What does it mean to lead truly effectively and why is it so important for today’s leaders to switch their leadership style to a so-called “whole-brained” approach? Due to employees expecting their jobs to provide them with a sense of mastery and purpose, to have them continually learn new skills and give them the opportunity to contribute and secure personal recognition, it becomes more and more important for today’s leaders and organizations to create a culture that contributes positively to their worker’s lives.
Instead of spreading fear or forcing people to do what they want, great leaders focus on motivating their teams in engaging ways, which requires a different kind of leadership: Effective leadership that values people over profit and impact over income.
Psychologists state that there are two parts of the brain that are usually not equally used. The left brain is the clever part, dealing well with logical thinking, languages, science, number, and reasoning which undoubtedly brings leaders to a certain level of success. Yet, in order to sustain that success and progress, it is necessary to also develop right-brain skills that have been undervalued, neglected or avoided. The “right-brained” approach relies far more on giving value to personal connectivity, intuition, insight, holistic thought and emotional intelligence.
By identifying your leaders’ capabilities, blind spots and potential through tools such as assessments and coaching, you allow your organization to reveal strengths and develop key areas including self-leadership, team leadership, building relationships, developing others, and creating organizational culture.
In the end, we must recognize that both sides of the brain are functioning at all times. A good leader must still think rationally and make sound financial decisions, and that same leader must be emotionally intelligent. In order to become a great leader of not just teams, but initiatives, it’s vital that leaders today are multi-skilled and use both sides of their brains. A “whole-brained” approach enables leaders to proactively manage projects as well as groups of productive employees to create vibrant teams of motivated and engaged go-getters.