Left Brain V Right Brain
When a person has access to both the intuitive, creative and visual right brain, and the analytical, logical, verbal left brain, then the whole brain is working… And this tool is best suited to the reality of what life is, because life is not just logical-it is also emotional!’
Stephen Covey
In a very simple way we have two sides of our brain; the left side of the brain, the neocortex brain or masculine energy/yang energy, helps us tell ‘what we do’ it is responsible for performing tasks that have to do with logic, it is also responsible for rational and analytical thoughts and language; it is the sales figures, the action, the ‘let’s go and do it’ attitude, it is also associated with the ‘Thinking’ and ‘Hearing’.
On the other hand, the right hemisphere, the limbic brain or feminine energy/yin energy, helps us tell our story, our why we do what we do, it performs tasks that have do with receptivity, that creative moment in the shower when you go EUREKA, it tells us about our emotions, motivation and feelings, such as trust and loyalty. It is associated with the 3 senses ‘Visual’, ‘Taste’, ‘Smell’.
We all have both masculine and feminine energy, and it was Carl Jung who first wrote about the necessary integration of both masculine and feminine energies in each person. Everyone, whether male or female, needs both kinds of energy to be truly successful in life. In general, women have a surplus of feminine energy, and must embrace the masculine side of themselves — their “animus.” For men, their job is to embrace their “anima” — or their feminine self.
It is the masculine energy that allows you to run your business more effectively. Masculine energy is “outward” focused, and likes to take action. The masculine energy can take risks and whether the results. It is assertive and self-protecting and without enough masculine energy, you can become weak and passive.
Feminine energy is extremely useful to have when you are providing your service. This energy is “receptive” and makes you an incredibly good listener and story teller. The feminine side is warm and open to others. It is nurturing and intensely relational, helping you to take care of people. These are wonderful qualities that allow you to connect with your clients and employees on a deep level and really understand their needs.
A few months ago, I had to go to my local Garden Centre as I want to buy some plants for a workshop I was organising. I didn’t have much time and I knew what I wanted to buy, so I knew it would only take me a few minutes. My neocortex brain was engage, I was in action, I parked, I walked through the entrance, I walked directly towards the plant section and then… my eye caught a sign on the side of the entrance door saying ‘Shoes, SALES’… and suddenly my limbic brain took over, my body moved direction, I turned and started walking towards the sign and the shoes sales department!!
Crazy right? I knew I had to go and buy those plants, but my sub-conscious was stronger and took me to the shoe department, have you ever had a similar experience?? right, I can see a few of you smiling, so you know what I mean… ultimately I did manage to buy my plants, but I also left with 2 pairs of shoes!
So the neocortex allows us to look through vast amounts of facts and figures, but it doesn’t drive behaviour. The limbic brain drives most behaviour and this is where we experience emotion, then it makes sense since people would make decisions based on emotions. We then back up those decisions with the neocortex part of our brain, this isn’t where memories are stored and so we might rationalize the decision but then the rationale goes away over time.
This is why it’s so confusing when we go shopping for a specific type of product that’s offering a range of similar features and benefits…
I get it, businesses need to have a stronger masculine energy to get the business running effectively, however imagine a world where business leaders would be more care into what they do, more compassionate by better communication, caring, supporting and engaging with their employees.
Imagine if they could be nurturing, valuing and guiding their customers through their journey in a creative and inspiring way at an emotional level, they would ultimately build a sustainable ‘Caring Service Culture’.
