Whole Brain® Thinking

Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument®

Everyone processes information and situations differently. Our daily thought processes including our communication, problem-solving, decision-making and managing styles are impacted by our Whole Brain® Thinking.

The Whole Brain® Thinking Model is a framework created and developed by Ned Herrmann and explains how an individual’s thinking preferences are based, to varying degrees, on the four different thinking Quadrants that we access. Understanding our thinking preferences and those we interact with enables improved communication, relationships, understanding and effective decision-making.

Applying Whole Brain® Thinking means being able to fully leverage one’s own preferences, stretch to other quadrants when necessary, and adapt to and take advantage of the preferences of those around you to improve performance and results. It is the framework which underpins the highly validated Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®), the survey at the heart of the Herrmann Whole Brain® Thinking System.

The Whole Brain® Model as we have come to recognise it today, is a 4-quadrant metaphor representing a combination of our thinking preferences:

• The upper left Blue A quadrant specialises in logical, analytical, quantitative, and fact-based thinking.

• The lower left Green B quadrant focuses on details and specialises in planning, organising, and sequencing information.

• The lower right Red C quadrant places a priority on feelings and the interpersonal, emotional and kinesthetic aspects of a situation.

• The upper right Yellow D quadrant synthesizes and integrates information and is more conceptual and holistic in its thinking.

What is HBDI®

Whole Brain® Thinking forms the framework of the highly validated psychometric Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®), which uses 116 questions to measure the thinking preferences of individuals, teams and Organisations.

Understanding your personal thinking preferences will enable you to optimize your ability to adapt your thinking, decision-making, problem solving or communication style to a given situation. It raises your awareness that there are different ways of thinking and approaching a problem other than your thinking preference. Some approaches to problems require different types of thinking to solve them.

HBDI® will also explain why it is easier to communicate between people who share preferences in the same thinking modes, Left (A and B) or Right (C and D) and difficult to communicate with those in opposite different modes eg Quadrant A and Quadrant C.

Your HBDI® profile will help clarify why some elements of your education or work seem more effortless and satisfying and why some academic subjects, job functions or hobbies are more interesting and appealing to you.

The 116-question online survey takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.

Individual Profile Report

The first step is for you as an Individual Thinker to use the Herrmann Whole Brain® digital assessment to decode your thinking preferences. The results and interpretation of your completed HBDI® digital assessment will be available via an interactive HBDI® APP in the Herrmann Thinker Portal. Here you get to understand how your decoded thinking preferences and cognitive diversity combine with your biases to impact your happiness and productivity at home and work. You receive access to additional reference material regarding the Whole Brain® Model, including comparative data and personal development activities.

Pairs Profile Report

Productive collaboration requires effective communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. The HBDI® Pair Profile provides an in-depth analysis of two people and their thinking preferences by comparing and contrasting their individual HBDI®Profiles and creating new opportunities for application and impact to improve their relationship. The Pair Profile analyzes similarities and the benefits of different thinking preferences that can be combined to reach their common goals.

From the HBDI® Pair Profile, each participant can learn techniques for effective communication whether in personal or professional relationships, how to interact effectively, work together more productively, and resolve issues to obtain overall relational success.

Team Profile Report

Teams are at the core of any organization’s productivity. The success of an initiative depends on clear performance goals and the ability of management teams to drive communication, innovation, and planning while taking full advantage of the diversity of thought within teams and across functions.

The HBDI® Team Profile provides powerful insights and application tools directly to teams and their managers to decode different thinking preferences, measure team effectiveness, identify their potential blind spots, and increase their productivity. The HBDI® Team Profile’s extensive reports improve a team’s interaction and accountability in successfully delivering on the team goals.

“The way individuals think guide how they work. The way groups of individuals think guide how the teams they form work. The way that groups of teams think and work will make or break the success of the organization.”

Herrmann® Team Effectiveness Dashboard

The Herrmann® Team Effectiveness Dashboard is a tool designed to help newly formed or existing teams of between 4 to 20 members to evaluate what they are focusing on and what they may be missing, all by leveraging and applying the Whole Brain® model.

As a neutral place to voice opinions anonymously about the team’s dynamics, it allows and encourages team members to contribute their ideas on “what we do now” and “what we think we should be doing.”

The Herrmann® Team Effectiveness Dashboard provides insights to help you work with the team to define or clarify their desired outcomes and objectives while encouraging team members to think about how they could work together more effectively.

The Herrmann® Team Effectiveness Dashboard can be used:

At the beginning or end of the year to create a team development plan
When a team receives new goals and objectives or is combined with another group
With a change in leadership or key members
As a next step after the HBDI® Team Profile

-Courtesy of Herrmann® Team Effectiveness Dashboard Facilitator guide
Learn more about Herrmann here.

What does YOUR HBDI® profile say about your preferences?

Whole Brain® Thinking – Our Four Selves Model

HBDI® Digital Application

After completing your HBDI® assessment by answering the 116 questions, your HBDI® profile results will be available on your computer and mobile phone via the HBDI® Digital and HBDI® APP, respectively.

These powerful digital HBDI® tools conveniently keep your profile results at hand while providing comprehensive insights into your HBDI® results. Combining this digital display of your profile with a certified practitioner’s professional interpretation of your HBDI® profile allows for a deeper understanding of your thinking preferences and how it impacts your interaction with those you interact with daily.

The digital HBDI® application includes features to help you apply Whole Brain® Thinking and guesstimate family, friends, colleagues, and clients’ profiles by the clues they provide – all via your smartphone.

Available on the App Store and Android

Actual Business Benefits realised using Herrmann Whole Brain® Thinking

Personal Impact & Feedback

Through learning about Whole brain® Thinking, it becomes easier to understand both your own thinking and others (what is important to them, how they think about outcomes etc.). My communication became a lot more effective in my work and relationships, simply by understanding different ways of thinking and how others prefer to react under pressure.

Teigh Cunningham

Chartered Quantity Surveyor

Ireland

I discovered new layers of self-love, self-respect, and self-worth. I finally gained the confidence I was seeking for most of my life and I continue to use and practice the tools learnt which help me when I have a disagreement with someone, when I am too emotional, or when I feel distracted. The HBDI® model is phenomenal and insanely accurate. Once you get the results it feels like your new life starts from that day. It shows you how your brain works when challenged, in front of an obstacle, bored or stuck for whatever reason. I actually now call some of my character traits super powers. These test results also helped me focus on my other skills and work on my less preferred characteristics from a bigger and wiser perspective.

Dubravka Jovanovic

Administration Manager

Serbia

HBDI® has been incredibly insightful for me, revealing why I respond the way I do and highlighting the diversity in how people think. This understanding has transformed my approach to communication, making it more constructive and sensitive. The mobile app is a great tool for quick reference, enhancing my interactions with others. It's been a real eye-opener in understanding myself and improving my relationships.

Carmen Kruger

Canine Behaviourist

Belgium

HBDI® is the most interesting self-awareness tools I have come by. We often question our feelings or reactions and 'ask Google' or seek answers using self-help literature. While those are true, it applies to a particular person's (generally the author) feeling or coping mechanism which doesn't fit all. We are all unique! Through my coaching journey, I went through the HBDI assessment, and the findings were surreal. I have gained a deeper understanding of my thinking preferences, and my opportunities. My life partner went through the assessment as well, and by comparing our profiles we have understood our thinking preferences under normal and stressful conditions, which has helped us resolve tough situations thereafter. Although the tool provides an in-depth explanation of your results, Coach Wayne explained them really well using his own life examples. The personal touch is most necessary adding relevance to the results. I would strongly recommend this assessment for anyone who is on the journey of being true to themselves - and since you're reading this, I am sure you would benefit.

Abhinav Kothakota

Head of Key Accounts MEA

Dubai