A Whole New Mind

Daniel H. Pink

Mr Pink looks at how our minds work. It is well established now that the left side of our brain is responsible for our analytical, logical and rational thoughts, whilst the right side of our brain is definitely more ‘touchy feely’, being responsible for our emotions and more creative thinking.

Pink convincingly makes the case that businesses, and indeed society, is geared around left-directed thinking. Those who number crunch, analyse and make rational judgements remain highly prized by business. However, in an ever-changing world, this way of thinking is no longer enough. Businesses, and indeed individuals, need more right-directed thinking, a new approach that embraces and values the contributions of both sides of our brains – a whole new mind.

The rational, left-directed hegemony over businesses is under severe pressure. With wealthy consumers confronted with abundant choice, the outsourcing of routine process jobs to the knowledge workers of Asia or automated by computers, those relying solely on their left-directed thinking are in for a rude awakening.

So how do we develop our right-directed thinking?

 

Helpfully, Pink takes us through six ‘senses’ that we can all develop that will help us survive and thrive in this new world – Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. A chapter is devoted to each, with a Portfolio of practical ideas, suggestions and activities you can adopt.

Daniel H. Pink is undoubtedly a good writer, as his role as contributing editor at Wired magazine and various contributions to the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company attest. His book is certainly thought-provoking, stimulating and innovative. The central tenet of his book, that we need more right-directed thinking, I wholeheartedly concur with.

Despite the western-centric standpoint of the book, Pink raises a key issue for western workers in the coming decades, and unquestionably he is right in arguing that businesses would benefit enormously from more right-directed thinking.

Love it or hate it? Read it and make up your own mind.