Herrmann ‘Thinking Preference’ Profiling

Peter specialises in the applications of Whole Brain Technology and Behavioural Profiling to individual, team and organisational issues. He is a member of the Herrmann International Global Network and a Senior Associate of The Integro Learning Company.

Herrmann Whole Brain Thinking Preference involves exploring the outputs of all four thinking quadrants and identifying the best ways to extend beyond personal thinking “comfort zones” to help people harness all their brain power – not just part of it.

Each of us by nature or nurture has developed a preferred way of knowing, a particular way in which we see the world, process information and make decisions.

This fascinated Ned Herrmann who began his research in 1976 as a result of his interest in locating the source of creativity. His journey took him from the realisation that the brain was the source of creativity to develop a model of how the brain thinks that applies to normal people in normal situations.

Contact Peter R Breed to learn more about Herrmann Whole Brain

The Whole Brain Model

At the core of Whole Brain Technology is a metaphor of how he believed the brain works. It is founded on his brain-based research and on observable evidence that thinking styles can best be described as a coalition of 4 different thinking selves. In the 4-quadrant whole brain model these cells are characterised as follows:

• The A quadrant analyser – logical thinking, analysis of facts, processing of numbers
• The B quadrant organiser – planning approaches, organising, detailed review
• The C quadrant personaliser – interpersonal, intuitive, expressive, emotional
• The D quadrant visualiser – imaginative, big picture thinking, integrating ideas

Ned Herrmann showed that by incorporating the research of Paul MacLean on the Triune brain and Roger Sperry’s into left brain right brain functionality we can build a model of the human brain with 2 paired structures – the 2 halves of the cerebral system and the 2 halves of the limbic system. This allows us to differentiate not only between the more popular notions of left right brain, but also the more sophisticated notions of cognitive/intellectual which describes the cerebral-preference and visceral-structured and emotional which described the limbic preference.

One further concept is important to understanding Ned Herrmann’s whole brain model and that is dominance. The evidence of human dominance shows that whenever there are 2 of anything in the body one is naturally dominant over the other. Therefore like we are right or left-handed we are also naturally footed, eyed and kidneyed etc. We can also be thought of as brained. Since dominance can only occur between paired structures the Herrmann Brain Dominance Model focuses on the limbic and cerebral layers of the triune brain.

The Herrmann Brain Dominance Model is a metaphorical interpretation of how we think and what are our preferred ways of knowing. Sperry’s work followed by ever more sophisticated research has shown that without a doubt parts of the brain are highly specialised. Whole brained theory allocates the brains specialised modes into 1 of 4 physical structures – left cerebral, left limbic, right limbic and right cerebral. This is the basis of the four-quadrant model.
The organising principal of the brain proclaims a condition of wholeness. Specialised areas of processing interconnect and collaborate with other areas of specialisation. This interconnectedness and collaboration is known at iteration. We are not single individuals but rather a coalition of 4 different selves with 1 on 1 modes of thinking naturally dominant over the others.

When we learn to cultivate our 4 thinking styles and harness their collective energy the result is Whole Brain Technology – the powerful key to strategy, productivity and creativity in business.

The Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI)

Ned Herrmann’s extensive long-term research on thinking and creativity has won national awards in the US. His work is widely regarded as superseding left brain/right brain models and other earlier concepts. He developed and validated the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument to identify thinking preferences – an assessment tool completed by more than two million people, and designed leading international workshops on creative, strategic and whole brain thinking. His ideas are in use in international companies and smaller firms worldwide.

Our experience clearly shows that brain dominance leads to the development of preferences which in turn establish our interests which then lead to our development of competencies and influence our career choices and ultimately the work we do.

Enhanced by exercises that will help you to better understand your own thinking styles and enriched by examples from Australian companies Whole Brain Technology will help you introduce new levels of flexibility, creativity and innovation into your corporate culture.

Herrmann Whole Brain Technology indicates the degree of preference each of us has for a particular thinking style and how this affects:

• Interpersonal relationships
• Our communication with the world
• How we work together with others
• How our personal productivity relative to our job
• Our creative and innovative capabilities
• The way we plan and organise ourselves
• Our behaviour in general

Applications

Herrmann Whole Brain Thinking Preference technology measure through the HBDI survey helps individuals, teams, departments and organisations to positively leverage their thinking preferences by understanding and valuing difference. When individuals and organisations learn to develop and apply all four of their “thinking styles” and harness their collective energy the result is a powerful key to strategy, productivity and creativity in generating competitive advantage. Whole Brain Thinking will help people perform well beyond their expectations and also most importantly, beyond the expectations of their organisation.