Pink’s Reading Response 4/15/10

Pink’s Reading Response 4/15/10

The journey was reflective of Pink's belief that just over the horizon, Right Brain ("R Directed thinking" in his lexicon), resplendent in its ability to recognize patterns in disparate actions, will be the key to success and competitive advantage. After reading his book, you'll agree that the future belongs to those of us who can craft symphonies from unrelated categories, who have narrative aptitude for story, and who have empathy to solidify relationships, we will be the masters of the Conceptual Age. Pink layers on aspects of globalization in advancing his argument pointing out that with ever flatter competitive markets, cost reductions and scale-welled educated workforces in Asia the old narrow advantage of rote fact based work will fall to the greater functionality of working jazz, blending and connecting high Concepts, relational advantages driven by right brain thinking. Not with standing some of the New Age qualities such as "laughter class", and the buttressing the argument with globalization theory, Pink is spot on regarding the increasing economic value of pattern and strategy recognition. At root his book is as much about approaches to business and competition as it is about psychology and the development of man's working culture. My epiphany in discovering the book is precisely how he outlined his theory of "High Concept" and its advantages. The pattern I detected in my journey was all about personal effectiveness. In riffing from design theory to graphics, then to learning theory, my "R Directed thinking" was cobbling together my own pattern recognition of personal effectiveness and the ability to lead an audience and establish "thought leadership." Along the way I found new language to describe how I already do things and approach problems. my success have been on the L Directed ability to execute, a focus on making things happen, but also within an overall big picture, R Directed aspects on the "Symphony" which Pink asserts the "Conceptual Age" will require. Too often, the business press narrows on "focus" to develop "expertise" but the real high value functions is not about how well you know one market or a technology, but how well you assimilate the pieces into the bigger picture. The special talent in the ability to interpret things simultaneously, in seeing all the elements of a situation and understanding what they mean is really global business.
If you're reading this blog, with its combinatorial elements, I think you'll really enjoy Pink's book. Whether it might be varied country markets such as Asia, N. America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, CEER, or a wide range of commercial sectors crossing mobile, banking, content, platforms or social networks, the results and the rewards will go to those who can operate with equal aplomb in very different categories. "A Whole New Mind" is an enlightening read for any global professional and should be on your reading list or office book shelf.