Daniel Pink in his book, “A Whole New Mind- Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,” writes about how we are moving from Left-directed thinking to Right-directed thinking and from the Information Age into the “Conceptual Age.” He says, “The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind – creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers- artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers. We are moving from an economy built on linear, logical, computerlike capabilities to an economy and a society built on the inventive, empathic, big picture capabilities.”
He describes three reasons why this is happening:
* Abundance — Because most of us today have much more than enough, we have moved from focusing on day-to-day survival to a broader context — the search for beauty and emotion, meaning and purpose. We are liberated by prosperity but not fulfilled by it, so the pursuit of self-actualization, beauty, purpose and meaning has become an integral part of our lives.
* Asia — Most standardized, left-brain work can be done for a much lower cost overseas and delivered to clients via fiber optics, so knowledge workers must master abilities that can’t be shipped overseas. Those abilities are “right-brain” aptitudes.
* Automation — Computer automation is requiring Left-directed professionals to develop aptitudes that computers can’t do better, faster, and cheaper, moving away from routine, analytical, and information-based work and toward Right-directed aptitudes like empathy, creativity, storytelling, counseling, and fashioning the big picture.
He discusses the six essential Right-directed aptitudes we all need to master to complement our Left-directed reasoning:
1. Not just function but DESIGN. It is critical today to create a product, service, experience or lifestyle that is not just functional. It must be beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging. (Think of customer service in these terms. We need to DESIGN a unique and emotionally engaging experience.)
2. Not just argument but STORY. We are so bombarded with information and data that the essence of persuasion, communication, and self-understanding has become the ability to fashion a compelling narrative. (Think of the legendary customer service stories that have inspired loyalty to organizations and have brought hope to individuals throughout the world that anyone can make a difference. One example is my story of “Johnny the Bagger®” which can be previewed at www.barbaraglanz.com/johnny . This story has been watched by over 5 million people on YouTube. How much better is a story than a set of figures to engender loyalty and meaning!)
3. Not just focus but also SYMPHONY — What’s in greatest demand today isn’t analysis but synthesis–seeing the big picture, crossing boundaries, and being able to combine disparate pieces into an arresting new whole. (Consider the healthcare industry and the new emphasis on treating the WHOLE person and moving from “omniscient purveyor of solutions to empathic advisor on options.”)
4, Not just logic but also EMPATHY — Those who thrive will be the ones with an ability to understand what makes their fellow men and women tick, to forge relationships, and to care for others. (The difference between a “boss” and a “leader” resides in the difference of how they receive power. A boss (left-brain dominant) has “position power” and he or she keeps others in an inferior position through fear and retribution. A leader, however, (right-brain dominant) gets his or her power from the people they lead. They are “developers of people,” and others follow them because they demonstrate wisdom, empathy, respect, and caring.)
5, Not just seriousness but PLAY — Research has shown the huge health and professional benefits of laughter, lightheartedness, games, and humor. (It only makes sense that people who function in workplaces of joy, caring, creativity, and fun will not only be happier but will ultimately be more productive and provide better service. The way people are treated internally will be the way they treat people externally. This is true of families as well as organizations, so we need to stop taking ourselves so seriously.)
6. Not just accumulation but also MEANING — Our material abundance has freed us to pursue more significant desires: purpose, transcendence, and spiritual fulfillment. (Consider that Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose-Driven LIfe,” has become the best selling book of all time, suggesting powerfully the search for meaning in our lives today.)
These six senses have already begun to guide our lives and shape our world. As I reflect on the messages I have been sharing since I started my business in 1995, these high-concept, high-touch abilities have been foundational. I have long shared the importance of encouragement, caring, empathy, appreciation, service, and finding how one’s work is making other’s lives better. It is reassuring to see that Pink truly feels that this kind of Right-directed thinking will reinvent our businesses, our lives, and our world:
Today, the defining skills of the previous era – the “left brain” capabilities that powered the Information Age–are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous –the “right brain” qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness, and meaning –increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders. For individuals, families, and organizations, professional and personal fulfillment now require a whole new mind.
Daniel Pink, “A Whole New Mind-Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future”
To learn more about Barbara’s messages and work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/programs
