If you’ve ever found yourself struggling under pressure, facing a personal crisis, or simply wondering why your emotional state seems to run the show in high-stakes moments, you’re going to love this conversation. I sat down with my friend Harry Pickens to explore the powerful intersection of music, neuroscience, agency, and leadership. Together, we dive deep into what it truly means to lead from a regulated, resilient nervous system, and why our greatest challenges often become our greatest sources of wisdom.

Harry Pickens is the founder and CEO of Strategic Neuroregulation Institute, a celebrated jazz pianist who’s shared the stage with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, and a leading authority on nervous system modulation for leadership excellence. Over the past three decades, he’s taught more than 10,000 musicians and trained over a thousand therapists, coaches, and leaders in trauma healing and neuroregulation. Harry is also the creator of the Brain Mind Redesign methodology and has transformed his own personal adversities, from brain injury to cancer, into a laboratory for resilience.

“All you have, from one instant to another, is the direction of your attention.

Where do you place it? It’s the ultimate currency.”

~Harry Pickens

This week on The Rising Leader:

· The hidden crisis in leadership: when our old wounds make our decisions for us

· Harry’s transformative journey from paralyzing stage fright to mastery, and what music taught him about the nervous system

· How personal crises, including a recent cancer diagnosis, became a lived laboratory for resilience and growth

· Actionable steps to identify, track, and “unhook” your emotional triggers

· The critical role of agency, and what to do when you don’t feel like you have any

· Why true healing can only happen in a relaxed, safe state (and how to get there)

· Tactics and micro-practices to build your own nervous system regulation toolkit

· Leveraging AI as a “cognitive prosthetic” and support for well-being, decision-making, and healing

Guest Contact Information & Resources:

Connect with Harry Pickens on LinkedIn for exercises, resources, and updates on his Belief Transformation Masterclass Series

Resources Mentioned:

Harry’s upcoming book: Reclaiming My Life from Cancer (coming early 2026)

Book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

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