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Know How You Think, and Improve Your Communication Tools
Four Key Thought Patterns You Need to Know for Powerful Leadership
By Chris Cox
Do the people in your life and business always approach a problem exactly the
way you do? Or do some take exactly the opposite approach? Does this frustrate
you?
Studies show about 50% of the way our brain works
to solve problems is genetically determined, and the other 50% is determined
through experiences in our formative years. This means that by age 22 - 26, we
have formed habits of thinking and solving the problems of our world, and these
habits are different for each of us!
Recent neurological research has given us new insight into how the brain works
and how it impacts our individual problem-solving approaches.
What we know is that the brain has 4 key types of thinking. These four areas include:
1. Analytical thought: The executive summary part of the brain that wants
to be efficient and quick, it works with high-level data and quickly does a pro/con
analysis of the right answer.
2. Structural thought: The detailed, practical part of the brain that wants
a policy or procedure for everything, works well in a predictable environment
and searches for the pattern in things.
3. Social thought: The part of the brain that is intuitive about people,
wants to include others in the decision process and work in teams.
4. And the Conceptual thought: The imaginative, visionary part of the brain
that loves to brainstorm and come up with new ways to do things. Most of us have
two or three areas that we prefer to use, and one or two that we don't prefer
to use as often.
These differences are what make it so hard to communicate at times.
For example, when an analytical thinker works with a social thinker, “analytical”
wants the efficient bottom line approach, and “social” wants the team
approach where everyone has a say in the answer — now that's a set-up for
conflict. There’s no fault here, just the reality of the brain: both are
just working within their preferred thinking styles.
Remembering that the way we think is genetic and that it's not right or wrong,
just different, can be very powerful. As you go through your day today, give
some thought to how alike or different your colleagues thinking patterns are
at work, and your family or friends at home — and how that impacts your
ability to communicate effectively with them!
Powerful people have the tools to communicate with all
kinds of thinking, and so can you! Check out the Emergenetics
workshop information on our website to learn how to
find out your thinking and behavior patterns!
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