Now, we turn our attention to the posterior left portion of the brain. The posterior left is responsible for filing all of those little details in life. Everything from a phone number to the complex fact-based details in recalling a past event. When we are sequencing things in our lives we are actively using this part of the brain. Spelling and grammar is strongly connected to the posterior left. The Wernicke’s area is responsible for comprehension of speech; it is housed here. This lobe allows for gifts in hearing nouns and verbs; so, individuals that have an energy expenditure advantage here are gifted in spelling and proper speech. Labels are simply a sequence of letters attached to something; this BQD is particularly good at recalling the “label,” or name, of something.

This could be viewed as our own PDA in the brain (PDA: A handheld computer used to store information, such as telephone numbers and addresses, and for simple word processing). If there was a very efficient secretary living in our brain this is the portion where they would live. Everything neatly organized and in its own sequential spot. For this reason, people with this BQD are going to have everything in their life very organized and in its proper place.

Individuals with this portion of their brain as their energy expenditure advantage will often learn the routine and follow it exactly; each step followed in sequence and each dot connected. The home of change is the diagonally opposite portion of the brain, so this BQD will resist change. This means that they will be very predictable and reliable. They often will have their homes or routines the same for years. They will use things for functionality and not replace it until it no longer works.

The left parietal lobe is responsible for fine motor skills; therefore, this BQD is often very gifted in this area. They are great at organizing and handling bounded shapes. As I mentioned earlier, the labels for bounded shapes are housed here, so they will also enjoy physically labeling the bounded shapes; they may have everything in their cupboards labeled and possibly even alphabetized.

Time is tracked in this part of the brain so this BQD is extremely good with managing and tracking time. They are almost always very punctual and will dislike being off schedule. They plan everything out to the detail. They may tend to react negatively if you upset their schedule or arrive late for an appointment with them.

Think of this brain quadrant as a computer program. As it is running, if you hit a button before it is ready, or finished running its sequence, you will freak out your computer and that “program is not responding” error will pop up. If that happens you may have to shut down the program and start over. This can happen to people, too. If they are in the middle of “running a program” or a process that they are focused on, interruptions will mess up their sequence and will force them to start over.

Based on the functions that are processed in this portion of the brain, I have created a detailed list of personality traits that will tend to be dominant in a person who has an energy expenditure advantage here. Familiarize yourself with the list, think of people you know that have these traits and tend to be gifted in doing the functions listed below. The more you get this list locked in your brain, the easier it will be for you to sit and do a consultation with a person and, after asking a few specific questions, identify what their BQD may be.

• Sequences things.
• Makes lists.
• Enjoys organizing.
• Good at identifying and recalling labels.
• Dependable, predictable
• Practical.
• Learns the rules and follows them in detail: Does things by the book.
• Gifted at accurately performing detailed procedures.
• Enjoys performing repetitive sequential tasks.
• Develops routines; follows them accurately and almost automatically.
• Avoids changes at all cost. Wants predictability.
• Organized working space.
• Does not like interruptions! This decreases efficiency.
• Reads books on procedure, biographies, and how-to books.
• Strengths in proper speech, proper punctuation, spelling, and sentences.
• Tracks time. Very time conscious. Dislikes being off schedule.
• Tracks money. Conservative with money.
• Plans ahead.
• Great, fine motor skills. (The parietal lobe allows for grasping bounded shapes with ease. Tends to line things up.)
• Enjoys typing, data entry, word processing.
• Good at operating machines efficiently.
• Fact-based memory banks.
• Living space must be organized.
• Prefers more neutral or subdued colors.
• Generally very cautious and conservative.
• Avoids conflict.
• Avoids shows of emotion.

Based on their brain strengths they most likely excelled in the following subjects in school:

• Reading
• Spelling
• Handwriting
• Bookkeeping
• History, the facts
• Following teachers instructions
• Grammar

Often times, you will note very strong traits at an early age. Asking questions about your childhood, or the childhood of the person you are working with, can help you determine your/their natural giftedness. Sometimes, ones innate BQD could have been suppressed early on due to pressures in childhood and birth order factors, which I will cover in more detail in a later unit. But, for now, here is a list of childhood characteristics that may indicate a natural BQD in this portion of the brain.

• Is seen as the good child.
• Often viewed as well behaved.
• Does whatever is expected of them.
• They need routines and limits.
• They follow the rules and are team players.
• Excel in reading and spelling.
• Enjoys using the dictionary/thesaurus.
• Wants predictability and familiarity.
• Stresses easily over changes.
• Not adventurous.
• Bothered if they are interrupted.
• Needs time to adjust to change.

Now, again, with each of the main quadrants there will always be negative terms, labels, or words that are used to describe them. Part of the beauty of understanding all of this scientific information is that it allows us to look to the reason why people do what they do, and resist the desire to use negative terms. Nevertheless, if you, or a person you are working with, feel that this may be how you/they are described, then it is another clue that this may be your/their BQD.

Negative terms used to describe this BQD might be:

• Overly strict.
• Boring.
• Stuck in a rut.
• Too conservative.
• Overly concerned with details.
• Penny pinchers.

If you are coaching or consulting with a person with this BQD, and the subject of work or careers is something that you are discussing, you will want to help them lean towards work that matches their brain. Choices that would be best are ones that allow them to develop and follow a routine; one with structure and the same schedule week after week. They need a career where they can “run the program” for maximum efficiency and with minimum interruptions.  For example:

• Bookkeeping is a perfect career for this BQD. It takes large amounts of organizational ability and that uses this portion of the brain.
• Middle level management. While they are not comfortable making the type of fact- based decisions that the Boss BQD does, they are excellent at following rules closely; and that makes them good at mid-to-lower level management.
• Assembly line worker. Because this quadrant is skilled at routine tasks, it is a great fit for any type of work that lends to doing the same thing repetitively.
• Clerical position. Like bookkeeping, this job requires organizational ability and following the rules. Gifts for this BQD.
• Transcription professional, court recorder. These careers require following the rules and doing repetitive tasks.
• Accountant. Balancing the checkbook and making everything fall into place in an organized fashion uses this brain quadrant.
• Assistant to CEO/CFO. As with mid-level management jobs, this position requires following the rules and organization.
• Secretary. Same as the previous reasons.
• Teacher. The basic scholastic skills are developed in this portion of the brain; therefore, it is a no brainer, pardon the pun, that this BQD would make great teachers.

As with the other BQDs, it is equally important to understand that, from an energy expenditure point of view, the diagonally opposite portion of the brain will be the most energy intensive part to work out of. This means that, for this BQD, the tasks that use the anterior right portion of the brain will consume large amounts of energy. They will find it challenging to process functions that are connected with the Innovator personality. Spending too much time in the diagonally opposite quadrant will lead to high energy expenditure and brain exhaustion. Functions that will be very brain energy intensive for them would include: creative problem-solving, out-of-the-box thinking, and trying new things. They may also find it challenging to interact with individuals who are gifted in the anterior right brain quadrant.

While you will never want to spend too much time outside of you BQD, it is necessary in life to use all of your brain at one time or another. There may be situations when you, or someone you are working with or coaching, need to develop some competencies in this portion of the brain. After all, if you have to balance your checkbook or get your bills paid on time, you will need to use the posterior left brain quadrant. Listed below are a few things that you, or the person you are coaching, can get involved in or do that will help build those necessary skills in the Master Coordinator of your brain.  This is by no means a comprehensive list; but it gives you an idea of where to start.

• Balancing checkbooks for fun. While some cannot imagine this as fun, doing this function will help develop skills in this area.
• Get a crossword puzzle book and do one each day. These puzzles work the letter sequencing part of the brain; it’s like doing brain pushups.
• Make and follow lists; list making and following strongly uses this BQD. The key is to FOLLOW them, not just create them.
• Read, and then outline what you have read. Creating a fact-based outline is energizing for this BQD; so, stretch the neurons here and outline away.

Validation is vitally important for all BQD’s. If you feel that you are, or you know someone who fits into, this BQD, realize that the traits present in your/their personality are due to this being your/their brain energy expenditure advantage. These are your/their innate gifts-not shortcomings. Honor your/their need to always have order and constancy in your/their lives. Allow yourself/them to organize and compartmentalize things.

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