Life has been great these last few weeks in relation to sitting in on some fantastic presentations. I just got off a FREE webinar from Linkage (it crashed halfway through – gave me time to grab a quick sandwich) from Patrick Lencioni discussing how to Lead your teams in Challenging Times….a solid hour of Dysfunctional Team stuff. I also attended a half-day presentation through the Workforce Alliance @ Palm Beach County – which links businesses in need of qualified employees with individuals seeking employment opportunities. The featured speaker was Daniel H. Pink, author of ‘A Whole New Mind’, a book about how the forces of “Abundance, Asia and Automation” are putting a premium on “right brain” qualities and abilities that have often been overlooked and undervalued by employers in the search for talent. That was only $45 including a great breakfast! A couple of great deals to hear a few industry experts tell it in their own words.

Dan Pink covered some interesting points from his book that truly made me ‘think’ – right brain focused of course! (which he says will rule the future)

His discussion around Abundance, Asia and Automation affecting the workplace was interesting at the least. He conceptualizes this by looking at what people are doing to earn a living and ask themselves 3 questions:

1.    Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
2.    Can a computer do it faster?
3.    Is what I’m offering in demand in the age of abundance?

Survival depends on the correct answer to these simple questions. Yes, Yes and No and you are in a deep of hurt.

He touches on six senses that can help develop the whole new mind that he concedes this new era demands:

1.    Design – it is not longer sufficient to create something that is functional, it must be cool
2.    Story – one can’t just have the information anymore to argue a point, persuasion and communication can work to defend your view
3.    Symphony – going from a single focus to seeing the ‘big picture’
4.    Empathy – logic will be outdone by emotional intelligence
5.    Play – too much work makes Jack a dull boy
6.    Meaning – with the freedom from struggle, it is now easier to pursue what life really means

Overall, the message was that routine work is disappearing. It is going to be the ‘right brainers’ (the creative, innovative types) not the ‘left brainers’ (engineers, accountants) that will rule the world. What you need to do to be successful in the future is to ‘Give people something they don’t know they are missing’. Did you miss your iPod when you didn’t have it? I sure didn’t – he may be on to something.

Do you want to read 5 New Leadership Business Books that will supercharge your ideas about business?

There are plenty of classic business books out there that have withstood the test of time, such as Kouzes and Posner’s “Leadership Challenge”, Senge’s  “Fifth Discipline”, Drucker’s “The Effective Executive”, even Jim Collin’s “Good to Great”.
People sometimes dismiss new Leadership and business books as being too “flavor of the month”, trendy, or unproven to be truly valuable.

I believe that all types of books are essential as raw material or “fuel for the fire” when developing my own ideas. If that is something that is true of you, then here is a list of a few current greats that should lead you to some nearly instantaneous innovative ideas for your business:

1.    “Yes, 50 Scientifically Proven Ways To Be Persuasive” Robert Cialdini. This is short, easy to read, and filled with proven marketing and persuasion ideas. Be careful to use your newfound powers for good, not evil! Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

2.    “A Whole New Mind” Dan Pink. If you’re a “creative type” you will be cheering as you read this- if you’re not, this will help you to understand them, and maybe to develop some of your own creativity in ways that work for you.

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

3.    “The Answer to How is Yes” Peter Block. This book challenges the convention that figuring out how to do something too soon limits creativity, and diverts us from the deeper questions such as; “Why do we want to do this? “Is what we are trying to do consistent with our values and vision for the world?” Be prepared to get introspective (and energized).

The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters

4.    “Brain Rules” John Medina. Want to have a better memory? Want other people to enjoy, pay attention to, even remember the presentations you give? This book is a very readable and enjoyable way to understand a little more about how people’s brains are wired.

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (Book & DVD)

5.    “The Back of The Napkin” Dan Roam. There are a whole bunch of reasons why so many ideas have been born on cocktail napkins- this book explains some of them, and shows you ways to be REALLY GOOD at scribbling ideas to help you sell, persuade and ideate! (A great excuse for lunch beers!)

The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures
I hope you find these books as valuable as I have – Enjoy.