their eyes.There were conversational activities aimed at those who like to
listen.There were intriguing boxes fixed to the display that urged those
who like to touch and experience things to open them. Employees were
allowed to learn at their own pace and concentrate on the information
that was relevant to them.
This approach enabled Centrica to learn about its customers and
their changing needs in a fast, cost-effective way. It also allowed employees
to connect with the bigger picture of Centrica as a new kind of business
selling a range of products, mainly bought from the home, in addition to gas.
How could you organize more imaginative communication at work? Knowing what you now
know about the need to give out information in a variety of modes, how might this affect the
way you manage meetings? See pages 100–101 for more ideas about how to organize brain-
friendly meetings.
Dealing with information
How we deal with the information our senses bring us depends very
much on the kind of personality we are. Our personality is a key
determinant of the way we perceive information. At its simplest
level, two people can see different things in the same picture.
This can be even more marked when words are involved.
So, if someone says to you, “That’s a good idea!”, you may
hear either of the two alternatives below:
Understanding Yourself as a Learner 95
"That's a good idea!
Great! A decision! I'm
glad he likes it too. I'll go
ahead and book the plane
tickets."
So were the others we"That's a good idea.
were considering. We've got
to find out more before we
decide whether to fly or takethe train, or even hire a car
and take the whole team."
