Insight       20 January 2025

Coffee and Pen

Plot twist: while we are all tracking AI, one most of the powerful technologies for leadership might be sitting in your desk drawer - a simple pen. 

How Handwriting Rewired My Brain for Leadership

As I recently reviewed research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology about brain activity during handwriting, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. All those years of journaling were not just a hippy habit - they were rewiring my brain for leadership.
Every morning, I engage in handwritten reflection - not because it's trendy (let's face it, in 2025, analog anything feels charmingly retro), but because research shows it activates extensive brain networks in ways that typing just can’t match (Van der Weel & Van der Meer 2024). 
During a recent journaling session, the act of handwriting connected dots that weren't obvious before - like discovering an unexpected solution hidden in plain sight. It also improved my confidence to move forward having reflected more deeply and comprehensively on the matter. 

How Handwriting Rewired My Brain for Leadership

As I recently reviewed research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology about brain activity during handwriting, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. All those years of journaling were not just a hippy habit - they were rewiring my brain for leadership.
Every morning, I engage in handwritten reflection - not because it's trendy (let's face it, in 2025, analog anything feels charmingly retro), but because research shows it activates extensive brain networks in ways that typing just can’t match (Van der Weel & Van der Meer 2024). 
During a recent journaling session, the act of handwriting connected dots that weren't obvious before - like discovering an unexpected solution hidden in plain sight. It also improved my confidence to move forward having reflected more deeply and comprehensively on the matter. 

Benefits of Handwritten Reflection

This is consistent with what I've noticed in other leaders who engage in deliberate handwritten reflection. They have:
  • More nuanced decision-making (no crystal ball required) 
  • Deeper strategic insights (powered by your own brain, not AI) 
  • Stronger integration of complex information (think: next-level processing)
  • More innovative problem-solving approaches (beyond conventional thinking)
Sometimes the best path forward requires taking a step back - all the way back to pen and paper!


Van der Weel & Van der Meer (2024), Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom, Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 14

Benefits of Handwritten Reflection

This is consistent with what I've noticed in other leaders who engage in deliberate handwritten reflection. They have:
  • More nuanced decision-making (no crystal ball required) 
  • Deeper strategic insights (powered by your own brain, not AI) 
  • Stronger integration of complex information (think: next-level processing)
  • More innovative problem-solving approaches (beyond conventional thinking)
Sometimes the best path forward requires taking a step back - all the way back to pen and paper!
Van der Weel & Van der Meer (2024), Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom, Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 14

Further Reading