1

WHOLE BRAIN THINKING AND LEARNING

“The human brain is an enchantedloom where millions of flashingshuttles weave a dissolving pattern,always a meaningful pattern, thoughnever an abiding one, a shiftingharmony of sub patterns. It is as ifthe Milky Way entered upon somecosmic dance.”

- Sir Charles Sherrington

“In each human brain, there are an estimatedone million, million (1,000,000,000,000) braincells. Each brain cell (neuron) contains a vastelectrochemical complex and powerfulmicrodata processing and transmitting systemthat, despite its complexity, would fit on thehead of a pin.”

- Tony Buzan

2

“I HAVE THREE BRAINS: REPTILIAN, LIMBIC AND

NEOCORTEX”

THE TRIUNE BRAIN THEORYBy: Dr. Paul Mclean

3

“I HAVE TWO BRAINS, THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT”

Number skills

Left brain functions

Written language

Reasoning

Spoken language

Scientific skills

Right hand control

Right brain functions

3D Forms

Art awareness

Insight

Left hand control

Imagination Music

4

“I HAVE FOUR BRAINS: LEFT CEREBRAL, LEFT LIMBIC, RIGHT LIMBIC,

RIGHT CEREBRAL

The HBDI developed by Hermann yielded a brain dominance profile

Logical Factual Critical

TechnicalAnalytical

Quantitative

ConservativeStructure

SequentialOrganized

DetailedPlanned

VisualHolisticIntuitiveInnovativeConceptualImaginative

InterpersonalKinestheticEmotionalSpiritualSensoryFeeling

5

PREFERRED SUBJECTS Arithmetic Algebra Calculus Logic Science Technology Finance

Programming Accounting Technical

Management Production

Arts Geometry Design Poetry Architecture Marketing

Social Sciences Psychology Dance Drama High-Skilled Sports People-Management

A

B C

D

PREFERRED PROFESSIONS Lawyers

Engineers

Computer Systems Analysts Financial Analysts Technicians Physicians

Statisticians

Bureaucrats Administrators Bookkeepers

Entrepreneurs

Explorers Artists Playwrights Scientists in R&D Advertising

Guidance Counselors

Public Relations Nurses Social Workers Entertainers HRD

A

B C

D Composers Jazz Musicians

Planners-Programmers Elementary Teachers Policemen Cashiers Production Supervisors Maintenance People Classical Musicians

Salesmen Priests

PREFERRED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: If you are an A-quadrant thinker, you prefer to learn and act in this way:• Collecting data and information

• Organizing information logically in a framework, not to the last detail.

• Listening to informational lectures

• Reading textbooks (most textbooks are written for quadrant A thinkers)• Studying example problems and solutions

• Thinking through ideas

• Doing library searches

• Doing research using the scientific method

• Making up a hypothesis, then testing it to find out if it is true

• Judging ideas based on facts, criteria, and logical reasoning

• Doing technical case studies

• Doing financial studies• Dealing with hardware and things, rather than people

• Dealing with reality and the present, rather than with future possibilities

• Traveling to other cultures to study technological artifacts

6

PREFERRED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: If you are an B-quadrant thinker, you prefer to learn and act in this way:

• Following directions instead of trying to do something in a different way

• Doing repetitive, detailed homework problems

• Testing theories and procedures to find out what is wrong with them

• Doing lab work, step by step• Writing a sequential report on the results of experiments

• Using programmed learning and tutoring

• Finding practical uses for knowledge learned - theory is not enough

• Planning projects; doing schedules, then executing according to plan

• Listening to detailed lectures

• Taking detailed notes• Making time management schedules - the schedule is important, not people

• Making up a detailed budget

• Practicing new skills through frequent repetition

• Taking a field trip to learn about organizations and procedures

• Writing a “how-to” manual about a project

PREFERRED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: If you are an C-quadrant thinker, you prefer to learn and act in this way:• Listening to and sharing ideas

• Motivating yourself by asking “why” - looking for personal meaning

• Experiencing sensory input - moving, feeling, touching, smelling, tasting

• Using group-study opportunities and group discussions• Keeping a journal to record feelings and spiritual values, not details

• Doing dramatics-the physical acting out is important, not imagination

• Taking people-oriented field trips

• Traveling to other cultures to meet people; hosting a foreign student

• Studying with classical background music; making up rap songs

• Using people-oriented case studies• Respecting others’ rights and views, people are important, not things• Learning by teaching others

• Learning by touching, feeling, and using a tool, object, or machinery

• Reading the preface of a book to get clues on the author’s purpose

• Preferring video to audio to make use of body language clues

PREFERRED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: If you are an D-quadrant thinker, you prefer to learn and act in this way:• Looking for the big picture and context, not the details of a new topic

• Taking the initiative - getting actively involved

• Doing simulations - asking what-if questions

• Making use of the visual aids in lectures• Doing problems with many possible answers

• Appreciating the beauty in the problem (and in the solution)

• Leading a brainstorming session - wild ideas, not the team, are important

• Experimenting; playing with ideas

• Exploring hidden possibilities

• Thinking about trends• Thinking about the future• Relying on intuition, not facts or logic

• Synthesizing ideas and information to come up with something new

• Using future-oriented case discussions

• Trying a different way of doing something just for the fun of it

7

8

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

Engineeringmanagers

9

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

Financemanagers

Administrators

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

R & D managers

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

10

CEO’smale or female

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

Secretaries

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

Strategic managers

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

11

Entrepreneurs

Cerebral

Right modeLeft mode

Limbic

Quadrant A Ability to

Appreciate Relevant Facts and FiguresAbility to Do

Logical Reasoning

- Cause and Effect Critical Thinking- Determine

important variablesamong many that would affect the outcome the most

Skills and Competencies of the Four Quadrants

Quadrant B Ability to

Classify, Categorize

Ability to Order, Sequence and Program

Quadrant C Ability to

Manage Self Ability to

Manage Other People

Quadrant D Ability to

Generate New Ideas, Concepts

Ability to Intuit

Ability to See the Whole and Sythesize

Ability to Change One’s Way of Looking at and Doing Things

Quadrant A Critical Evaluation of

Business Situations Problem Solving

using AlgorithmeticProcesses

Information Technology –Systems Analysis and Design

Management Analysis

- Financial Analysis- Market Analysis- Operations Analysis- People Analysis- Environment

Analysis Business Pattern

Formulation and Forecasting

- Trends- Probabilities

Application to Business, Management and EntrepreneurshipQuadrant B

Business Data Mining (Sales, Operations, etc.)

Production Scheduling

Sales and Logistics Routing

Information Technology –Programming

Accounting(Financial and Management)

Layouting Work Flow

Schematics Systems and

Procedures Development and Manualizing

Quadrant C Getting Along or

Relating with People

Dealing, Negotiating and Bargaining

Influencing, Motivating, Convincing People (Customers, Suppliers, Employees)

Leading People Self Management

and Discipline Managing Crisis

Situations involving People

Quadrant D Crafting

Revolutionary Vision

Generating New Ideas

Coming Up With New Products and Services

Innovating on Ways of Making or Doing Things

Intuiting Great Business Deals

Extra Sensory Evaluation of People and of Opportunities

Problem Solving Using Heuristic Process

12

Quadrant A Lecture

Method(Facts, Figures, Technical Info)

Structured Learning Experiences (Situational Dynamics)

Case Method- Logical

Reasoning and Analysis

- Critical Thinking

Appropriate Learning MethodologiesQuadrant B

Documenting, Classifying, Categorizing Information

Workbook on How To Do It

Sequencing and Scheduling Techniques: Gantt Chart, PERT-CPM, Process Flow

Process Observation of Situations, Documenting and Describing

Quadrant C Dialoging Role Playing Dramatization Structured

Learning Experiences (People Dynamics)

Reading Other People’s Body Language

Process Observation of People

Sports and Games Extracurricular

Activities Social Gatherings,

Events Participation and Involvement

Quadrant D Creative Thinking Techniques -

Metaphoring, Reconfiguring, Paradoxing, Synectics and others

Intuiting Techiniques – Meditation, Mind Streaming, Remote Viewing and Sensing, Dream Interpretation, Daydreaming, Mental Telepathy, and others.

Opportunity Seeking Techniques –Finding the Unusual Successes and Failures, Focusing on Irritants, Recognizing Patterns and Extrapolating Them, Serendipity Walk and Others

Lateral and Oblique Thinking Techniques

Experimenting and Re-experimenting

Exploring and Discovery Experiencing and Reflecting Heuristic Problem Solving Frameworking and Modelling to See

Whole and Synthesize

CASE EXAMPLE:

Four quadrants thinking preference in the Banking Industry

Terms used:“Lending

fundamentals”“Financial analysis”

“Understanding securities”“Facts and figure

words”

Talked about things like:

“Time management”“Procedures”

“Administrative Processes”

“Foreign Exchange”

“About the future and forward planning”“Management issues such as staff selection”

“Dealing with customers”“Customer service”“Understanding people”“Managing poor performance”

13

Four Quadrant Type of Bank Customers

BANK 1

BANK 2

They want facts and figures

They want proof of safety and how interest rates work

Quite challenging because they’ll bring in comparisons with other banks and they ask you “why your bank is better”

Four Quadrant Type of Bank Customers

They want a bank that will help them manage their life and finances

Reasonably conservative, they don’t take risks

Like accounts where you can have detailed statements

‘Greens’ can be reasonably high maintenance (Makulit!)

Four Quadrant Type of Bank Customers

Deals with bank because of culture and people they know

‘Red’ needs support, trust and honesty that include integrity, safety and comfort.

Great advocates of the bank because they tell everybody about their great relationship with bank service people

14

Four Quadrant Type of Bank Customers

Can get a little out of control. Not good record keepers. Hate details.

Talks more about future and possibilities

Can also be extremely wealthy, entrepreneurial.

Very innovative. Open to new products and services. But will not spend time to learn about them.

Frustrating at times because they change and take risks.

Scenario: New Home Loan

‘BLUE’ people talk about their homes

in terms of the deal.

BLUE CUSTOMER

Bargaining down the value of the house

Settlement timeAppreciation in value

15

‘GREEN’ people talk about their

homes in terms of how many bedrooms.

GREEN CUSTOMER

How convenient the house is

How, ‘I won’t have to do anything because it’s

just been painted‘How the house will help me manage my

life’

‘RED’ people talk about ‘feeling

wonderful’ about their homes.

RED CUSTOMER

Saying things like ‘I just walked in and the garden was gorgeous!’‘REDS’ won’t know a

lot of detail about their homes but worried

about how people would feel and use the house.

They’ll just have a warm or friendly feeling

about it.

‘YELLOW’ people talk about potential

of the house.

YELLOW CUSTOMERYELLOW CUSTOMER

What will they be able to do with the houseHow fantastic the

house will be after improvements Thinking about the

architectural and interior design

16

Decided to be a RED Bank

With relationship-oriented RED staff who can deal with all colors of customers

“I HAVE EIGHT BRAINS” OR THE EIGHT MULTIPLE

INTELLIGENCES”

17

• Logical -Mathematical

Analytical

VERBAL-LINGUISTIC

Holistic

• Visual / Spatial

Sequential

• Musical Rhythmic(Classical Form)

Emotional

• Bodily Kinesthetic

A

B

D

C

MULTI-INTELLIGENCES WITHIN THE FOUR QUADRANTS

• Intrapersonal• Musical Rhythmic

(Improvisation)

• Natural / Physical

• Spiritual

• Musical Rhythmic(Emotional Content)

• Interpersonal

“I HAVE SIXTEEN PERSONALITY TYPES”

Extraversion Introversion More oriented towards the world outside of the self, meaning other people, the external environment and the situational setting. Extraverted people prefer to develop ideas by engaging in discussions. They are usually overtly expressive and take the initiative in building relationships.

Introverted people are more oriented towards the inner world of the self. They are usually reflective and introspective. They prefer depth to breadth. They want to communicate in small groups or in writing. They take the initiative when it comes to concerns that are personally important to them.

18

Extravert Introvert

vs

Sensing Intuition Sensing people prefer to deal in factual, concrete, and actual things. They tend to be procedural, practical and realistic. They prefer the observable world, specific evidences and experiential validation.

People who prefer Intuition interpret patterns and the significance of information. They tend to imagine possibilities, look at the big picture, discuss ideas and theories. They rely more on their hunches, gut feeling and inspiration to make conclusions.

Sensing Intuition

vs

19

Thinking Feeling People who prefer Thinking in their decision-making can distance themselves from the issue at hand and use their analytical, logical and rational processes to arrive at a balanced, fair and objective solution. They believe in using definite criteria and principles in making decisions. They believe in treating everyone equally.

People who prefer Feeling in their decision-making put themselves and all the other people involved in the forefront to ensure that their values are upheld and their personal points of view are considered. They are highly empathetic and compassionate and are motivated by their personal principles and the impact of their decisions on people. They believe in treating everyone as an individual. .

Thinking Feeling

vs

Judging Perceiving In dealing with the world around them, people who are the Judging type prefer a well-ordered, structured, planned, programmed and controlled way of managing things in arriving at conclusions. They want closure in their dealings. They are highly systematic and methodical people who do not want frequent changes and vacillations. They plan and execute well.

In dealing with the world around them, people who are the Perceiving type prefer open-ended, flexible and spontaneous, experiential and changeable conditions where they can use their resourcefulness, adaptability and expansiveness. They are quite comfortable with constant change and are energized by what is new, what is possible and what is appropriate for the moment.

20

Judgement Perception

vs

•Can be relied upon to get work done •Keen attention to details •Organized work •Loves to weigh the pros & cons before deciding •Puts closure in his decisions

ISTJ

21

• Always coming up with new ideas but tends to not to focus

• Outgoing• Loves people • Not keen to details• Decides on the basis of

what people want

ENFP