I want to read this, but it doesn't make sense to me that an electronically transferred book is so much more than the current paperback price. I won't buy the kindle edition till the price drops.

I believe that you can expand your mind one book at a time and this is one that makes the complex simple, challenges you to think about business and life in a fresh new way and celebrates the future that is already here - "Welcome to the Real World"...Indeed Morpheus ...indeed

An overwhelming wake up call for the "go to school, get good grades, get a good paying job" thinkers. I want to give this book to my kids especially my youngest who is interested in getting her MBA.

The new staple for a changing educational and economical future.

If you don't read this book, you are limiting yourself.

The author begins by describing how the spheres of the brain
operate. The left hemisphere controls the right side,
recognizes serial events (sequentially), manages text,
siphons details and performs logistics. The right hemisphere
controls the left side, manages simultaneity and context,
looks at the big picture and knows the world from the experiential
dimension. The back of the book has a large bibliography of
scientific and journalistic references. The reader would be
helped by cross-referencing some of the brain inferences to
the scientific literature which supports the various statements
made by the author.

There are some fallacies in the inferences made by the author.
For instance, people need a firm grounding in both spheres.
Some examples will highlight the disparities. For example,
too many children graduate grammar school and they cannot
do simple arithmetic compilation. No amount of arts programs
will make up for deficiencies in early childhood education
in mathematics.

Computer software engineers are not merely analytically
inclined. Many practitioners design graphics software
which is quite creative. Others design artificial intelligence
algorithms which emulate brain function quite ingeniously.

Lawyers are advocates and they must learn to negotiate and
empathize instead of engaging in sum-zero tactics.
Accountants must operate within the confines of considerable
global principles of the profession. These are
conservatism ( not being overly optimistic), materiality,
the ongoing concern concept of operation and judgmental
sampling to detect and confirm inadequacies in the
accounting control or design thereof. Scientific
sampling is more analytically determinable.

Engineers must master principles of non-linearity; such
as, sweeping motions of rotation, the Mohr's Circle of
forces, multi-direction, shear and balancing chemical
redox equations using both inference and analytics
in combination with knowledge of the Periodic Table
of Elements. Engineering is by no means a linearly
based profession.

The author does mention some important sensual skills
which could be developed during the education process.
These skills are creative design, synthesis, role
playing, aesthetics in addition to functionality
and the dynamics of story-telling. This section of
the book could be invaluable to educators if
developed in early education, middle school , high
school and collegiate curricula.

The book has some excellent ideas but there should be
fewer generalizations. Overall, the volume would make
for good reading. Superlearning by Ostrander and Schroeder
would complement this book nicely.

A senior colleague of mine recommended this book, and it really is a great read - easy and fun, but substantive at the same time. Pink's argument's flow logically and the porfolios at the end of each chapter are a great resource, I found myself looking up all the websites and jotting down notes for activities to try.

Met de subtitel Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age en een aanbeveling van Wired 'Why right-brainers will rule the future' en aanbevelingen op de achterflap van Tom Peters, Po Bronson en Seth Godin die de auteur onder meer positioneren als wonderdoener en 'Copernicus for the brave new age' worden enorme verwachtingen gewekt en kritische antennes geactiveerd. Een boek dat inmiddels in de VS in de 8e hedruk zit en gewoon erg populair is, moet toch wat te bieden hebben?

En ja, dat klopt. In de lijn van simplificaties en hapklare brokken als The World is Flat en de boeken van Covey past A Whole New Mind perfect in de tijdgeest, waar we opnieuw zoeken naar houvast in een turbulente wereld. En dus zijn de platmakers van Friedman gereduceerd tot een drietal verschijnselen Abundance, Asia en Automation bij Pink. Als je geen toegevoegde waarde hebt ten opzichte van al die andere aanbieders, veel goedkopere vakbroeders in China en India en je werk minstens net zo goed door een computer gedaan kan worden, dan zit je binnenkort werkloos toe te kijken. Tenzij, tenzij je 6 nieuwe zintuigen ontwikkeld die je eigen, bevredigende plek in de wereld geven:
1. Design (weg met alleen een functionele blik op middelen, schoonheid van ontwerp geeft meerwaarde)
2. Story (een goed verhaal bij een persoon of product verkoopt gewoon beter)
3. Symphony (alles heeft een context, overzie het geheel, focus niet op een detail)
4. Empathy (voelen wat de ander voelt)
5. Play (leve de gamers!)
6. Meaning (logisch slotakkoord, wat is het doel van wat je doet? Geef je leven betekenis en richting)

Naast veel betekenisvolle woorden, punten om over na te denken, bevat Pinks boek ook veel zwakke plekken. Waar hij zelf een verdeling zoekt in 'meer linker hersenhelft gericht' en 'meer rechter hersenhelft gericht', oog heeft voor het complementaire van onze hersenhelften en in het begin van het boek nog pleit voor een 'volledig gebruik van de hersenen', gaan diverse voorbeelden, te beginnen met de Wired aanbeveling op de voorkant met te stringent links/rechts en daarmee bij herhaling aardig/veel beter implicerend, de mist in. Wanneer ouders hun kinderen liever artiest laten worden dan wiskundige, ziet Pink dat als bevestiging van zijn argumenten, terwijl het juist wel 'links' georiënteerd zijn van de tienduizenden jaarlijks in India en China in exacte vakken, Informatie e.d. afstuderende jongeren een bedreiging vormen die je niet alleen met de 6 zintuigen kunt opvangen. Sterker: wat moet je als meester in de genoemde 6 zintuigen, als er geen voedsel wordt bereid, geen wegen worden aangelegd, geen veilige auto's worden geproduceerd, geen huizen worden gebouwd, etc.? Anders gesteld: dit boek gaat volledig voorbij aan de samenleving, het milieu, de grote uitdagingen die de wereld zich gesteld ziet, zoals bijvoorbeeld Planeet India wel durft aan te snijden.

Pink husselt slim wat herkenbare thema's als Flow, Emotional Intelligence, storytelling, hersenonderzoek, spiritualiteit (waarbij alle uitingen, behalve christelijk geloof hip zijn), zelfhulpboeken en testjes tot een eigen mix, waarbij de rode draad immaterieel lijkt te zijn. Op de laatste pagina ontkracht Pink dit echter rigoreus: "China and India are becoming economic behemoths. Material abundance in the advanced world continues to grow. That mean that the greatest rewards will go to those who move fast. The first group of people who develop a whole new mind, who master high-concept and high-touch abilities, will do extremely well. The rest - those who move slowly or not at all - may miss out or, worse, suffer." Dus toch welvaart als maatstaf voor succes en een afstandelijk 'jammer dan' voor degenen die niet zo snel mee kunnen komen: kort Amerikaans!

Pink starts with the inarguable premise that we live in a changing economy. The smokestack industries moved overseas long since, and white-collar jobs are fast following. Countries with low labor costs, compared to the West, have growing pools of highly skilled technical workers. As a result, things like programming, accounting, and circuit design have changed from specialty skills to commodity tasks, just as happened with material goods like toasters, toys, and sneakers. Pink declares that the new differentiators include aesthetics, design, and the human experience. His examples include car manufacture considered as an art form, holistic legal services, and the medical value of doctors' empathy.

Although I agree with many of Pink's points, the logical, left-brained underpinnings of his argument just aren't strong enough to support the weight of warm feelings piled onto them. For example, he notes that good product design has value to the product owner. Then, as a counter example, this book's front cover includes a die-cut that leaves little tongues of paper pointed out into the cut's opening. Those tongues catch on things, fray, and even tear into the cover around them. Mr. Pink: good design does not unintentionally self-destruct.

Elsewhere, Pink notes the established fact that mothers commonly carry infants in their left arms. Because of a crossover in neural wiring, Pink asserts that this puts the child in contact with the woman's right brain. Well, maybe. It also frees the mother's right hand to stir the pot or do other work at the same time as kid care. Even left-handed mothers often carry their children on the left side, possibly because the heart is on the left and its rhythm tends to soothe the child. But no, Pink has taken the right-brain bit between his teeth and runs with it. As a result, he gently sweeps aside little things like the basic fact that right/left brain duality has always been stronger in men than in women, and that Asian researcher sometimes have trouble reproducing the results at all. It might, in fact, just be an artifact of Western males.

I have an engineering degree, but art school training as well. At least one of the algorithms I developed was hard to describe, but physically obvious once my listener experienced it in her own hands - leaving her with the problem of explaining it to others. I understand the importance of the human terms in engineering equations. Unlike Pink, I also know that science and engineering are intuitive practices, and expressions of deep human feeling in themselves. I actually agree with Pink on many points. I just don't agree with his one-sided approach to two-sided problems, with his selectivity about facts friendly to his case, or with his weak logic in making the case that we need more than just logic.

-- wiredweird

A Whole New Mind is written for those who are looking to increase their abilities and engage their brain. The book offers a holistic approach to changing your life and changing how you see the world and approach problems. Pink makes the argument that we all need to incorporate more empathy and play into our lives because it enables one to relax, enjoy life more and engage the unused capacity of one's intellect. He makes a strong argument that our society pigeon holes us into thinking a certain way and approaching life without the tools we really need to enjoy it and get the most out of it. I can't do justice to his theories here, but
the book is full of useful tips and strategies in addition to a call to action in your own life.

Another great book I read this week that I strongly recommend because it changed how I think is The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book

This book is an excellent argument for the need for creativiity, decision making and other right brain functions in our current economic system. It points out that left brain functions can be sent overseas or computerized but the right brain functions add the most value. An easy read. We used it for the foundation of an arts leadership class.

I loved this book. Very interesting. Very insightful. Like eating something nutritious and delicious.

[...]

This whole right-brain-left-brain thing is soooo left brain. Right brainers have no idea what the issue is about and perhaps it's better that way. But us left brainers have to sort and organize and categorize.... it's obsessive! The truth is that big-picture, extraverted, emotive people already are in the highest ranks of management. Check out our president. They may still be left-brained but far more right-brained than the lowly programmers and IT staffers. This is nothing new; while the techies labor long and hard to learn and problem solve, the right-brainers are smoozing and golfing their way up the corporate ladder. Now as to nurses and graphic artists ruling the world.... problem is these may be right brained jobs but the barriers to entry are low and so will be the salaries. An MFA may be the next MBA but it doesn't pay as well....

The chapter on abundance,asia,and xxx was actually somewhat confused but Insightful. The left brain right brain discusions were old hat. But his contention that Right brain cognitative processes are the salvation of the western world is so far beyond left feld(in foul territory) that only Gore would believe."Left brained", word based thought is what seperates humans from aninimals. It also led to western civilization, including the age of reason, the industrial revolution, modern agriarian reform,Information technology, Democracy, Motherhood, the atom bomb and the pursuit of Hapiness. What this country needs is more and better left brainers. smoke if you like.

Change is a-comin'. For those people that don't believe it, now would be a good time to leave the cave. And yes, power and control will go to people who possess strong right brain qualities. "R

The author gives us a quick trip through the halls of neuroscience which leads into acquiring the skills that will be needed for this new Conceptual Age. I actually preferred the second half of the book as I am not one that needs to be convinced that my environment and certainly the environment of my children and grandchildren will be vastly different from the one my father and grandfather grew up in.

Certain ideas and theories in this book could stand a little more research and certainly may be influenced by political leanings. All in all, it is still a very important book and should be part of any manager's survival pack. I hope you find this review helpful.

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR - Author of Wingtips with Spurs

Reading this book will change how you view life - both your own and how you view the world around you.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was like a box of chocolates, each section was a delicious release of serotonin. I plan on reading it again so the other side of my brain can enjoy it.

A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink was assigned for a graduate course. It was a summer course where we were squeezing a semester into 1 week. What we needed was another book to read. HOWEVER, once I began reading it, I was hooked. I read some of it aloud to my husband who became so interested he read it after me. We have passed it on to our best friends.
I can't wait for my college-age daughter to read it and give me her opinion. This is a book that will be interesting to a broad range of people.

I LOVE this book. I am an art teacher in Phoenix. I was able to discuss art integration through all subject matters with my students and I think that it's essentail! We are cutting our art programs down to nothing and we're creating a whole new generation of test takers -- our kids need to be problem solvers and CREATIVE problem solvers to compete in our new world. Our world that we live in now will NOT be the world our kids live in when they're grown up. Things are evolving fast and we need to give them tools to conquer tomorrow's problems. This book gives great insights! BUY IT! READ IT and give it to your school administrators! Thanks Mr. Pink!

This excellent book by Daniel Pink is an excellent primer for future thinking not only for business but for living. It is a misnomer to list this book as a business book. The faculty at my school has made it a focal point for our curriculum planning for the coming year and teachers from all disciplines have found it instructive in reorienting the focus for our classes. The concepts presented in the book reflect a major step away from the linear progression of education for future leaders in any field to a more holistic point of view of what the student of today needs to succeed in the unknown future. It provides a refreshing, exciting and optimistic view of what the world can be in the 21st century.

This excellent book by Daniel Pink is an excellent primer for future thinking not only for business but for living. It is a misnomer to list this book as a business book. The faculty at my school has made it a focal point for our curriculum planning for the coming year and teachers from all disciplines have found it instructive in reorienting the focus for our classes. The concepts presented in the book reflect a major step away from the linear progression of education for future leaders in any field to a more holistic point of view of what the student of today needs to succeed in the unknown future. It provides a refreshing, exciting and optimistic view of what the world can be in the 21st century.

My copy of A whole New Mind has highlighted text and page markers everywhere. I call this my new business bible. (I am still incredibly fond of my last-Primal Leadership)

This book is great for anyone who leads people, is concerned about their own skill set and how to be marketable, or has kids they are trying to guide down the right path.

It is easy to read, gives examples to clarify and ways to build the necessary skills that will take all of us into the next century.

This book was very fun to read. I also enjoyed the idea that those of us who are more "right brain" than "left brain" thinkers have an excellent opportunity to be more valued in the coming years....

I liked this book so much that I have already bought and given away 10 copies and am ordering more.

Great job Mr. Pink
Toni Cordell

I appreciate the easy-to-read style of the important information in this book. I liked the way that Pink made clear the way that he defines his senses and gave exercises to develop those senses. His argument, or, as he would like to say, his story was cogent and his textual evidence is not disputable.

A Book which should be read by everybody in Portugal . Mainly by the politicians.
Daniel Pink makes evident that the Information Society is the past to the west. The dazzling growing of India (and China in a nearly future) in IT will absorb all the world necessities of IT development. The future, Daniel Pink says, is in the right side of the brain: the one who does not labors with mathematic but with creativity and sociability.
I sincerely hope Portuguese Prime Minister to read this book!

This is not a critique on how this book was written; nor, on whether or not I agree with the theories and methods discussed - with an open mind, it all makes sense to me. What I will say is that Mr. Pink does a very good job at both going into exhaustive detail and summarizes topics into layman terms for everyone's benefit (overall good read and flow). I am 31 years and am concerned about oil prices, the housing crisis and the off-shoring of countless positions to cheaper labor overseas; Mr. Pink offers his richly researched thesis' on how we, as Western's, will maintain competitiveness in our evolving global economy and career landscape. In addition to the analysis the author provides, there are also many other resources cited to aid in your High-Touch journey. Open your mind, expand your thoughts and act.

Teachers, business owners, corporate bosses will ruminate about Dan Pink's book for years to come. As a high school English teacher, I was thrilled to find teaching ideas and useful websites to use in the classroom. Pink tells us to think in a whole new way--in a right-brain way. He explains how we have been functioning in a left-brain, high tech, information age and now it's time to find ways to be comfortable and productive with all that information. By emphasizing, design, play, meaning, empathy, story, symphony--Pink's so-called six senses--we can have professional and personal happiness and success. For instance, in Pink's chapter about design, he explains that design is a way of creating solutions and that each of us employs it each day. In order to enjoy home or work, give it something it didn't know it was lacking--a new color a rearrangement. I have done this in the classroom by creating a seascape and and soothing colors. Pink concludes that good design brings us pleasure. Reading Dan Pink's book will do the same.

I lived to see the coming of the space age and the flight to the moon. Because we found ourselves behind the Russians and sorely lacking in trained engineers we began to push college education and the "knowledge trades."

We have flourished technically as a result. Computers and the internet magnified that and many of us scrambled to get into those leading edge industries because that's where the future lay!

That time is all but past and a new age is ushering in. By that I certainly don't mean that the computer age is over - far from it. But we pay engineers from India and other Asian places, fifteen thousand dollars a year to do what Americans want many tens of thousands of dollars to do. The last time you called for computer tech support - did you talk to an American or to someone in Bombay, Inida?

This is not a book about New Age philosophy or any of that sort of thing. The author will make three fantasic points and arguments (which I don't want to give away here), which show that we have reached the peak of that era, and he shows that these trades WILL NOT be the hot trades of the future.

So if you're thinking about making sure that little Mary or Johnny has a career in the knowledge industries in their future, think again!

The book will show you that being a lawyer, accountant, or software engineer are NOT the best trades for the future.

There are not too many books that can actually change the outlook of your mind, but this is certainly one of them. It is very convincingly argued.

The first part of the book tells you why the old paradigm will not serve us well for the future.

The second part of the book tells you what skills you will need to develop and gives some ideas and exercise to facilitate their development.

I heartily recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was referred to me by a "coach" to help me expand my comfort zone.
I would recommend it highly.

One of the greatest sources of worthwhile reading is my former economics professor. Periodically, a book will arrive at my house with his latest recommendation. Having not failed in his ability to impress, A Whole New Mind definitely stands out above the rest. Going beyond the everyday business hype and hum drum inspirational model, Daniel Pink sends readers on a journey into a new way of thinking and learning.

Pink divides the book into two primary parts, with the first essentially an introduction and argument on how and why industry is moving away from left to right-brain thinking and into what he calls the Conceptual Age. A sound argument is positioned on three primary motives: abundance, Asia & automation. Basically, we live in a time of plenty where machines can do almost anything and any leftover knowledge work can be sourced in Asia for a dramatic cost savings.

Completing part one, I was convinced that we were in fact moving into a new age. And, I was a little unnerved about the value of my MBA as a commodity in this period. It appeared that I was going to have to adapt or fail miserably.

In part two of Whole New Mind, Pink lays out a pallet of skills to exercise and refine the right side of the brain. These skills, which he categorizes as senses, include design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. A much quicker read, this section of the book incorporates basic descriptions of each "sense" and a portfolio of exercises and recommendations. The portfolios are fairly comprehensive considering the thin nature of the book, but it's presented in a way that allows you to pick and choose based on your interests and the amount of time you have. As for me, I've still got the book parked by my computer and check out a recommended link every now and then when I need a break or have a few extra minutes. As a very left-brained individual to start, I've actually enjoyed challenging myself while at the same time increasing my marketability in this future world.

What Thomas Friedman cited as his favorite business book is actually worth the investment in time. Pink's Whole New Mind is truly an experience that will get you thinking beyond the norm and into something progressive and dynamic that is evolving in front of us each and every day.

This was a great stimulating read and well worth the time. I especially liked the mind-expanding exercises at the end of each chapter.
Brian

I'm surprised at how some people are blaming the book for not going deeply enough into the economic challeges facing the U.S. Folks, this book isn't "The World is Flat" or "The Post-American World." The author does a fantastic job of giving us an OVERVIEW of the challenges and then providing practical advice on how to expand your thinking. The book challenges readers to get outside their comfort zone and grow. He's never going to be asked to testify before Congress on his views, but I think he should be! His ideas about the way we need to change American education are thought-provoking.

I read this title by Dan Pink after discovering "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko". Mr. Pink's application of Manga for this writing was excellent. After reviewing the sample for the Kindle, I was all in on this title. The book is insightful and informative. There is a new revolution in business in our culture that is gaining momentum. This book provides insight as to how to get into the curve before the revolution overruns our value in the job market. If you are concerned with our professional futures, Dan provides a thought process to adjust to for our collective futures. Dan's writing style insures that stats and data are delivered in a way that is entertaining and captivating. Don't wait. This information is needed by businesses and professionals now! Stay ahead of the curve in this revolution.

I bought this book recently but after a few pages it just became too simplistic in its content and I began to wonder whether it was even worth the effort to write such a book unless of course you can make some money from sticking a few ideas down on paper. It appears that hardly any serious reserach and investigation had been done to support the thesis. Waste of money as it could be sped read in the bookshop in about 5 minutes and you would learn just as much as you would from buying the book.

There's only one, leeeeetle, itsy-bitsy problem with this book: There is no such thing as a "right-brain thinker." Nobody really takes the right-brain/left-brain distinction seriously anymore. It's fun, silly, pop psychology, and nothing more. It's kind of like the old wives tale (also untrue) that we only use 10% of our brains. It's simply not true that people who are more creative are more "right brained," etc. There are people who, for various reasons, have had to undergo psychosurgery wherein an entire hemisphere of their brain is removed. If the right half of their brain was removed you would think that their creative side would be gone, and that they'd be left with a left-brained analytical outlook. Not so. Simply doesn't happen. It takes them a while to adapt, but the brain does adapt. The brain is high in plasticity, and most functions are distributed throughout the entire brain. Further--and for many this is the real shocker--neuroscience is far less scientific than most people realize. It's simply not true that when people engage in certain activities that certain parts of the brain "light up." Rather, somewhat crude algorithms are used, and the different parts of the brain that "light up" for different people are averaged. For anyone interested I recommend Neural Theories of Mind, and then The New Phrenology, both by William Uttal.

There's only one, leeeeetle, itsy-bitsy problem with this book: nobody really takes the right-brain/left-brain distinction seriously anymore. It's fun, silly, pop psychology, and nothing more. It's kind of like the old wives tale (also untrue) that we only use 10% of our brains. It's simply not true that people who are more creative are more "right brained," etc. There are people who, for various reasons, have had to undergo psychosurgery wherein an entire hemisphere of their brain is removed. If the right half of their brain was removed you would think that their creative side would be gone, and that they'd be left with a left-brained analytical outlook. Not so. Simply doesn't happen. It takes them a while to adapt, but the brain does adapt. The brain is high in plasticity, and most functions are distributed throughout the entire brain. Further--and for many this is the real shocker--neuroscience is far less scientific than most people realize. It's simply not true that when people engage in certain activities that certain parts of the brain "light up." Rather, somewhat crude algorithms are used, and the different parts of the brain that "light up" for different people are averaged. For anyone interested I recommend Neural Theories of Mind, and then The New Phrenology, both by William Uttal.

I purchased this after a recommendation by the President of the National Association of Independent Schools, for which I am grateful. It offers an amazing perspective on the future needs of our current generation of students once they enter the workplace. I now give it to fellow parents as a guideline for how to steer their children's educational efforts.

This book connects the reader with a wide ranging variety of areas. It opens one to re-imagining the world and people around us. He suggests music to listen to, books to read, web sites to visit and people to engage. He recounts his personal process in search of an answer: how do we conceive the world? It doesn't tilt into: How we Should conceive the world.

I knew from over the years that a significant number of technical jobs were heading overseas; Daniel Pink does a great job of really making the loss personal. However, he doesn't just set a doom and gloom stage for left brain thinkers, but systematically explains how to slowly begin using your right brain to create new opportunities at home.

There were several key takeaways that I found to be extremely helpful as I transform myself from and Electrical Engineer to Artistic Engineer. First, and most importantly, we "must perform work that overseas knowledge workers can't do cheaper, that computers cannot do faster, and satisfies...[the] emotional...demand of a prosperous time." The focus for me was on the emotional and "high touch" aspects of this powerful comment, since the other two aptitudes are already commoditized. I realized that for mine, and other's future, it is important to get in touch with our right brain.

The second key takeaway was how important it is to use the six senses Pink describes in order to start thinking more with your right brain. Most of the information and activities were "touchy feely", but looked more fun than grinding away at numbers. I specifically enjoyed reading the Story and Empathy aptitudes. It is true that in order to sell design that there needs to be some emotional story attached to it. Basic product attributes are no longer enough...they can just be copied. Designers need to capture the story behind the product need, and incorporate that into the design. I could not agree with Pink more when he talked about empathy and healthcare. The story about the two postmen with anthrax was tragic, but proved a point. One needs to try and put themselves in another person's situation. This is not easy to do, especially when developing new products. Many of us are taught just to focus on the specifications and product attributes and not on the user. By being more user-centric on both a physical and emotional level, one has a better chance of developing a successful product in the Conceptual Age.

The last key takeaway that I see as extremely important is the transformation of how people perceive money. Those in the eighties felt "greed is good". Those same people are now aging baby boomers who see money as less important, and meaning or purpose as more fulfilling. Some popular examples are Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. The two wealthiest people in the world are turning a lot of their time and money towards philanthropic endeavors. In fact, Bill Gates plans to take an even smaller role at Microsoft to work on his own foundation. While these are two very prominent business people, they are a microcosm of the baby boomer generation. Pink sites many examples of services are geared towards this "purpose" generation. Where he sees services, I see products. For instance, the explosion of yoga or the holistic hospital experience will require products to fill these new needs. Through market research and user-centric design we will be able to create products that are not only functional, but touch the human emotions and give the products a higher purpose.

Daniel Pink does an excellent job of capturing the reader right from the beginning. I like how he eases the left brain reader in by technically explaining what goes on in the brain when images and emotions are show during an fMRI. He validates the "touchy feely" part that left brainers are skeptical of. This sets the reader up for a natural transformation into right brain thinking.

I also liked that Pink doesn't come off as pretentious, but as "one of us" struggling to transform his thoughts. There are several examples how he self deprecates himself or more dramatically sacrifices himself for the good of the reader. A few examples are the terrible and embarrassing self portrait and the laughing group in India. I really got the sense that Pink wants to share his experiences for the good of the reader.

It's not easy convincing a left brained thinker to believe that Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning will shape the next Age in American history. Not only does Daniel Pink convince me, but I've already bought some books (Story) and music (Mozart) he recommends. Pink did a wonderful job of not only explaining the six senses, but at the end of each chapter gave helpful information on how to continue the conversation. I wanted more, and I got it. I will use what I read and incorporate into my daily routine. I'm off to join a laughing club.

Dan articulated all of the things that are percolating underneath the surface in corporate America. Having spent the past 13 years in the Fortune 200, I've felt that the way I thought was "different" from most of my peers. In some roles, this different way of thinking ran counter to the "way it has always been done" and it became frustrating for me. Now, there is a real sense that especially Design, Story, Symphony are extremely valued; and these skills are scarce.

The exercises at the end of each chapter are fantastic for developing your right brain. Current right brainers will look at this as a rally cry and left brainers will understand their right brained collegues, and learn how to emulate their most positive qualities.

Jason Buschlen
Shopper Marketing Professional
Read my Blog at:
www.shoppermarketingtalk.blogspot.com

After hearing about this book for a long time, I procrastinated and was able to pick it up in paperback. Not sure why I waited, however, as the book is jam packed with great references, stories, and research to indicate that business strategy won't always be dominated by Excel (with all due respect to the good folks in Redmond).

He announces the "Conceptual Age" which will emphasize Design, Story, Symphony (big picture thinking), Empathy, Play, and Meaning. He develops each of these so well, I have since gone out and bought other books and resources he recommends.

I think you will enjoy this book and would recommend it for anyone wanting to think anew about business strategy, or interested in broadening your own personal investigations into these topics.

Jennifer B. Davis
http://jenniferbdavis.blogspot.com/

In A Whole New Mind Daniel H. Pink prepares us for a new kind of society. He tells us that the world market is moving out of linear thinking and into more creative thinking. He breaks the brain up into two parts, left and right. The left part of the brain is used more for calculation and logic. While the right side is used more for creativity or seeing things as a whole. Pink tells us that in the past, the left side of the brain was looked at as more important, as side that made us human. He tells us that recently the right side of the brain has been found to be equally as important, and even more important in the future.
He then goes on to outline six key right brain concepts that will aid us in our changing society. These concepts are design, story, symphony, empathy, play, meaning. Design is the ability to create things that people like to look at. According to Pink, in today's society abundance has created a need for things to be more than functional. Everyday things need to be pleasing to look at. Pink's next skill is story. He tells how stories are being found to be extremely important. Whether it's physicians listening to patients stories or advertisers using stories. The third skill is symphony, the ability to see relationships. He says that we need to be able to see how things can work together as a whole. Pink's fourth skill is empathy, the ability to be able to relate to people. This skill is growing in importance with the increasing trend of outsourcing. The next skill is play. According to Pink, many fields are beginning to see the importance that playing can have. He says that in the medical profession, they've discovered that playing videogames increases dexterity and makes doctors less likely to make mistakes during surgery. Pink's final and most important skill is meaning. He says "Our fundamental drive, the motivational engine that powers human existence, is the pursuit of meaning."
Daniel Pink is definitely ahead of the game with this book. His observation of previous changes in society and assertion of what the future will hold is eye-opening and almost undisputable. Both outsourcing and growing dependence on computers were beginning to create an uncertain future for us "white collar" Americans. Pink has cured any uneasiness that I felt about the jobs of the future. The Book was captivating and well supported from start to finish. Two thumbs up for Daniel Pink.

The most significant part of the book was the chapter that discussed storytelling and the power of story. I agree with Pink when he says that storytelling is key to learning and developing empathy. For so long, the emphasis of the global economy has been on data, numbers, and figure. They are important, no doubt, but by themselves cannot captivate and inspire. Story does that.

Another powerful book that addresses the use of story in education and when working with students is Rethinking Adolescence: Using Story to Navigate Life's Uncharted Years.

In Pinks book "A Whole New Mind, Why Right-brainers will Rule the future" he talks about how as our society grown people will need to be more creative or as he calls it a more right-brained instead of being more logical or more left-brained. Pink explains that as our society has grown from the industrial age to the information age our society has over used logical thinking to advance ourselves into the next age. Pink says this change in the American society to a more right brained culture has resulted from three things. One of the reasons is that our society have had all of its basic needs fulfilled and that we actually have an abundance of what our society needs to survive. The second reason is that many jobs are being shipped overseas, this will not affect the US as much as pink says. When industrial jobs began to ship overseas people thought that the US would hit a recession but yet the US prospered and the unemployment rate did not rise to extremely high values. The third reason that is given is that computers can perform many of the functions that humans used to do only faster causing a loss of jobs, but what pink forgets to realize is that to keep those machines running humans must repair them constantly which means that the people that lost their jobs to the machines get them back repairing the machines that took their jobs.Pink says that to get in to this new age people will need to implement six changes into their lives. Some of the changes pink mentions are very hard to implement and some may not be possible. These six changes are design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. The first change, design, is implemented by changes in the school where Design is implemented into every subject much like some special charter schools. The problem I see with this is that Pink takes the few schools to represent all the children in the U.S. so implementing this into all schools may have a lot of kids unable to do the work to pass. The second change, story, is implemented by explaining everything in stories. I agree here with Pink in that more of what is said to people as just fact can be better understood as a story. Symphony is one of the emotions where we try to put together all the pieces what may seem to be unrelated fields. As strange as this may seem this has always been done and if you need examples from today's world just look at any freshmen engineering design project. Empathy is the emotion for feeling for someone else. This emotion has always depended upon the way a person has grown up and depends mostly on the parent teachings. Play is something that really needs to be increased in the workplace, as the adage goes "a happy worker is a productive worker," meaning that if a person is happy at work they are generally a harder worker at that workplace. Having meaning in life and work is actually related to the above adage, if a worker is given a task that is important and has meaning than that worker will generally work had on that task whereas if a worker is given a pointless task and there is no meaning and the worker knows it then, the worker will not put his/her full effort into that particular task.

In "A Whole New Mind" Daniel Pink introduces a new way of thinking which will improve the future and help people be more productive in their professional work environment as well as in their personal lives.
Pink starts off by explaining the change from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. Today, people still rely on their L-directed thinking. But as time goes by the world is changing more and more, including the major fields such as science, technology and arts. These changes bring higher demands, but the question is "Are there enough supplies?"

In his first three chapters, the author explains how nothing is really impossible if people think the right way and make the proper decisions. Asia, as the name itself says, is about the continent where all the work that is done in America can be performed for less time and money. Western world's biggest competitors will soon outsource many jobs because they can carry them out at a much cheaper cost and without expecting high salaries. Very few jobs require the usage of creativity in their process. People do the same work that a computer can perform without any extraordinary efforts and store the information forever. This is the concept of the shift towards the Conceptual age which is also one of the author's main points. It does not necessarily mean that people who do not use their right brain skills as much as their left ones will fail. But it rather shows us the way to combine those skills in order to develop a "higher level" of thinking.

The answer to the phenomenon "Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" lies in the second part of the book which addresses the approach to the new way of thinking. This includes 6 basic senses; Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning, which are basically aptitudes mostly related to the right brain. The author considers them to be the key to ones the success when combined to the functions of the left brain.
Design is the ability to do the best you can out of a task that you are given to perform, and still stay within the frame, meaning that the purpose and function of the product should clearly appeal to the others. Telling stories is sometimes the best way to express yourself and it is also the most efficient way to remember something. As weird as it may sound, the concept of telling stories is what people in the modern world are looking for. The next sense, Symphony, is all about relationships; see the big picture and think about the relation of the details. Empathy is a very "feeling-related" sense. It is basically about "being in ones shoes". It means to deeply understand someone and to be able to emphasize with what they are going through. Play is about being happy by not just achieving success in the work place, but also being spontaneous and to laugh as much as one can. Meaning is to know yourself, your abilities, your goals, and to believe in them with all your heart.

In a few words, Pink's message is that if these concepts are mixed together and also applied in combination with other L-directed thinking, a new social, political, and economic revolution is about to begin. "A Whole New Mind" is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. If you want to know more about the future you can read about history or technology. If you look for something interesting and exciting, you might as well watch the discovery channel. Whenever you feel the need to relax you can find comfort in arts. But this book is the perfect combination of all of the qualities above. It is enjoyable as well as helpful because it opens up a new horizon; it directs the path to a new way of thinking which will rule the world in the future, whether we want it or not. "A Whole New Mind" helps one starting to shape his/her "whole new mind" by making a smooth shift in evaluating the skills which many of us do not know to be in possession of.

Keeping a usually uninterested college student intrigued is a feat that many books do not overcome. But Daniel Pink's "A Whole New World" is chock full of stories and tips that keep even the most inattentive on their toes. With complex ideas put in easy to understand terms, Pink's book offers a new way of thinking and acting in order to achieve success.

By embracing the six "money-making" senses Pink provides, any individual can pursue a successful future. Design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning make up these characteristics. If these new "right brain" ways are not taken and incorporated into your everyday life, your job may suffer. According to Pink, Abundance, Asia and Automation are three additional threats to your job security. Can your job can be done cheaper overseas? Can it be done faster by a computer? Is your job one of many providing the same service or product? If yes is the answer to any of the three questions, you might be in danger.

Although I believe that Pink's six aptitudes can be applied in order to achieve success, it is not true in all circumstances. Some of them are more socially and culturally directed. For example, story can impact the way of life in a more primitive and traditional culture than our own. In a particular African culture, a story may tell how the wind and sand came together to create mankind. To us, their stories may sound ridiculous and would not have a profound effect on our everyday lives. Another example would be design. A design that we find delightful and aesthetically pleasing might offend another culture.

Pink wisely crafted "A Whole New Mind" to cater to the younger population as well as making it pleasurable and hard-hitting for the older generations as well. It will be interesting to see if Pink's predictions are correct in the time to come.

From my standpoint I can see where Daniel Pink is formulating all his thoughts concerning logistics (left brain) versus imagination (right brain), but I don't entirely agree with all of his comments in A Whole New Mind. His tone sounds as if there will be no jobs for anyone with analytical strengths. It seems as if there is a sense of "machines will take over the world" drama. Pink's reasons are very convincing and factual about creativity rising within the job market but it doesn't necessarily mean that everything stated in his book is actually going to occur. Pink's methods may contribute to making more money in the future, but not all jobs want their employees to be the creative types. Some may strictly want employees who execute as they are assigned.

The book challenges people to simulate their minds in logical reasoning and creative purpose. Through deep analysis of the brain's workings Pink states his thoughts on the future and how humans should use their brains in preparation for the future. Pink states that the right brains are rising to balance out the artistic, emotional, and purposeful side of humans that isn't utilized often.

Abundance, Asia, and automation are the set reasons for the arousal of the right brain. The standard of living is higher than ever before. Asian countries can execute left brain jobs for cheaper wages. Machines are more precise and less emotionally attached; hence jobs will also go to the cheap machinery that can do it better, rather than an inconsistent human. The Conceptual Age, as Pink calls it, has sparked because of these three reasons.

There are six specific impressions that Pink believes would greatly benefit human brains as a whole and improve job security. Design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning are those six impressions. By assimilating Pink's justifiable reasons and six impressions anyone can be a force in the Conceptual Age.

Read the book ... even if you don't agree with the topic

Have you ever read a book and felt like the author was writing directly towards you? If not, Daniel Pink's book "A Whole New Mind" is a perfect example. Not only does Pink write, but he predicts and acts upon what he believes readers will be thinking or doing while reading his book.

Pink uses interactive portfolios to provide as a distraction from the consumption of information. I personally find little enjoyment in reading long winded books, but Pink made the time fly by. His writing is informal, but yet somewhat profound at the same time. I do not get the impression that he is trying to convince everyone to convert to his style of thinking. Instead, he seems to only want to suggest that his ideas are plausible and could give readers an advantage if proven accurate.

Just as a heart defibrillator can restart a heart, Daniel Pink's self help book "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future" tries to revive the half of the brain in which we have deprived of attention. According to Pink, we can no longer rely on the abilities of out left-brain in order to find success. He claims the Industrial Age thrived on left-brain abilities similar to those that can be measured by the SAT. Now that the country is transitioning into a new era, Pink declares we, as a generation, must alter our way of thinking.

He advises readers to use their "whole mind" instead of only thinking rational, analytical, and logically. Strengthening the right-brain involves mastering what Pink considers the "six senses." They include design, story, symphony, empathy, and play. Why are these "senses" important? It is because the world is shifting into an age in which creativity thrives. Creativity is unique to each person, and it is one of the few advantages people have over computers.

Pink exclaims we must ask ourselves three questions in preparation for this shift in ages. Can someone overseas do it cheaper? Can a computer do it faster? Is what I'm offering in demand? Pink shows statistics backing up his arguments that jobs are being moved overseas, computers are replacing workers, and that products that merely function are not being bought.

Pink also stresses the importance of right brain thinking, but continuously points out that it alone will not suffice. He claims the right and left hemisphere of the brain work as compliments; each offering a different point of view. In theory the "whole new mind" Pink speaks of is the same old mind, but with its potential activated.

"A Whole New Mind", was very enjoyable to read. Though I may not agree with everything the author suggests, it is a very accurate prediction of where our country is headed. Pink's examples and personal anecdotes make the text easy to read but also adds a little bit of humor. Coincidently, humor is apart of one of Pink's six qualities to master to get an edge in the near future. With all of the facts presented, this book is very convincing, but if you step back and think Pink only includes facts and stories that support his theory. But why shouldn't he? It's his book and he wants it to sell. Neglected to be addressed is what is going to happen when other countries are producing just as many if not more creative, artistic workers? Competition, an endless cycle which will yield to yet another shift in the workforce. How will you get an edge? Who is more empathetic than the other? Which one is prettier? Pink gives great advice on how to become a more holistic thinker but I feel that these will only prove useful temporarily. However, A Whole New Mind, though redundant at times, made some excellent points and I think it is a good "heads up" as we enter this new phase as a country
Pink develops three reasons along with personal experiences to illustrate this shift. The abundance of products has abolished the need for utility. Pink presents current trends in outsourcing. Countries in Asia are producing more and more engineers and computer programmers that are willing to work very inexpensivelyElectronic competition is also a problem addressed by Pink. If a computer has the ability to do a certain task, then there is a good chance that a computer will eventually do that task quicker and more efficiently than a human.
In this new world of abstract thinking, there are certain traits that Pink believes are worth acquiring: design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. Pink first introduces design. He believes that through design, a person is able to broaden their mind. Telling a story is more likely to have a greater impact on someone rather than stating a fact. Not only are they easier to remember, but also easier to relate to. Pink's third skill is symphony. Being able to relate two things and see the relationship between them enables a person to think holistically. Play also becomes entwined in the work field. Pink has found that playing video games and adding humor exercises and sharpens the right side of your brain. Pink's surely last but not least aptitude is meaning. The desire to be happy is creating a need for purpose. So Pink suggests why not give people something they crave; meaning

Daniel Pink's new book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future is filled with studies taken from all areas of the world, provides factual information to support his claim that our world is changing. Pink uses stories that are vivid and details that are astonishing to keep readers constantly at their feet. His writing is smooth and careful, and never challenges the mind to do anything but think about the point that Pink is trying to make. And this point was obvious, yet was surrounded by anecdotes that filled the mind with colorful stories about a changing world. Although maybe not as interesting and fun as a college student would like, this book challenged the mind to think about what their future would contain.
During the 1940's laughing while at work at a Ford Motor Company plant would be considered a disciplinary action. According to Daniel Pink's new book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future, this rule would not be acceptable in our changing world. Today, there are nearly 2,500 "Laughter Clubs" functioning across the world, operating to activate the right side of the brain by simply being playful. And according to Pink, activating the right side of the brain is necessary to keep up with the mind-boggling transformation occurring across the world. The right hemisphere of the brain controls actions and thoughts that involve synthesizing, creativity, and originality. And as Pink declares, the way people think and act is changing from an era filled with logical, analytical and clear-cut thinkers, to one where eccentric, sympathetic, and innovative thinkers lead the way. Pink blames this change in our world on three major factors; Asia, abundance, and automation. Since the "left brain" dominated jobs, that we saw in our past can now be accomplished by computers or have moved to Asia where they can be completed at a lower price, jobs of the future will obtain qualities that cannot be found in text books. Workers of our future will no longer be blue collared, logical men and women, but rather artistic designers and empathetic nurses. As said by Pink, adapting to this new and different way of life can easily be done. Daniel Pink offers six abilities, or guidelines to life, that will enable everybody to be successful in the "Age of Heart and Art." Pink believes that by being able to relate to design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning, even the most simple-minded individuals will be successful in a world of creative minds and open hearts.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. It was entertaining and informative at the same time. Pink organized the book in such a way that it keeps you engaged the whole way through.
Daniel Pink's book "A Whole New Mind", offers insight into methods of developing one's brain for a new era filled with creativity. This short, easy read details why we are entering this new era and skills that will be essential for success.
Pink starts off by informing his readers about the two very different sides of the brain. The left side controls logical thinking, while the right side controls more creative ideas. While it was once thought that logical thinkers controlled the workplace, Pink explains that a new era is arising in which creative thinkers will rule.
There are three main reasons for this power shift; abundance, Asia, and automation. Pink explains these reasons in more depth and provides suggestions of how to overcome these obstacles.
Pink introduces six skills that are key for individuals to develop in this new creative era. These senses, as Pink refers to them, include design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. Pink then details what each sense entails and exercises you can do to develop these skills.
While explaining the skills, Pink weaves in stories about his own experiences. The stories help make the book more enjoyable.
I feel that Pink presented his arguments in a thought-provoking manner. As a college student I felt this really opened my mind and helped me realize I can have some fun with my work. Although I don't think everyone needs to read this book to be successful, I feel that it will greatly open people's minds to help them become whole-minded thinkers.

In Daniel H. Pink's, "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future", he gives a fresh approach to a new way of thinking. It is a witty depiction of the future in the economic world. In this book he outlines six senses that are essential to our future. They are design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning. Each chapter, he goes into each sense with great detail, and even tells of ways that people can sharpen their own senses. This book is a perfect length, and stays interesting the whole way through. He has an appealing way of looking at things, and makes the reader say to themselves," I never thought of it like that before." He goes through each sense in a way that makes it easy for all readers to understand. Pink also explains L-Directed thinking; thinking geared more toward logic and concrete thoughts, and then moves on to R-Directed thinking; a more free form of thinking that is in touch with the senses.
The overall point of the book is explaining how currently humans are moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, and how to be successful in making this transition. People must get in touch with their l-Directed thinking because eventually the skills that come with r-directed thinking will not be needed as badly.
Pink says there are three reasons for this shift in ages: Abundance, Asia, and Automation. Abundance focuses of the fact that in reality, nothing is really scarce and consumers have too many choices. Asia is a place where everything done in America can be outsourced by doing things faster and cheaper. Finally, automation focuses on computerization, robots, and other technological advances that humans can be easily beat at. To be successful people must ask themselves three questions about their current job; can a computer do it faster? Is what I'm offering in demand in an age of abundance? Can someone overseas do it cheaper? People who answered yes to any of these questions are the one who really need to focus more on the right side of their brain; developing creativity and thinking of unique ways to do their jobs before someone comes along and takes those jobs away. Pink stresses the need for parents and teachers to encourage creativity and individuality in students today. No longer is the desire to be an artist or a designer a frowned upon idea. Now, people are desperately in need of the unique-minded, and that's where r-directed thinking ties all together. A quick summary like this does not do the book justice. Pink gives readers a chance to have an epiphany when it comes to their careers and their futures. It is recommended to everyone to give this book a further read; no regrets will come with that decision.