Has your job just been outsourced? Then this book is a must read.
The book “A Whole New Mind – Why Right-Brainers will Rule The Future” was a book waiting to be written. The world is changing, we now live in a an era of “Abundance, Asia, and Automation.” Thousands of jobs in Western countries are being outsourced to Eastern countries and at much cheaper rates.
People are after answers, specifically
“What types of jobs and careers have a future?”
Daniel Pink just might have the answer in this masterful and thought-provoking book.
Daniel Pink was once a chief speech writer for former vice-president Al Gore as well as the author of the best-selling book “Free Agent Nation”. Daniel is a masterful researcher and the book is a reflection of the six senses he suggests we cultivate in this new world: design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning.
The book describes describes an evolutionary shift occurring in the advanced world that is necessary for it’s continued survival. Logic, computer-like thinking of the Information Age is being replaced by a society built on the creative, empathetic viewpoints of a new Conceptual Age. There are now six essential aptitudes (Pink calls these “the six senses”) on which your career success now depends. These are high-concept high-touch senses and are more right-brained in nature. A chapter is devoted to each sense:
Design
A functional product or service is no longer enough. Now it is crucial that products and services evoke aesthetically pleasing emotions in the people who purchase them.
Story
We live in an age of information overload. Information is free and abundant. A compelling narrative or “story” is what is needed to help us understand the complexity.
Symphony
Specialization was important in the Industrial age and Information age. Now seeing the big picture and the synthesis of disparate parts into a unique whole is of greater importance.
Empathy
Logic is not enough anymore. In the new world the ability to forge relationships, understand others and care for others are vital.
Play
There is a time to be serious but not at the expense of times for play. We previously commented on the health benefits of laughter. There are also links with play to greater creativity and innovation.
Meaning
The Western world is a world of material abundance. People are now free from the day-to-day struggles of survival to pursue a higher purpose in life – spiritual fulfillment.
As a result of the Information Age and the dominance of left-brain-thinking our “six senses” have atrophied. Daniel includes a “portfolio” section at the end of each chapter. It’s a collection of exercises and suggested resources to help us regain these lost skills. Below we have listed some of the exercises we found to be the most beneficial:
Design – Keep a design notebook and take notes whenever you see good design. Incorporate what you learn in your own work.
Story – Writing is hard work, so write a mini saga instead – no more than fifty words long. Here are some wonderful mini-saga examples.
Symphony – Learn to draw properly – it’s easier than you think! Just read “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” . We have our two girls following these drawing techniques – their artwork has improved dramatically.
Empathy - Take a free EQ (emotional intelligence quotient) test and a SQ (systematizing quotient) test.
Play – Try the sense of humor test.
Meaning – Setup a Sabbath – one day a week to remove yourself from the rush of life. No email. No phone calls. No work. Just BE.
Overall, “A Whole New Mind” is a very practical book. We intend to incorporate some of the exercises into our life as habits to hone our right-brain skills. The skills are immediately applicable to writing blog posts as well! It’s vital for all of us to become more right-brained for our continued success and survival in this new world.
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About Danny Sheehan
Danny lives in Hong Kong but is originally from Australia. He is Married to Maggie and together they have two children with whom they enjoy sharing and enjoying an exciting life with daily. Danny's passions are freedom, adventure and discovery, mainly in nature and science but also spiritually. He is a great believer in living in the NOW.
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December 23, 2011 at 4:40 am
Nice review of Dan’s book. I came across your review on Twitter. BTW, nice collection of Lester Levenson quotes!
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