If you’ve read a book that really hit you, made you think and informed what you were doing or one of your thought processes, wouldn’t it be cool to interview that person? A blogger I’ve connected with, Christian Long at think:lab (a consultancy focused on “School 2.0″…the next generation of learning) has that exact opportunity with Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind.

I’ve written posts that included the impact that Pink’s book has made on my thinking. Talked to dozens of people and encouraged them to read it. This post is one that sums up what I’m seeing and the dots I’m connecting with Pink’s help. Here’s a snippet:

If you’ve read Daniel Pink’s book A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, you’ll understand his argument that left brain, serial and linear thinking is of flat value and more prone to outsourcing (because it can be) and that the next phase of value creation and innovation will come from the right brained, parallel and associative thinkers among us. Higher order thinking, pattern matching and an ability to connect the dots (which can’t be outsourced) will be highly prized and will be the intellectual fuel for tomorrow.

Disruption, creation and innovation spring forth from seeing unmet needs, patterns, mixing together elements from multiple sources, creating new and innovative products and services from unique combinations or methods and yes, accidents. According to Pink, high value innovation will be delivered by those who can see and think differently (needless to say that I found Pink’s book pretty validating on how my brain is wired and that I’m not just some guy going off on tangents all the time…and with far too many Categories on his blog).

So what’s my recommendation to Christian? If it were me, I’d ask Pink 100 questions…but if there was *one* thing that not only shapes the future design of a school and perhaps education itself that I’d ask him about….it’s a concept that is already shifting value exchange, capitalism and the nature of work around the world….and certainly will change education. The concept I’d ask Pink about is this: how is learning affected when knowledge is at your fingertips and dozens, hundreds, thousands or even millions of minds connect and the future of work is mostly virtual?

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