02. ATTENTION

“Attention changes what kind of a thing comes into being for us: in that way it changes the world.”
— Dr Iain McGilchrist

  • Attention is the primary means by which we see and navigate the world. It is neither sight, nor vision. It is a trickster. At a fundamental, neurological level, attention enables two different ways of attending to the world around us (brought into contemporary awareness by neuroscientist and psychiatrist Dr Iain McGilchrist).

    Originating in lateralisation patterns across the two hemispheres of the brain:

    • The left-dominant (L) pattern of attention constrains to a narrow view at the expense of all else, and;

    • The right-left-right (RLR) dominant pattern of attention is one that sees the whole in context, but is also able to integrate the narrow view into the bigger picture.

    Attention is at the core of our ability to lead, innovate and co-create value. Consider the blindspots or ‘group think’ in your organisation and your own practice. Perceptual blind-spots emerge during left-dominant attention. This mode keeps tight control and ignores the contextually-aware right hemisphere. When systems are built with this narrow view, we inadvertently foster blind-spots, thwart innovation and diminish trust.

  • All humans unconsciously shift between these two modes continuously. Our brains are switching between which hemisphere pattern is dominating - the L or the RLR.

    Organisationally, these modes amplify in ways-of-working, culture and workplace environment. Within corporate cultures, the trace of these patterns can be felt:

    • L dominant: bureaucratic, control-oriented, “Where there are rules and procedures to be followed, the left hemisphere is in its element; where there aren’t, it is lost” (McGilchrist, 2021).

    • RLR dominant: realistic, reliable, open: “Contrary to myth, the right hemisphere is better at reality-testing than the left hemisphere, draws more reliable conclusions, is more measured and judicious, and is less subject to bias, as a vast and increasing body of evidence shows.  It is largely responsible for our capacity for theory of mind, whereby we come to understand human situations” (McGilchrist) 

    Each leader has these two modes in their own practice. It is universal, although it is experienced individually. Leaders need awareness of their own mode of attending: recognising, responding, regulating, reflecting.

  • McGilchrist has debunked the popular view that the left and right hemispheres are equal but opposite forces. The core of his research is that each hemisphere pays attention to the same information differently. This should activate every board member and governance leader!

    Critically, we need both hemispheres, but we don’t need both of them in charge. Many workplaces inadvertently reward left-dominant modes, while their boards wonder why the bigger picture is missed, or why innovation or culture is sluggish. The two hemispheres have two different goals, appropriate to their two different purposes:

    • the left hemisphere focuses on a target, which can give a sense of having certainty and control. It offers a very ‘black or white’ (either/or) view of the world with little room for nuance or contextual awareness. It breaks things down into parts, rather than seeing the whole.

    • the right hemisphere sees the whole form, and can integrate the narrow target into this broader array of complex dynamics, relationships and consequences. It sees patterns and has a ‘both/and’ outlook. It sees that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

    Dr Iain McGilchrist’s research and writings, combined with a collection of RLR dominant practices adopted from diverse fields are the primary basis for the methods devised by create sense to translate these insights.

  • The challenge: An ASX board was reviewing the company’s strategic risk with the group risk function and gathered an enterprise-wide senior leaders’ view. However, neither the board nor group risk could confirm the view was not a product of ‘group think’.

    The intervention: One of the several interventions proposed was to demonstrate attention blindspots to seasoned risk professionals so they could identify red flags for ‘group think’.

    The outcome: During this practical workshop, a group of 50 risk professionals experienced the effect of metaphor shaping their attention, despite their belief that they were making ‘data driven’ decisions. When everyone is captured by the same metaphor frame, there can only be ‘group think’.