©Arlene R. Taylor PhD
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
This division is sometimes referred to as the mathematical division, although both frontal modes are involved with math (e.g., the left frontal division with algebra, arithmetic, statistics, and part of calculus; the right frontal division with geometry, trigonometry, and parts of calculus).
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may prefer mathematical music (e.g., counterpoint, music of the classical masters).
Functions of this division help one to:
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This division is musically artistic and innovative, enjoys the big picture in music and is willing to adapt to changes in musical liturgy, innovate, and embrace new musical forms.
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may enjoy music that departs from traditional rules (e.g., dissonance, irregular rhythms).
Functions of this division help one to:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
This division is both developed and called upon during the formal study of music, assisting individuals to understand the building blocks of music (e.g., the form of music including chord structure and time signatures).
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may prefer music that is traditional and familiar.
Functions of this division help one to:
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This division is thought to be the home ofnative musical ability, so-called.
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may prefer relational, emotional, and spiritual music such as gospel songs, romantic music, and music that tells a story (e.g., country and western, blues); may enjoy rhythm, liking to tap a foot or finger to rhythmic music.
Functions of this division help one to:
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Prioritizing Division
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Envisioning Division
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Maintaining Division
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Envisioning Division
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
The purpose of this division is to help individuals make decisions quickly and accurately. Individuals who prefer using this cerebral division are usually somewhat objective and analytical about organization of personal space and may:
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The purpose of this division is to assit individuals in anticipating and making changes. Individuals who prefer using this cerebral division are usually somewhat eclectic and spontaneous about organizing their personal space and may:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
The purpose of this division is to produce and supply dependably day-to-day needs (e.g., food, housing, clothing, services). Individuals who have a preference for using this cerebral division are usually somewhat structured and rigid about organization of personal space.
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may:
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The purpose of Right Posterior Lobes is to build trust, harmony, and peaceful foundations. Individuals who have a preference for using this cerebral division are usually somewhat subjective and relational about organization of personal space.
Individuals with a brain lead in this division may:
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While lifetime best friends usually have a similar brain bent, life partners may possess differing brain lbents. (The brain bents of business partners may be similar or different based on conscious choice or availability.) According to Ned Herrmann, by and large, opposites do attract. That is, right brainers often partner with left brainers, and individuals with a frontal brain lead often partner with those who have a lead in the posterior lobes. Opposites may attract as each brain tries to select for wholeness (e.g., with differing brain leads opposites have more of the requisite brain functions “covered” by one or the other of the partners).
Having said that, outside of a brain that is severely damaged or even “evil,” there may be no ideal partnering combination. There are differing risk-benefit combinations. That is, differing amounts of energy will be required to maintain the relationship. And it is acknowledged that attempting to partner successfully with a brain that is damaged or mentally ill may be difficult, if not impossible.
In life you usually give something up to get something. Failure to understand that principle, and/or blaming and criticizing yourself or others, accomplishes nothing of value. You can select a partner:
Understanding something about brain function can increase your awareness, help you to develop reasonable expectations, and allow you to make conscious informed choices. And you can choose to have fun on the journey. That’s not half bad!
Given that there is a large enough pool of individuals from which to select, following are examples of the way in which individuals may select a partner.|
Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
| Males and females who are attracted primarily to individuals of the opposite gender (no one is believed to be 100% in terms of preference) and who have their energy advantage in this division may partner with someone whose brain lead aligns with the diagonal Harmonizing division). These individuals tend to be very directive in the relationship and carry (or assume responsibility for) the left-hemisphere or frontal functions. If the partnering is due to the merging of two families to “keep the business in the family,” sometimes a FL will partner with a FL (at least the first time around). That tends to be more of a functional business partnering (as compared with a more typically romantic relationship) but it often works because both individuals are very goal oriented. | Males who are attracted primarily to individuals of the opposite gender and who have their energy advantage in this division may partner with a female whose brain lead aligns with the diagonal Maintaining division. Females who are attracted primarily to individuals of the opposite gender sometimes follow this pattern, as well, especially in a first partnering, and choose a male with an energy advantage in the Maintaining division. This choice can become problematic if the female perceives that the male is stuck in a rut, too slow to embrace change, or lack spontaneity and loses sights of the beneficial qualities that can be exhibited. For his part, the male may perceive that the female is unstable, way too spontaneous in her choices, and jumps into situations without sufficient forethought. Some females (sometimes initially and usually in a second partnering) choose to partner with another Envisioning male and develops a “best friends as well as partners” relationship. Or she may choose to partner with a male who has a brain lead in the Harmonizing division because she enjoys the nurturing, connecting, and encouraging that a male with this type of brain lead can provide (as long as she never compares him against characteristics of a goal-oriented hard-driving prioritizing male and becomes dissatisfied or tries to push her partner toward the Maintaining division to “take care of all the details”). My observations are that males who are attracted primarily to same-gender individuals (again, no one is believed to be 100% in terms of preference) may partner with an individual who either has an energy advantage in either the Envisioning or the Harmonizing division. |
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
| Males and females who are attracted primarily to individuals of the opposite gender and who have their energy advantage in this division may partner with individuals whose energy advantage aligns with the diagonal Envisioning division. In a subsequent partnering, they may partner with a double right who has an energy advantage in the Harmonizing Division. | Males and females who are attracted primarily to individuals of the opposite gender may partner with an individual who has an energy advantage in the Prioritizing division. With their emphasis on nurturing, encouraging, and connecting in the relationship, these individuals (Harmonizing) often try to carry (or be responsible for) the Harmonizing division functions. Males who are attracted primarily to individuals of the same gender may partner with a male who either has an energy advantage in either the Envisioning or Harmonizing division. |
Expectations for Task Completion
In our culture, the female in a typical cross-gender relationship is expected to pick up a good-sized portion of the responsibility for homemaking and parenting, especially in the more traditional models of breadwinner and homemaker. In addition, she is expected to handle the tasks that the male doesn’t enjoy doing. Depending on each person’s innate giftedness, the female may find that she is responsible for tasks that are energy-intensive for her brain. (And in single-parent families where one person is responsible for everything, the same principles of energy expenditure and fatigue apply whenever the required tasks don’t match the individual’s innate giftedness.)
When partners have similar brain leads, although this allows for being best friends as well as partners, the fatigue can actually be accelerated. For example, if both individuals are Envisioners, the female may be expected to complete tasks that utilize functions from the Maintaining division—for herself, her partner, and children, if they exist. These tasks are the most energy-exhausting for her brain as well as for that of her partner. Over time her fatigue can lead to exhaustion, discouragement, and dissatisfaction with the relationship. She may even attribute her fatigue to her partner when, in fact, it may have far more to do with the way in which she is utilizing her brain. Regardless of the thinking-style mix in the relationship or family, if the female tries to be all things to all people, over the long haul her brain will fatigue. Potential for relationship problems can escalate.
Same-gender partners may be more likely to have similar brain bents. Unless both individuals understand the activities that tend to exhaust their brains, one partner will likely end up trying to complete (or feel expected to be responsible for) energy-exhaustive tasks. Over time as the brain becomes fatigued the relationship can fall apart, with one or both partners certain that it has to do with the other individual’s dysfunction, or irritating habits, or lack of commitment, or differing expectations. While any or all of those may be true, in reality, it likely has more to do with how each is using his/her brain.
Again, the bad news is that in our culture one of the partners (often the individual carrying responsibility for the more stereotypical female-type activities) is expected to perform the tasks that the other individual doesn’t enjoy doing. Over time, this can serve to sabotage the relationship. Both individuals would do well to engage in the task-evaluation process and take responsibility for dividing energy-intensive tasks between them as equally as possible.
Energy Required In your relationship do you feel like you are continually struggling to scale Mt. Everest with few rest stops and no end in sight, or are you loping along through the hills and valleys of life with plenty of energy? Living authentically, understanding brain function, and negotiating tasks with a partner from a position of knowledge, can make all the difference in the world! Ask, how much energy does it require to develop and/or maintain this partnership? Some relationships will require higher levels of energy-expenditures and, thus, be more exhausting and less rewarding to maintain over time. In order to maintain a thriving relationship it is critical to identify activities that are energy-exhaustive for each individual. It’s also important to identify expectations (conscious or subconscious) for completion of those tasks. Otherwise one individual may end up completing(or perceive an expectation to complete) the tasks and activities that neither partner enjoys and that both find very energy-exhaustive. Over time this pattern can lead to procrastination, partial completion of tasks, serious relationship problems, and discouragement or depression. Task Evaluation When brain bents are similar or derive from adjacent divisions of the cerebrum, it can be helpful to compile a list of all the tasks that both partners believe must be completed in order for the relationship to be successful. Highlight tasks that are energy-exhausting for each person. Create three columns on a separate sheet of paper (see below).|
Tasks To Ignore |
Tasks to Hire Out or Trade |
Tasks to Divide Equally |
| Does the task have to be done at all? Can both partners be comfortable without having this task done? If yes, list the task in this column and stop doing it. Now! | Can the task be hired out or traded? If yes, list the task in this column and find someone to hire or with whom to trade. And do it in a timely manner! | Can the task be turned into a joint effortgame? If not, divide must-do tasks equally between partners in order to prevent brain drain. Take responsibility for completing your own tasks! |
It can also be interesting to conjecture about individuals who, although not holding a political elected position, made great contributions to the world.
Following are examples of brain-lead conjectures, some resulting from conversations with Benziger and others.
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may be committed to making timely and logical decisions for others.
Examples may include:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may be committed to making visionary innovations.
Examples may include:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may be committed to maintaining the status quo.
Examples may include:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may be committed to networking and to maintaining community.
Examples may include:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an innate energy advantage in this division may:
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Individuals with an innate energy advantage in this division may:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an innate energy advantage in this division may:
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Individuals with an innate energy advantage in this division may:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an innate energy-advantage in this division may take a logical (inductive/deductive) approach to quality issues and ask:
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Individuals with an innate energy-advantage in this division may approach quality issues innovatively and ask:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an innate energy-advantage in this division may take a rational approach to quality issues and ask:
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Individuals with an innate energy-advantage in this division may approach quality issues somewhat emotionally and ask:
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Studies have shown that people often tend to evaluate the quality of an organization or service by their social interactions. As such, it is often possible to enhance their perception of quality. Here are three tips:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may gravitate toward reading:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may gravitate toward reading:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may gravitate toward reading:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may gravitate toward reading:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals who choose to affiliate with established religion and who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division may:
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Individuals who choose to affiliate with established religion and who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division may:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals who choose to affiliate with established religion and who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division may:
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Individuals who choose to affiliate with established religion and who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division may:
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Left Cerebral Hemisphere
]If they choose to attend religious services, individuals with an innate energy advantage in one of the two left-hemisphere divisions tend to gravitate toward traditional-style services
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Right Cerebral Hemisphere
If they choose to attend religious services, individuals with an innate energy advantage in one of the two right-hemisphere divisions tend to gravitate toward celebration-style services
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Extraverts Estimated to be 15% of population |
Ambiverts Estimated to be 70% of population |
Introverts Estimated to be 15% of population |
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Tend to be more willing to engage in risk-taking activities May use risk-taking as a way to obtain needed stimulation, variety, excitement, and novelty, as well as to avoid boredom May evaluate risk in advance but may also spontaneously or intuitively embrace the risk May go elsewhere in search of stimulation if level of risk is perceived clearly not to be worth the hoped-for stimulation |
Risk-taking activities tend to be somewhere in the middle between behaviors exhibited by Extraverts versus Introverts |
Tend to be less willing to engage in risk-taking activities, especially spontaneously May carefully evaluate risk-taking in terms of a the positive outcome If pluses clearly outweigh the negatives, may be willing to embrace the risk May withdraw from the group and run the risk of being labeled a fraidy-cat, spoil-sport, or even stuck-up if they don’t believe the risk is worth the hoped-for outcome |
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Prioritizing Division
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Envisioning Division
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Maintaining Division Individuals with an energy advantage in the Left Posterior Division tend to be the most resistant to risk-taking behaviors because that portion of the brain is resistant to change
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Harmonizing Division
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
For individuals with an energy advantage in this division, self-esteem levels tend to rise when they are able to:
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For individuals with an energy advantage in this division, self-esteem levels tend to rise when they are able to:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
For individuals with an energy advantage in this division, self-esteem levels tend to rise when they are able to:
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For individuals with an energy advantage in this division, self-esteem levels tend to rise when they are able to:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may exhibit one or more of these spiritual gifts from a position of innate ability:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may exhibit one or more of these spiritual gifts from a position of innate ability:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may exhibit one or more of these spiritual gifts from a position of innate ability:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may exhibit one or more of these spiritual gifts from a position of innate ability:
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An individual’s personal spiritual journey may be impacted by a whole host of factors including his or her brain’s innate energy advantage. Following are examples to stimulate your thinking.
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division tend to be:
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Individuals who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division tend to be:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division tend to be:
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Individuals who have an energy advantage in this cerebral division tend to be:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to perceive the following as stressors:
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Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to perceive the following as stressors:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to perceive the following as stressors:
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Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to perceive the following as stressors:
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Left Frontal Lobe Prioritizing Division |
Right Frontal Lobe Envisioning Division |
Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to:
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Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to:
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Left Posterior Lobes Maintaining Division |
Right Posterior Lobes Harmonizing Division |
Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to:
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Individuals who have their brain’s energy advantage in this division tend to:
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Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may rebel when they perceive:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may rebel when they perceive:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may rebel when they perceive:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division may rebel when they perceive:
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Several individuals may observe the same incident and yet, if called upon to testify in court, present very different testimony based on each person’s innate brain lead.
At present, the American legal system focuses on trying to determine who is right versus who is wrong, who is telling the truth and who is lying. It might be much more helpful if the system, instead, sought for the collective truth based on four different perspectives.
Following is a hypothetical example of testimony provided by four individuals (each with a different brain lead) who witnessed the same incident.
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
| The witness focused on and pointed out problems with signage on a portion of the highway, told the judge he should throw the book at the truck driver,and made mention of the fact that the highway patrol had asked for blood-alcohol tests. | The witness speculated on the possible actions of each driver that had resulted in the wreck, readily teared-up when describing the death of the sports car driver, and suggested ways in which the accident could have potentially been avoided. |
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
| The witness reported conversation that had been overheard at the accident site, included details related to the bounded shapes (e.g., the little red car had virtually been flattened by the semi-truck), cited specific driving rules that had been violated, and provided a precise time line of events. | The witness described the relationship of the vehicles to each other (e.g., the sports car had all but disappeared under the truck), cited the injuries of the victims, mentioned the groans emitted by the wounded, and described the weather (e.g., drizzle, accompanied by biting wind) that made things even more uncomfortable for the victims. |
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to want to accomplish something on vacation and may agree to go if they can accomplish a goal or two in the process.
They may:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to want adventure and entertainment on vacation
They may:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to want to plan the vacation in minute detail and then follow the itinerary carefully
They may be:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to want to connect with family and friends on vacation
They may:
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All things being equal, individuals tend to approach their everyday work activities based on innate brain bent unless they are forced to use non-preferred skills.
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Prioritizing Division An individual with an innate energy advantage in this division tends to:
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Envisioning Division An individual with an innate energy advantage in this division tends to:
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Maintaining Division An individual with an energy advantage in this division tends to:
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Harmonizing Division An individual with an energy advantage in this division tends to:
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Prioritizing Division The Prioritizers tend to get “turned-on” by:
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Envisioning Division
The Envisioners tend to get “turned-on” by:
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Maintaining Division The Maintainers tend to get “turned-on” by:
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Harmonizing Division The Harmonizers tend to get “turned-on” by:
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to work quickly and in control.
They tend to:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to usually work in starts and fits (e.g., like greased lightening and then needs a break, or needs to do some unrelated activity while the brain continues working on the problem).
They tend to:
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to be best at dependably supplying services
They tend to:
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to be best at building trust, harmony, and good will
They tend to:
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Thousands of small businesses start up every year in this country, and thousands fail every year. A mismatch between the owner’s innate giftedness and required key job tasks is a likely contributor. In addition to factors such as the economic climate and the viability of the product/service, business success requires functions from all portions of the cerebrum. The owner/sole proprietor will do some of these tasks well (perhaps from two or even three portions of cerebral tissue) while others will be extremely energy-exhaustive. The challenge involves the fact that the sole proprietor/small business owner often is expected to function in many different roles, wear multiple hats, and either coordinate or actually perform a wide variety of tasks and activities.
Following are examples of the types “hats” that a typical small-business owner must wear.|
President— CEO— Financier/CFO— Data analyzer— Supervisor— Accountant— Researcher— |
—Visionary —Risk taker —Marketer —Salesperson —Public relations —Development —Humorist |
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Environmental cleaner— Safety officer— Security officer— File clerk— Records clerk— Payroll clerk— Tax preparer— |
—Educator —Receptionist —Secretary —Networking —Chaplain —Counselor —Social committee |
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Prioritizing Division |
Envisioning Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to gravitate toward a hierarchical and somewhat formal worship style
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to gravitate toward an innovative and unusual or non-traditional worship style
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Maintaining Division |
Harmonizing Division |
Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to gravitate toward a typical and traditional worship style
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Individuals with an energy advantage in this division tend to gravitate toward a collegial and somewhat informal worship style
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Prioritizing Division
Envisioning Division
Maintaining Division
Harmonizing Division