Brain scientists have determined that the brain has four functional quadrants that play different roles in our personality. While we are meant to use all four quadrants and develop communication between these functions, we have found through our work with leaders over the last four decades that most leaders are only using a quarter to a half of their brain’s potential.  Imagine the positive impact on your organizational results if your leaders were accessing all four quadrants of the brain.

Most individuals in leadership roles are hard wired to use the left front quadrant of the rational brain without getting input from the other three areas. This makes sense, as the purpose of this part of the brain is to define the world by using logical, rational decision-making to analyze, plan and organize. However, this means that quadrant of the brain used for bonding and relating (lower right emotional brain) is not directly accessible by these individuals. As a result, leaders struggle to coach, resolve conflict, show appreciation, empathize, and manage performance – all activities that require access to this quadrant of the brain.

Based on the Striving Styles Personality System, there are eight distinct personality styles based on the four brain quadrants. Each quadrant houses two of the styles with one focused on the external environment and one focusing inward. The following descriptions may help you to identify which quarter you, or your leader, may be working from.

8 Signs That You Aren’t Leading with Your Whole Brain:

1.       You micromanage your employees.

You are a Leader Leadership Style, and you need to be in control. You fail to delegate and insist on doing everything yourself, because it’s the only way it will be done “right.” You expect others to work at your pace and openly criticize them when they don’t. You never ask for help. You tell everyone that if they just do as you do, everything will turn out fine.  You are impatient and dismissive of people who aren’t like you. Employees who need more guidance slow you down and you only delegate to those who work at your pace.

2.       You expect direct reports to follow without questioning your expertise.

You are an Intellectual, and you need to be knowledgeable. You prefer to work on your own and not have to lead others, but when you do, you expect them to follow what you say without question, as no one knows more than you about what is to be done. You withdraw from your employees and avoid working through conflict. You wish everyone was as competent, independent and logical as you are. You dismiss anything that may be communicated in an emotional way.

3.       You need your employees’ approval.

You are a Performer, and you need to be recognized. You need your employees to give you the recognition you need, so you try to be a “great guy or gal” rather than an effective leader. You fail to set clear direction or define procedures and change course if something new comes along that seems more exciting. You fail to address performance issues because doing this puts you in a negative light. You have difficulty acknowledging your employees’ achievements, or even take credit for someone else’s good ideas.

4.       You fail to communicate details.

You are a Visionary, and you need to be perceptive. You think you are communicating your ideas and instructions precisely, but often leave employees unsure of what you actually want them to do. You don’t want your ideas challenged so you give clear expectations. Employees are intimidated by your intense style of questioning when you fail to understand why they do things the way they have. You rationalize poor performance, giving too many people too many chances in an attempt to avoid difficult conversations.

5.       You put people before results.

You are a Socializer, and you need to be connected. You are extremely personable and want to know everything that is going on with your employees. You spend so much time taking care of your employees’ needs and issues that you ignore your own priorities or business results. You help people to the point of doing their work for them so they don’t have to struggle. You favor your employees who conform and dislike those who are too individualistic. Your need for consensus and harmony can cause you to shut down creativity or the debating of ideas.

6.       You don’t assert your authority.

You are an Artist, and you need to be creative.  You are reserved and quiet, and wonder at times why you are in a leadership position at all. You don’t always assert yourself with your employees, and can fail to establish expectations, plans or deadlines. You don’t address performance issues because don’t want employees to feel bad about themselves. You don’t set limits because you wouldn’t want anyone to do that to you. You can finish work for others to make up for their shortcomings.

7.       You don’t plan.

You are an Adventurer, and you need to be spontaneous. You believe planning gets in the way of getting things done. Your motto with your employees could be either “just do it” or “figure it out for yourself.” You are impatient when employees ask too many “why” questions as it slows you down. You may change procedures on the fly, and don’t always follow through on the commitments you make. You can fail to address your employees’ needs for development; “on-the-job training” is good enough for everyone.

8.       You resist change and innovation.

You are a Stabilizer, and you need to be secure.  You do things by the book and run everything according to procedures, schedule and budget. You have a hard time understanding why others are different to you, and don’t have the same work ethic you have. You only interact with your employees when you need information, or when you need to give them information to do their job. You don’t like change and regularly squash or dismiss innovation and creativity. You are critical of employees who put personal priorities ahead of work priorities.

As humans, we are meant to use all four quadrants, however, when we only use one or two of the quadrants, it significantly limits our effectiveness and satisfaction in our relationships, our careers and, particularly in a leadership role. Unfortunately, leadership development programs do not focus on building the neural pathways necessary for leaders to use the relational quadrant of their brain, leaving them acting on their emotions while seeming to be rational and logical. Programs that stay “objective,” rather than helping leaders to integrate their emotional brain through experiences, simply keep them in their comfort zone and fail to bring about any behavioral change.