Episode 28
Emotions Power Performance: Neuroscience with Paul Rochon
with
Dr. Paul Rochon
Biopsychologist, Doctor in Cognitive Sciences
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Emotional Inclusion Podcast, Mollie Rogers sits down with cognitive neuroscientist and sleep expert Dr. Paul Rochon to explore how emotions, biology, and the nervous system directly shape performance, engagement, and wellbeing at work. Paul explains why wellbeing is a hard skill, not a soft one, how psychological safety unlocks cognitive flexibility and motivation, and why poor sleep, chronic threat, and emotional dysregulation quietly drive burnout and presenteeism. Drawing on neuroscience, workplace data, and real-world case studies, this conversation offers practical, science-backed insights for building healthier, more human-centered workplaces.
In this Episode:
Dr. Paul Rochon is a Biopsychologist, Doctor in Cognitive Sciences about Sleep, State of Consciousness and Cognitive process, Master in Biology, Physiology and Neuroscience, and Master in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Bordeaux, France.
He is also a clinical behaviour specialist, former director of the mental health department, and current director of the sleep center at Raffles Hospital Beijing. As well as certified in Social Cognition from the Military Academy of Lisbon (Portugal), and Cognitive Linguistics from the University of Mons (Belgium).
Dr. Rochon has been practicing biopsychological counselling for 20 years, working mostly with athletes, companies, schools, and individuals. He is making science accessible to everyone with clear and easily implementable behaviour management programs.
He is a certified Hypnotherapist from the American Hypnosis Association and the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, Los Angeles. He uses hypnosis for Smoking Cessation, Weight Loss, Anxiety, Guilt and Shame, Mindfulness Cognitive therapy, Sport Performance, Pain Management, and Childbirth.
He is also a serial entrepreneur, certified in Executive Business Management from SKEMA Business School, with 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, and Director of the North Asia International Area of the Entrepreneur Organisation.
In addition, as a former professional rugby player and coach, he is passionate about the impact of mindset on athletes' performance.
Insights from this episode:
Emotions start in the body, not the mind Wellbeing is a hard skill
Sleep is a performance multiplier
Psychological safety beats motivation
Engagement rises when emotions are supported
Recovery must be designed, not assumed
Environment matters more than programs
Wearables can increase anxiety
Presenteeism is the real productivity drain
Emotional literacy is foundational
Important Quotes:
"We are not thinking machines that feel. We are feeling machines that think." - António R. Damásio
"Emotion is not just linked to performance — it is the base of everything you do." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"People don’t burn out from too much work. They burn out from too much threat." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"If you are a dysregulated leader, you will create a dysregulated team." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"When people feel safe, they perform at their full potential." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"Presenteeism costs two to three times more than absenteeism." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"The future of work is not resilience workshops — it’s biological and emotional skills to stay human." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"What you can name, you can tame." - Dr. Sue Johnson
"The best trick to have a good sleep is to wake up at the same time." - Dr. Paul Rochon
"When people feel supported, even if they never use the support, engagement rises." - Dr. Paul Rochon
Engineering Wellbeing: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/vC91-IoW4sLjUMNbkWpjLw
Engineering Sleep: https://engineeringsleep.com
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