Management Tips:
Activating your right brain for creativity and innovation
Dr. K. Kuhathasan CEO, Cenlead
Your brain has two sides. Each side controls certain body and
thinking functions. The left sides of the brain is in charge of
analytical thinking and logic. It takes you through well-ordered steps
and makes you the genius.
The right side operates in images and impressions, rather than number
and words. Creativity originates in the right brain.
Right-and left - brain comparisons
Left Brain Right Brain
Seeks one right answer Explores, seeks, examines from many viewpoints
Recognises words Recognises facts or objects
Processes on stimulus at a Processes whole clusters of
time at lightning speed Stimuli all at once
Orderly sequences of thought Grasps complex wholes
A focus on parts Takes in whole picture
Logical Dreams
Linear thinking Makes sense by discovering workablepatterns
Organises into units Can connect part of the world into freshpatterns
Governed by rules, plays by rules Follows few rules
Draws on learned, fixed codes Can deal with new information where no
learned programme is available
Organised Good for creativity, innovation,
decisionmaking, problemsolving
Can recall complex sequences Thinks in complex images
Best in implementing Best in initial orientation of a task
Programmes after set up
Split brain theory
In 1981, Roger Sperry was awarded the Nobel Prize for his proof of
the split brain theory. According to Dr. Sperry, the brain has two
hemispheres with different, but overlapping, functions. The right and
left hemispheres of the brain each specialise in distinct types of
thinking processes.
In general, in 95% of all right-handed people, the left side of the
brain not only cross controls the right side of the body, but is also
responsible for analytical, linear, verbal, and rational thought. (In
most left-handed people, the hemispheric functions are reversed).
How balanced is your workday? (The usual answer in about 70%
left-brain and 30% right-brain).
Here are two simple activities for balancing brain function:
1. Walking: There is very dynamic action involving both sides of the
brain when walking-and you tend to become more creative.
2. Breathing: Research has shown that you can trigger the
non-dominant side of your brain by closing off the dominant side of your
nose and breathing through your non-dominant side for up to five
minutes. (When in need of a right-brain infusion, try pressing your
right nostril shut and breathing through your left nostril).
Whole-brain problem solving
Creative problem solvers understand that both hemispheres of the
brain (both thinking processes) are valuable.
The trick lies in knowing which function best supports a particular
phase of the problem solving process.
Left: Logically defines the problem
Right: Generates creative possibilities and alternative solutions
Left: Pragmatically evaluates ideas to determine which are applicable
Right: Persuades others by sharing your vision and commitment.
Left: Prepares a strategic plan for gaining support and implementing
the solution.
In the idea generation phase, right-brain functions become most
helpful. Have you ever struggled to solve a problem and found the answer
"popped" into your head while you showered or upon waking? That is
because it was released from left-brain control and turned over to you
right-brain insight.
1. Mr. Zoysa Manager "creative world" says that his right side of the
brain works when having a bath.
2. Mr. Cooray of the same organisation gets his best ideas when
running.
3. A marketing representative likes to "sleep on it," telling himself
he'll have fresh ideas in the morning.
4. A salesperson tells jokes and laughs her way for new insights.
None of these people is aware they are shifting brain hemisphere
function. All of them simply know (from trial and error) how to get the
results they need.
Brain profile
Dr. Kobues Neethling, a South African scientist invented the brain
profile. Having conducted several research studies on the four quadrants
of the brain, he determined the left as the right brain's preferences or
strengths fall into two definite categories.
He identified the right side of brain in two sections which he termed
as R1 and R2, and the two sections of the left side of the brain as L1
and L2. The person who has a strong preference in the L1 quadrant seeks
preciseness, wants accuracy, is strong in analysing, processes
logically, looks for facts, good in memorising, like to quantify and
good in comparing.
The person who has a strong L:2 quadrant is good in planning,
respects timeliness, prefers organised environments, supports proven
structure and systems, likes order and stability, attends to detail,
officers security and safe keeping, likes traditional and reliable ways,
prefers controls and sticks to habit.
The person who has a strong preference in the R1 quadrant looks for
alternatives, brings ideas together, like to explore, likes flexibility,
seeks opportunity to experiment, wants variety, prefers the whole
picture and technical details, enjoys being involved with more than one
thing at a time, likes changes and trying out new things.
The person who has strong preference to the R2 quadrant is
collaborative, shows empathy, cooperates, likes to interact, feels
focused, tries to reach consensus and understanding and is emotionally
sensitive.
Left hemisphere
Recent scientific research shows that the two hemispheres of the
human brain mediate and process different kinds of information and
handle different kinds of tasks and problems.
The left hemisphere specialises in verbal and numerical information
processed sequentially in linear fashion. It is the active, verbal,
logical, rational and analytic part of our brain.
The right hemisphere is associated primarily with those activities we
consider to be creative. It is the intuitive, experimental, nonverbal
part of our brain and it deals in images and holistic, relational
grasping of complex configurations and structures. It creates metaphors,
analogies and new combinations of ideas.
Normally we all use 70 per cent of the left brain and only 30 per
cent of the right brain.
However, when you are experiencing positive emotions such as
happiness, joy, satisfaction, enjoyment, feeling healthy (free from
stress) the combination changes.
You use around 60 per cent of your right brain and 40 per cent of
your left brain.
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