The Shift from Flow to Immersion: A New Frontier for Leaders
My leadership and coaching journey has been a constant experiment in understanding what truly motivates people. For a long time, the concept of Flow, popularised by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, was the gold standard. A state of complete absorption, a "sweet spot" where a person is so deeply engaged in a task that time seems to disappear. It's a powerful state for individual productivity, one we often keep chasing.
But my thinking on this was challenged a few months ago. At the Coaching.com conference I attended behavioural neuroscientist Paul Zak's talk on "The Brain Basis for Happiness and Thriving." He began to describe a state beyond Flow - a state of Immersion. As he talked about how this state wasn't just about personal gratification, but about human connection and prosocial behavior, a lightbulb went off for me. This wasn't just a new idea; it was a crucial shift in perspective. Immersion is not merely an internal state of being, but an external catalyst for doing. It’s the neurological mechanism that motivates action and strengthens the very social bonds that underpin effective teamwork.
This is why, as leaders, we can’t just focus on individual productivity. We have to focus on building cohesive, high-performing teams.
Here’s the critical distinction: A team member in a state of Flow may be a highly productive solo contributor, but a team member in a state of Immersion is neurologically primed to take action that benefits the group. The focus shifts from individual productivity to collective purpose and prosocial action - the true cornerstone of effective teamwork.
The Role of Oxytocin: Your Moral Compass and Team Glue
So what’s the secret ingredient?
Oxytocin.
Paul Zak’s foundational research demonstrated that this neurochemical is the "moral molecule." It’s what drives trust, empathy, and our fundamental desire to connect with others. The inclusion of oxytocin as a core component of the Immersion state means it’s about more than the personal gratification of a dopamine-driven state of flow; it’s about human connection and prosocial behavior.
This is why, before a leader can intentionally build experiences that provoke Immersion, they must first establish the neurological and cultural foundation upon which such experiences can flourish: trust.
Think of it as building a house. You wouldn’t start framing the walls before laying a solid foundation. Similarly, you can’t expect your team to move into a state of Immersion - a state of collective purpose - without first having built a foundation of trust.
Your OXYTOCIN Leadership Diagnostic Tool
How well are you doing at building a neurologically-primed, high-trust environment for your team?
Use this diagnostic tool to audit your leadership behaviours and identify areas for growth. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 (Rarely) to 5 (Always) for each question.
| Behavior | Diagnostic Question | Your Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ovation (Recognize Excellence) | On a weekly basis, do you and your team publicly and privately recognize specific acts of excellence from peers? | |
| eXpectation (Challenge Stress) | Do you intentionally assign projects with clear goals that are difficult but achievable, providing the right resources and support to turn stress into a positive challenge? | |
| Yield (Give Discretion) | Do you give your team members full autonomy over how they complete their tasks, trusting them to choose their own processes and paths? | |
| Transfer (Enable Job Crafting) | Do you regularly ask team members what types of work energize them most and actively look for opportunities to integrate that into their roles? | |
| Openness (Share Information) | Do you consistently share information about company strategy and goals, directly addressing uncertainty and preventing the rumor mill? | |
| Caring (Build Relationships) | Do you make time to engage with your team about their well-being and personal lives, going beyond professional development discussions? | |
| Invest (Facilitate Growth) | Do you support your team's professional and personal growth by providing resources or opportunities, even if they're not directly work-related? | |
| Natural (Show Vulnerability) | Do you openly admit when you don't know something or need help, inviting your team to offer ideas and solutions? |
Scoring Guide
To assess your leadership's impact on your team's neurochemistry, add up your total score from the eight questions. The maximum possible score is 40.
1-20 (Low Oxytocin): Your current leadership behaviors may be creating a low-trust, high-stress environment that inhibits oxytocin release. This likely results in lower collaboration, less pro-social behavior, and a focus on individual survival rather than team success.
21-30 (Medium Oxytocin): You have a solid foundation for trust, but there are significant opportunities to intentionally increase oxytocin-releasing behaviors. Focusing on areas where you scored a 3 or 4 can help you move toward a high-trust, high-performing culture.
31-40 (High Oxytocin): You are actively and consistently creating a high-trust environment that promotes collaboration, psychological safety, and collective purpose. Your leadership is likely nurturing a team that is not only productive but also neurologically primed for Immersion.
How to Engineer a Trust-Based Culture
A leader's role is not to simply inspire, but to intentionally engineer an environment where trust can flourish. One of the most powerful tools in your toolkit is your ability to manage stress, not to eliminate it, but to harness it.
A critical distinction for you to understand is the difference between challenge stress and chronic stress. The former, caused by a difficult but achievable task, is a positive neurochemical trigger that sharpens focus and strengthens social bonds. It’s the "muscle getting stronger under resistance." The latter, which is often a result of uncertainty or a feeling of powerlessness, is a potent inhibitor of oxytocin. Your job as a leader is to intentionally create the former while actively and compassionately eliminating the latter.
So how do you do that? By intentionally cultivating behaviors that trigger the release of oxytocin. Here's a framework to help you, inspired by Zak's work.
Define a Clear Purpose: Uncertainty is a breeding ground for chronic stress. Ensure every project, every task, and every team member’s role is tied to a clear, meaningful purpose. When people know "why" they are doing something, it transforms a potentially stressful situation into a neurologically rewarding challenge.
Set Defined Goals with Autonomy: Provide your team with clear goals, but give them the autonomy to achieve them in their own way. This creates a sense of ownership and personal agency, two key factors that turn a task from an obligation into a challenge.
Encourage Acknowledgment and Gratitude: Make it a daily practice to recognise and acknowledge your team's efforts, both big and small. Gratitude is a powerful social cue that releases oxytocin, reinforcing trust and strengthening the bonds that make Immersion possible.
A Call to Action for Change
By shifting your focus from individual productivity to collective purpose and prosocial action, you can move your team beyond a state of simple Flow and into a powerful state of Immersion. It's not about working harder, it's about working smarter, with our own brains and the neurological connections that bind us.
To learn more about this research and how you can implement these strategies, visit The Leader's Guide to the Neuroscience of Engagement I have created for you.
With renewed hope and in search of immersive moments,
Dag
If you're a leader, founder, or team struggling with trust or cohesion, and want to learn how to leverage your own embodied leadership to create a culture where people can truly thrive, let’s talk.
I help people access clarity, courage, and creativity through embodied leadership practices—from breathwork and somatic awareness to presence, intuition, and sustainable performance. Together, we’ll create a trustworthy environment where you, and your team, can meet the challenges of leadership with curiosity, confidence and resilience.
📅 Book a Coaching Session: Book a discovery call here.
📧 Email me: coaching@dagmaraaldridge.com
