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Right-Brain Leadership We have grown up with the idea that our brains are divided in two – the logical brain on the left, the creative brain on the right. The idea emerged from research conducted by an American biologist, Dr. Roger Sperry, in the 1960’s, and by now it’s ingrained in the
popular culture. Most of us think of corporate leaders as primarily left-brained, and we assume that organizations must hire creativity consultants – artistic, right-brained types – when they want to boost innovation.
It’s as though we are re-creating the organization in the image of how we see the brain – irrevocably split in two. But in neurobiology, the two halves talk to each other,
incessantly it turns out. You could say that nothing we do is purely right- or left-brained; both hemispheres are needed to accomplish the complex tasks of learning, communication, and analysis. Nonetheless, as Dr. Sperry pointed out, the right brain is discriminated against in our society, where the rational mind is prized and privileged.
A recent article in the New York Times makes the point that now that computers do most of the left-brain-centric work of business, and much of the rest has been sent offshore where the labor needed to do it is cheaper, we may be seeing the emergence of a new interest in right-brain thinking in the executive suite. It makes sense: the big
challenges of leadership in today’s organization are the ones that require an ability to see the big picture, in all its complexity and chaos. A capacity for visual, spatial, and nonverbal thought – all found in the right side of the brain – could make the difference between brilliant leadership, and failure.
Several years ago, Daniel Pink wrote an influential book, A Whole New Mind, in which he argued that we need to, in effect, bring the right brain back to the table, if we don’t want it to atrophy beyond usefulness. Humans have always used both sides of the brain to solve complex problems, and it’s time for us to restore the balance in our organizations and the institutions of our society – education, politics, medicine, justice.
We’ve all had the experience of finding a logical, analytical, fact-based solution to a problem that somehow isn’t satisfying, and ultimately fails.
Architecture is a good place to look for examples of this phenomenon – how many big, boxy, but highly efficient buildings have been constructed that no one wanted to live or work in? In those cases, you could say it was the aesthetics that were ignored, and
you’d be right. But it’s more than the artistic value that is missing when the left brain rules, it’s the play of imagination and the feeling of pleasure we get when the right brain is also engaged.
Leaders who have the capacity for right-brain thinking, and more importantly, for integrating both sides of the brain, are all too uncommon these days. Pink has said that an MFA – Master of Fine Arts – degree just might be more valuable than the
traditional MBA for today’s business leaders. It’s a provocative idea, and one worth considering. As it is now, business schools tack on a course in “innovation” for their MBA candidates, hardly likely to shift the whole way they will think about the leadership challenges they will face in the real world. Corporate workshops on creativity are probably too little, too late.
Leadership development that really addresses the urgent need for this type of
“renaissance man” – or woman – should be focused on giving leaders the opportunity to expand the domain of their thinking beyond the hard science of technical management. The real work of leadership requires an ability to engage the humanity of others, whether followers, colleagues, or opponents. Maybe instead of trying to understand this in terms the logical left brain can relate to, we should be encouraging our leaders to tap into right-brain territory more deeply, and more often.
Coaching can help you bring your whole brain to your work and your life, and help you encourage more right-brain thinking in your organization. Let’s talk. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
Ned Herrmann, who pioneered the concept of “whole brain thinking” and brought it to the organizational context, offers these practices for getting started in his book The Whole Brain Business Book: - Affirmation: Attempting something you always wanted to do and
doing it successfully. Sometimes it’s enough to “just do it” – whatever your chosen creative endeavor might be -- and celebrate the results.
- Facilitation: If your creativity is blocked by what seems like an insurmountable wall, work with a coach who can help you find ways to release your natural ability.
- Permission: Don’t wait for someone else, give yourself permission
to experiment, and even to fail now and then.
- Portfolio of creative accomplishments: Using your resume or CV as a starting point, develop a list of your creative work – ideas, finished products, artistic efforts, etc. This constitutes your “body of work.”
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A recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project revealed that more of us would rather give up the Internet, television, or landline telephones than their mobile phones. Sixty-two percent use their cell phones and additional wireless devices for other activities, including text messaging, taking pictures, and sending e-mail.
Another survey by the Solutions Research Group found that dependency on wireless
devices and the Internet has become so strong that people feel anxiety and stress when disconnected from them. Sixty-eight percent of Americans feel anxiety when disconnected, and 27 percent described themselves as experiencing "acute" anxiety.
The National Sleep Foundation has found that Americans are not getting enough rest and increased workload may be the culprit. Workers are spending an average of nearly
4.5 hours each week doing additional work from home on top of a 9.5 hour average workday. Thirty-three percent say they work 10 or more hours each day. 
Phone Coach
No, in this new sense, it doesn’t mean a coach who provides her services over the phone (as I frequently do.) This new kind of phone coaching started in the Netherlands, where technology-savvy teens volunteer through a nonprofit initiative to teach older people how to use their mobile phones that are loaded with a bewildering array of features. 
 Why I Wake Early: New Poems, by Mary Oliver. What I like about it: I received this book as a gift, and as always, Oliver’s
poetry gives us the gift of beauty and wonder at all she observes in the natural world. Reading her work is a practice in attention to beautifully drawn detail, and an invitation to look more closely at our own way of being in the world.
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates Share what you’re into — books, articles, movies, music, websites — with others on the list! Send us the title and author or other pertinent information, along with a sentence or two on what you
like about it, and if we use it in A Different Optic we’ll not only quote you, we’ll provide a link to you or your website. |
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"The best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain."
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |  |
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Announcing the forthcoming publication, in July, of On Becoming a Leadership Coach: A Holistic Approach to Coaching Excellence, edited by Chris Wahl, Clarice Scriber, and Beth Bloomfield! Contributors include faculty members of the Georgetown Leadership Coaching certificate program, and a portion of the proceeds will go to charitable causes. You can pre-order the book on Amazon.com now and get a 5% discount off the price. A Different Optic has joined the blogosphere! Beth Bloomfield has started her own blog, dedicated to exploring what makes for good leadership, how to help leaders
develop their skills and capacities, and how to create organizations that nurture and support good leadership. As always, the aim is to provoke her readers to look at things a little differently than they normally would. You’re invited to take a look, and join in the conversation by adding your own thoughts and comments. Subscribe to the blog feed and get notified by email whenever there’s a new post. Click here to get started. Recently, Beth was interviewed, along with Bea Fields and Carol Graser, on Y-Talk Radio about developing Generation Y leaders. You can hear the complete interview by going to A Different Optic blog and listening to
the audio, or downloading the podcast. | | |
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