I recently attended a workshop based on HBDI assessment. HBDI is Hermannian Brain Dominance Instrument "evaluates and describes the degree of preference one has for each of 4 thinking styles, based on more than 30 years of cognitive research and real-world application in leading corporations" according to their sponsors.
The idea is by understanding thinking style preferences we can achieve greater appreciation for how we process information, learn, make decisions, solve problems, and communicate.
You can read more it here. The thinking preference of a person is understood with a set of 120 questions. With these questions, a person is classified into one of the four categories based on thinking preference (the 'guna' of a person)
1. Yellow - Experimental, Innovative
2. Blue - Analytical, Leadership
3. Green - Practical, Process oriented
4. Red - Relational, People oriented
But in my view, the four classifications of HDBI actually maps to the tri-gunas. HDBI says there is an original nature of a person (Prakrti) in which these four are in certain proportions. But under pressure the ratio of these four characteristics change. Thus a person responds differently under pressure.
Acccording to HDBI, while a person may have all these four thinking preferences (gunas), in each person, one or two of the four will have a preponderance. By understanding one's nature of thinking preference (guna), we can determine our original nature (prakrti) and use our strengths more. It also helps in understanding the nature (prakrti) of other person (if we get to know about their thinking preference or guna) in our teams and we can use them for their strengths.
The concept here is our thinking preference (guna) defines the way we react to situations. For eg. a person of Yellow predominance (Innovative) will respond by proposing innovative solutions or by thinking unconventionally. A Blue person would respond by going more analytical, detail oriented and taking control or leadership. The Green person would respond by resorting to procedures and processes. A Red person would respond emotionally and utilizing relationships with people. These are their 'original nature' (prakrti). This difference in original nature is the reason for different people thinking and responding differently in a situation.
A person who understands this prakrti (original nature) and utilizes the strengths associated with this prakrti (original nature) progresses. If the rules, laws, opinions and our outlooks (sva-dharma) we have defined for ourselves matches our strengths and prakrti (original nature) then it means we are utilizing our strengths well. Thus the sva-dharma (our self-rules, laws based on our strengths) should match our prakrti (original nature).
Under pressure these thinking patterns may change. That is our original nature (praktri) changes. For eg., a person with preponderance for yellow (innovation) and blue (analytical/control) may change to more yellow (innovation) and red (emotional oriented). Such a change is good in a way in the sense, under pressure we respond and change our tactics. We are flexible. It is bad in a way in the sense that such change may not be aligned to our strengths and we may fail in pressure situations.
The Tri-gunas
Sattva guna is ability to interact with photons (light) and other matter. This ability to interact (through the different force-fields like EM, strong, Higgs, Weak) in newer ways evolves the matter to more complex forms. Evolution is based on these interaction abilities. Hence sattva is evolutionary and innovative. Sattva is typically defined as harmonious, seeking beauty, artistic, calm, seeking satisfaction. According to HDBI, all these are the Yellow person.
Rajas guna is ability to move (motion). Matter that exhibits higher motion (or) acceleration exhibits the physical control over matter, rules over the matter. Hence Rajas is the ability to act, to lead, to analytically deal with situations, to control. According to HDBI, these are the Blue person.
Tamas guna is the absence of Sattva and Rajas gunas. Tamas is the inability to interact (darkness) as well inability to move (heavy).
The inability to interact with other matter (darkness) leads to inability to evolve dynamically. The inability to evolve dynamically makes people to be practical and adopt time-tested procedures. Tamas is defined as rigid, materialistic, conventional person following the same old procedures. According to HDBI, these are the Green Person. Green (Tamas or practical) is the absence of Yellow (sattva innovation) attribute.
The inability to move fast leads to being bonded. Being bonded leads to being emotional. The emotional attitude leads to people oriented (relational) methods. Tamas is also defined as 'attached', 'emotional' etc. According to HDBI, these are the Red Person. Red (Tamas or Relational) is the absence of Blue (Rajas or analytical/leadership).
Thus the HBDI though it defines four characteristics, can be expressed in three gunas. The four characteristics can be seen as
1. Yellow (Sattva)
2. Blue (Rajas)
3. Green (absence of Yellow, Sattva which is Tamas)
4. Red (absence of Blue, Rajas which is Tamas).
The rest of the HBDI analysis matches with what we understand as prakrti (original nature), sva-dharma (one's own laws aligned to their strengths), that sva-dharma aligned to prakrti is the best for a person. When under pressure a person's sva-dharma (thinking preferences aligned to one's own strengths) changes, it still has to be aligned to the original strengths of person. If not, then the person will perform poorly under pressure.
-TBT
The idea is by understanding thinking style preferences we can achieve greater appreciation for how we process information, learn, make decisions, solve problems, and communicate.
You can read more it here. The thinking preference of a person is understood with a set of 120 questions. With these questions, a person is classified into one of the four categories based on thinking preference (the 'guna' of a person)
1. Yellow - Experimental, Innovative
2. Blue - Analytical, Leadership
3. Green - Practical, Process oriented
4. Red - Relational, People oriented
But in my view, the four classifications of HDBI actually maps to the tri-gunas. HDBI says there is an original nature of a person (Prakrti) in which these four are in certain proportions. But under pressure the ratio of these four characteristics change. Thus a person responds differently under pressure.
Acccording to HDBI, while a person may have all these four thinking preferences (gunas), in each person, one or two of the four will have a preponderance. By understanding one's nature of thinking preference (guna), we can determine our original nature (prakrti) and use our strengths more. It also helps in understanding the nature (prakrti) of other person (if we get to know about their thinking preference or guna) in our teams and we can use them for their strengths.
The concept here is our thinking preference (guna) defines the way we react to situations. For eg. a person of Yellow predominance (Innovative) will respond by proposing innovative solutions or by thinking unconventionally. A Blue person would respond by going more analytical, detail oriented and taking control or leadership. The Green person would respond by resorting to procedures and processes. A Red person would respond emotionally and utilizing relationships with people. These are their 'original nature' (prakrti). This difference in original nature is the reason for different people thinking and responding differently in a situation.
A person who understands this prakrti (original nature) and utilizes the strengths associated with this prakrti (original nature) progresses. If the rules, laws, opinions and our outlooks (sva-dharma) we have defined for ourselves matches our strengths and prakrti (original nature) then it means we are utilizing our strengths well. Thus the sva-dharma (our self-rules, laws based on our strengths) should match our prakrti (original nature).
Under pressure these thinking patterns may change. That is our original nature (praktri) changes. For eg., a person with preponderance for yellow (innovation) and blue (analytical/control) may change to more yellow (innovation) and red (emotional oriented). Such a change is good in a way in the sense, under pressure we respond and change our tactics. We are flexible. It is bad in a way in the sense that such change may not be aligned to our strengths and we may fail in pressure situations.
The Tri-gunas
Sattva guna is ability to interact with photons (light) and other matter. This ability to interact (through the different force-fields like EM, strong, Higgs, Weak) in newer ways evolves the matter to more complex forms. Evolution is based on these interaction abilities. Hence sattva is evolutionary and innovative. Sattva is typically defined as harmonious, seeking beauty, artistic, calm, seeking satisfaction. According to HDBI, all these are the Yellow person.
Rajas guna is ability to move (motion). Matter that exhibits higher motion (or) acceleration exhibits the physical control over matter, rules over the matter. Hence Rajas is the ability to act, to lead, to analytically deal with situations, to control. According to HDBI, these are the Blue person.
Tamas guna is the absence of Sattva and Rajas gunas. Tamas is the inability to interact (darkness) as well inability to move (heavy).
The inability to interact with other matter (darkness) leads to inability to evolve dynamically. The inability to evolve dynamically makes people to be practical and adopt time-tested procedures. Tamas is defined as rigid, materialistic, conventional person following the same old procedures. According to HDBI, these are the Green Person. Green (Tamas or practical) is the absence of Yellow (sattva innovation) attribute.
The inability to move fast leads to being bonded. Being bonded leads to being emotional. The emotional attitude leads to people oriented (relational) methods. Tamas is also defined as 'attached', 'emotional' etc. According to HDBI, these are the Red Person. Red (Tamas or Relational) is the absence of Blue (Rajas or analytical/leadership).
Thus the HBDI though it defines four characteristics, can be expressed in three gunas. The four characteristics can be seen as
1. Yellow (Sattva)
2. Blue (Rajas)
3. Green (absence of Yellow, Sattva which is Tamas)
4. Red (absence of Blue, Rajas which is Tamas).
The rest of the HBDI analysis matches with what we understand as prakrti (original nature), sva-dharma (one's own laws aligned to their strengths), that sva-dharma aligned to prakrti is the best for a person. When under pressure a person's sva-dharma (thinking preferences aligned to one's own strengths) changes, it still has to be aligned to the original strengths of person. If not, then the person will perform poorly under pressure.
-TBT
