RATIONAL BRAIN SYSTEM

UNDERSTANDING
BRAIN SYSTEMS

Despite using all of the brain systems on any given day, we all have a dominant one. We often find our teams collectively lean towards one brain system too.

Let’s take a look at the Rational brain system...

RATIONAL BEHAVIOURS AT WORK

We would expect people with a dominant Rational brain system to be motivated by clarity in what they can deliver. They are likely to exhibit the following traits:

Precise
Systematic
Analytical
Diligent
Reliable
Methodical
Objective

PREFERRED ENVIRONMENT

As well as exhibiting typical behaviours, we can expect people who lean most on their Rational brain system to thrive in certain environments over others. Preferences may include:

Critical information provided
Technical or specialised work is probably preferred
Consistency and processes in place

QUALITIES OF A RATIONAL TEAM

Teams who collectively use the Rational system more are likely to bring the following qualities:

High standards
Objectivity
Clarity
A test and learn approach
Attention to detail
Planning
Problem solving

CONSIDERATIONS FOR A RATIONAL TEAM

Try:

Providing detail and facts
Being precise and structured
Explaining the rationale
Presenting a business case

Avoid:

Overly focusing on emotions
Being too “fluffy” or ‘over the top’
Expecting decisions on a hunch, feeling or vision

Clive Hyland

Head of Neuroscience

The Happiness Index

People often assume our thoughts are a conscious process, but 95% of the information we process happens subconsciously. This is shaped by the models we have learned through experience to perceive and respond to the world. Whilst this offers us amazing sophistication, we can also be trapped in conditioned thinking.