VERIFIED RESEARCH
Mental flexibility is necessary and profitable in the corporate environment. Is there a proven technique to create and maintain a flexible mind? Certainly, by exercising the mind daily in specific ways. Science has studied and documented the theory of "use dependent plasticity." If we ask ourselves questions each day that utilize both hemispheres of our brain, we create neuronal connections cross-hemispherically.

One clinical psychologist, Lee Pulos, Ph.D. explained, "High performance people realize that it is important to oscillate back and forth between two modes of consciousness depending on the task, and not look at the world through gun-barrel vision." Gun-barrel vision is using only half of your brain.

Research has also discovered that everyone tends to have hemispherical dominance or gun-barrel vision. This handicap of using only half of our brains keeps us from optimal performance. One method to overcome this is by specifically targeting the less used portion of the neo-cortex with questions that only it can answer. If this is presented in a relaxed yet challenging way on a daily basis, the employee will begin to see the usefulness of flexible thinking.

SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
We have developed a technique that is simple, playful and requires very little time. By posing unique problems in the form of logical puzzles as well as lateral puzzles, both sides of the brain are challenged to arrive at solutions.

Accessing and pondering puzzles takes only a few minutes of each day. But the repeated use of these puzzles, and their unique solutions, specifically introduces different modes of thought to each user. New neuronal connections are forged in the brain and the ability to switch modes of reference becomes easier. Any exercise performed daily becomes second nature. The ability to recognize what mode of thinking is most appropriate to solve a problem will become intrinsic in each employee.

CORPORATE GAINS
Improved employee creativity and mental flexibility is a value added commodity to the corporate or institutional environment. For example, every company has challenges that beset management each day. These include working with new technology, processing and coordinating work load, supervising personnel, and managing many different tasks effectively.

This technique benefits all levels of company personnel. Whether you are a small business with only five employees or a mutli-national corporation with 100,000 employees, the ability for each employee to do his job effectively is critical to the overall success of the enterprise.

People respond to motivational rewards. It is recommended that companies consider various incentives to employees to encourage them to utilize this technique. Perhaps offering the opportunity to leave one hour early on Friday to anyone who gets all puzzles right for that week or for the month. Even simple recognition on a bulletin board is appropriate. Managers and employees can be encouraged to participate and discuss various solutions to puzzles as a group. These puzzles are universally challenging and invite mutual discussion and team cooperation. Different office locations can strive for company-wide recognition.

Further Research:
Puzzles Enhance Creativity;
Brain Plasticity;
Build a Better Brain;
The Quantum Brain