Decisions That Count

Do your words create clarity—or more noise? In this episode of Decisions That Count, neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and biotech CMO/ marathoner Michelle O’Brien sit down with Charles Byrne, Director General of the English-Speaking Union, to unpack oracy—the science and soul of speaking and listening well—and how it reduces decision fatigue, sharpens cognitive clarity, and elevates real-world influence.You’ll learn how presence, breath, and active listening change the brain’s decision systems, why silence is a performance tool, and what practical oracy drills you can use today to cut through cognitive overload—at work, in leadership, in high-stakes conversations, and at home.What You'll Learn:Why oracy is as crucial as literacy and numeracy for modern leadershipHow active listening improves judgment and reduces costly miscommunicationThe link between cognitive overload, poor decisions, and weakened team dynamicsWhy silence and breath reset the brain and boost clarity under pressureStorytelling as a trust and influence multiplierSimple, repeatable oracy exercises to apply before your next big conversationCharles Byrne — Director General, English-Speaking Union (ESU). A cross-sector leader and oracy champion dedicated to empowering people through speaking and listening. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesbbyrne/ ESU: https://www.esu.org/our-staff/charles-byrne/00:00 Introduction05:04 The Impact of Poor Communication on Decision-Making09:48 Generational Shifts in Communication Skills14:57 The Importance of Listening and Silence19:58 Navigating Difficult Decisions in Leadership27:31 Navigating Job Redundancies and Personal Impact30:27 Cognitive Overload and Decision-Making Strategies32:59 The Power of Decision Lists36:12 Understanding Mental Load in Decision-Making39:09 The Importance of Communication and Connection44:11 Mindfulness and Presence in Decision-MakingDecisions That Count helps you master the science of decision-making to overcome decision fatigue and reach peak performance. Hosted by Dr. Shawn Watson and Michelle O’Brien, we translate neuroscience into actionable strategies for focus, mental clarity, productivity, mindfulness, biohacking, and resilience—across gaming, business, athletics, academics, and everyday life.Hosts: Dr. Shawn Watson – Neuroscientist & Founder Michelle O’Brien – Marketer, Mum, Marathon Runner👇 Let’s Continue the Conversation What resonated most with you? Have you experienced decision fatigue in your role? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know how you manage high-pressure choices.🎧 Listen & Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📱 Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠💡 If you found this episode helpful, like, comment, and subscribe. Share it with someone who could use a reset on how they make decisions. Let’s build better brains together—one choice at a time.Your decisions shape your life. Make every decision count.#DecisionFatigue #Resilience #Perseverance #DecisionMaking #Neuroscience #PeakPerformance #MentalStrength #Mindfulness #Coaching #OvercomingAdversity

Is empathy disappearing in today’s high-pressure workplaces — or are our brains simply overloaded?In this episode of Decisions That Count, neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and biotech CMO Michelle O’Brien sit down with Mimi Nicklin, global thought leader on organisational empathy and founder of Empathy Everywhere, to explore a powerful question:👉 Is cognitive overload quietly eroding our ability to lead with empathy?As leaders face thousands of decisions every day, the brain’s cognitive resources are pushed to their limits. When decision fatigue sets in, empathy, emotional intelligence, and human connection can become unintended casualties.Together, they unpack the neuroscience behind empathy, the real impact of decision fatigue in leadership, and why protecting your cognitive energy may be the key to better decisions, stronger teams, and healthier workplaces.This conversation sits at the heart of what Decisions That Count is all about — understanding the science of decision-making and the deeper human impact of the choices we make every day.Key Insights From This Episode🧠 The neuroscience of empathy and decision fatigueHow cognitive overload affects the brain’s executive functions and why empathy may decline when mental resources are depleted.⚡ Why empathy isn’t a “soft skill”Mimi explains why empathy is a learnable cognitive skill that drives performance, engagement, and leadership effectiveness.📉 The empathy crisis in modern workplacesResearch suggests empathy has declined dramatically in recent decades — and what that means for culture, performance, and wellbeing.👥 Why connection drives human performanceFrom neuroscience to workplace data, we explore why people perform better when they feel understood and valued.🛠 Practical ways leaders can protect empathySimple leadership protocols to reduce cognitive overload and make better people-impacting decisions.About Our GuestMimi Nicklin is a global expert on organisational empathy and the founder of Empathy Everywhere, a movement dedicated to reconnecting the human race through better listening and understanding. She works with leaders and organisations worldwide to translate empathy into practical frameworks that improve culture, performance, and decision-making.About the PodcastDecisions That Count explores the science of decision fatigue and human performance.Hosted by Dr. Shawn Watson (Neuroscientist) and Michelle O’Brien (Biotech CMO, marathon runner, and mum), the podcast sits at the intersection of brain science and human potential.Each episode features leaders, athletes, entrepreneurs, and experts sharing how they manage cognitive overload, sharpen focus, and make better decisions in high-stakes environments.Because when you understand how your brain works, you can make every decision count.Follow & Listen🎧 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0ORNyRJW3k2RNSp41sNUD0🍎 Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decisions-that-count/id1796794128📺 YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@DecisionsThatCount📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/DecisionsThatCount🎵 TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@decisionsthatcount💼 LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/decisions-that-count-podcast/👍 If this episode made you think differently about empathy, leadership, and decision-making:• Like the video• Subscribe to the channel• Share this episode with a leader or colleagueAnd remember — protecting your decisions is how we stay human.Because every choice we make has ripple effects.Make every decision count.

Are we expecting children to make decisions their brains aren’t ready for?In this episode of Decisions That Count, neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and co-host Michelle O’Brien sit down with Dr. Emma Waddington, Clinical Psychologist and founder based in Singapore, to explore how children actually learn to make decisions—and why many parenting strategies unintentionally create decision fatigue, anxiety, and cognitive overload.Dr. Emma shares powerful insights from developmental psychology and neuroscience, revealing that children don’t simply need better discipline—they need decision support that matches their brain development.From toddlers to teenagers, this conversation explores how parents can build autonomy, emotional regulation, and psychological resilience while avoiding the common traps of over-control, over-scheduling, and unrealistic expectations.If you’re a parent, educator, leader, or anyone interested in brain science, decision-making, and human potential, this episode will completely reframe how you think about children’s choices.🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode✔️ Why children aren’t “bad decision makers” — they’re developmentally appropriate ones✔️ How decision-making evolves as the brain develops✔️ The role of emotional regulation before logic even comes online✔️ How to support better decisions in toddlers, kids, and teenagers✔️ Why experience teaches better than rules✔️ How modern academic pressure and cognitive overload affect children’s mental health✔️ The hidden dangers of achievement culture and overscheduling✔️ How neurodivergent children (ADHD, autism) experience decision fatigue differently✔️ Practical strategies to reduce decision overload at home while building independenceKey TakeawaysChildren build decision-making skills through experience, not controlParents should focus on guiding decisions instead of dictating themAutonomy, competence, and connection are the foundations of confident childrenToo many expectations can create anxiety, stress, and cognitive overloadThe goal isn’t perfect parenting—it’s helping children learn, adapt, and growAbout the PodcastDecisions That Count explores the science of decision fatigue and cognitive overload, and how our daily choices shape performance, wellbeing, and success.Hosted by Dr. Shawn Watson, neuroscientist and entrepreneur, and Michelle O’Brien, biotech CMO, mum, and marathon runner, the podcast blends brain science with real-life experience to help you make better decisions with clarity and confidence.Whether you’re a leader, athlete, entrepreneur, parent, or student, you’ll gain tools to improve mental clarity, focus, resilience, and peak performance.Follow & Listen🎧 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0ORNyRJW3k2RNSp41sNUD0🍎 Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decisions-that-count/id1796794128📺 YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@DecisionsThatCount📱 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/DecisionsThatCount🎵 TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@decisionsthatcount💼 LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/decisions-that-count-podcast/Subscribe for Weekly EpisodesIf you want to understand the science of decision-making, brain optimization, focus, productivity, and mental resilience, subscribe to Decisions That Count for weekly conversations with experts, athletes, entrepreneurs, and high-stakes decision makers.👉 Subscribe, like, and share this episode with someone raising the next generation of decision makers.Because better decisions don’t just shape our lives—they shape the world.

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Watson (neuroscientist + entrepreneur) and Michelle O’Brien (Biotech CMO, mum, marathon runner) sit down with Leah Stockley — organisational psychologist, speaker, writer, and co-founder of Let’s Flow — to explore why so many leaders feel stuck, exhausted, and overwhelmed… and why it’s not a personal failing.Core truth: Leaders aren’t failing because they lack capability — they’re getting crushed by systems that overload decisions and block meaningful progress.If you’ve ever felt like work is harder than it “should” be, this conversation will land.What you’ll learn in this episode: • Why leadership overwhelm is often a systems problem, not a motivation problem • Leah’s ACT Leadership System: Aspire, Collaborate, Thrive - a human-centred approach to restoring clarity and momentum without adding pressure • The two biggest drivers of decision fatigue: • The sheer number of decisions you make • The emotional weight attached to those decisions • Why “clearing your inbox first” can be the worst way to structure your day (and what to do instead) • A practical shift: swap your to-do list for a Decision List - and protect your best brainpower for your most important decisions • What healthy cultures do differently: how trust, clarity, autonomy, and capability create teams that thrive (especially in startups and fast-growth environments)🧠 Keywords for this episodedecision fatigue, cognitive overload, leadership systems, organisational psychology, decision-making, neuroscience, peak performance, mental clarity, productivity, focus, stress management, burnout prevention, culture building, AI and leadership, leadership strategy, high-stakes decision makers, cognitive performance⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction01:05 Meet Leah Stockley + why she left corporate03:05 Why startups have a “blank slate” advantage05:10 The ACT Leadership System (Aspire, Collaborate, Thrive)08:05 What’s breaking leaders today: clarity, authority, overload11:20 Why “too much work” creates toxic cultures14:40 AI at work: opportunity vs fear (and what leaders miss)18:20 The 3 psychological needs at work: connection, autonomy, capability22:05 Culture in remote/global teams (without pointless meetings)26:30 Generational expectations + working agreements that actually work30:10 Measuring success: science + soul (and what “better decisions” means)35:10 Decision fatigue: what it is + why it’s physiological39:05 The 2 drivers of decision fatigue (quantity + emotion)43:30 The “Decision List” (why your to-do list is hurting you)47:10 Why communication drops when fatigue hits (team performance insight)50:05 Wrap-up + Leah’s book Momentum (Q3)51:10 Make every decision count — closing👤 About Our Guest: Leah StockleyLeah Stockley is an organisational psychologist with 35+ years across leadership, technology, transformation, and large-scale change. She helps senior leaders break through inertia inside systems that reward speed over sustainability — so people and organisations can thrive.🌐 Let’s Flow: www.letsflow.sg🔗 Leah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahstockley/📚 Book in progress: Momentum: Small Steps Lead to Big Impact (expected Q3)👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on decision fatigue, cognitive performance, and real-world tools for better decision-making.💬 Comment below: What’s one decision you’ll protect your energy for this week?⭐ And if you know a leader, founder, or high-performer who’s running on fumes — share this episode with them.Follow + listen: • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DecisionsThatCount • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decisions-that-count/id1796794128 • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ORNyRJW3k2RNSp41sNUD0 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DecisionsThatCount • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@decisionsthatcount • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/decisions-that-count-podcast/

In this episode of Decisions That Count, Dr. Shawn Watson (neuroscientist) and Michelle O’Brien (Biotech CMO, mum, marathon runner) sit down with Vera Siertsema - senior AI and digital transformation leader at Microsoft ASEAN and host of the State of Mind podcast — to unpack a question every leader, parent, and high-performer is facing right now:AI is accelerating decision-making… but are we designing it in a way that reduces cognitive overload - or quietly amplifies burnout, bias, and bad calls?From responsible AI and accountability to AI-assisted parenting and decision clarity, this conversation lives at the intersection of Science + Soul - and gives you practical ways to stay human-centred in an AI-driven world.🎧 What You’ll Learn:✅ Why accountability can’t be outsourced: AI doesn’t carry responsibility - people and organisations do.✅ Responsible AI principles leaders need to know: fairness, inclusion, transparency, and “who’s accountable when something goes wrong?”✅ The real decision fatigue risk with AI: faster tasks can mean compressed decisions - and decision quality can drop as volume rises.✅ A smarter framework for adopting AI at work: prioritise use cases by risk vs human value, not hype.✅ How to use AI to reduce pressure (not add it): shift from “more output” to “better wellbeing + better decisions.”✅ AI and kids: how Vera and the hosts think about boundaries, critical thinking, and raising conscious AI users.🧠 Episode Theme: Decision-Making in the Age of AIAI can be a cognitive exoskeleton… or a cognitive amplifier of overwhelm. Vera shares what she’s seeing across ASEAN organisations — where leaders get stuck, how they decide where to start, and why human-centred leadership is the difference between transformation and burnout.If you’ve ever wondered: • Should I trust AI with high-stakes decisions? • How do I adopt AI responsibly in my team or business? • How do I protect my attention when information is infinite?…this one’s for you.📌 Connect + Follow▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DecisionsThatCount🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decisions-that-count/id1796794128🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ORNyRJW3k2RNSp41sNUD0📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DecisionsThatCount🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@decisionsthatcount💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/decisions-that_count-podcast/Connect with Vera Siertsema:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verasiertsemaPodcast: State of Mind (search on your favourite platform)🔑 Keywordsdecision fatigue, cognitive overload, decision-making, neuroscience, responsible AI, ethical AI, human-centred leadership, AI transformation, Microsoft ASEAN, productivity, mental clarity, focus, burnout prevention, stress management, peak performance, cognitive function, brain optimisation, habit formation, mindfulness, AI agents, leadership in the age of AI, digital transformation, parenting with AIIf this episode helped you think more clearly about AI, accountability, and decision fatigue, hit Subscribe, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share this with a leader, parent, or teammate who’s feeling the cognitive squeeze.#DecisionsThatCount #DecisionFatigue #DecisionMaking #CognitiveOverload #Neuroscience #PeakPerformance #MentalClarity #ArtificialIntelligence #ResponsibleAI #EthicalAI #HumanCenteredAI #AILeadership #DigitalTransformation #AIInBusiness #FutureOfWork #AITransformation #AIAccountability #CognitivePerformance #MentalResilience #Productivity #BurnoutPrevention #StressManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #VeraSiertsema #MicrosoftASEAN #WomenInTech #AIAndLeadership