Frozen Pizza Sundays: The Lobe on the Left

As family members go to work every day (or try to) it brings to mind the struggles we have with coworkers and managers. Consultants have made lots of money helping companies identify the characteristics of workers (“Four Quadrant,” for example) in order to boost productivity.

The idea is that you have different methods of communication depending on the personality of a coworker.

Some companies have gone to the extreme of putting symbols on the nameplates of office doors and cubicles announcing the traits of the employee.

Key to understanding is the concept that those who are left-brain dominant are prone to be more logical and methodical. The left-brain has even been associated with things like OCD and autism.

Gender theory since the feminist revolution suggests that girls have traditionally been slaves to the right brain. Educators have sought to increase the exposure of teen girls to math and science in an effort to build left-brain thinking. If successful, a balanced brain can be very effective. The combination of logic and nuance is powerful indeed.

I’ve worked for years among technicians and engineers, and have learned a thing or two about left-brain dominant people. Those who use the left side of the brain for a living are a different breed from the artists and salesmen of society.

Here are some random thoughts on the subject.

Well, they don’t like…random.
They prefer an elegant solution to a kludge. Loose ends and afterthoughts bother them.
They are a sarcastic (even sardonic) lot.
They like music, especially if it has structure. I know a physics professor who is an accomplished pianist. He enjoys the math involved. For example, each measure is a balanced equation of time. The octaves are also mathematical. Cheating either and making it work is a challenge he enjoys.
They like to pigeonhole the elements of their life by applying labels to people. Liberal-conservative-smart-dull-hyper-morose-religeous-agnostic-shrewd-gullible…That makes them rather judgmental.
They don’t much like government. There are several reasons for this. First, they despise the lack of control. Someone else is in authority over them and telling them what to do. And these people in charge are fools. They don’t like being played by politicians and they can spot the plays right away. They wonder, “Why can’t people see that this fool is making empty promises just to get their votes?” And the propaganda is irritating.
Related to the lack of control, they don’t make very good passengers. Some of them even refuse to fly because someone else is in control of their lives behind that cockpit door. The mystery of a stranger in charge is too much for them to take. Besides, they can’t even see out the windshield.
The left-brained is prone to think, “I know more than you do,” but he will never say it.
They are not above dumpster-diving. If something has usefulness, why not use it?
They tend to be pack rats.
They think ahead in everything from chess to laundry. Always.
They enjoy games with a challenge to them.
When it comes to relationships they are loyal to a fault. But they do not care for high-maintenance types.
They have a keen sense of humor that is often missed.
When it comes to working with them, they enjoy structure and well-defined tasks and goals. They don’t need to be told every step of a project, but they do need to understand the purpose and the desired result. Projects that are vague and follow a twisting path are not at all appreciated. And they don’t like painting rocks. Make-work projects are quickly seen for what they are.

Fortunately, there are few people who are so left-dominant that they don’t venture over to the wild side now and then. Most of them use the right side rather frequently.

There is an interesting case from Utah regarding a man with complete separation between left and right. His name is Kim Peek who died in 2009 at the age of 58. He was a fascinating mind who could read both pages of an open book simultaneously. (Kindle in stereo, anyone?)

Below are some illustrations of the concept.