Daniel Pink articles on work, business, and technology appear in many publications including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and others. In his latest book A Whole New Mind (ISBN-10: 1594481717) first published by Penguin Group Inc, NY in 2005 he challenges the traditional perspective that left brain thinking is dominant. The author asserts that the information age, characterized predominantly by L-Directed or left brain thinking is being replaced by the new age of what he calls high concept and touch led by right brain thinking. To illustrate this point, the book is well researched and in a compelling narrative guides the reader through a variety of research, examples and tales.
From the Agricultural Age to the Conceptual Age
According to Pink the last 150 have evolved from the agricultural age and industrial age characterized by farmers and mass production workers to the information age with the knowledge worker as the central figure. Today, in the age of abundance and automation, Pink suggest that the world has entered a new era, the Conceptual Age with a new main character that he identifies as the creator and empathizer.
High Concept & High Touch Influenced by Right Brain Thinking
Because of increased automation and abundance in the world, Pink asserts that high tech abilities are no longer sufficient and need to be supplemented with skills that are high concept and high touch. In his words: “high concept and high touch involves the ability to create artistic and emotional beauty, to detect patterns and opportunities, to craft a satisfying narrative, and to combine seemingly unrelated ideas into a novel invention. High touch is the ability to empathize, to understand the subtleties of human interaction, to find joy in one’s self, and to elicit it in others, and to stretch beyond […] in pursuit of purpose and meaning.
What does this mean? In this world L-Directed Thinking is necessary but not enough. One must become proficient in R-directed Thinking leading to opportunities that can not be done cheaper or better by workers overseas or computers but that satisfies the aesthetics, emotional, and spiritual needs of this time.
The Six Senses of a Whole New Mind
Pink guides the reader through his process of how L-Directed reasoning can be complimented by mastering six basic R-Directed aptitudes. In summary those are:
- Design - It’s no longer sufficient to create something for functional purpose but today it also has to be beautiful and emotionally engaging.
- Story - At the heart of any argument is the ability to also shape a compelling narrative that goes beyond a simple line of reasoning.
- Symphony - The greatest demand today, according to Pink, is not analysis but synthesis. It is about seeing the big picture and crossing boundaries.
- Empathy - It is the capacity to go beyond logic and understand others and forge relationships.
- Play - Seriousness has its place but everyone needs some lightheartedness and time to play.
- Meaning - In a world of abundance and disparities encourages the pursuit of transcendence and spiritual fulfillment.
This is an interesting read that invites the reader to think differently about how to play to one’s strengths and actively shape the world we live in.
