancestors. And while our society appears modern, beneath the surface, we’re still driven by ancient neural wiring.

And we understand this neural wiring far more than you may realize…

For instance, we now can predict the decisions people will make up to eleven seconds before they consciously realize they’ve made these decisions, simply by observing their brain activity (source).

Setting aside the debate on free will or the meaning of individuality, the point is this: we understand the human brain far better than the average uninformed individual realizes, or than mainstream society acknowledges or integrates into daily life.

To anyone seeking to influence human decision-making in hiring, business negotiations, or corporate leadership, the utility of our brain science should be obvious and the opportunity that comes with understanding the human brain tantalizing.

Make no mistake: Most people are completely unaware of how their own minds work, let alone the minds of others. By integrating this knowledge into your career strategy, by “getting their brain on your side”, you’ll position yourself light-years ahead of your competition.

The Wisdom of the Primate Brain

Aristotle famously said “knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom.”

What wisdom then, can we extract from our knowledge of the primate brain?

What can we learn from understanding others and the primal instincts that drive them?

It’s a simple yet powerful realization:

Every personal or professional decision humans make, including and not limited to hiring, promotion, and negotiation decisions, is PRIMAL at its core.

Beneath the spreadsheets, corporate jargon, elaborate stories, volumes of justifications, and countless professional facades; ALL decisions are driven by:

• Emotions, not logic
• Status, not substance
• Instincts, not reason

As we’ll explain below, this isn’t just vague conjecture either… It is a proven reality that has practical applications in neuroscience, psychology, marketing, law, international relations, military and even national intelligence or tradecraft.

Let’s take a closer look at the implications from a career development perspective:

1. The Hiring Manager Isn’t a Computer
   Think about the last time you prepared for a job interview. Maybe you perfected your resume, practiced your responses, and studied the company’s history. All of these steps are logical and professional – but they miss a key critical fact: the hiring manager is a human being, not a computer! They don’t make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications or experience. Instead, they’re influenced by emotions, biases, and subconscious judgments that operate on a primal level. Factors they are not even consciously aware of or can control…
2. The Promotion You Want Isn’t Just About Results
   Let’s say you’ve been working for a big promotion. You’ve delivered exceptional results, brought in new business, made it rain; and you have metrics to prove it. Yet, the final decision will still hinge on how your boss feels about you – whether they trust you, see you as “leadership material,” or perceive you as someone who fits the role socially and hierarchically. All these judgments and more are driven from a primal place, not a rational one.
3. Negotiating for That Seat at the Board
   Even at the highest levels of corporate power – when negotiating for a board seat or a key leadership position – decisions are far, FAAR from logical. In fact, the higher up you go, and the bigger the stakes, the more primal it gets! The biggest decisions are shaped by status dynamics, perceived authority, and the emotions triggered during as well as before the interaction.

Remember this: Whichever conversation you’re having, and whoever you’re having it with: The person across the table is still a primate, no matter how polished their suit or title.

Fail to comprehend this reality, or reject it because of how it makes you feel (feelings are primate too), you’ll never be able to attain true social mobility. You will remain fixed exactly at the spot society put you.

Understand this reality, and embrace it without superstition or judgement; it becomes your most powerful advantage.

By mastering how the primate brain works, you’ll uncover opportunities to influence, persuade, and succeed where others fail.

You’ll get their brain on your side, and have their brains do all the heavy lifting in service of your agenda.

Part 1: The Science Of The Primate Brain

Human beings are often described as rational, professional, or even “civilized.”

Yet, beneath this polished veneer, we remain fundamentally primates, shaped by millions of years of evolution.

Primates First, Professionals Second

Human beings are primates (we keep repeating it so that the idea sticks), finely tuned by evolution to survive in an environment that hasn’t existed for hundreds of thousands of years.

Beneath the polished veneer of corporate culture, boardroom etiquette, or LinkedIn posts with the utmost professional language… Beneath all that exists the same primal creature that chased gazelle across the savanna or riled up its tribe to raid the neighboring camp.

The lesson is: Our brains are ancient hardware, fine-tuned for a completely different environment. And it shows!

Remember: Evolution optimized us to function in small groups of 100–200 individuals (the size of a tribe) on the African savanna. Back then, every interaction was up close and personal, hierarchies were established through dominance, friendships as well as alliances, and survival depended on knowing exactly where you stood in the social order.

Fast forward to today… The environment has changed drastically, but the wiring hasn’t…

So… What does this mean in practice?

It means that the “modern” people in the glass towers, on Zoom calls, or wearing $3,000 suits are still primates first, professionals second. In fact, baring a handful of enlightened individuals who have mastered their inner chimp – a lifelong and arduous process that is near impossible in the modern day – the differences from our early ancestors are purely cosmetic.

Make no mistake: The modern professional – be they an entry level intern, a lifelong rank and file worker, or the most senior CEO – isn’t a sophisticated creature of reason. It pains us to say this, but they all are…

We all are…

A bunch of 🐒 chimps in suits 🐒, driven by the same biological impulses and responding to the world in ways that are often unconscious, irrational, and deeply tribal!

Imagine this:

• When someone feels threatened in a meeting, their cortisol spikes just like a primate sensing a predator. They may lash out, become defensive, or try to undermine their perceived rival.
• When a manager gets public praise for their leadership, their brain bathes in dopamine, reinforcing their need for validation and loyalty from their “tribe.”
• When a team-building exercise succeeds, oxytocin surges, creating bonds of trust and kinship that aren’t so different from chimps grooming one another to strengthen alliances. (Hint: We break bread before sealing business deals or convincing investors to join our cause for this precise effect.)

We may use sophisticated words and intelligent, data backed “corporate language,” polite tones, and careful phrasing – but underneath it all, what we’re doing isn’t categorically different from the chimp’s “eeps” and “ooos.”

And behind every slide deck, quarterly report, or networking event lies a primal dance of social positioning, hierarchy, and dominance.

We Are Primates, So What?

If this sounds cynical: let us assure you it is not and you are missing the point.

Human beings in the corporate world may be 🐒 chimps in suits 🐒, but we aren’t just chimps in suits.

We are chimps in suits with massive potential and extraordinary capabilities and sentiments including profound innovation, cooperation, and creativity.

Humans can imagine futures that don’t yet exist, engineer solutions to problems no one else has solved, and form civilizations that push the boundaries of what’s possible…

…And, we should explicitly state that, in the context of our discussion, we are not demeaning humans.

On the contrary, we are highlighting the fact that humans are achieving all of this with outdated, misplaced, and perhaps even flawed hardware!

What’s crucial to understand is that the primal roots of human behavior are clearly there, and they have tremendous sway in how the world works. And the wise can unlock the tools to work with this wiring, rather than against it. Harnessing its remarkable potential in both yourself and others, rather than unconsciously walking through life in a semi-awake daze.

When you see humanity for what it really is… When you perceive the corporate world for what it really is…

Instead of taking people at face value or being frustrated by irrational behavior, you can understand the motives and forces at play. Instead of assuming perfect decisions or seeking value-laden meaning behind their decisions, you can notice their biologically and culturally programmed responses to stimulus, via the chemicals in their blood and the electrical signals firing in their brain.

So… When you walk into a corporate office, don’t be fooled by the marble floors, designer handbags, or polished job titles. Visualize the reality: a room full of chimps in suits, hooting and hollering in response to their environment, just like they’ve done for millions of years.

From this context, let’s give you understanding, and through that understanding, influence over minds..

The Relevant Basics of Human Evolution for Your Career

Let’s start with the basics:

• Modern humans evolved from primate ancestors roughly 6 to 8 million years ago, sharing a common lineage with chimpanzees.
• The human brain has evolved significantly since our split from our hominid ancestors, bringing with it capabilities such as language, neuroplasticity and complex social structures (source).
• While our societies, tools, and technologies have evolved dramatically, our brains have not changed substantially since the days our ancestors roamed the African savanna nearly 200,000 years ago (source).
• These brains are fine-tuned for survival in a tribal, dangerous, perhaps even outright hostile environment. They are optimized for three key dynamics relevant to our purposes:
  1. Navigating dominance hierarchies (e.g., who’s in charge, who’s a threat).
  2. Maintaining group cohesion (e.g., who’s “in” the tribe, who can be trusted).
  3. Securing resources and opportunities (e.g., who controls access to power, wealth, or valuable connections).
• To compete with other groups, humans developed a strong sense of group-mindedness, which led to the creation of cultural conventions, norms, and institutions (termed “collective intentionality”). This allowed us to cooperate on a massive scale and build the cohesive societies we see today (source).
• In the modern workplace, these same dynamics are at play.

In this context, your ability to navigate social hierarchies, build trust within your “tribe” (team or organization), and position yourself as a critical resource will often matter FAR more for your career success than the quality of your technical skills or which college you graduated from.

Takeaway 1 – The Primal Lens

When viewed through the primal lens, the corporate world becomes crystal clear:

• Hiring decisions? Dominance and tribal belonging take precedence over qualifications.
• Promotions? Trust, loyalty, and status dynamics drive outcomes much more than metrics or the bottom line.
• Networking? Group affiliation and reciprocity matter more than mutual benefit, or whatever else you have on paper.

This lens strips away illusions and reveals the true mechanisms of human behavior.

Of course, this lens is just the beginning…

Part 2: Primate Decisions In The Workplace

While the primal lens will give you clarity, and protect you from moralization and confusion, it will not show you “how” exactly human decisions are made, or “what” decisions can be predicted, or “how” you can influence favorable decisions.

For those next steps, you need a model that explains how decisions are made.

Enter the Triune Brain Theory.

A Model For Understanding Decision-Making: The Triune Brain

While the brain isn’t literally divided into three parts, and the original hypothesis has received a healthy dose of modern criticism in light of new anatomical discoveries, Paul MacLean’s 1960s Triune Brain Theory offers a powerful – an practically effective – framework for understanding human decision-making:

(Again, none of this is literal, it’s metaphorical.)

1. The Reptilian Brain (Survival Brain)
   • Responsible for instinctive behaviors like fight-or-flight, territory, and reproduction.
   • In corporate terms, this explains why humans are hyper-alert to threats (like layoffs, competition) and territorial about their status and role.
2. The Limbic Brain (Emotional Brain)
   • The center of emotions, trust, fear, and group bonding.
   • This is why relationships, perceptions of trust, and charisma play such an outsized role in career success.
3. The Neocortex (Logical/Rational Brain)
   • Responsible for logic, language, and higher-order thinking.
   • Crucial for problem-solving, this part often plays catch-up to emotional or instinctual decisions already made by the other parts.

One way to think about decisions is that they are instigated by the reptilian, modulated by the limbic and backwards rationalized by the logical. In fact, for all intents and purposes, we can confidently say that decisions are made in the limbic/emotional brain (Kahneman, 2011).

And while the specific information processing is much more nuanced and complicated, the analogy holds. We do have substantial evidence that decisions are primarily driven by instincts and emotions, including very interesting medical cases where those with damage to the emotional centers of their brain become incapable of making decisions (source).

This has profound implications in the corporate world, hiring, human resources, promotions, negotiations, and many other areas of business.

Your Brain Serves Your Tribe: The Role of Dominance Hierarchies

Of course, like all brains, this triune brain operates in an environment. And while we may no longer live in the African savanna, we still operate in the same social environment – a social structure known as dominance hierarchy – as far as our brains are concerned.

In fact, at the heart of every workplace, boardroom, and negotiation lies a dominance hierarchy.

The Social Brain Hypothesis

This dominance hierarchy is so integrally important to being human that, as Robin Dunbar’s research (The Social Brain Hypothesis, 1998) explains, the literal evolution of human intelligence is tied directly to our ability to navigate complex social hierarchies:

• The average human brain evolved to handle relationships in groups of 150 individuals (a number known as “Dunbar’s Number”).
• In these groups, status and alliances determined survival – your ability to climb the hierarchy, form coalitions, and avoid ostracism was life-or-death.
• While our groups are larger today, the wiring remains the same: we instinctively seek status and belonging, and we assess others constantly to determine their place in the hierarchy.
• Ultimately, belonging to a group provides an evolutionary advantage, and we are hardwired for it.

This concept has very useful explanatory power…

Ever wonder why “office politics” can feel so personal? Well, partially it’s because of the triune brain; your instinctive and emotional systems are really in charge, not your logic. But also, partially, it’s because your brain perceives workplace alliances and rivalries as tribal dynamics, triggering the same survival instincts that once determined life or death.

In other words, social dominance hierarchies – including that annoying pecking order at work – as far as your brian is concerned: is a matter of life and death!

But wait… It gets worse!

Your Brain Serves the Tribe, Not You. But So Do Theirs…

To make matters even more complicated: The survival mechanisms hardwired into your brain don’t always align with what benefits you in the modern world…

Instead, your brain prioritizes serving the tribe – ensuring your belonging, avoiding ostracism, and solidifying your place in the social order.

This is why certain behaviors can feel emotionally “wrong” even when they’re beneficial to your career, and why other behaviors feel “right” even when they hold you back.

• Imagine a situation where taking credit for a project you led could benefit your career. However, your brain hesitates, interpreting this as a potential tribal threat – it risks disrupting group harmony or appearing “selfish,” which your brain interprets as a risk of ostracism. You stay quiet, even though speaking up would clearly advance your career.
• Picture yourself volunteering for yet another thankless task at work, such as organizing an event or covering for a colleague. It doesn’t advance your goals or improve your standing, but your brain rewards you for doing it – it sees this as a tribal behavior that strengthens your group bonds and reinforces your position as a loyal, cooperative member.

Understanding that your brain serves the tribe – not you – is immensely helpful for gaining control over your actions.

That being said, the greater power of this concept lies in understanding how other people’s brains are serving the tribe rather than themselves… 😉

There are a long slew of interviewing, career advancement, and negotiation techniques built upon this idea. A few of the basics to whet your appetite include:

1. Framing your requests as benefiting the tribe.
2. Signaling belonging to build trust.
3. Leveraging status dynamics.
4. Using cues to avoid triggering tribal defenses.
5. Using reciprocity as tribal currency.

We encourage you to investigate this concept further because its rewards are rather outlandish. For now, however, we have one final core concept to cover about the corporate brain…

The Neuroscience of Trust and Connection

In order to leverage the triune brain and break into dominance hierarchies, you need a not so secret and rather obvious key.

That key is: trust… Or more accurately, the brain state called trust.

Trust is the foundation of every meaningful interaction – whether it’s convincing a team to follow your lead, negotiating a deal, or building a lasting professional relationship. Without trust, collaboration breaks down, and decision-making stops.

Of course, trust is also a deeply rooted survival mechanism, hardwired into our brains through millions of years of evolution…

If you want to truly influence others, you need to understand the science of trust – where it comes from, what evolutionary function it serves, how it’s created, sustained, and, when broken, how it’s nearly impossible to repair. (Hint: Working with trust has nothing to do with being likable or common sales tactics; trust is a much more powerful tool to gain alignment, cooperation, and ultimately, success.)

Trust as the Brain’s Safety Mechanism

Despite the risks of overgeneralization, one way to view trust is: Trust acts as a shortcut for reducing uncertainty and managing risk.

When your brain perceives someone as trustworthy, it shifts from a defensive state to a cooperative one.

A couple of interesting points:

1. Oxytocin and Trust – The Dual Role: Oxytocin is often referred to as the “trust hormone,” but this nickname is, despite being correct, is also overly simplistic. While oxytocin is released during positive social interactions – such as physical touch or expressions of empathy – it doesn’t universally promote trust. Research shows that oxytocin amplifies trust and bonding within groups, but it can simultaneously heighten suspicion toward outsiders (De Dreu et al., 2011). This dual role is conjectured to explain why humans are more likely to trust others who share their values, goals, or background while being wary of “outsiders” who seem unfamiliar or threatening. In practical terms, this means: trust isn’t a single factor calculation, it’s a confluence of factors. It’s not one thing that makes people trust you, it’s many things…
2. Amygdala & Trustworthiness: The amygdala, an important structure in the brain’s limbic system, processes social, emotional, and reward-related information, including trustworthiness – which it extracts from faces. It also does fight or flight stuff and is an ancient part of the brain. Interestingly, studies show that damage to the amygdala disrupts the ability to respond to trust and betrayal in a normal way (source). What makes this relevant to us is that: it shows that trust is fundamentally a subconscious and biological phenomena (amygdala processing is very deep and ancient).
3. The Evolutionary Benefit of Trust in Groups: Trust-based strategies, where individuals cooperate without constant verification, offer significant evolutionary advantages in group settings. Research using evolutionary game theory shows that trust reduces the cognitive and time costs of continually monitoring others’ behavior. Basically, when trust is established, individuals stop checking every action, allowing groups to function more efficiently (source).

While the above points may be a little long winded, they make crucial points: They show that trust is a complex, deeply rooted, subconsciously driven experience that promises massive evolutionary rewards.

To summarize, one could be coy and say: Trust is the game behind the corporate game.

We want to trust. We are built to trust. But we also have many taboos around building that trust, precisely because, when that trust is broken and we are taken advantage of – the costs are dire.

And while trust doesn’t entirely bypass logic, it heavily influences decision-making by providing emotional shortcuts which lead to fast, efficient decisions (source). When people trust you, their brains shift into a cooperative state, making them more likely to align with your goals – or as explicitly stated one the study “an individual’s willingness to accept social risks arising through interpersonal interactions” (source).

Trust is what causes one manager to take a chance with you, and hire you into that position which you have no past experience or credentials to get. Trust is what gets an executive to promote you above your pay-grade. Trust is the brain mechanism behind investment decisions. We could go on and on…

When you understand how trust is built on a chemical and cognitive level, you practically gain superpowers in a professional environment. Of course, we get into the mechanics of this process at excruciating length somewhere else…

For now, the big lesson is trust is the master key to getting their brain on your side.

Takeaway 2 – Corporate Brain

While the corporate world pretends to be an operation of rational neocortex in its entirety, the reality is the reverse.

The corporate brain, just like all other human brains, is primarily a thrall of survival and emotional forces, with a thin veneer of rationality on top.

Sometimes, in extraordinary circumstances, or through extraordinary individuals, this rational part can operate unfettered. But most times, decisions are entirely under the influence of our evolutionary baggage…

This means:

1. Employers Feel Decisions Before They Think Them:
   • Logic is NOT primary. Instincts and emotions are. When pitching an idea or presenting yourself, don’t rely solely on rational arguments or data. Decisions are made emotionally first, and logic is used later to justify those feelings. 
2. Dominance Hierarchies Are “The Most” Real
   • As far as your brain is concerned, it’s all a dominance hierarchy. Humans are deeply wired to navigate power structures. People in positions of authority demand deference, and colleagues assess you based on where you “rank” in competence and social value. (When was the last time your ideas were ignored because you weren’t a manager? Or an executive? Or a senior executive? Or on the board?…)
3. Trust Trumps Talent
   • A manager is more likely to promote someone they trust than someone who is objectively better at the job. This trust is built through repeated interactions and emotional connections, not just performance. It’s also a brain state – nothing mysterious, despite all the human values and stories stamped on it.

(Note: For the curious student, Stanford University’s lectures on Human Behavioral Biology are an excellent introduction to these subjects – if you have around 70 hours to spare, the recordings of the lectures are full of invaluable insights.)

Part 3: Strategies To Influence The Primate Brain

Now that you have some cursory understanding of the primate brain that operates corporate halls, let’s get practical…

Whether you’re trying to get a great job, secure a promotion, or push a project forward, influencing others’ decisions is crucial. And while trust is ideal, you don’t always have the luxury of time.

Here’s how to shortcut the process and align the primal brain with your goals…

(Again, ideally, you do this through building trust over time, with keen awareness of the pecking order, and massaging the instinctive and emotional parts of their mind before getting their rationality on board. But sometimes, you just have to play a different game. And where there is a will, there are ways…)

Resumes Don’t Win Jobs – Perception Does

Your resume might get you an interview, but it’s the emotional impact you have that seals the deal. Hiring decisions, promotions, and project assignments are rarely made on logic alone. The primate brain is wired to prioritize gut feelings, social status, and personal biases over facts. Thus, focusing on how you’re perceived – your charisma, energy, and rapport – needs to become primary.

Keep this in mind across all interactions.

Anchoring Bias: Control the Perception of Your Worth

The first impression sets the stage. Anchoring bias means that the initial piece of information you present becomes the frame through which all subsequent information is viewed.

If you position yourself as a competent, in-demand, recognized, or a high-value individual early on, whether in salary negotiations or in presenting your capabilities, that anchor will guide their perception of you moving forward. This is also part of the reason why titles have a disproportionate impact on your status in any corporate setting – people anchor to your title when they meet you.

Remember: First impressions matter disproportionately. Research by Ambady & Rosenthal (1992) found that we form judgments based on minimal information – “thin slices” – that are often predictive of future behavior. Your initial interaction – whether it’s a handshake, a short conversation, or even your body language – sets the tone for everything that follows.

And by everything, we mean EVERYTHING!

Make sure that your first impression is one of confidence, warmth, and competence. Once made, that first impression anchors all subsequent judgments.

Override Logic with Stories (Neural Coupling)

Human brains are built for stories. When you tell a compelling story about your experiences, challenges, and successes, you engage the emotional centers of the listener’s brain. This process can lead to what is known as neural coupling, which becomes the foundation of a shared social world.

The significance of this statement may not be clear, so let us be blunt: Stories (narrative structures) get people to see eye to eye. No story. No unified understanding. (Incidentally, this is why we teach our specific method for answering interview questions where how you deliver the answer is far more important than the specific answer.)

Confirmation Bias: Give Them What They Want

People look for information that confirms their existing beliefs. Every time you make a pitch or ask, align your pitch with their pre-existing desires. Sometimes this doesn’t even need to be logically coherent. Just relate what you want with what they want, even when it is nonsensical.

For instance: If your manager values innovation, you might say, “This project will allow us to become cutting-edge, aligning perfectly with your goal of leading the industry in innovation,” even if the project isn’t particularly groundbreaking, or innovative at all. It’s going through the motions that does 80% of the work.

Authority Bias: Collect Credibility Markers

Humans are conditioned to trust authority figures. While titles are the gold standard, you don’t need a title to leverage this principle – you can also position yourself as an expert or align yourself with recognized authorities that can increase your credibility.

Talent does not rub off. But authority does. Incidentally, this is why people give an arm and a leg to take selfies with celebrities, or to speak from the same podium famous people speak from – even when the speech is on a separate day!

Authority bias helps you appear more competent without needing to prove it.

Halo Effect: They Remember One Thing

Humans have terrible memories.

Which is why a single positive trait can overshadow all other, less favorable ones. Highlight one big achievement or quality that immediately lifts your overall perception. If you’re great in one area, others will unconsciously assume you’re also competent in others.

Of course, the halo effect can work against your favor too… If you are really bad at something, or you’ve had a humiliating public failure; it can be the primary thing they remember about you!

Therefore, the most important thing about shaping your reputation is making sure ONE positive credential, event, or quality about you is dominant in the minds of others over everything else.

Recency Effect: They Remember One Last Thing

Decisions are also influenced by the most recent information they’ve encountered.

Keep your latest accomplishments fresh in their minds, particularly in high-stakes moments like performance reviews or critical project decisions. The most recent success sticks longer than past failures. Similarly, the most recent failure sticks longer than past successes.

Make no mistake: Perception management is a dirty game. It’s politics. It’s also why politicians are like this… (Despite rigorous debate on the subject, they seem to be human too.)

“Like Me” Bias: Similarity Wins Over Differences

People favor others who share similar characteristics. Whether it’s a shared background, interest, or even speaking style, find ways to mirror your targets of influence.

You don’t need to bend over backwards, and you should definitely not lie (that’s a losing, expensive game.) But you should keep the importance of the “like me” bias in mind, especially when you’re building influence across status hierarchies.

It is worth noting: People subconsciously mirror those they feel connected to. This “mirroring” can be physical, verbal, or emotional. The reverse works too: By matching their tone, body language, or even word choice, you can build rapport and signal that you’re “like them.” (This primes their brain to trust you.)

Of course, this concept also expands into group dynamics… Where mirroring becomes priming.

Priming is about covertly suggesting you are a part of their “tribe.” This could mean referencing shared experiences, speaking the same jargon, or emphasizing common values. The more you can frame yourself as “one of us,” the more likely they are to see you as “like them”, and perceive you as aligned with their interests and goals.

Triggering Oxytocin with Warmth and Connection

Oxytocin can be triggered through warmth and genuine connection. This is why people instinctively trust those who show empathy, give genuine compliments, and engage in small gestures of kindness. (In fact, if you research interrogation tactics from military intelligence, which we will not link here, their findings clearly demonstrate that simple warmth and empathy wins over all other forms of enhanced interrogation.)

Remember: A handshake, making eye contact, or simply asking about someone’s day can trigger a trust response that gets their brain on your side quickly (Zak, 2011).

Managing Perceptions

Even the most well-intentioned behavior can be misinterpreted. The primate brain is quick to detect threats, so be mindful of how your actions can be perceived.

If you interrupt, seem dismissive, display impatience, or even look at someone the wrong way – you risk triggering their instinctive defensiveness… And regardless of their status, this can be bad.

Remember: Out in nature, primatologists will avoid making eye contact with the great apes, or they risk lethal violence. Imagine that mechanism and emotional drive… Imagine the emotive force where a simple eye contact can trigger an 800 pound gorilla to charge a human and rip them to pieces!

The same emotive triggers exist in our brains. It’s just not manifest in our behavior, inhibited by our neocortex, and kept below the conscious mind.

These details matter.

These details are the difference between a six figure and a seven figure income…

Takeaway 3 – The World Is An Illusion

The reality you perceive is not an absolute truth – it is a construct shaped by your brain’s interpretation of sensory input, which by it’s nature is flawed.

The brain filters and distorts information based on biases, experiences, and emotional states, creating a version of reality that serves its own survival and social needs. This means what you think is real may not be the whole picture.

It is not the whole picture.

Recognizing this is crucial, as it allows you to influence perception, craft narratives, and steer decisions by directing the way others see the world. It also highlights the importance of the cognitive shortcuts people use to shape their perception of reality.

1. Perception is Reality:
   • People don’t see the world as it is; they see it through a lens shaped by their experiences and biases.
2. Control Perception, Control Reality:
   • By shaping how others perceive information, you can influence their decisions and actions.
3. The Experience of “Truth” Is Subjective:
   • What people believe to be true may not align with reality, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful. In the dominance hierarchy our brains experience, truth is entirely subjective.

Part 4: Advanced Tactics For Career Dominance

What’s outlined above is more than enough to get you into a good upper management role…

But some of us are not content until we’re the king of our own hills… And if you’re also such a flawed individual… You can’t be content with just gaining influence. You also need to learn the art of dominance.

(Special note: Dominance need not take the form of abuse, putting others down, or even a hyper-masculine expression that modern culture understands it to be. From wit to charm, from legal acumen to your pocketbook, from kindness to loyal dedication – with the best or the worst of intentions alike – many modes of expression can be dominance. Dominance is having controlling influence over the minds of others.)

This, of course, inevitably gets into concepts like power and leverage, which you should learn from our other articles and media. And, to be clear, without an in depth explanation of these two concepts, we cannot completely explain the ways of dominance…

That being said… For our purposes here, we don’t need to. After all, this article is called “Getting Their Brain On Your Side” not “Under You”.

For now, just a little awareness of how dominance works is going to be plenty enough…

What is Dominance?

Dominance is about controlling the hierarchy, bending the rules of status, and making the system work for you.

While influence is subtle and collaborative, dominance is assertive and commanding.

Influence incorporates the intentions and wills of others. Dominance, overtakes them.

To achieve dominance, you must ultimately understand the dynamics of status, leverage and power.

Let’s dive into some of the very basic introductory concepts so that you can start to make sense of the corporate world.

Every Communication Is About Status

To start with, you need to unambiguously understand that everything is about status…

Every word you say, every email you send, and every gesture you make communicates something about your position in the hierarchy. Status isn’t just about your title either – it’s embedded in how you interact.

People unconsciously assign you a spot in the pecking order based on your behavior. For example, interruptions, tone of voice, and even your choice of words signal whether you’re dominant or subordinate. In every organization. In every room. In every interaction.

In the corporate world, status is fundamentally about power – who controls the conversation, who sets the agenda, and who others defer to – and has the legal right to do so. Generally speaking, the shareholder, or their representatives have this legal right.

Of course, this legal right does not always align with expressions of power in practice. Plus, our evolutionary baggage can get in the way and hijack status structures. All of these can be used to the professional’s advantage…

To increase your status, there’s a lot you can do…

Hierarchies and Status: Alpha Biases and Perception

(Special note: Do not get the word “alpha” tainted in your mind because “tainted” individuals are tossing the term around. Alpha means natural leader, subconsciously perceived and given authority to as a result of our evolutionary baggage. It has nothing to do with “mogging” others, rude behaviors, or looking like you belong to a criminal gang. Being “alpha” is an effect in the minds of others.)

The key to understanding status is that it isn’t earned – it’s perceived.

The big secret: this perception happens through signals.

Some of these signals that make people perceive you as a “natural leader”, like your height or depth of voice are not in much of your control. Others, such as your body language and tone of voice are. Work with what is in your control..

These signals – ranging from voice tone to body language – can and often do override logic and qualifications. You don’t need to formally hold power to command it; you just need to project it.

• Non-Verbal Alpha Signals: Voice tone, posture, and eye contact signal dominance. Stand tall, keep your movements controlled, and speak in a calm, authoritative tone.
• Visual Dominance: Dress with purpose. Power dressing isn’t about following trends – at all; it’s about clean, tailored clothing that commands respect without being flashy. There are archetypal tendencies built deep into our culture that can be leveraged in attire selection.
• Own the Space: When you walk into a room, claim your territory through confident gestures and positioning. Take space. Don’t fade into the background; make your presence known.

Playing the Status Game Intelligently

Career dominance is not just played on the spot. It is also a game of strategy and continued, reinforced behavior.

The key to play it effectively is to understand and create scarcity, and to position yourself as the “prize,” while manipulating perceptions of power.

• Be the Scarce Resource: People value what they perceive as rare. Create the impression that your time, skills, or expertise are limited. Say “no” (when you can and when it’s strategically appropriate) to enhance your perceived value. Also remember, all value is perceived value…
• Non-Reactive Power: Never overreact or appear desperate. A calm, measured response – especially in high-pressure situations – signals authority. Those who stay composed control the room. People naturally, subconsciously gravitate around minds who are in control.
• Be Seen In Charge: There are many ways to do this. One common technique is giving strategic praise. You can recognize others publicly to establish yourself as the leader. For instance, publicly complimenting a team member not only boosts morale but positions you as the dominant figure giving the recognition. (Hint: if such an act feels awkward, out of place and contrived, it means you being in charge is incongruent with your behavior and the status you’ve negotiated with your group’s subconscious minds. You can’t fake your way to status just by going through the motions. Your presence needs to hold weight and authority in the minds of the individuals in your dominance hierarchy.)

Informational Asymmetry: Owning the Advantage

Another tool in your arsenal is information…

Informational asymmetry is much of the basis of business. It is also a core component of corporate politics. Practically speaking, it is about possessing knowledge that others don’t and using it as leverage.

When you strategically share – or withhold – information, you position yourself as indispensable. In the workplace, this means becoming the person others rely on for clarity and solutions.

Scientifically, this taps into power dynamics as well: Those who control resources, including information, naturally rise in social hierarchies (Burt, 1992). By selectively controlling the flow of information and sharing key insights at the right moments, you dictate the flow of decisions and maintain the upper hand. (Hint: another case of dominance through wit.)

Here are some trivial examples that practically anyone can apply:

• Be the Gatekeeper: Only share the minimum viable knowledge needed to solve a problem, ensuring others depend on you for the full picture.
• Create Demand for Your Insights: Frame your knowledge as rare and valuable by emphasizing the exclusivity of your expertise.
• Control the Narrative: Present information in a way that aligns with your goals, highlighting what supports your agenda while downplaying irrelevant details. Remember: Every communication is a status game. And the best way to play that game is to tell stories (narrative structures), because they create shared social realities.

By mastering informational asymmetry, you move from being seen as a contributor to becoming a power broker in any professional setting.

Of course, there is a way to do it and become the target of endless hate. And another way to do it where you are loved and cherished. The amateurs take an aggressive stance, while the masters are carried to their corner offices…

Leveraging Fear and Loss Aversion

Fear is a great ally, especially to those interested in climbing the ranks of status…

Remember: The higher the stakes, the more fear drives decisions. The higher one sits, the more they have to fear.

In fact, in corporate hierarchies, fear of losing status is one of the most powerful motivators. Loss aversion also exploits the brain’s natural bias: The pain of losing is far greater than the pleasure of gaining (Tversky & Kahneman, 1991). You should, as default, present your ideas or solutions as safeguards against losses rather than opportunities for gains.

Of course, that’s just the beginning…

• Inflame Loss Aversion: Always frame your value in terms of what those above you in the hierarchy can stand to lose without you – be it credibility, time, or competitive edge. The more personal the loss, the better.
• Create Scarcity: Scarcity implies and leverages loss aversion. Position yourself and your contributions as rare opportunities. Make it evident that they can’t replace you or replicate your skills easily. (Make sure this actually is the case by becoming indispensable. Don’t inflame scarcity unless you are indispensable, or you may be made redundant – a corporation’s job is to make human resources interchangeable after all.)
• Amplify Urgency: People act when they believe opportunities are fleeting and the time to act is now. You must frame your contributions as rare or time-sensitive whenever possible. Emphasize now-or-never stakes to force quick action in your favor.

Understanding High-Stakes Psychology

Finally, it’s crucial that you understand the mindset of the status quo…

At the top levels, decisions are about protecting reputations, status, and hierarchy – ABOVE ALL ELSE.

At the top of corporate hierarchies, fear is the driving force behind decisions, not just for growth but for self-preservation. Sapolsky’s study on primate hierarchies shows that individuals at the top experience less chronic stress but are intensely protective of their status. (Higher-status primates tend to experience better health, including lower levels of chronic stress and reduced susceptibility to disease. Subordinates tend to suffer from chronic stress, which weakens the immune system and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health problems.)

Remember: For those above you, the fear of losing power fuels their decisions – meaning their primary concern isn’t value creation but maintaining their position. Let that sink in…

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Remember:

1. Status Is Fragile: Those at the top fear losing their position more than anything else.
2. The “Cover Your Back” Dynamic: Decision-makers often prioritize having a legitimate cover story to hedge against failure, so that the risks they take don’t come with responsibility.
3. Become the Shield: Be seen as necessary to avoid the loss of status or opportunity. Present yourself as a safety mechanism against risk to establish yourself as indispensable.

Takeaway 4 – Status is Everything

How people perceive your position determines how they interact with you, and this perception is constantly shaped by their own biases, fears, and assumptions. Whether you’re at the top or the bottom, the social order is defined by these constantly shifting perceptions, not objective truths.

You might recall, a wise man once said: “Nothing is true…”

In the world of dominance, the perception of status influences decision-making, behavior, and even health. If you can gain control over how others see your status – either by reinforcing your authority or by positioning yourself as indispensable – you can control the dynamics of the entire group.

1. Status is Fluid:
   • It’s not about your actual position, but how others perceive it. While there is a legal as well as monetary basis to status in corporate hierarchies, most status interactions do not involve actual voting shareholders, and therefore, are played in a much more fluid environment.
2. Everything is a Status Game:
   • Every single interaction can be interpreted as a status game. Same goes for every relationship in the professional world.
3. Control the Perception of Status:
   • De-facto status (informal status, as opposed to de-jure status granted through legal means such as ownership) is not real. It’s not earned. It is perceived.

Conclusion

Little more needs to be said beyond what’s already said…

Your success in the corporate world doesn’t just depend on your technical skills or qualifications – it depends on your ability to “get their brain on your side.”

Remember: In a system where the status quo is often preserved through tribal loyalty and entrenched hierarchies, many people’s minds are not working in their own favor but in support of existing power structures…

And those power structures don’t have your best interest at heart! Not by a long shot!

In fact, the corporate world is an unjust, unfair and unintelligent world of neo-liberalism gone out of control, filled with nepotism and cronyism every corner you turn…

At least, with this article read, you now have a choice in how you play this game…

Start by getting your own brain on your side.

Then get their brain on your side.

In this process, “your side” doesn’t need to be just your side as an individual, but it can also be “yours” as a group. It can be in your group’s interest…

By understanding and leveraging the psychological forces that shape decisions, you can help build a more equitable system where individuals from all backgrounds can rise, innovate, and achieve success.

Learn to get their brain on your side, and together, you can create a workforce that thrives, prioritizes fairness, stability and genuine sustainability.

A workforce that empowers others to take control of their futures.

It all starts with getting their brain on your side.