BookReviewandSummary AWholeNewMindbyDanielH.Pink RiverheadBooks AMemberofPenguinGroup(USA)Inc. NewYork2005 Theintroductiontothisbookmakesaboldstatementaboutthefuture.Leaders withtraditionalbusinessschoolskillsandtraitsarenowadimeadozen.Thereis anewsheriffintownandheisinhighdemand.Theauthorsaysthatthefuture belongstothosewitharightsidemindsetcreators,artists,empathizers,pattern recognizersandmeaningmakers.Wearemovingfromthelogical,linear, computerbasedInformationAgetoaConceptualAgeinoureconomyand society,onewherecreativity,innovation,empathyandbigpicturethinkingwillbe rewardedandrecognized. Tosupporthisbigidea,Pinktellsusthatthemostvalueddegreeinbusinessis nowtheMFA,MasterofFineArts.

CorporateRecruitershavebegunvisitingthe topartsgradschoolsplacessuchattheRhodeIslandSchoolofDesign,the SchooloftheArtInstituteofChicago,MichigansCranbrookAcademyofArtin searchoftalent.Thereareonlyafewschoolsthatofferthisdegreerightnow anditstoughtogetaccepted.PinksaystheMFAisthenewMBA. Heofferstworeasonsforthismajorshiftinbusinessthinking:1)Jobsthatthe MBAusedtodoarenowbeingdoneoverseasthroughoutsourcingand2) businessleadershaverecognizedthatthebiggestcompetitivedifferentiatorthey canhaveisfortheirproductstobephysicallybeautifulandemotionally compelling. Theauthordoesaquickanalysisofleftbrain(Ldirected)versusrightbrain(R directed)thinking.HebelievesweneedtomaintainourLdirectedskills,but mastersixessentialRdirectedaptitudes,orSixSenses:Design,Story, Symphony,Empathy,PlayandMeaning.Withthedescriptionofthesesenses, Ithinkthathehastappedintothesubtleshiftsthatwillshapeourfuture.Therest ofthebookisdevotedtoadiscussionofeachofthesixsenses.Attheendof eachchapter,thereisanadditionalchapterofsuggestedexercisesoractivities thatyoucandoinordertostimulatethesesenses.Iwillgiveaverylimited descriptionhereofeachofthesixsensesandIdontexpecttogivethemthe attentiontheydeserve,butIhopeitsenoughtotantalizeyouintoreadingthe book.Withinterestingdetail,theauthorgivesgoodexamplesandanalogiesasto howtheseconceptswillplayoutinourfuturelives. Design Gooddesigninourlivesisessentialfromappliances,carsandfurnitureto thingslikebutterflyballotsthatmayhaveaffectedapresidentialelection. Designiscriticaltoeverybusinessasproductsmustbeevermoreuserfriendly,

beautiful,compact,energyefficient,ergonomicanduseful.Gooddesignis essentialtogoodproductsandRdirectedthinkingallowsustounderstandhow peopleuseproductsinordertomakeproductsbetter Story Pinkdescribesstoryascontextenrichedbyemotion.Storyishowinformation hastraditionallybeenpassedfromonegenerationtoanother.Eventhoughfacts arenowavailableinstantlyandvirtuallyforfree,storywillremainimportant becauseoftheemotionalImpact.Itstheemotionalelementthatmakes informationstick. Symphony AsPinksays,Symphonyislargelyaboutrelationships.TheConceptualAgewill rewardthosewhocanseeconnectionsbetweenseeminglyunrelatedareas. Theywillbemultitaskers.Theycanblendtheirknowledgeofdiversetalentsand skillstopushtheboundaryofacceptedpracticesforexample,someonewho takestheirknowledgeofmathintothemedicalfieldorsomeonewhoapplies theirknowledgeofmusictobusinessconcepts. Empathy Theconceptofbeingabletoentersomeoneelsesshoeshasalwaysbeen consideredanessentialleadershipattribute,butthisabilitywillbeinevenhigher demandinthefuture.Everyonecanbemoresuccessfulbybeingempathetic businesspeople,parents,colleagues,employees,politicians,doctors,lawyers, nurses,servicepeopleandjustaboutanyotherroleinoursociety.Pinkoffers severalwaystoimproveyourempathyskills. Play ThischaptertalksaboutamanwhohasdevelopedLaughterClubsthroughout theworldandthepositiveimpacttheyarehavingonbusinessandcommunity. TheConceptualAgewillallowustocombinebothworkandplay.Agreat exampleofthisisthevideogame.Theauthormakesacasethatvideogames areabigpartofourfuturebygivinguscompellingstatisticsregardingvideo gameusebyyoungpeople. Meaning Asasociety,weareonahighenergysearchformeaning.Pinkcitesareport fromUSCtitledASpiritualAuditofCorporateAmerica.Inthereport,spirituality wasdefinedbymostexecutivesnotasreligion,butasthebasicdesiretofind purposeandmeaninginoneslife.Amongalotofotherthings,thechapter referstotheriseinpopularityoflabyrinths.Ifyoudontknow,labyrinthsare

circular,unobstructedmazesthatendatthecenterwhereonetakesaleisurely walkandmeditates.Thereissomethingspecialaboutwalkingalabyrinththat givesmostpeopleaspiritualexperience.Ifyouwanttoknowmorelookup www.labyrinthsociety.org.andyoucanfindalabyrinthnearyou. Nowcomesthereviewpart.Ithoroughlyenjoyedthisbook.IbelieveDanielPink hastappedintoatrendthatisstillsimmeringbeneaththesurface.Itmaystartas simplyasvaluingcreativetypesbyputtingthemonafasttracktomanagement, butitwillendasaseismicshift.Inancienttimes,wevaluedtheartisanand craftsmanasevidencedbythelegacyofincredibleworksofartandarchitecture. Theindustrialandinformationageslaterstimulatedustoexploretheleftsidesof ourbrainstosuchanextentthatwedevelopedcomputerstotakeourlogical thinkingtounimaginableheights.Itsonlyfittingthatthependulumwouldswing backtotherightsideofthebrainwhenweonceagainrealizethevalueof creativityandinnovation.OurtruebreakthroughwillcomewhenwecombineR directedandLdirectedthinkinginequalparts.