Monday 24 September 2012

ULASAN BUKU - 5 MINDS FOR THE FUTURE




The author of this book, Howard Gardner, as a researcher in psychology, has been exploring human minds for several decades. It is all about how to make full use of our minds to achieve organization’s objectives or life’s objectives.  According to this book, five minds for the future are disciplined mind, synthesizing mind, creating mind, respectful mind and ethical mind.

Sometimes, we encounter an analogous process at work. Individual seem like to bring their old habits or belief to new job. It could be better if we able to come out with new ideas based on the old experiences before as the mode of behavior is slightly or maybe much different in new place. There are four essential steps in achieving disciplined mind. First, we need to identify the important topics or concepts within the discipline. Spend a significant amount of time on this topic, studying all the related examples and mode of analysis. Next, approach the topic in a number of ways for better understanding. Finally, set up “performances of understanding” by giving opportunities to perform understandings under a variety of conditions.

The synthesizing mind means the ability to select all the relevant information from the couple of materials, arranging the information and present it in ways that make sense to self or to others. Synthesizing mind is important whether in work place or study as it prove our professionalism. The synthesis is the first step in turning the company around because it gets involved in strategy development of a company. At a minimum, synthesis contains a goal, a starting point, selection of strategy, method and approach, drafts and feedback.

Thinking outside the box is the crucial component of a creating mind. The aspiring creator needs a generous supply of intelligence, skill and discipline. They are not satisfied with the current work, current standards, current questions, and current answer. Normally a creator will have achieved skill in synthesis before they venture into new arena. They want something special and going beyond the existing knowledge and syntheses to pose new questions, offer new solutions, fashions works for better result. Creativity is not as simple as an achievement of an individual his/herself or a small group. It is the occasional emergent from the interaction of three elements, the individual his/herself, cultural domain in which an individual is working and the social field.

We were being taught to respect people since we are small and this is where the respectful mind taking place. Mix well among individual and among group, understand and working effectively with those who are different, colleagues, employee or supervisors. Concept of respect teach us to accept the differences, live with them rather than ignoring differences, being inflamed by them or seeking to annihilate through love or hate. The responsibility of encouraging or promoting respect among different group and displaying that respect publicly should be distributed across the society. A truly respectful people seem to enjoy the benefits of the good relationship with all human beings. They are also alert for changes in behaviours that will turn reinstate a feeling of respect toward that other individual.

Everybody would like to live in a world characterized by “good work”. Work may be good in the sense of being excellent in quality, being responsible and feeling good where it is engaging and meaningful, and provide sustenance even under circumstances. Ethical mind make sense in both workplace and home.  People will easily get influenced by peers or colleagues especially those are more knowledgeable, prestigious, and powerful. This is what we identify as horizontal support for good work. In the other hand, vertical support for good work can be found at home. Children observe their parents on making decisions about how to maintain a home. If their parents are also working, children definitely will know how their parents work and the working behaviors. There are four steps which we recognize as four Ms are important toward the achievement of good work. Firstly, mission where we need to specify what we are trying to achieve in our activities or life. Second, models by having exposure at least through test or media and seek advice from people that well in work. Third, conduct a mirror test on individual basis to make sure everything is running on the right track. Finally, mirror test on professional responsibility. We are responsible not only for we do but what we do not do.

As conclusion, five minds as discussing above are important toward better human being and crucial for the future. If we have hired an individual who proves deficient in one or more of these kinds of minds, take action now by make it clear that he/she needs to improve him/herself. Separate the person from the organization if nothing changes on him/her after the first reminder.

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