ional and even humerous cues, decodingvisual information and maintaining an integrated story structure. While all of this is going on, the two sides are constantlycommunicating with each other across a connecting fibre tract called thecorpus callosum. There is a certain amount of overlap but essentiallythe two hemispheres of the brain are like two different personalitiesthat working alone would be somewhat lacking and overspecialized, butwhen functioning together bring different strengths and areas of expertiseto make an integrated whole. "The primitive cave person probably lived solely in the rightbrain," says Eli Bay, president of Relaxation Response Inc., a Torontoorganization that teaches people how to relax. "As we gained more controlover our environment we became more left-brain oriented until it becamedominant." To prove this, Bay suggests: "Try going to your boss and saying"I've got a great hunch." Chances are your boss will say, "Fine, get methe logic to back it up." The most creative decision making and problem solving come aboutwhen both sides bring their various skills to the table: the left brainanalysing issues, problems and barriers; the right brain generating freshapproaches; and the left brain translating the into plans of action. "In a time of vast change like the present, the intuitive side ofthe brain operates so fast it can see what's coming," says Dr. HowardEisenberg, a medical doctor with a degree in psychology who has studiedhemispheric relationships. "The left brain is too slow, but the rightcan see around corners." Dr. Eisenberg thinks that the preoccupation with the plodding leftbrain is one reason for the analysis paralysis he sees affecting worldleaders. "Good leaders don't lead by reading polls," he says. "They havevision and operate to a certain extent by feel." There are ways of correcting out cultural overbalance. Playingvideo games, for example, automati...
