Your Brain at Work: Analytical versus Social Thinking
Is it possible to be social and creative, yet analytical and focused? Probably not at the same time, according to recent neuroscience research. Our brains use two distinct and antagonistic networks:
The task-positive network (TPN) enables focus, analysis, and problem solving
The default mode network (DMN) enables social behavior, emotional awareness and creative thinking
Here’s the catch: when one of those networks is active, is suppresses activity in the other. What does this mean for leaders, and the discipline of leadership?
If you spend lots of time in one mode, you may be less effective in the opposite mode. Use it or lose it.
You may not be able to empathize/create and analyze/focus at the same time. Instead, you may need to rapidly switch between modes to leverage both types of thinking.
You may be able to recharge your analytical power by spending some time in a social or creative mode, before coming back to your analytical focus. And vice-versa.
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Image by Adrian Kenyon via Creative Commons license.
By the way - in case you’re thinking that TPN versus DMN is the ‘right brain’ versus ‘left brain’ issue, it’s not. That old theory of in-born and fixed personality types has been debunked.