A Whole New Mind, bestselling author Daniel Pink writes that the nature of the world is changing to such a degree that power is being transferred from left-brainers to right-brainers.As a trainer in the Herrmann Brain Dominance Inventories, it is time to no longer polarize good leadership as right brain or left brain, but rather be diverse enough to shift styles with each situation. Women's leadership embraces more of right-brain thinking and because it has been red-headed step child for too many years, attention is now being drawn to those who embelish a more creative and empathic style. 

Where once we needed programmers, engineers and lawyers, today we need artists, inventors and designers. The world is moving away from the Information Age and towards the Conceptual Age, and with that transformation comes a need for different types of people to take charge.

And in Psychology Today, Dr Christian Jarrett from the British Psychological Society writes that the left-brain versus right-brain perspective serves us better as a metaphor for behavioural preferences rather than an accurate representation of how the brain works.

Whichever way you look at it, it's true that some of us are more inclined to think rationally and sequentially – otherwise known as left-brained behaviour – whereas others lean towards imagination and sensory attributes, known as right-brained behaviour.

Leaders have an imperative to embody both. When they stick to the left-brain, they can lack empathy, neglect to recognise employees, and be closed off to new ideas. When they stick to the right-brain, they can be neglectful of facts, impractical when formulating solutions, and unfocused. Great leaders  are like conductors of orchestras and know when to bring in the right instruments or people for the task at hand.  

The most successful companies throughout the world have a balance of all four brain quadtrants in their teams. Hiring clones creates a team imbalance. The interdependence is what makes good companies great.  The right-brain idea generators must relinquish their ideas to the upper right-brain analyzers to get the facts straight. They then move the agenda to the lower left brain organizers who lose to put together the parts for implemetation. The last stageof the process is when the lower right-brain people then communicate the product or service to the world. They are the cheerleaders, the salespeople and the communciators.  

True diversity is much more than color, creed or race. It is showing respect for thinking styles that are unlike our natural preference.  It is only then that team syngery can take an organization to a higher level of excellence. 

Edie Raether, MS, CSP, is an international speaker, corporate trainer and business coach. She is the bestselling author of several books in numerous languages. Visit www.raether.com or call 704-658-8997 or email edie@raether.com.