During communication and the utilization of CQ: Communication Quotient™ skills, several brain areas are activated to facilitate various cognitive processes.

The Broca's area, located in the left prefrontal cortex, is responsible for language production and articulation. It plays a crucial role in converting thoughts into coherent speech and generating grammatically correct sentences (Broca, 1861). On the other hand, the Wernicke's area, located in the left temporal lobe, is involved in language comprehension. It helps in understanding spoken and written language, processing linguistic information and constructing meaning from words (Price, 2012).

Active listening, a fundamental component of effective communication, involves the engagement of the temporal lobes. These lobes, especially the superior temporal gyrus and the auditory cortex, are involved in processing and interpreting auditory stimuli, including speech and sound (Hickok and Poeppel, 2007). Active listening involves attending to verbal and non-verbal cues, understanding the emotional nuances conveyed through tone of voice and comprehending the intended message.

Negotiation, collaboration and critical thinking require the integration of multiple brain regions: the prefrontal cortex, along with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which plays a crucial role in regulating emotions, conceptualizing thoughts and intellectualizing impulses, enabling individuals to articulate their ideas more effectively (Koenigs & Tranel, 2007). The cerebellum-parietal area also contributes to communication by supporting perceptual processing and motor coordination, which are vital for nonverbal communication cues (Stoodley & Schmahmann, 2009).

Collaboration involves the ability to work effectively with others, understanding their perspective and engage in joint problem solving. Mirror neurons, found in the premotor cortex and other brain regions, play a vital role in collaboration (Rizzolatti and Sinigaglia, 2010). They enable us to understand and empathize with others by mirroring their actions, intentions and emotions. These mirror neurons contribute to social cognition and the ability to anticipate and respond to the behaviour and needs of others, which are both fundamental components of effective communication.

Another skill is Critical Thinking. It involves analyzing information, evaluating argumets and making reasoned judgments. The prefrontal cortex, particularly the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is involved in critical thinking processes (Duncan, 2010). It plays a central role in cognitive control, working memory and the ability to reason and make decisions based on evidence.

Furthermore the frontal cortex, in conjunction with the prefrontal cortex, facilitates cognitive flexibility, problem solving and strategic thinking during communication tasks (Miller & Cohen, 2001). These various brain areas working in tandem contribute to an individual’s CQ: Communication Quotient™, which measures their ability to process and understand information while effectively communicating and empathetically perceiving others.

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