In 2009, the About my Brain Institute was founded by mother & daughter team, Silvia and Relmi Damiano with the vision of democratising leadership & neuroscience to shake up how we develop ‘the human’, ‘the leader’ and ‘the creative’ we all carry within.
As a way to explore peoples’s incipient interest in the brain, in 2010, they produced the first international “Brain Art” competition and exhibited the words at Global Gallery, Paddington (2011) and Verge Gallery University of Sydney (2012). Over the course of 2 years this project attracted over 1000 artists, scientists, designers, writers, health practitioners and business leaders from all over the world who shared and expressed their different perspectives on neuroscience, creativity and mental health.
The insights gained from this venture, highlighted the relevance of building a more holistic, design-driven and interdisciplinary approach to applying brain science to our daily lives and to the business world. With 20 years of experience under Silvia’s belt transforming leaders and cultures paired with Relmi’s human-centred, strategic design and artistic expertise, they started the development of the i4 Neuroleader™ Model, Methodology & Assessment.
In 2013, the term ‘Brain-Friendly Cultures’ was coined in the book ‘Leadership Is Upside Down: The i4 Neuroleader Revolution’ which was published together with the launch of the i4 Neuroleader™ Certification. The purpose of this program is to transform current leadership practices in order to create brain-friendly leaders for the future, leaders who are more conscious, ethical, compassionate, healthy, integrated, imaginative, intuitive and inspirational.
Over the course of 4 years, various leadership and wellbeing retreats were conducted both in Australia and Cambodia. In addition, as part of Vivid Sydney, Silvia and Relmi hosted the annual i4 Tales Conference & Design Exhibition, which attracted hundreds of people each year to explore and discuss how we can create a more brain-friendly society. Knowing that anyone can rewire their brains to unleash the potential within, is a strong indication that better brains create better leaders and workplaces.
Carrying on this important message, by 2017, the About my Brain Institute had successfully certified thousands of i4 Neuroleader™ Practitioners across every continent, ran many public events and conducted private programs for organisations in various industries with the aim of awarding the ‘Brain-Friendly Cultures Award™’.
In order to amplify this vision, in 2018, Silvia and Relmi self-funded and produced the film ‘Make Me A Leader’. This multiple award-winning documentary features highly regarded experts and scientists who share the secrets of how leaders can optimise brain and body performance to thrive in the 21st Century. It was this year, when their work was also industry recognised by the ‘The 100% Human At Work’ Virgin Unite Initiative and the i4 Neuroleader™ Program was voted as one of the Best Leadership Development Programs by the ‘Australian Institute of Training & Development’ for the work conducted with the Australian Stock Exchange.
The About my Brain Institute is on a mission to create a brain-friendly world, a perspective reflected in the 2020 book ‘Brain-Friendly Leadership: The 9 Habits Of A Future Fit Mind’. Through providing globally accessible and scalable workplace skills development as well as train-the-trainer certification programs, the About my Brain Team aims to help people become more balanced, authentic, confident, productive and happier.
Providing wider access to the latest thinking in neuroscience and wellbeing applied to leadership is About my Brain Institute’s priority. With this purpose in mind, in 2021, the team launched the Brain-Friendly Channel a YouTube Channel dedicated to discussing all these topics, as well as the re-launch of their i4 Neuroleader™ Certification into a virtual program to reach more professionals around the world. The i4 Neuroleader™ Compendium was also released with newly published research to support i4 Practitioners on how to coach with the 360° feedback assessment.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of when the i4 Neuroleader™ Certification was launched, the About my Brain Institute releases the Diploma of Neurobiology of Coaching, Wellbeing & Brain-Friendly Practices. The objective of this Diploma is to develop ‘neurocoaches’ and provide them with the skills and tools to tackle a world ‘beyond VUCA’, where all of us are redefining new ways of living, working and leading.
Knowing who we are and the impact we have on others is what we promote as a business and what we aim to do ourselves. We are on the same journey as our customers, and we like that.
Being fully engaged and having fun while working is very important to us - it is what gives our work meaning and joy. This is only possible when we put our souls and minds into everything we do.
