ABSTRACT
Our emotions, feelings, and behavior are to a large extent influenced by billions of self-organizing microbes in our gut. If we disturb the finely tuned biological system in our gut, trouble is brewing for our health, but also for the quality of our decisions. The nascent field of research of the intestinal influence on behavior, including leadership behavior, suggests that gut-healthy leaders are more courageous, more energetic, and generally in a more positive mood, which in turn affects the mood and motivation of others. Intestinal health and negative feelings such as fear or anxiety are correlated, and via olfactory signals, they also affect the leader-follower interaction and leadership effectiveness. Gut health supports positive attitudes and feelings of good-humored leaders – the type of leaders we all want to have around us or work for.
