As an Organization Development consultant, I am passionate about working with people.  One component of my consulting that I most enjoy is coaching individuals and teams to better understand themselves in order to encourage professional and personal growth, and to ultimately work more efficiently together to improve workplace morale and performance. 

One tool that is significantly effective in raising awareness about personal thinking preferences and the results those preferences can produce when engaging with others is the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI).  The concept for the HBDI was developed in the late 1970s by Ned Herrmann.   What my clients appreciate about the HBDI is the quality of the insights this easy-to-use assessment tool provides, and the ability to layer the thinking preferences of team members for a broader illustration of the team preferences when strategizing for answers to business questions such as:

◦       Why is my business development stagnant?

◦       Why aren’t my employees productive?

◦       Why isn’t my organization creative?

◦       Why can’t these workers get along?

As businesses continue to focus on respecting differences and embracing a workplace that reflects a global mosaic, the HBDI can provide the framework for improving understanding of self and others.  In addition to this knowledge where you are providing a positive impact on employee communications, it also provides the backdrop to understand and improve business elements such as teamwork, leadership, customer relationships, creativity and innovation, talent management, problem solving and other aspects of personal and interpersonal development.

How the HBDI Works

Your employees, teams, clients and competitors don’t just think one way, so should you?   Of course not.

The HBDI model reflects four different quadrants that correspond with the physiology of the brain.  The assessment (120 questions) evaluates the strength of an individuals’ thinking preference in each quadrant.  Understanding those results and using the knowledge that the individual will automatically gravitate to the quadrant(s) with the strongest preferences is balanced with the discovery of how to utilize and appreciate the less developed quadrants in order to produce a more creative, informed and synergized “Whole Brain” experience.

In his book, The Whole Brain Business Book, Ned Herrmann asks the question, “What does having a workforce with a balanced array of thinking-style preferences have to do with managing?”   His answer,“Everything.”   He goes on to point out that the characteristics and aspects of brain dominance impact all of the following management responsibilities:

•         Job design

•         Job fit

•         Management communications

•         Team selection

•         Organization design

•         Workforce planning

•         Engagement

•         Rewards and recognition

Progressive leaders looking for initiatives which can ignite self-awareness and greater acceptance of differences should consider the HBDI as a “go to” option in their tool box of employee and organizational development strategies.  For more information about the HBDI, contact us at 770.587.9032.