A Whole New Mind

Babson, like many MBA programs, has added creativity modules to its program to increase graduates’ effectiveness--I think this great idea has not yet yielded enough benefit. The module we completed several months ago included poetry, sculpture and other right-brain stimulating activities. What many of us were left wondering is: How do these activities increase my effectiveness as a businessperson?

Daniel Pink has an answer in A Whole New Mind. He asserts that the left-brain, logical thinking that has driven our economy and society for twenty years to unrivaled wealth is insufficient for the next twenty years. During a dawning “conceptual age” we will need to harness our thus far neglected right-brain thinking that excels at pattern and opportunity recognition, and combining obscurely related ideas into something new.

Pink presents the argument perfectly for left-brain thinking analysis so we MBA students can get it. Firstly, he maintains that even exquisite left-brain thinking is insufficient due to:

1. Abundance – we have all of the material goods we need, but it’s not enough
2. Asia – Millions of offshore superbly-capable, well-educated engineers (and other professionals) are able to do L-B-thinking jobs very well at US minimum wages.
3. Automation – If you think offshore professionals can do your logical analysis job cheaply, you can only fathom how close to zero cost a Moore’s law curve riding computer can do it (either now or soon!—ask a travel agent).

Secondly, after convincing us that we need new types of jobs and new minds(-sets), Pink describes the types of attributes that will be valued and rewarded as US workers seek higher-concept careers. Resources and exercises at the end of each chapter guide readers who want to start their right-brain workout routine.  I cannot improve upon Garr Reynolds’ excellent summary of these attributes: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning (http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2006/08/from_design_to_.html)

In the end, Pink states that “your future will depend on your answers to three questions. In this new era each of us must look carefully at what we do and ask ourselves:”

1. Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
2. Can a computer do it faster?
3. Am I offering something that satisfies the non-material, transcendent desires of an abundant age?

If you buy any of these ideas (like I do), then A Whole New Mind offers an interesting, compact roadmap for exploring how to thrive in a “Conceptual Age”.

Enjoy,
Ed