Visionary leadership brains

As I've continued to ponder the implications of different dominant portions of our brains, this morning I realized how we are always providing visionary leadership. We cannot turn off our ability to LOOK FORWARD to the next experience, though the way we do it varies with how we use our brains.

Our limbic systems are predisposed to live in our past history. These instinctual brain functions memorize what happened, how it felt and a story to tell about it. This instant recall serves many valuable purposes such as:

• it keeps us alive when faced with life threatening dangers
• it replicates our genes when faced with sexual opportunities
• it repeats a success when faced with a familiar drill to execute
  

Yet this use of our limbic systems amounts to a failure of visionary leadership. When relying on our limbic system for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to our past. We envision repeats of previous incidents. We set up with our expectations those re-enactments of familiar experiences. We create mental factories for the replication of the same old story and chronic anxiety. We say what we're worrying about.

Our left brains are predisposed to live in our present circumstances. These rational/logical brain functions dwell on what is happening now and what to do about it. This emphasis on the immediate situation serves many useful purposes like:

• it gets things done that won't happen by waiting, letting go or trusting a process
• it sorts out what is good/bad, acceptable/unacceptable, desired/rejected
• it opposes what appears to need a battle, enemy, objection or resistance

Yet this use of our left brains also amounts to a failure of visionary leadership. When relying on our left brain for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to maintaining present circumstances. We foresee more of the same and maintain convictions that this is what is reasonable to expect. We say "no" to what we're insisting on persisting with a vengeance.

Our right brains are predisposed to imagine better circumstances. These creative/intuitive brain functions dwell on envisioned possibilities. This emphasis on the future serves a bunch of fulfilling purposes including how:

• it spawns innovations and advances in the world
• it inspires others to get creative and inventive
• it syncs up all the brain functions into a flow state

This use of our right brains amounts to effective visionary leadership. When relying on our right brain for guidance, we LOOK FORWARD to what's coming about. We foresee welcomed changes without knowing exactly how things will improve. We say "yes" to all that's happened and happening with confidence in the unfolding upgrades.

Aah. To be right brained, or not right brained, that is the question.