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Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career

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Few people really understand their own minds or the minds of others.

Over the past decade, there has been increasing attention to what psychology can teach us about work. Research has focused on improving decision-making practices, influencing colleagues, and effective thinking. The problem is, general-interest books on these topics typically include only a smattering of business and career examples, tantalizing readers without providing real, constructive help.

Bring Your Brain to Work changes all that, bringing current cognitive science insight to specific workplace challenges. The book focuses on three elements of success: getting a job, excelling at work, and finding your next position. Professor, author, and popular radio host Art Markman expertly illustrates how cognitive science brings important perspective and insight to each of these elements.

To get a job, prospective employees must understand how employers make decisions when their offices are inundated with resumes. They need to master the practice of getting noticed in this environment and to know how, in an interview situation, to come across as exactly the individual a company wants to hire.

To keep that job, it's critical to understand the basics of mental flexibility. The most successful people in any job are the ones who master the mental challenge of learning every day, and who continuously nurture and develop relationships with colleagues and bosses.

Finally, careers require constant development. At some point, it's crucial to move up or move out, and preparing yourself to do this successfully means addressing a special set of cognitive challenges.

Integrating the latest research with engaging stories and examples from across the professional spectrum, Bring Your Brain to Work will help readers understand themselves and the people around them, providing evidence-based insight and advice on three crucial aspects of success.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published June 11, 2019

90 people are currently reading
828 people want to read

About the author

Art Markman

16 books104 followers
Art Markman is a professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and is one of the premier cognitive scientists in the field. He served as director of the program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations. Now, Art is Executive Director of the IC2 Institute. Art's research explores a variety of topics in thinking including how people use analogies, make decisions, communicate, and get motivated. He also consults to companies teaching their employees to think more effectively. That work is central to his books Smart Thinking, Smart Change, Brain Briefs, and Habits of Leadership. His newest book is Bring Your Brain to Work. When Art is not working or spending time with his family, he is playing the saxophone in a band.

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
2 reviews
July 8, 2019
Got to this via a great podcast interview. The book is an easy read, good structure and good takeaways. I found separating the brain (into motivation, social. and cognitive) and grouping the takeaways in each a little contrived - but the tips from each chapter are very helpful. Other books cover many of these topics in more detail (e.g. Negotiation - Getting to Yes) but the book does a great job summarizing up a lot of this research into useful actionable tips.
16 reviews
February 1, 2020
An interesting premise of looking at work and careers through psychology and a good goal of providing constructive help. However, the premise doesn't last long and is almost entirely abandoned in Part 2 where it turns into your average list of work and business tips.
The three sections cover a wide range of topics, but ultimately are so time-specific that only one will likely be most relevant at any given time.
Lastly, each section feels like a blog post with specific tips for specific situations. A blog would be better format so you could at least search for the specific tip at the time you need it rather than reading everything and hoping you recall the advice when it becomes relevant in the future.
Profile Image for Marcus Goncalves.
818 reviews6 followers
June 25, 2019
A great career help resource, especially for young professionals. I tend to advise lots of students as they prepare to graduate. This book can be an ideal resource to them, and anyone developing or managing their career. The author writes about three aspects of the brain: Social-helps you deal with your co-workers. Motivational-what drives you. Cognitive-how you make decisions.
Profile Image for Christina.
1 review2 followers
September 24, 2019
This book contains no original thoughts, and the proclaimed ‘cognitive’ approach is a complete lie. What an absolute waste of time and money.
Profile Image for Steve Brock.
653 reviews67 followers
July 2, 2019
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 5/12, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet. You can find me at http://forums.delphiforums.com/stevo1, on my Stevo's Novel Ideas Amazon Influencer page (https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747) or search for me on Google for many more reviews and recommendations.

This book was a Best of the Best for the month of July, 2019, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet. You can find me at http://forums.delphiforums.com/stevo1, on my Stevo's Novel Ideas Amazon Influencer page (https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747) or search for me on Google for many more reviews and recommendations.
Profile Image for Darya.
765 reviews22 followers
May 30, 2019
This one of those greatly motivational and engaging books that help to learn self. What is cognitive science? It is combination of knowledge in technology, psychology, neuroscience and a lot of other great fields. This book is a guide to building your strengths and learn more about succeeding in career path.
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.2k reviews165 followers
May 19, 2019
This book is very useful if you are working and want to improve your performance or you want to find a new job.
It's well written, full of interesting fact and advice.
It's one of those you book you can use as a reference for solving a situation or giving your best.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Profile Image for Cesar A. Ruiz.
30 reviews3 followers
August 5, 2020
Cuando vemos un libro con este tipo de título y que está respaldado por HBR definitivo no hace que pensemos que es una buena opción de lectura para estos momentos de encierro. Conforme lo vamos leyendo caemos en la realidad que el autor es una persona con una buena trayectoria en psicología y con las licencias para poder darnos buenos consejos de cómo construir una carrera.

Para simplificar las ideas y el análisis que Art nos plantea, divide el cerebro en tres partes: social, motivador y cognitivo. El cerebro motivador es lo que hace que hagamos las cosas o que las evitemos, el social nos ayuda a interactuar con las personas y el cognitivo es el que nos permite tomar decisiones, comunicarnos y razonar conceptos complejos.

El libro está dividido en tres partes pues son las etapas en las que una persona puede desarrollar su carrera, pues nos lleva desde el momento en el que comenzamos a buscar un empleo terminando la universidad, el cómo debemos de crecer en la empresa y como se un buen director.

Lo primero que nos ayuda a explorar es algo que puede ser muy complejo para alguien recién egresado, pues busca que nos enfoquemos en nuestro llamado o nuestra vocación para que nuestra vida tenga un propósito y esto casi siempre lo podemos ver en el servicio que le podemos dar a los demás. Entre más impacto positivo tenga nuestra carrera en la sociedad más fácil será para nosotros realizar el trabajo pues la gente puede llegar a amar casi cualquier trabajo. Otro punto que debemos de tomar en cuenta al momento de decidir entre un trabajo y otro es si este está alineado con nuestros valores y debemos de ser conscientes que los valores cambian en el tiempo.

En la selección de nuestro primer trabajo tenemos que tomar en cuenta el tipo de empresa en la que nos queremos desempeñar, pues en muchas ocasiones esto es más importante que el trabajo que vamos a realizar. Es sumamente importante poder estructurar una serie de preguntas que debemos de ir realizando en nuestro proceso de entrevistas para conocer si la cultura en la que trabaja esta empresa hace sentido con nosotros y nuestras expectativas. Art nos ayuda a estructurar estos pensamientos y a prepararnos para las entrevistas y las negociaciones que debemos de tener al momento de buscar un trabajo al principio de nuestras carreras.

En la segunda parte del libro Art nos habla de cómo debemos de trabajar pues esto es la clave para tener una carrera exitosa. Ve que hay varias cosas que debemos de desarrollar en nuestra carrera y estas son la habilidad de aprender, ser buenos comunicándonos, ser productivos con referencia a los objetivos de la empresa y poder ser líderes.

Aprender parece ser que es algo más sencillo de los que en realidad es pues toda nuestra vida hemos aprendido de una forma en la cual las empresas no aprenden, nuestro aprendizaje se basa en no equivocarnos y en la empresa el mejor aprendizaje viene de la capacidad de comprender nuestros errores y no volver a repetirlos. un punto importante que debemos de tomar en cuenta es que el aprendizaje puede venir de diferentes fuentes: internet, universidades, mentores, coaches, etc. lo que debemos de comprender es que es sumamente importante comprender cuales son nuestras áreas de oportunidad.

En cuanto se refiere a la comunicación Art nos sugiere que seamos lo más claros y directos posibles pues ha detectado que hay un par de problemas en las empresas que suceden comúnmente el primero es que las personas asumen que escriben bien y por lo mismo cada individuo interpreta la información a su manera por eso sugiere que la mayor parte de la comunicación sea verbal y que evitemos la comunicación escrita. El segundo problema que detecta es que muy pocas personas son capaces de llevar una conversación difícil ser capaces de dar retroalimentaciones en el momento y/o dar malas noticias debe de ser lo más rápido posible para que los problemas sean menores y evitemos malentendidos.

Algo que debemos de tomar en cuenta en nuestro trabajo es la productividad y esto que significa. ¿Cuántas veces hemos visto personas sumamente ocupadas, pero poco productivas? Esa es la primera diferencia que debemos de comprender o cuestionarnos al hacer nuestro trabajo pues es sumamente diferente y los resultados que se obtienen son opuestos. Para ser productivos debemos de voltear primero a ver cómo es que estamos física, mental y emocionalmente, pues esta es la base de nuestra productividad. Posteriormente comprender como es que trabajamos mejor y finalmente qué valores y objetivos trascendentales tiene nuestra empresa.

Aprender a liderear es un arte y como todo arte este se va aprendiendo y modulando a nuestra personalidad y objetivos, estudiando y practicando. Así podremos determinar qué, cómo, cuándo y a quien le podemos delegar cierta actividad, el tipo de retroalimentación que debemos de dar y la cantidad y calidad de innovación que nuestro equipo debe de realizar. Otro punto básico dentro del liderazgo es nuestra comunicación pues esta debe de ser clara y breve para que el equipo la pueda comprender y ejecutar, pero al mismo tiempo resolver la mayor parte de las dudas. Algo que Art comenta que personalmente creo que es la base de cualquier líder es la autenticidad del líder y aún más importante su comportamiento ético ante cualquier situación. Recordemos que un líder es un ejemplo, no un puesto.

Ahora que sabemos cómo debemos desenvolvernos en una compañía, el siguiente paso y el final en el libro es crecer y a donde seguir creciendo. La respuesta no está en la empresa, sino en nosotros mismos, debemos preguntarnos en donde nos vemos, el tipo de vida que queremos llevar y los que estamos dispuestos a sacrificar; esta será nuestra brújula de hacia dónde movernos. Ya que respondimos estas preguntas, la siguiente a resolver es si la empresa y la posición en la que nos encontramos nos da o dará los resultados que estamos buscando, recordando que no hay ganancia sin sacrificio, así es que si queremos obtener algo más es muy probable que sacrifiquemos ciertas cosas y este tipo de decisiones solo las podemos hacer a través de la reflexión. Es importante mencionar que en algunos casos lo movimientos no pueden ser dentro de la empresa en la que nos encontramos, pues los sacrificios que invertimos no darán los resultados buscados, así es que debemos de buscar fuera.

Algo muy interesante de lo que Art comenta es que en el momento en el que evaluamos nuestra carrera, solemos ser muy duros pues lo hacemos en contra de otras personas y esto nos nubla de lo que realmente hemos recorrido y lo que hemos crecido. La evaluación debe de ser interna, de cómo hemos crecido y en lo que hemos fallado.

.
Profile Image for Paula Brand.
Author 2 books
June 19, 2020
I first learned about Art Markman when I shared one of his posts in my newsletter. It was around the same time as Bring Your Brain to Work was being released. I reached out to him and he was approachable and responsive, so I thought I’d give his newest book a read.

As a career professional, I agree with his premise that most people don’t think about their careers based on psychology research. I always say that with careers, common sense isn’t common to everyone. The book offers practical tips on managing your career based on cognitive science research. It explains the ins and outs of why things work the way they do in the workplace. I really appreciated reading this book because it validated a lot of information that I share with my clients.

There is so much useful information in this book but it’s easy to read. The book is divided into the three phases of a career: getting a job, succeeding in it and transitioning to the next gig and uses brain science to explain the why and how of excelling in those areas. All of the advice shared is broken down into the part of your brain connected to it (motivational, social and cognitive).

I highly recommend reading this book if you want to better manage your career (or you help others with theirs). The book was an enjoyable read (even though it’s academic based). The author writes well and as a side note, throughout the book the author makes clever analogies to playing jazz.
Profile Image for Greg Hawod.
378 reviews
June 23, 2019
This book, Bring Your Brain to Work by Art Markman, brings fresh perspective on everyone’s career journey. It teaches principles in behavioral science and psychology that apply on how we search and get a job, how to succeed at work, and how we manage our careers.

The most valuable part I’ve learned here is on how to suceed at work. The chapters on learning, commujicating, producing results, and leading all provide useful tips on how our brains deal with the challenges in the workplace.

This book will also be of value to those who are looking for work. I’ve learned how to find opportunities that align with my values.

Lastly, even though just a few sentences in the book, I like the reminder of Art’s mom for him to keep a diary when he was a kid. The author found it valuable to see how his perspective changed.

Profile Image for Sora.
63 reviews3 followers
June 27, 2021
Not bad. This is a good book for just graduated people or just starting to develop a career or someone who is not so clear how to do so (a person maybe working for long term but without advancing in the career) . Even though is written in a simple way which is good to point out the basic idea, I think is missing more details about the "studies" mentioned in the book to support the cognitive science behind. What I dislike about this book is the coaching and the "at least you may like your job" taste in it, even in the last page. I do not think there is nothing wrong to feel good because it is Friday and you can be detached from your work life two days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Brandon.
77 reviews1 follower
March 19, 2020
You get some pieces of advice and think "yeah, that's obvious!". What you need to ask yourself is: would I have thought about it if someone hadn't said it? Would I have the mental models to think this way?

This book is full practical advice. I generally don't like the fable style of story telling being used as evidence for its practicality. In this case, it is combined with enough science to support the text.
Profile Image for Lesley Cara.
22 reviews
May 27, 2025
Been opening this and putting it off since 2023. I finally committed and am so glad I did. I know that some of the discussions here are basic, especially if you’ve been in corporate for a long time, but to have it written down like a guide has been useful.

This book is best if you are on your way to your first job, if you’ve suffered a job loss, resignation, or just trying to find meaning in between your work.
Profile Image for Hollie-Mystery Girl 27.
96 reviews6 followers
June 16, 2019
This book is a refreshing way to look at career help. The author writes about three aspects of the brain: Social-helps you deal with your co-workers. Motivational-what drives you. Cognitive-how you make decisions. I like how each chapter ends with takeaways focusing on each aspect of the brain. If you are looking for a fresh approach to job searching definitely read this book.
Profile Image for Arun Narayanaswamy.
475 reviews6 followers
October 13, 2023
The content of this book is really sprayed with different kinds of information.
Though some of it is relevant, a lot goes more broad than in any depth.
The title of the book and the eventual content do not relate cohesively.
This book talks about how to go ahead with your career and various aspects of your career from early days to sort off retirement.
Not a book that I would recommend
1 review
July 15, 2019
Echoing the other reviews, this book is probably ideal for recent grads. That being said, it is a great articulation of what we often just describe as "experience" and I will be better equipped whenever asked for advice on building a career.
Profile Image for Roxana Sabau.
247 reviews9 followers
October 30, 2023
The information in itself was kinda basic but it was well structured. Would definitely recommend it to a college student or fresh grad who's looking to find some clarity when it comes to the workplace and job market.
Profile Image for Cristie Underwood.
2,270 reviews63 followers
June 18, 2019
Great advice to help you reach your full potential. The book was written in language that was easy to follow and that can be broken into small pieces.
1 review
Read
August 28, 2019
i wanna be strong at employment market
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
596 reviews
did-not-finish
December 12, 2022
DNF at 30%

recommend if you're at the start of your career but I've read too many blogs / books about careers already
Profile Image for Ning Kit.
4 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2019
This may not be my book as I've been in work place for one and a half decade, but I'm sure this is a good guilding book for people who are new in their career, as the book provide solid and clear suggestion on how to think and make decision.
Profile Image for Acordul Fin.
520 reviews188 followers
January 2, 2024
Common sense tips about things you find out on your own if you've been in the workforce for a while.

These are not rooted in scientific research but rather reflect common business practices commonly observed in the corporate world. The author even acknowledges that the topic of neuroscience is currently in vogue, suggesting that adding buzzwords like 'cognitive' can attract attention. I obviously fell for this marketing ploy, which was the primary reason I decided to read the book.

It's probably somewhat useful for people fresh out of school.
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