On 'autopilot', your Limbic uses stored data to perceive and react fast to what is happening... 

Perception is created by matching sensory data to predictive models ('stories') about the world stored in your Neo Cortex. The stored automatic reactions to perceived threat are often unhelpful in business, eg narrow focus on the threat, avoiding the issue, over-thinking of actions, reduced flexibility (rigidity), reduced sensitivity, distrust of others. 

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In 'smart' mode you also use your slower PFC to think strategically and consider new options for action... 

Two issues: (a) it is easily over-loaded; (b) activation of the threat response starts to close it down, and the more threat response, the less you can access your PFC. You literally need to be in the right (non-triggered) state to be strategic.  

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Threats perceived by the Limbic are often (internally) created from 'stories' rather than being (externally) 'real'... 

These imagined threats can be triggered by your personality, the system, and your relationships with other people in it. You can calm yourself (a) physically, eg by 'breathing'; (b) cognitively, eg by 'naming & taming', then 're-framing'. 

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Regular practices can help you turn these threat mitigation actions into new stored responses, ie new habits... 

Mindfulness practices can make you less easily triggered. Regular self-reflection, to review and modify your perception of situations, can literally create new (non-threatening) stories about them. Coaching helps when you can't change perception on your own - with a strong connection to the coach, it's as if you can borrow their Limbic / their perception.   

"We're simpler than we WANT to believe" MB