Wired for Excellence: Harnessing Brain Science for Organizational Success

Wired for Excellence brings together the fascinating world of neuroscience with the practical tools of organizational excellence, giving leaders a fresh, science-backed way to build thriving workplaces. This isn’t just theory--it’s a real-world guide to understanding how the brain shapes behavior, decisions, and culture, and how leaders can use that insight to drive performance, trust, and long-term success. At the heart of the book is the BRAIN Model, which helps leaders design environments that foster Belonging, Resilience, Autonomy, Insight, and Nurturing. You’ll learn how the brain processes threats and rewards, why emotional regulation and neuroplasticity matter in daily work life, and how small shifts in environment can make big impacts on engagement and collaboration. Wired for Excellence doesn’t stop at neuroscience. It connects these brain-based principles to proven frameworks like the Shingo Model, OKRs, Lean Six Sigma, and practical problem-solving techniques. You’ll see how these tools align with what the brain craves--clarity, structure, and purpose--and how to use them to build accountable, innovative, and adaptable teams. From exploring decision-making and cognitive biases to creating cultures of feedback and continuous learning, this book is packed with actionable strategies. It’s designed for leaders who want to go beyond buzzwords and actually transform their organizations--by understanding people first. If you’re ready to lead with both brain science and business savvy, Wired for Excellence will show you how to connect the dots, drive meaningful results, and build organizations where people truly thrive.

Christianna Hayes, CEO of Impact Performance Solutions, has almost 30 years as a proven business performance improvement leader, international speaker, and author. Chris is a full-spectrum coach and adult learning instructor with practical experience from the shop floor to the boardroom. She utilizes organizational excellence best practices to engage the workforce, drive ideal behaviors, meet objectives, and sustain results. Because of her extensive experience helping companies achieve organizational excellence, Chris is one of only 36 in the world to be accepted as a Shingo Licensed Affiliate.

Chris has served in various top leadership positions throughout her career, including CEO, COO, VP of Quality, and Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University and the University of Tulsa, where she developed and taught numerous adult-learning-centric courses. She has volunteered her time and shared her knowledge through her association with organizations such as ASQ (Board of Directors, Lean Enterprise Division Chair, Quality Innovations Summit TPC Chair, Fellows Coach, and NextGen Chair) and SME (Member volunteer, Lean Bronze Instructor, Lean Bronze Portfolio Reviewer, and COA Member).

Chris has an MBA in addition to an undergrad degree in Business and Project Management and has earned certifications in areas of Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (LSSMBB), Project Management (PMP), Supply Chain (CSQP), Quality (CMQ/OE and CQE), Auditing (CQA), certified ISO 9001 and AS9100), and Human Resources (HR Specialist).

In Wired for Excellence, Chris blends her real-world leadership experience with the latest insights from neuroscience and organizational excellence frameworks. She believes excellence isn’t about compliance or pressure, it’s about creating cultures, systems, and leadership habits that align with how people and organizations are naturally wired to grow and thrive.

When she’s not working with leaders or organizations, you’ll find her outdoors, cheering for underdogs, studying human behavior and organizational growth, and enjoying a good cup of hot tea.