The Unseen Conflict: Why Great Leaders Must Let Go (with Mark Stringer)

Decision fatigue isn’t just about too many choices—it’s the identity drag that leaders carry as they evolve. In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and Biotech CMO Michelle O’Brien sit down with Mark Stringer—Chair of award-winning creative agency PrettyGreen and Co-Founder/CMO of climate platform Skoot—to unpack how shifting identity, ego, and team dynamics shape high-stakes decision-making. We blend neuroscience and real-world leadership to help you protect cognitive energy, reduce cognitive overload, and make decisions that reflect who you’re becoming, not just who you’ve been.

What you’ll learn (fast):

• Identity vs. decision quality: Why clinging to an old role burns mental energy and fuels decision fatigue.
  
• Default styles under load: The neuroscience behind “decide fast” vs. “delay the decision” when your brain is overwhelmed.
  
• Cognitive choreography: How to schedule creative work and decisive moments for peak performance.
  
• Better breaks, better brains: “No-phone nature breaks” to restore focus, creativity, and team cohesion.
  
• Team design for clarity: Pairing high-velocity founders with process-driven “cogs” to reduce friction and increase productivity.
  
• AI & critical thinking: How over-outsourcing to AI can erode judgment—and how to keep wisdom in the loop.
  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Identity Clash in Leadership Roles

03:32 Transitioning from Doer to Coach

06:45 Emotional Engagement in Decision Making

09:41 The Value of Diverse Decision-Making Styles

13:10 Letting Go of Control as a Founder

16:04 Understanding Decision Fatigue

22:08 The Physiology of Decision Making

23:58 The Timing of Creativity and Decision Making

27:10 The Importance of Breaks for Creativity

30:52 Nature's Role in Cognitive Function

32:30 Walking Meetings and Their Benefits

34:10 The Challenge of Modern Decision Making

37:00 The Impact of Social Media on Decision Fatigue

39:00 Navigating the Complexity of Marketing Decisions

41:10 The Role of AI in Decision Making

45:19 The Trust Factor: AI vs Human Intuition

About our guest — Mark Stringer

Chair of PrettyGreen (Snap, Nando’s, Pantene, Hasbro, Audible) and Co-Founder/CMO of Skoot, helping businesses and communities remove their carbon footprint. Mark brings hard-won leadership insight from creative, climate, and growth arenas.

Follow Mark

PrettyGreen: https://itsprettygreen.com/who-we-are/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/strings/

About the show

Decisions That Count—where The Science & The Soul meet. Dr. Shawn breaks down the neuroscience of decision-making, cognitive overload, and brain optimization; Michelle brings the real-world lens—leadership, athletics, parenting, and performance—so you can act with clarity and conviction.

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If this episode helped you see your leadership differently, subscribe, like, and share it with someone navigating big decisions. Drop your biggest insight or question in the comments—we read and reply.

#DecisionsThatCount #DecisionFatigue #Neuroscience #Leadership #CognitivePerformance #PeakPerformance #Productivity #CreativeLeadership

decision fatigue, cognitive overload, neuroscience, decision-making, leadership, peak performance, mental clarity, focus, productivity, creative strategy, team dynamics, habit formation, stress management, biohacking, marketing decisions, AI and critical thinking, brain optimization, executive function, resilience.