BRAINDANCING SMORGASBORD

WHY IS ASIA ON THE EDGE? by DILIP MUKERJEA

2011-06-23T11:46:00.004+08:00

Edges form, frame, and fashion, concepts into creations. They establish borders, boundaries, and barriers that impact our lives, and livelihoods. Sometimes they confuse, or clarify, issues that determine destinies…of peoples, and of nations. Edges emerge from movement, pause for a spell, and move on into fresh incarnations.

The edges that define continents are formed from the exertions of our planet rolling in space at 1,000 miles per minute. Asia is a continent created from such vibrancy, and …from the clashes of vigorous and vivacious cultures that are still evolving.

The question “Why is Asia on the Edge?” sounds complete, yet remains open, a reflection of the promises and possibilities of “infinity,” from the French in-fini, meaning unfinished, or incomplete. Asia is unfinished and incomplete, ergo, on the edge. Yet there is more…

Asia, in some senses, has always been ‘on edge’ but ‘on the edge’? I look upon ‘the edge’ as the contour lines that enclose and exclude. A mélange of tribes evolved, often with tough soul-stealing rigour, and spread out within vistas of wayfaring. They soon established their separate, distinct identities expressed in an expense of time and an expanse of spirit. The edge, for Asia, has moved on from being a dividing line between the Occident and the Orient; it has become a metaphor for Asia awakening to, no, breaking through…! What? Through a marmoreal darkness, into a new dawn, building to a succulent crescendo of emotion and passion in terms of its place in the forefront of modern civilisation. Driven by entelechy, that dynamic restlessness working purposefully towards a goal reflective of Asia’s primordial identity.

But what about Asia being on the edge of the ledge of knowledge? After all, we have been transitioning through the ‘knowledge economy’. The question is, in several senses, irrelevant, nor Asia’s repository of venerable wisdom has much to offer the corporate ecosystems of the Third Millennium. Yet, in numerous instances, amnesia has set in, and many Asian have no awareness of their heritage of wisdom. Thus, the best that can happen for now is to be poised on the edge, a dynamic edge, where innovations erupt with unstoppable ebullience. This is where learning happens…and Asia is learning, burning with learning.

The merging of Asia ancient and Asia contemporary is also an edge worth considering. It is here that we see the art of science and the science of art expressed with an eloquence that has a uniquely pulsating richness. Admittedly, it is the bane and the balm of individual perception that “objective” reality is seen through the filter of each person’s temperament. But there is no denying the brilliance and beauty that bursts forth from just the energy expended in what I see as ‘Asia Awakening’.

Integrating present intention and past wisdom will kindle a more synthesised awareness which begins in wonder and ends with wisdom…a fresh wisdom, embedded with elements to transform the world, and metamorphose it from hope to fulfillment. This would be Asia on the edge of what was and what can be, working towards a grand epiphany!

Asia is also on the edge … of fragmentation, but this could be the process of creative destruction, and reconstruction: a mosaic breaks up space into sharply distinctive pieces — and yet produces a coherent image. This too is Asia on the edge.

Every child is born with the desire to re-create the world on his or her own terms. For the child, magic and art are matters of mirth and merriment. Art translates curiosity and wonder into mastery over the environment. Asia is such a child, one created anew, in the wake of numerous past incarnations… on such an edge is Asia poised, set to articulate its energy and information into matter that takes on fresh forms and functions.

Art merging with science, with the same ingenuity of atoms that formed stars and provided the source for their prodigious energy. Stars joined together to form galaxies and galaxies conglomerated into clusters. I see this as a lustrous metaphor of Asians on the edge of ideas…ideAsians!

As two nations representing the Asian metaphor, China and India are also on the edge in their quest for the best. They compete, and collaborate, with one another, as can be seen in the imagery here. The Chinese and Indian flag shapes are contrasted and unified, at the same time. Nothing could be more different, and nothing could be more similar. This is the symbolic essence of Dialectic Thinking, which has 3 main propositions:

The Interdependence of Opposites

The Interpenetration of Opposites

The Unity of Opposites

Thus, Asia on the Edge is also reflective of

THESIS                 Being

ANTITHESIS       Nothingness

SYNTHESIS         Becoming

Asia is all of these: being, nothingness, becoming, and more…and it can only be so…on the edge!

On the next page is a taste of how ideas drift in from the edge and coalesce at centres of innovation. This is also reflective of how Asia being on the edge can inspire a global commonwealth of effort: to generate ideas, and regenerate communities!

IDEAS ON THE EDGE

Thoughts generally do not come to us in straight lines, between margins, all neatly sorted out. They are born as fuzzy images on the edges of our conscious minds. these ‘edgy images’ then become a little clearer (as shown to the left, by the various lightbulbs around the centre). A collection of such random images may move towards a central zone of focus (or they may move towards a central zone of focus (or they may stay on the edges and become the centres of other edgy thoughts).

Most ideas come from the edges. They can be refined as edgy ideas, or left to keep travelling ‘inwards’. Those that coalesce to become the central zone of focus, (the large light bulb above) can be used as a stimulus to trigger more ideas.

AN EXAMPLE OF EDGE STREAMING

Inventing a Sea Plane: As you can see from the garland of images forming the edges of the outside circle, the sea plane is a composite of edgy ideas that swoosh in towards the centre. Each of these edgy ideas is also a synthesis of other edgy ideas. This is how the human brain propels evolution.

The central image thus formed is now ready to become the starting point of a Mind Map. It has become our zone of focus, from which a spray of additional ideas emerge. This starting point has been created from millions of other micro-starting points. The micro-zones of foci drift across our minds, inviting us to use them in our night- and daydreams. Most keep drifting. To catch them, you need a purpose, an intention, which has a force of its own. Then, “automagically,” like individual bulbs in a chandellier,

THE BRAIN'S POWERS OF THIN SLICING

2011-05-26T12:36:00.002+08:00

My favourite "mentor" in the United States, strategy consultant Dudley Lynch , also author of the classic, 'Strategy of the Dolphin', among other excellent works, wrote an interesting blog piece about the brain's powers of thin slicing. Here's the link.

One particular segment of his writing caught my attention, especially from my deep interest in understanding - and developing - anticipatory prowess:

"... Boiled to a few words, it says that when everything is happening at once, the brain defaults to what it feels is most right (that’s the “gestalt” part).

It really doesn’t even have to think about it; in fact, it usually doesn’t.

If you want it to do something else... make tactical decisions... then you better spend a lot of time upfront explicitly teaching the brain about what to look for and what to do when it finds it (that’s the “feature intensive” part)... "

drawing his inspiration from the book, 'Processing Under Pressure: Stress, Memory and Decision-Making in Law Enforcement', by Dr. Matthew J. Sharps, a psychology professor at California State University, who has made a career of studying the actions of people who must make split-second, life-and-death-affecting decisions. In the book, he offers his G/FI (Gestalt/Feature Intensive) Processing Theory. Sounds like a good book to read!

In a nut shell, as I have understood from him, anticipatory prowess is also a learned behaviour.

Thank you, my friend.

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 20

2011-05-05T07:20:00.002+08:00

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Question #20:

If your offerings are so great as you and your representatives have claimed in your publicity, how come the world is not beating a path to your door?

DM: They will. This reminds me of a humorous encapsulation of the advance of technology being rejected:

A robot walks into a bar, orders a drink, and lays down some cash.

Bartender says, "Hey, we don't serve robots."
And the robot says, "Oh, but someday you will!"
And then too, I think of a quote by Howard Aiken:
"Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will have to ram it down their throats."
Imagine filling a bathtub with a thimble; that’s the challenge involved in transferring data that prevail, but fail to work, into brains that wish to race ahead. I propose we throw away the thimble, and get nimble … using what I have to offer.

The future demands a fresh resumé. We live in an era of powerful possibilities. Only a Learning Revolution can heal our plundered planet.

We must make the unimaginable not only possible, but inevitable. Fast change and unpredictability are the dominant facts of life. So we need to gain perspective and not be in too much of a hurry to go nowhere.

Other than what I have already stated, all I have to give is my total energy. If we all did so, together we could achieve historic victories over the forces of entropy.

So, I remain resolute. The tendency of people to not do something does not faze me. Tendency is not destiny.

At the same time, if the mass of humankind is going one way, it does not have to be the correct way! I just wish to help people see a superior way…whilst I keep learning how I can get better at helping them get better!

INTERESTING INSIGHTS FROM THE EXPERTS

2011-05-04T07:45:00.001+08:00

"... Although the repetitive drills that accompany handwwriting lessons seem outdated, such physical instruction will help students to succeed. He says these activities stimulate brain activity, lead to increased language fluency, and aid in the development of important knowledge... in particular the development of thinking and language capacities,.. and in developing deep feelings of confidence and interest in the world-all-together, the essential prerequistes for the emergence of the capable and caring individual..."

~ Neurologist Frank Wilson, author of 'The Hand: How its Use Shapes the Brain, Language and Human Culture';

[Source: The Atlantic, 'Handwriting is a 21st Century Skill', by Edward Tenner, 28th April 2011]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 19

2011-05-04T07:16:00.002+08:00

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Question #19:

There is seemingly an evolving plethora of new skill or competency sets, e.g. neuro-linguistics, success motivation, financial intelligence, team creativity (synectics), Kepner-Tregore methodology, Triz, Tony Buzan’s stuff, etc., from many different purveyors, which one must acquire in order to survive – and thrive – in today’s fast-paced, rapidly-changing, highly-complex and hyper-competitive world.

How can we make our choices or rather how can we make the right choice?

DM: Good question.

The cost of confusion is soaring, so we must appreciate the value of clarity. The list proffered by you has merit. One can never learn less. But we must be clear in determining where we are, where we wish to go, and how to get there. This must be in the face of upheavals in numerous sectors of society … feels like trying to outrun a tsunami!

My clear conviction is that we have a choice: education, or extinction!

We need to redesign the structure of education so that learning takes place instead of swotting, slogging, and sweating…in terror! The vital characteristic of a learning experience must be its evocative quality: it must evoke the experiences or meanings from within the learner, rather than describe what is on the outside.

It must have the power to catalyse passions. With its subtly penetrative attributes, smart learning systems are able to extend into the unconscious matrix where perceptions, experiences, concepts, memories, cohabit and commingle with one another in varying degrees of intimacy, sinuously tangling and disentangling, often with languorous aplomb, at other times, with celebratory incandescence.

These learning strategies unravel the qualitative relationships that are generally invisible to the naked eye. The process, at full throttle, often unravels an unsuspected kinship between things and elements, culminating in an epiphanic revelation.

I thus respectfully propose that my material be started with, so that a solid foundation can be laid for further skills to come on board. Without this foundation, we might as well invest in real estate…a house of cards!

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 18

2011-05-03T07:12:00.005+08:00

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Question #18:

Outside Singapore, entities that wish to represent you in various countries obviously come in many instances, as new players in town, and a new outfit, with an apparent ragtag group of professionals remotely connected to the field of ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’.

Sometimes, they don’t seem to be able to answer pertinent questions.

More importantly, can they sustain an investment in your programs, say for the next 90 days, or 12 months, or 36 months?

DM: I take your point. In the domain of creativity, this is to be expected, perhaps more so in this part of the world.

Yet, I have a strong conviction that with due guidance, their positive attitude will be complemented by a competent aptitude. Besides, this is a welcome test of my strengths and capabilities, not to mention my creative resourcefulness in getting the best out of everyone in this endeavour.

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JUST A RENDITION FOR FUN FROM DILIP MUKERJEA

2011-05-02T12:12:00.003+08:00

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 17

2011-05-02T07:12:00.002+08:00

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Question #17:
Dr Edward de Bono’s work is well entrenched and widely accepted in this part of the world. How much different is your work? What do you think are the salient contrasts to begin with?

DM: Dr. de Bono is one of my earliest sources of inspiration in the world of creativity. I remain an ardent student of his and every exposure to his works never fails to enlighten me.

Whilst you are correct in that his work is “well entrenched and widely accepted in this part of the world” I have not met more than a few people who are conversant with his thinking to the point of reflecting his genius. That is disappointing for me because I remain a passionate advocate of his works.

My repertoire of material is reflective of how I believe the brain likes to play, not how it is expected to work! In this sense, I have taken the path of visual literacy using a range of image processing strategies that contrast with that used by Dr. de Bono. I love his use of what could be termed ‘symbolic’ or ‘analogic’ imagery, but I feel they would be even more powerful with colour coding. However, this observation in no way diminishes his genius at rendering his thoughts so cogently.

My range of visual maps are unique in the way they are conceptualised and crafted, and my background as a marine engineer has perhaps influenced me to apply my strategies in real-life situations; on numerous occasions, this has been in the midst of crises, such as during the Iran-Iraq War, traversing pirate-infested waters, and travelling the world where I had to deal with ‘spontaneous emergencies’ on the run.

In all of these instances, I had to deploy ways and means of visual thinking that contrast with that used by Dr. de Bono, yet I readily admit, my exposure to his works from decades ago must have also helped me greatly.

A major difference between my work and that of Dr. de Bono and others is the manner in which I am able to take masses of information and collapse that onto a single sheet of paper. This is the technique I use to present the extensive information attributes on a single, concentrated intensive map.

This skill is teachable and learnable, and eminently relevant to students and executives.

Furthermore, my marine background and set of unique extreme experiences, have equipped me with an infinitude of resources to tap on. This evolution, coupled with a richness of educational stimuli from my earliest years in England, and the Far East, shapes and forms my material from a multi-disciplinary, systems perspective.

I use my awareness of how all things and phenomena are interconnected, and express these insights through my passion for contorting language and imagery with creative sprinklings of serious play. I find this to be a scorching antidote to brain-block!

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 16

2011-05-01T07:04:00.007+08:00

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Question #16:

You have written a lot of books about the ‘World’s Most Powerful Systems’ as well as ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’.

Can you help us to narrow them some of the most important ideas from your works?

Also, how can we use these ideas to help make our next move?
DM: All the books are designed to move one from breakdown to breakthrough. The reading sequence depends upon the readers’ preferences but here are some loose guidelines:

· First address the ‘learning skills’ component of the books

· Then apply this to learning, creativity, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategic visioning

· Use the material to first enhance yourself, then help others to move ahead

· Join the movement to create learning neighbourhoods and learning societies

· All the books are replete with strategies to get ideas on ideas, so your progress is guaranteed

NOTE: Learning – Creativity = Maybe a good outcome

Learning + Creativity = Outstanding Outcome

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 15

2011-04-30T12:02:00.002+08:00

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Question #15:

School-going kids are already inundated with so much reading and homework assignments, notwithstanding the numerous class or term tests they have to prepare for and go through. How do you expect them to pick up new tools and novel strategies from your programs to help them navigate through school?

DM: My programmes and strategies will help the kids learn faster; they will drastically slash the learning curve so that they will have time and space to have a childhood! As things stand, you are correct in that they are inundated by an avalanche of items on their daily agendas. Even their holidays are a recipe for concussion!

My Superbrain Learning System will equip them to beat every prevailing killer schedule and not only leave them with recreational time for pursuing their parallel interests, but ensure that they excel in their exams.

The most conspicuous superlative element in these systems is that the kids are made future-ready, because these skills are relevant to whatever challenges come their way in the years ahead.

In this context, I would strongly recommend following the ingredients of one of my themes: The Family That Learns Together, Earns Together….via the Unleashing Family Genius programmes. Schools need to know that they are in danger of imminently becoming purveyors of obsolete methodologies. Perhaps they are trapped by their own ‘stability’ but be aware, and beware: this quote shows the way forward:

A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed. — Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 14

2011-04-29T11:52:00.026+08:00

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Question #14:

Edward de Bono advocates ‘creativity’ as essentially a problem of perception.

Alex Osborn calls it a matter of applied imagination.

Nobel laureate and physicist Linus Pauling looks at ‘creativity’ from the standpoint of having a lot of ideas.

Dee Hock of VISA fame thinks ‘creativity’ is more about getting old ideas out of our heads.

Many experts have proclaimed ‘creativity’ as a deliberate process of combining seemingly disparate ideas, which also happens to be an old school of thought.

Amidst all this diversity of perspectives, what are your personal views?

DM: A creative question of the highest pedigree! All your examples are personalities of superlative creative brilliance, and I salute them unreservedly. I tend not to define, lest it confine…by its very nature, I believe that creativity should not be defined. But I take your point.

What is it? To me it is a sensation, a phenomenon, a truth, about our embedded destiny, a quality that makes us distinctive when matched against all other known species that have come and gone.

It is a quality of consciousness that can enslave, and liberate, cause rupture yet lead to rapture, but always have the capacity to successfully address the tears and fears that beset us.

The word create is derived from the Greek kranein, meaning ‘to accomplish’ and the Sanskrit kar, ‘to make’.

From the Latin, we have creare, ‘to make out of nothing.’ To create means to originate, to bring into being from nothing, to cause to exist.

Creativity is defined as creative ability; artistic or intellectual inventiveness. But most of all, creativity is a reflection of the creative source from which we have all emerged.

This theme could be expanded ad infinitum, so for now, I would just add that all children, born as fresh editions of consciousness, are resplendently creative; they store the secret of what it means to be creative by looking at their positive qualities: curiosity, enthusiasm (meaning: ‘to be filled with God’), spontaneity, imagination, innocence, an absence of fear, and an unlimited capacity to change behaviour.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 13

2011-04-28T11:46:00.002+08:00

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Question #13:

I am a mother of two young kids. All this ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ stuff is new to me. How can I go about, in the beginning, to help myself become more creative, and also, how can I go about helping my own kids?

DM: Your bewilderment is perfectly understandable. But what is true is that we are all created, born creative, need creativity, and put together, this is the secret of making us recreative! But before launching into creativity and innovation, I would respectfully highlight some prevailing truths for you and your children:

· What you learn will become outdated; HOW you learn will last forever. They need to learn how to learn; only then will they be in a position to learn anything! You must lead the way, so that you all learn together.

· There simply won’t be any work for inadequately educated people. So the priority is learning how to learn, and applying creative learning methods that are fun and formidable to the learning process.

· The wealth of a nation is the sum of the brains of its people — their creativity, their learning skills, and their indomitable vision to save our world from collapse. You and your children must be active players in a rejuvenated world, where you can help to transform hope into fulfillment…for every child and parent.
· Your ability to earn is directly proportional to your ability to learn.

START by learning how to learn yourself, solo, or with a group of similarly concerned people. I have found that a mother-to-mother chain reaction accomplishes huge dividends, with one helping the other, and the children coming together into study-buddy smart superlearning groups.

You could start by interacting with my books, but that must be complemented by attending live seminars to reinforce and expand the learning skills.

Learning must be forged, not forced. Once you learn how to do so, you will fall in love with learning. Children and educators should be ‘skilling’ themselves with smart strategies, not ‘killing’ themselves with obsolete systems.

Your quest here is to become a Leading Learner and a Learning Leader!

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 12

2011-04-27T11:24:00.004+08:00

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Question 12:
We reckon that books are most of the time fancy or pet theories of the authors, although in some instances, to be fair, they are the distilled experiences of the author. What are your expert views? How can we best utilise your books to help us become more creative? Which titles should I go for in the first instance?
DM: People write to persuade, to inform, and to entertain, …and perhaps, hope to make a living out of that! I have serious reservations about pet theories and ideal models. All theories and models are vulnerable and subject to the ‘gale forces of creative destruction’.

I also do not claim to have ‘expert’ views, albeit I am equipped with a measure of expertise in the disciplines and domains I address.

My books are specifically designed to help the reader act and interact with a smorgasbord of learning systems, based on rapid-fire, yet deep, insights. They will definitely make the reader, if he or she is an interactor, not only become more creative, but become transformed into an indefatigable learning superorganism.
They could start with any title, but if learning systems is a priority, I would suggest ‘Unleashing Genius’; if creativity and innovation are top of the list, I would recommend ‘Brain Symphony’ and ‘Surfing the Intellect’.

For schools, I would recommend ‘Unleashing Genius’ and the forthcoming Learning Skills Trilogy: Brainchildren, Primary Genius, and BrainForce.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 11

2011-04-26T13:33:00.001+08:00

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Question #11

Do you think, just by attending your seminars and workshops, say for three days, we can move on to improve our personal performance and/or create results in our company initiatives?

DM: Yes, I do, IF follow-through is maintained. What I mean here is that the human brain has the innate ability to forget 80% of what it has learned, within twenty-four hours…if there is no revision and follow-through. We have to respect neuroscientific truths. Other than that, yes, most definitely, my learning strategies are world-class and guaranteed to galvanise all learning and teaching initiatives.

We must carry the torch forward if our species is to march forth into the future. Thus, no candle can lose its light when being used to light another.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 10

2011-04-25T13:06:00.004+08:00

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Question #10:

Let’s say we are prepared to pump $100,000 cash to engage you to do a consulting assignment on creating a learning ecosystem in a school, or $250,000 cash on developing an innovation landscape in an organisation. What do we need to do immediately? Can you outline some important steps on how you would execute this project? When do you think we can see some tangible results?

DM: The timeline for different projects is a variable, but your question is valid. The CEO has to be involved and I would first help him or her with the vision, and intermediate goals, for such a scenario. Desired winning outcomes must clearly be declared at this stage. I would then set a deadline, and ensure that it is adhered to, without ever compromising quality. This calls for attributes of visionary leadership, and I would help leaders at all levels of the enterprise to ensure the success of such a venture. Parallel teams, with varying domains of expertise, would need to be set up to ensure that synergies remain on track. A Strategic Visioning Lifescape would be crafted to ensure that it is being plotted on, in real time, to monitor and measure advances, wherever feasible (allowing for the truth that not everything is measurable). Thus, a preliminary immediate agenda would include:

· doing the metathinking right, by setting the vision, crafting the Lifescape, and assembling the personnel

· instituting plans of action, in parallel, to ensure a blend of analysis and synthesis skills are in force

· lines of reporting must be clear, with an open-door policy…all egos must be parked in the shredder!

· resources such as time, equipment, money, people, skills, are to be mapped, and deployed to suit…

· tangible results will first be observed in a behaviour change of the people involved in the project

· feedback loops must be monitored for any aberrations in performance…

NOTE 1:

Strategic thinking has two major components: insight about the present and foresight about the future. Visual thinking is the process that stimulates both of these by helping us link our intuitive sense of events in the world with our intellectual interpretations. Visual thinking is the key to strategic thinking. I would ensure that visual thinking immediately becomes part of the organisational learning culture.

NOTE 2:

Open-book accounting, with transparency at all levels, must be available to everyone, so they can stay in sync with the progress of the project. Or else: sync or swim!

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 9

2011-04-24T12:58:00.003+08:00

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Question #9:

We believe ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ are overly abused by most trainers-consultants in Singapore. Almost every one we meet on the lecture circuit somehow claims to be a trainer-consultant on ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ on his or her name card, even though they may have the foggiest idea about the two different terms. What makes you different?

DM: I never use vocabulary recklessly and with ignorance on parade. For me to use these, and other such words, I would first ensure I knew their source, their full meaning, and the subsequent behaviour that matches the meaning of each word.

What makes me different is that I know the meanings of these terms, but more significant, I am distinct and distinctive in that I live these terms, through my work in the domains of braindancing and brainaissance.

Moreover, I care not to be ‘different’ so to speak; I prefer to keep striving to make an impact, precisely because I believe in the infinite capabilities of our species to excel through the highest values of humanity.

I am in a state of perpetual inspiration when it comes to the genesis of ideas, within myself, and from the consciousnesses of others.

Technologies are emerging to make education so entertaining that it will be hard to distinguish work from play; brain force will trump brute force. A dominant commercial goal will be to have employees continually learning new skills.

Entertaining education could soon emerge as the key economic driver of the economy.

I have the suite of tools and techniques to meet these needs.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 8

2011-04-23T12:48:00.019+08:00

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Question #8:

Most organisations, at least in Singapore, see ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ more as acts of lip-service, without readily quantifiable results to justify their long-term pursuits. In other words, there is a perceivable gap between training investment and a company’s bottom-line. What are your expert thoughts? How can you help us to make it work for us?

DM: Yes, and I do not blame them. Once the fizz is in, everything fizzles out! But this is not because ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ per se are at fault. It is due to a lack of follow-through. This is a crisis of leadership. You cannot expect to establish something durable out of a solitary event that takes place here and there. A culture of creativity and innovation must be established. This takes time and effort, but most importantly, it must be generated and reinforced through vision, discipline, passion, and conscience.

Every person and every organisation is subject to global forces. The hallmark of the 21st c. company will be its ability to expect the unexpected, to be faster, more flexible, and more responsive than ever before. Strategic agility and competitive robustness are going to determine corporate destinies.

If I were involved in such an endeavour, I would ensure that I first craft an Innovation Landscape or Strategic Dashboard, and ensure that from CEO onwards, the people are kept involved, informed, intrigued, and inspired. This is easier said than done, but without resolute commitment, every vision will suffer from an equal and opposite revision…at huge expense! We need to consider the following points for organisations to make rapid positive strides into the future:

· Look at whole systems, not at just their parts.

· Order and disorder are inter-related, and self-organising change occurs as a result of their interactions.

· A small event in one sector can cause tremendous turbulence in another.

· Well-crafted maps, models, and visual images and symbols, metaphors and analogies, make it easier to see connections, relationships, and patters of interaction.

· Panoramic scanning across disciplines, domains, and industries is the key to seeing emerging conditions, paradigm shifts, and opportunities for innovation.

· Nonlinear thinking is crucial to recognising clues about shifts in the environment.

· Perspective is vital when viewing chaotic events, especially from a metaposition.

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TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 7

2011-04-22T07:47:00.002+08:00

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Question #7:

You seem to have put a lot of emphasis on developing self-efficacy skills as a prelude to academic achievement. Can you give us some pragmatic illustrations on how students can actually empower themselves with such skills, to make forward trajectories in their journey to academic success, and how their schools can attain eminence because of their students’ achievements along these lines?

DM: Self-Efficacy is the belief that one is capable of performing in a manner designed to attain stated goals. It is the key to success in life! Goal-Setting alone is inadequate; it must lead to Goal-Getting. Some examples of famous personalities who have exhibited this sterling quality:

* Michael Jordan was cut from his high-school varsity basketball team.

* Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor who said he “lacked imagination.”

* Winston Churchill had to repeat a grade and twice failed the Royal Military Academy’s entrance exam.

* It took Thomas Edison more than1,000 attempts before he successfully invented the light bulb.

Each of these personalities, and many others, became successful despite many failures and rejections. Why? Self-efficacy.

In the 1970s Stanford psychologist Albert Bandura described a trait called “self-efficacy.” Self-efficacy can be defined as “the unshakable belief some people have that they have what it takes to succeed.” Unlike self-esteem, which is merely a feeling of self-worth, self-efficacy is a judgment that one has specific capabilities that will lead to success.

Interestingly, a key part of developing self-efficacy is failure itself. According to Prof. Bandura, “People need to learn how to manage failure so it’s informational and not demoralizing.” They see failure as part of the process to success, and some of their finest quotes confirm this perspective:

* “I’ve failed over and over again in my life. That’s why I succeeded.” - Michael Jordan

* “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” - Thomas Edison

* “Whether you think that you can or you can’t, you’re usually right.” - Henry Ford

NOTE: I am deeply indebted to Psychologist Professor Albert Bandura who defined self-efficacy as one's belief in his or her ability to succeed in specific situations. One's sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how one approaches goals, tasks, and challenges.

At this juncture, I am also reminded of these profound lines from John Gardner: “There is something I know about you that you may not even know about yourself. You have within you more resources of energy than have ever been tapped, more talent than has ever been exploited, more strength than has ever been tested, and more to give than you have ever given.”

Ergo, every school must address every child’s self-efficacy needs!

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 6

2011-04-21T07:39:00.002+08:00

[continued from the Last Post]

Question #6:

If we understand correctly, the ‘World’s Most Powerful Learning Systems’ as you have postulated, are no different from those already purveyed in the current marketplace, like mind-mapping, speed reading, and memory power. How distinctively different is your offering? What makes your offering much better or superior to others?

DM: This question calls for a long answer, but I shall endeavour to remain succinct.

The reasons I use the caption “The World’s Most Powerful Learning Systems” are manifold, but in essence, I have tapped on top-class systems from the past, and developed my own in the present, so that in their integrated, synthesized form, they serve the needs of the future. It is no secret that the new frontier is the human brain.

We cannot stay stuck in the Industrial Age paradigm of “cogs in the wheel,” in which we were at the mercy of industry, so to speak. The mandate is to transition to the immensely more powerful position of being “nodes in the network,” able to influence as well as to be influenced by events.

In order to dance to the rhythm of this emerging Age, my suite of skills are designed to help anyone stay relevant to the present…not relegated to the past.

A GPS cannot orient you or your business in today’s global environment of incessant competitive intelligence. We must find superior ways to help ourselves. The ‘spatially-intelligenced’ person and organisation understands and knows how to:

· Use an array of visual maps and other visual representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.

· Use mental maps to swiftly organise information about people, places, and environments.

· Recognise global patterns and networks of economic and cultural interdependencies; and,

· Study continually emergent phenomena to interpret the present and plan for the future.

In other words, the spatially intelligent, dynamically-informed person or organisation knows how to see, think about, and interpret connections, relationships, and patterns of interaction, locally and globally. This is the value of ‘mapping’ not just ‘mind mapping’.

The rationale for reading:

Research indicates that the average CEO of an organisation does not finish reading one book a year! The average corporate executive needs to read over 5 million words per month, or 60 million words a year. Information anxiety has arrived! How are we to keep pace with the high-velocity world?

The average reading speed of most people is about 240 words per minute (wpm), well below the rate stipulated by the U.N. for functional literacy, 400 wpm.

Today, knowledge doubles every year. We have received more information in the last 50 years than in the last 5000. There is a dire need for us to deal with ‘information anxiety’.

The answer lies in learning how to read a range of materials, at a range of speeds, and depths, to enhance comprehension, acquire skills in writing and speaking, and boost overall mental literacy ~ all vital components for brain capital creation.

The rationale for memory building:

Just possessing a good memory by itself is of not much use; it must be plugged into applications, with purpose, and meaning, for winning outcomes. Then, having a good memory leads to deeper concentration, clearer thinking, enhanced self-confidence, longer-term retention, wider observation, and phenomenal creativity.

Impressive gains in business come from decreased input for increased output, savings in time and money, and incomparable levels of brain fitness.

The above skills, by themselves, have a certain impact, but when integrated, they become an exponentially enhanced Cambrian explosion of high intelligence.

What I have researched and discovered is that whilst there are entities that have offerings in each of these skills, none have the range and impact of visual mapping skills that I have developed, and none have integrated and developed the panoramic array of disciplines from across diverse domains, into my integration of ‘brain skills’.

These are complemented by deep levels of information processing when it comes to text and image blending for high-impact communication, branding, and dilemma-addressing expertise.

My efforts are in no way complete…I remain a work in progress, with much more left to accomplish. Human beings are infinitely upgradable, but unless they choose to see a better way ahead, they are in danger of becoming rapidly irrelevant.

I offer the tools for upgrading…that enable us to move ahead, not stay dead.

Besides, severe mental decline is not an inevitable companion to old age….we get smarter as we get older!

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 5

2011-04-20T07:36:00.002+08:00

[continued from the Last Post]

Question #5:

‘Learning Ecosystems’ and ‘Innovation Landscapes’ seem like highbrow stuff to us. In a nutshell, can you give us a simple picture on how they would appear in the real world, in terms of, say physical infrastructure, teaching methodology, and mental competencies for the masses, from an individual, community, and/or organisational perspective?

DM: Yes, I understand your point. I am referring to happy habitats for learning and ideas to proliferate. It is difficult for most people to respond enthusiastically to regimes that are regimented. I believe that play power must trump power play.

Our scenarios for learning across all ages must be FUN-damental, in that they could assume the guise of Theme Parks, Safaris, Theatre Sets, and so on, reflective of our pleasure-seeking persuasions.

I have several concepts and designs for these ideas to be replicated in reality, as 3-D structures, as well as in digital formats.

Both instances would be highly interactive, designed to stimulate, not stipulate…one of these is my concept of The Brainaissance University, a first of its kind on the planet.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 4

2011-04-19T07:30:00.006+08:00

[continued from the Last Post]

Question #4:

Our school education system is well entrenched as an inflexible phenomenon, and perceived as being rigidly regimented. Changing the minds of policy makers requires a cognitive shift, followed by a massive structural transition at the operating level, i.e. in the schools. How do you expect to overcome this resistance so that that they are ready to embrace the auspices of the “Learning Planet’?

DM: This ‘truth’ appears to be an insurmountable challenge, and many would say that the educational domain is the only one that has remained stagnant in the course of human evolution.

Well, in homage to the genius of Bukminster Fuller, I quote him: "You can't change anything by fighting or resisting it. You change something by making it obsolete through superior methods."

I believe that I have ‘superior methods’ that will enable people to become able…to address the issues of the Third Millennium. New challenges demand new imperatives.

In partnership with technology giants, I know that I can help to architect learning campuses that are worthy of the genius within every child. This initiative must involve all sectors of society, most importantly, teachers, parents, senior citizens, policy makers, and administrators.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 3

2011-04-18T08:45:00.004+08:00

[continued from the Last Post;]

Question #3:

One practical thought that immediately comes to mind is to conduct a small-scale pilot project, say first at the community level. How do you propose we do it?

DM: This is an eminent idea. Naturally, one must have a starting point, but in time there will be a multiplicity of such points that will serve as mini-epicentres of influence. I am already appealing to national governments as well as entities in the business sector, to champion this cause. With the blessings and resources made available, I would ensure that I establish action teams to commence interactions! The media should be invited to monitor the progress of such an initiative, for the initiative to garner publicity, build momentum, and inspire a flood tide in the hearts of people who recognize the brilliant incipience of such a worthy movement.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 2

2011-04-17T08:34:00.003+08:00

[continued from the Last Post:]

Question 2:

Marshalling financial, human, and possibly other structural resources to drive what you have proposed, involving students, teachers, parents, senior citizens, organisational and institutional leaders, as well as country leaders, how do you propose to plot out a simple concept plan for implementation, so that we can get a big picture of it in our heads?

DM: I have an array of visual mapping strategies that are designed to eradicate confusion; these maps are vivid and vibrant, clear and concise. I could deploy any such map to craft a pathway that portrays the executable concept plan. Such a one-page rendition will provide a high-impact simple-to-comprehend action plan of the ‘big picture’, from concept to conclusion.

[to be continued in the Next Post:]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 1

2011-04-16T10:23:00.006+08:00

I have posed twenty questions to Dilip, just to prick his brain from the standpoint of an audience attending his presentation.

Here are his spontaneous responses to the questions, to allow blog readers to have the opportunity to savour his many deep thoughtwares, and more importantly, to understand how resolute and steadfast he is in the pursuit of his fondest vision.

I will pose the questions, and his answers, one post at a time, as follows:

Question #1:

What you are proposing, e.g. ‘Creating a Learning Planet’, let alone a ‘Learning Capital of the World’, is ostensibly a mammoth task. Of all the well-known creativity gurus out there, no one has yet taken the personal initiative like you to pursue it. What makes you think you can do it?

DM: At the outset, I freely acknowledge the genius of ‘creativity gurus’ that have preceded me and who are still in operation.

I am an eternal student of their wisdom. They are indeed masters of their themes, with mastery expressed in diverse ways.

My task is unquestionably mammoth, but no such vision could be otherwise.

The size of the task does not daunt me, because I am propelled by its worth and value in helping us heal our wounded planet.

We must move on from guns and bullets to brains and wits…with soul, spirit, and steadfastness towards achieving the greatest good.

Finally, I have no illusions of being able to ‘do it’ alone.

I have started on the path, and am confident that against all adversity, there will be companions from all sectors of society who will exponentially build momentum in this cause.

To quote the often-quoted Lao Tzu: "The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet."

Rather than emphasizing the first step, Lau Tzu regarded action as something that arises naturally from stillness.

It was in a state of stillness that I conceived the aspiration of ‘Creating a Learning Planet’ and establishing ‘Learning Capitals of the World’. This is not a march of the ego, but one of we-go!

[to be continued in the Next Post]

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-04-11T05:32:00.001+08:00

“You get a good idea today, a better idea tomorrow and the best idea … never.”

~ Sir Robert Watson-Watt, the inventor of radar;

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-04-04T06:06:00.001+08:00

"... There’s always new stuff out there, and most of it’s not very good. Rather than looking for the next musing, it’s probably better to be thorough about what we know is true and make sure we do that well.”

~ Phil Rosenzweig, a professor at IMD, in Switzerland;

QUESTIONS TO PONDER ABOUT YOUR STRATEGY

2011-04-03T12:13:00.001+08:00

Question 1: Will your strategy beat the market?

Question 2: Does your strategy tap a true source of advantage?

Question 3: Is your strategy granular about where to compete?

Question 4: Does your strategy put you ahead of trends?

Question 5: Does your strategy rest on privileged insights?

Question 6: Does your strategy embrace uncertainty?

Question 7: Does your strategy balance commitment and flexibility?

Question 8: Is your strategy contaminated by bias?

Question 9: Is there conviction to act on your strategy?

Question 10: Have you translated your strategy into an action plan?

[Source: McKinsey Quarterly]

VISUAL TOOLS GALORE FROM DILIP MUKERJEA

2011-03-27T13:44:00.015+08:00

Here is a quick snapshot of the numerous visual tools [in low-res display for obvious reasons] developed by Dilip Mukerjea as part of his continuing authoring & consulting work.

In my view, these visual tools are useful in helping business professionals to navigate the accelerating changes in today's fast-paced, rapidly-changing world, especially from the standpoint of anticipating opportunities, solving problems & making informed decisions.

More explicitly, they will help you to embrace the 'Law of Requisite Variety'.

Readers who are seriously interested to learn some of these visual tools should write to Dilip Mukerjea, at dilipmukerjea@gmail.com.

A WISE QUOTE BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK

2011-03-26T13:59:00.004+08:00

"... Failure is a necessary part of a flourishing innovative ecosystem. Not every idea is destined for greatness. A talented individual working on an idea with fatal flaws by definition isn't working on an idea with transformational potential. When great talent is stuck working on the wrong things, the ecosystem as a whole suffers. The failure of failure leads to stagnation..."

~ Scott Anthony, founder of 'Innosight', now living in Singapore;

[More information about the author, his consultancy work & his writings is available at this link. He also writes a weblog on innovation insights at Harvard Business.]

HOW VISIONARIES SEE THE NEXT BIG THING IN THEIR MINDS' EYE

2011-03-21T21:56:00.007+08:00

"You always start with a fantasy... Part of the fantasy technique is to visualize something as perfect. Then with experiments you work back from the fantasy to reality, hacking away at the components... I could see what the Polaroid camera should be... It was just as real to me as if it were sitting in front of me before I had ever built one..."

~ attributed to Edwin Land, inventor of the Polaroid camera, as revealed in the new book, 'Ten Steps Ahead: What Separates Successful Business Visionaries From the Rest of Us', by author Erik Calonius, who also revealed the same thing about Steve Jobs, inventor of the MacIntosh computer:

"Yeah, that's exactly the way I saw the Macintosh... It's like when I walk into a room and I want to talk about a product that hasn't been invented yet. I can see the product as if it's sitting there right in the center of the table. It's like what I've got to do is materialize it and bring it to life - harvest it just like Dr. Land said..."

A WISE QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

2011-03-21T21:53:00.001+08:00

"Want to change the world? Change caterpillars into butterflies? This takes more than run-of-the-mill relationships. You need to convince people to dream the same dream that you do... That's a big goal, but one that's possible for all of us..."

~ Guy Kawasaki, author of 'Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions';

A WISE QUOTE BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK

2011-03-04T22:47:00.005+08:00

"... One way to be certain of continued enrichment [of the brain] is to maintain curiosity throughout a life-time. Always asking questions of yourself or others & in turn seeking out the answers provides continual challenge to nerve cells [in the brain]... "

~ Dr Marian Diamond, professor of Anatomy at the University of California, Berkeley & author of 'Enriching Heredity';

NEW TOY, STIMULATING EXPERIENCE, EXPANDED MIND

2011-03-04T20:19:00.002+08:00

This is my new electronic toy, which I have recently acquired as a second-hand unit in Ho Chi Minh City. It was only three-months old when I bought it.

It's actually a 5-inch go-anywhere Android-based pocket tablet from DELL. It's called DELL Streak 5. It has practically everything a pro would need to stay abreast in today's world of accelerating change.

Naturally, it's also a 3G cell phone, with a wonderful array of novel & yet fascinating features to tickle as well as challenge the mind. [You can read more about it or obtain the technical specs from this link.]

In the last five years or so, I have changed four cell phones. In 2007, I traded my old Samsung - I can't remember the model - for a Nokia N93.

Two years later, I got myself a Windows-based Samsung OMNIA II 18000 Smart Phone.

Not too long ago, I got myself what was considered as the world's first Windows-based phone ~ the HTC HD2, with that capacitive touch technology — one can zoom in & out of emails, documents & pictures with a simple pinch of one's fingers, & browse through emails or web pages with the lightest touch. [You can read more about it or obtain more technical specs from this link.]

Unfortunately, after less than a month of usage, I had accidentally drop it. It's now kaput! Luckily, it was a second-hand unit.

The Nokia set now serves as a spare, while the Samsung set still carries my Singapore roaming number. I am having my new Vietnamese number on the DELL set.

Looking back at all my electronic toys, I must say that it has been a stimulating journey of playful exploration, coupled with intellectual rumination, so to speak.

Each time, with fond memories of course, I have had to start off with a new learning curve, as I struggled to learn & to teach myself the new technological intricacies of each novel gadjet.

Undoubtedly, novelty stimulates the mind. However, the stimulation arising from having to deal with so much technological advances in hand-held communication devices of today also invariably brings one through agitation mode.

Dr Ilya Prigogine called it "perturbation", or more explicitly, the "Theory of Dissipative Structures" at work, for which the Belgian scientist won a Nobel Prize in 1977 for his brilliant work.

To put it in layman perspectives, I reckon American Associate Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841–1935), was absolutely right, when he said:

"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size."

So, was German poet & philosopher Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759–1805), too when he said:

"Im engen Kreis verengert sich der Sinn. Es wachst der Mensch mit seinen grossern Zwecken." [translated: "In a narrow circle the mind contracts. Man grows with his expanded needs.”]

My expanded mind is still reverberating from the incessant exposure of daily trials & errors with the Dell Streak 5.

MAXIMISING MARKETING WITH NEUROSCIENCE

2011-02-25T22:16:00.007+08:00

Here's the link to a fascinating article, entitled 'Rise of Neurocinema: How Hollywood Studios Harness Your Brainwaves to Win Oscars', from 'Fast Company'.

You can read the article first, & then watch the video clip as appended below.

My immediate reaction or takeaway is how can we use the technology to enhance webinars.

DEVELOPING AN HELICOPTER ABILITY

2011-02-24T11:31:00.004+08:00

[An extract from my other weblog, 'Optimum Performance Technologies':]

Whenever I go down to Orchard Road &/or even all the way up to the Suntec City Convention Centre from my residence in Jurong West, I often hop on to the SBS Transit Express Bus Service #502, which normally takes about 35-40 minutes to hit the beginning section of Orchard Road i.e. Orchard Hotel.

The public transport service route as mentioned is regularly served by single-decker buses, especially during off-peak hours. During peak hours, like the early mornings as well as peak evenings, I have noticed that the route is served by double-decker buses, in order to carry the expected larger passenger volumes.

Since I often travel on public transport during off-peak hours, & of course also depending on my ultimate destination, very rarely do I have the chance to hop on to a double decker bus.

Yesterday evening, close to 5pm, & on the way back from Plaza Singapura at the tail end of Orchard Road to Jurong West, my wife & I had the opportunity to hop onto a double decker. We went up to the front seat on the upper deck.

We have travelled on the same bus route probably hundreds of time, but most of the times on a single-decker bus.

From the upper deck, we realised that our panoramic view was very different. An elevated viewpoint certainly gave us a larger vista.

In fact, our visual horizon was further, unobstructed in many ways, when compared from the almost street-level viewpoint of a single-decker.

Comparatively, at almost street-level, our panorama from the bus window seat is restricted, & occasionally blocked by taller & bigger objects, even at distant view.

For example, oftentimes when I passed the Raffles Town Club on the junction of Steven Road/Dunearn Road on my left, I could not see what was behind the concrete fence.

Yesterday, I could see that there was actually a landscaped garden shielded from public eyes by the wall.

Also, I realised there was a large pond alongside the Pan-Island Expressway, just after the Adam Road exit, on my right.

There were other interesting examples, at least from my personal curiosity standpoint, but too numerous to highlight here.

My point is that an elevated position does give one a much broader perspective to look at a scene.

Metaphorically, an helicopter ability facilitates our ability to see the world afar & anew.

Just like an helicopter, considered one of the most versatile air-crafts on earth, which has the ability to take off & land vertically, as well as hover, which in turn gives it the capability & flexibility to manoeuvre in & out of hard-to-reach areas, we can adopt a series of elevated viewpoints that allows us to see the forest from the trees, so to speak.

Sometimes, when we stay too close to the ground, especially when appraising a situation or a problem, we tend to be oblivious to what's really happening out there in our immediate surroundings.

This is not to say that we should not stay grounded, as a feel of the pulse on the ground is also important in any situation appraisal.

What I am saying is that, we got to occasionally detach ourselves from the ground level, & raise ourselves above it, in order to see further, & maybe beyond what's really happening around us.

An open-up vista can certainly engender an expanded mental perspective.

After all, every moment of our lives is governed by our perspective. Whichever vista we use to view an experience with will determine how we see it, how we feel it, & how we react to it.

Creativity is a matter of perspective. So is change leadership. We have to use a different vista to see the issue or problem.

In the ultimate, so much of life is a matter of perspective. We have to see things from different angles.

Actually, come to think of it & in the end analysis, an helicopter ability is all about seeing the world, projects, problems & challenges in fresh & unique ways.

It's about being open-minded, spontaneous, inquisitive & hungering to explore new & better possibilities.

No wonder, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, while serving as our Prime Minister, has openly outlined his four primary characteristic traits he wanted in the appraisal of candidates as ministers.

One of them is the helicopter ability.

When Philip Yeo, one of Singapore's most brilliant high-powered road warriors in attracting foreign capital, was serving as Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB), he was confronted by initial problems in selling Singapore as an offshore petrochemical hub to global investors.

With a spark of inspiration, he actually took an helicopter ride to survey our few small offshore islands one day, which eventually led to the building & construction of the new Jurong Island, which came from the merging - via landfill - of seven small islets.

Resistance- What is it really and how can we, as leaders, turn it around into a positive force?

2011-02-09T13:26:00.003+08:00

Here's the link to an insightful & refreshing write-up from the Change Leadership blog, on resistance busting in a change initiative.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-02-07T09:45:00.000+08:00

"We can learn nearly as much from an experiment that does not work as from one that does. Failure is not something to be avoided but rather something to be cultivated. That's a lesson from science that benefits not only laboratory research, but design, sport, engineering, art, entrepreneurship, and even daily life itself. All creative avenues yield the maximum when failures are embraced."

~ Kevin Kelly, editor-at-large of Wired, pointed to the value of experimentation with negative results;

WHAT SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT WOULD IMPROVE EVERYBODY'S COGNITIVE TOOLKIT?

2011-02-06T22:56:00.003+08:00

"We must learn to love uncertainty & failure," say leading thinkers.

Here's the link to their expert comments.

HOW HANDWRITING TRAINS THE BRAIN

2011-02-06T22:39:00.001+08:00

Here's the link to the above interesting, though belated, article in the Wall Street Journal.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-01-31T08:20:00.000+08:00

"The future is always impacting the present, impacting as an increasing & compounding cascade of grave inflection points. If survival is in the agenda, one must urgently take holistic thinking to the extremes, namely 'the truly thinkable' holistic thinking with grace, determination & thoroughly."

~ futurist Andreas Agostini (Andy);

STRATEGY GRAND TOUR

2011-01-26T06:49:00.003+08:00

If you are new to the concept of strategy formulation, the following [though belated, but still relevant] slideshare presentation offers some quick & interesting lessons on many possible approaches:

Strategy Grand Tour

View more presentations from arvetica.

A FUTURIST'S GUIDE TO ANTICIPATING & LEADING CHANGE

2011-01-25T13:09:00.006+08:00

Here's a fascinating, though belated, slideshare presentation from change strategist/trend analyst Cecily Sommer of 'The Push Institute', a non-profit think tank that tracks significant global trends & their implications for business & government:

Digital Summit A Futurists Guide To Anticipating & Leading Change

View more presentations from Cecily Sommers.

I like her provocative question:

"Why is it that, even when we know better, we don't do better?"
Her antidote is in her presentation. Enjoy & assimilate.

MAKING STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS

2011-01-25T12:06:00.004+08:00

Here's an interesting story from Tim Hurson, author of 'Think Better: An Innovator's Guide to Productive Thinking':

The great American inventor Thomas Edison had observed ripples on the surface of water in a glass. Of course, this was caused by sound vibrations. [Remember the same phenomenon in the 'Jurassic Park' movie?]

He then made an incredible unexpected connection while daydreaming and seeing these ripples.

He thought: If sound vibrations could make the surface of the water ripple, what would happen if he could somehow freeze these ripples? Could he reconvert them into sound?

Intrigued, he tried it first with tin, capturing the vibration of a needle and allowing it to etch into the soft metal. When he attached a megaphone to the needle that was being vibrated by these etches, he heard the sound!

The world’s first sound recording machine was born. Amazing.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-01-24T06:40:00.002+08:00

"The objective is to not blend into the blur; the objective is to stand out from it. This is what it means to be different."

~ Youngme Moon, 'D ifferent: Escaping the Competitive Herd';

HOW TO FAIL: 25 SECRETS LEARNED THROUGH FAILURE

2011-01-23T22:48:00.002+08:00

Wanna cut short your learning curve through the "corridor"?

Here are some interesting insights from someone who had gone through the baptism of fire.

How To Fail: 25 Secrets Learned through Failure

View more presentations from Taylor Davidson.

10 IMMUTABLE TRUTHS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL STARTUPS

2011-01-23T22:28:00.002+08:00

I reckon the following slideshare presentation offers some really fascinating insights, especially for those wannabes who are in search of venture capital for their entrepreneurial startups.

10 Immutable Truths of Entrepreneurship

View more presentations from Margaret Wallace.

INNOVATION & THE FUTURE

2011-01-20T19:11:00.007+08:00

I have found - somewhat belatedly - the following slideshare presentation entitled 'Innovation & the Future' on the net from nouve interplay.

I like one of their catchphrases:

"Things you can envision & describe can actually be built."

which they had also "backed up" with science fiction predictions that came true.

More importantly, their basic strategy approach to "Creating a need that only you can fill", plus the 9-point advisory for innovators (towards the end), are definitely worth exploring.

Innovation and the Future

View more presentations from nouvé.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-01-17T11:12:00.000+08:00

“Any complex activity, if it is to be carried on with any degree of virtuosity, calls for appropriate gifts of intellect and temperament...

…Genius consists in a harmonious combination of elements, in which one or the other ability may predominate, but none may be in conflict with the rest.”

~ Carl Von Clausewitz, “On War”;

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-01-10T07:29:00.000+08:00

"In the face of this unprecedented challenge, the single most important quality that every CEO, banker, portfolio manager or politician should possess & display is agility."

- Tom Glocer, CEO, Thomson Reuters;

INTELLIGENT MEMORY & THE FLASH OF INSIGHT

2011-01-05T07:30:00.005+08:00

Here's the link to an interesting & yet refreshing article from the 'strategy+business' newsletter, by William Duggan, a professor at Columbia Business School, where he teaches innovation, & the author of 'Strategic Intuition: The Creative Spark in Human Achievement'.

In a nut shell, that flash of insight - the AhA moment - needs both analysis & intuition.

The author's extrapolation of the four vital steps from military general von Clausewitz is fascinating: example from history, presence of mind, flash of insight & resolution.

So, my good friend Dilip is right: ''There is no learning [now read: creativity] without memory!''

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2011-01-03T07:14:00.000+08:00

"Management has to do with answers. Leadership is a function of questions. And the first question for a leader always is 'Who do we intend to be?' NOT 'What are we going to do?' but 'Who do we intend to be?'"

- Max De Pree, Herman Miller;

'WISHING YOU & YOUR FAMILY A VERY BRAIN FIT DECADE' from SharpBrains

2010-12-30T05:13:00.005+08:00

Here's the link to many interesting resources about brain fitness, from SharpBrains, a market research & publishing firm tracking the research & marketplace for brain fitness & cognitive health.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-12-27T06:19:00.000+08:00

"... from my experience, the best strategists retain a childlike wonder and a natural intellectual curiosity that is backed by analytical rigour - an incredibly hard combination of skills to possess in one person... "

~ consultant Jeffrey Swystun; also a reviewer on amazon.com;

WISHING READERS A MERRY & PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

2010-12-24T09:49:00.005+08:00

[Source of Picture: 'REAL SIMPLE: life made easier, every day' weblog]

CRITICAL THINKING: WHY IS IT SO HARD TO TEACH?

2010-12-24T07:05:00.000+08:00

Here's the link to an interesting, though belated, article, in the form of a .pdf document entitled, 'Critical Thinking: Why Is It So Hard to Teach?'. Readers can download the pdf document.

In this article originally published in 'American Educator', cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham at the University of Virginia, deconstructs “critical thinking skills” – which everyone seems to agree that students should learn better in school – and gives some helpful advice on how we should go about teaching those skills.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-12-20T06:18:00.000+08:00

"... human futures are unpredictable and it is futile to think that past trends will forecast coming patterns. The trajectory of technology might offer some opportunity for predicting the future... But even the 'pure' history of science features unanticipated findings, and must also contend with nature's stubborn tendency to frustrate our expectations...

Moreover any forecast about the future must consider the incendiary instability generated by interaction between technological change and the wierd ways of human conduct, both individual and social..."

~ Stephen Jay Gould;

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-12-13T11:20:00.001+08:00

"To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries."

~ Prof. A.C. Grayling, in a review of ‘A History of Reading' by Alberto Manguel that was published in Financial Times;

TODAY'S Q2P (QUESTION TO PONDER)

2010-12-13T09:46:00.002+08:00

How can you organise and build capability in innovative ways to ensure that organisational objectives are met, regardless of whether the economy (or an individual market) is expanding or contracting?

[Source: Changeboard: The write-up on "strategic agility" is interesting reading.]

SO, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT TODAY?

2010-12-07T06:55:00.005+08:00

Here's a link to an interesting article on
'ALWAYS BE THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS', by Chris Gillebeau, the roving author of 'The Art of Non-Conformity: ~ Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work & Travel' weblog.

He has outlined an excellent phlethora of big as well as small things to think about & to get them executed, as follows:

1) Dreams:

Because it all starts with a dream or an idea. Recapture your lost dreams, create new ones, and find a way to make them real.

2) Living:

Because as Bob Dylan said, “He not busy being born is busy dying.” If you’re not sure what to live for, try peak moments and big adventures.

3) Influences:

Because none of us lives in a vacuum. Who has helped you become who you are now? (And have you thanked them lately?)

4) Relationships (near and far):

Because relationships are central to everything else. Is there a phone call you need to make? What can you do to help someone, or at least show them you care?

5) Passion:

Because life is short, you might as well spend it doing things you’re excited about. It’s only an overused word because most people don’t know what it is.

6) Destinations:

Because you need to know where are you going, whether it’s a real destination or a representative one. (If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else.)

7) Deliverables:

Because producing something worthwhile leads to a meaningful life. Every day you can wake up and think, what’s next? It’s often easier to focus on deliverables than a time schedule that may vary depending on what else is going on.

8) Growth:

Because it’s not about growth for the sake of itself, but if you have something good and you can build it further without losing anything, why not grow?

9) Metrics:

Because you need a way to measure your journey.

10) Legacy:

Because this is the most important thing! What are you building? What is the story of your life, and what will be its ultimate impact on the world?

Is parting shot: So, what you thinking about today?

By the way, Chris Gillebeau is also the author of 'The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World'. I have already ordered a copy from amazon to read in time just before Christmas.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-12-06T06:38:00.000+08:00

"... holding onto security is like trying to grasp water in your hands — it is futile. Like it or not, life is a fluid experience, not a fixed entity. Life is continually changing, and it is only when we understand this truth, that we can navigate life in a more meaningful manner. Trying to understand life by clinging to the illusion that it is predictable is self-defeating. It is only when we are able to "wrap our arms" around the unpredictable nature of life that we eventually learn to experience the well-being associated with security... "

~ author & philosopher, Alan Watts, who explores the nature of paradox in his classic, 'The Wisdom of Insecurity';

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: NO RAH RAH & TOUCHY FEELY STUFF!

2010-12-02T09:19:00.004+08:00

Unlike all those fancy purveyors out in the marketplace, Dilip is very discerning; he doesn't want to waste time in giving participants that "temporary high" in class.

Yes! It is true that the brain gets emotionally charged up, whenever there is a lot of "rah-rah" &/or "touchy feely" stuff going around, especially orchestrated within the confined space of a seminar/workshop environment.

This "groupie feeling" obviously makes participants feel good, & longing for more. But what happens when one leaves the seminar/workshop?

A lot of these people will end up in square one. They are resigned to become seminar/workshop junkies. No offence intended, as I have encountered a lot of these people in my professional life.

Sad to say, these people are more keen in seeking that momentary nostalgic emotion, rather than committed to making real changes in their own personal lives.

This is the harsh reality in the public seminar/workshop circuit involving so-called motivational training, & you know what, enterprising but unscrupulous purveyors are riding on it!

Do you know why? Here's my answer, courtesy of comedian/actor Jimmy Durante:

"Man is the only animal that can be skinned more than once!"

In contrast, Dilip only wants participants to go home with truly sustainable strategies for immediate application & spontaneous integration in their own life.

Naturally, he will ensure that class time under his coaching is always FUN TIME!

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: INVITING PARENTS' INVOLVEMENT & GARNERING THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT

2010-12-01T04:58:00.002+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

The program originally intended for parents is also designed to coach & equip parents as "learning facilitators", so that they can fulfill their parenting role more effectively & efficiently by virtue of being their children's first teachers.

Dilip believes in the philosophy that parents who learn together with their children will earn together, as well as stay together.

More importantly, this philosophy builds on the concept that high-performing parents nurture high-performing children, as parents become the worthwhile role models.

Taking such an active role in their own children's education, & working closely with other parents with the same interests & concerns, will engender a larger, growing community, which can then help to sustain one another in the long run.

The aim is to inspire the creation of brain clubs as "learning communities", across the neighbourhoods of the nation.

By drawing upon senior citizens, who are still active in life, the community can evolve into multi-tier generational self-help networks, in line with national aspirations of making productive use of everyone's contributions in making Singapore a 'Learning Capital of the World', as Dilip likes to put it.

Through participation in projects or events, such "learning communities" will naturally enhance the "cognitive fitness" of our senior citizens through their Third Age till their Fourth Age.

To end this post of mine, I like to share a fascinating & yet valuable lesson which I had learned years ago from productivity guru Stephen Covey, who wrote his magnum opus, '7 Habits for Highly Effective People', during the late eighties.

As I had understood his penetrating insights, life is essentially a never-ending mental toggle between a stimulus in the our surroundings, to which we have first chosen to see & subsequently directed our attention to it, & our interpretation as well as our finally chosen response to it.

However, between the physical stimulus, as captured by our body senses, & the mental response in our mind, there lies this wonderful metaphysical dimension - as some sort of "space-time", at least from my perspective.

This is the metaphysical dimension within which we always make our daily life decisions.

As writer P J O'Rourke had put it so aptly:

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences."

That's to say, in explicit terms, we all have that wonderful freedom - our power to choose, so to speak - to exercise our response to everyday situations, but we must also bear the consequences of our action, because every action has a consequence. This is a universal truth.

To all the parents out there, the ball is now in your court!

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

QUITE A FASCINATING WAY TO PICTURE HUMAN THINKING...

2010-11-30T20:04:00.005+08:00

"Human thinking is not very deep. In fact it’s only about 4 mm deep. That’s the thickness of the cerebral cortex or the brain’s gray matter. It contains a lot of neurons though - about 11 billion I read somewhere. About twice as many as that of a chimp.

It appears that it’s the size, density and connectivity of the brain’s neural network that makes it able to do what it does. Help us think.

I picture thinking as a cognitive process running on a neuroplatform, which in turn operates on 110 mV electrical pulses at the Ranvier nodes along axons and the flow of neurotransmitters across synaptic gaps. Still somewhat of a mystery how that turns into actual thoughts, ideas and perceptions in the human mind..."

Source: Brainovation Blog, by Anders Hemre, founder & CEO of InterKnowledge Technologies;

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: BRAINTERTAINMENT WITH FUN GAMES, QUIZZES, PUZZLES, HUMOUR, & LAUGHTER

2010-11-30T09:18:00.010+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

To Dilip, learning pursuits should always be fun, irrespective of whether it is an academic environment or in the corporate domain!

Also, a sense of humour & being funny can be very important skills for a student as well as for a working professional.

How to go about it? To Dilip, the only good answer is BRAINTERTAINMENT!

In essence, our brainpower is always the spontaneous firing function of all the neurons in our brain, & more importantly, also the sustained richness of the neuronal networking that ensues in order to keep the brain in peak working condition.

Besides learning & thinking per se, fun games, quizzes, puzzles, humour & laughter often provide excellent ways for our brain to charge up - i.e. brain cells firing! - as well as to relax.

More specifically, Dilip & I feel very strongly that the latter offers us refreshing viewpoints as well as novel perspectives on looking at the world from prevailing realities.

That's to say, with a sense of humour & being funny, we are more likely to see the fun-side or the up-side of everyday situations.

As an example, I love to watch Jerry Seinfeld's 'Seinfeld', Fran Drescher's 'The Nanny', Ray Romano's 'Everybody Loves Raymond', & Charlie Sheen's 'Two & a Half Men', sitcom series on cable television.

Oftentimes, the principal characters may be quirky, & even nonsensical occasionally, in natural disposition, but I always find that each of them has wonderfully unique ways of seeing & tackling everyday situations or problems, even in the face of adversity or opposition from others, including their loved ones, around them.

Sad to say, today's students face a great deal of stress:

- academic performance;
- heavy class scheduling;
- high achievement standards;
- media messages;
- peer pressures;
- family tension, notwithstanding parents' incessant nagging;
- myriad interuptions & distractions from the fast pace of life & rate of technological changes in terms of modern conveniences;

But, do not despair.

Fortunately, we have creativity maestro Dilip who will be more than happy to share with participants varied ways to get more smileage out of your stress-filled life; become more stress-hardy, & to all the students out there, how to take your academic pursuits seriously but yourself lightly!

In summing up this post, I am proud to say that FQ (Fun Quotient) stands in the same ranking positions as IQ (Intelligent Quotient) as well as EQ (Emotional Quotient), when it comes to work, play & learning.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: INSTILLING AN INCESSANT QUESTIONING ATTITUDE

2010-11-29T05:37:00.003+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Most people have this mistaken notion that "speed reading" solves all your reading problems. Yes, "speed" is a variable in the reading equation, but it does not gives you the edge, especially if it does not help in your comprehension.

The edge in reading at warp speeds is "asking questions", before you read, while reading & after you have read.

I must say that, one of the most profound set of probing questions ever generated for a student to navigate his reading text at warp speeds & master his learning quickly, came from educator Adam Robinson, also co-founder of the Princeton Review, an US-based standardized test preparation & admissions consulting company, who wrote the classic, 'What Smart Students Know'.

By the way, he is a US Chess Federation chess master, which happens to exemplify his appreciation of the power of having a strategy, even when we are reading.

He calls the penetrating questions, twelve of them to be exaxct, as the "cyberlearning questions". Go & read his book. You will be amply rewarded.

Nonetheless, closer to home, you have creativity maestro Dilip to show you how to probe a textbook.

More explicity, how to have a dialogue with the author... in other words, how to develop an intellectual intercourse with the author: reading on the lines, reading between the lines, & reading beyond the page.

Dilip & I firmly believe that "asking questions" should also apply in all other life situations, beyond just reading.

For example, asking self-check questions to bring out your own aliveness. To challenge your own assumptions. To clarify your purpose in living... are you busy living or busy dying, as Dilip likes to put it.

In a nut shell, asking questions helps one to build anticipatory prowess. Dilip will show how to go about it.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-11-29T05:35:00.000+08:00

"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a person of the past or a pioneer of the future."

~ Deepak Chopra;

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: PUTTING STUDYING/READING/REVIEWING AS COLLABORATIVE GROUPWORK

2010-11-28T06:15:00.003+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Dilip likes to call this useful approach, "Power Learning'. That's in a nut shell, studying with a purpose in small groups, so that you can leverage on each other's strength.

In his wonderful book, 'Unleashing Genius', Dilip has elucidated how it works for effective studying/reviewing as well as powerful reading/mapping.

In fact, Dilip & I believe that one of the most pragmatic ways for students to prepare for tests & exams is to form a study group.

As we see it, the resultant collaborative groupwork among students readily cuts short the learning curve, expedites learning from an individual standpoint, & generates the push-pull factor to faster knowledge acquisition within a classroom environment.

After all, groups are in fact a fundamental unit of social life.

We also reckon that students, who are already exposed to group study, are more likely to appreciate the power of synergy & the principle of leverage, when they enter the world of work after schooling.

Nonetheless, readers are also welcome to pop into the 'HowToStudy.com' website [Mangrum-Strichart Learning Resources] to learn more about the 'Benefits of a Study Group', 'Getting a Study Group Started', 'Characteristics of a Successful Study Group', & 'Possible Pitfalls of a Study Group'.

In the corporate world, this is called 'Team Learning', which is one of the five principles of the 'Learning Organisation' as envisaged by Dr Peter Senge of Harvard University.

Looking at it from another angle it's also "doing more with less", following the philosophy - he called it "ephemeralization" - of planet earth's friendly genius, Dr R Buckminster Fuller, who gave the world the acclaimed geodesic dome, among other great artefacts.

Dilip will show participants how to execute this wonderful approach to learning mastery.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: PROFERRING MYRIAD VISUAL MAPPING TOOLS

2010-11-27T09:14:00.014+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Because of Dilip's never-ending innovative spirit, he has developed a vast repertoire of visual tools to help working pros as well as students to navigate overwhelmingly abundant data, irrespective of whether they come printed, electronic or otherwise.

Most people only know "mind-mapping" as a solitary tool, but just imagine you have only a screw driver in your tool box, how does the world look to you? Think about it.

Particularly for a student, a smorgasbord of visual tools will provide one with multitudinous array of diverse options to deal with the variability & complexity seemingly inherent within different academic subjects or disciplines.

As a case in point:

A 'story grid' or a 'storyboard' will be ideal for English Literature; a 'noteboard' will be excellent for fleshing out all the terminology of Science subjects; a 'concept map' will be superb for organising information from any Science subject, e.g. Biology, at various superordinate & subordinate levels; a 'timeline' or 'transitive order graph' will be more appropriate for History, so that one can follow the chronological trend of major events with their attendant causes & impacts;

In fact, I would say a creative combination of mindmaps & other visual tools may even be necessary to help a student to navigate the complexity of any subject.

Mastering visual tools is a must in today's Knowledge Economy as we are living in a dominant visual culture.

Don't forget, more than 90% of our learning in a lifetime comes to us via visual cues.

As a counterpoint:

In the corporate world, visual tools have proven to aid decision making; shorten meetings; promote group consensus; generate better impressions & convince audience (in a presentation); & garner effectiveness in problem solving & learning from documents.

This is based on the research work of Robert Horn, visiting scholar at Stanford University & author of the classic, 'Visual Language: Global Communication for the 21st Century'. I recommend reading his book.

In a nut shell, mastering the visual tools from Dilip's portfolio of offerings will help you to embrace the Law of Requisite Variety.

In more explicit terms, if your rate of learning is faster than the turbulence around you, your chances of continual success are assured!

To paraphrase 'Neutron Jack' or better known to the corporate world as Jack Welch:

"I've always believed that when the rate of change inside an institution [read: individual] becomes slower than the rate of change outside, the end is in sight!"

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER SEEN A WORLD CLOCK LIKE THIS ONE...

2010-11-26T10:08:00.003+08:00

Readers can go to this link to see it live!

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

2010-11-26T09:13:00.021+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Today most of us, irrespective of whether one is student or working pro, we are information rich but knowledge poor.

Most of us also think that the Google search engine is our entry point for information search, leading to quick knowledge acquisition, instead of critical reading & critical thinking.

Is the technology of today, with the overwhelming advances of the Internet & other modern conveniences of the "electronic culture", producing a decline in critical reading & critical thinking?

Literary critic Sven Birkerts, author of 'The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age', which was published during the nineties, said:

"... the search for truth requires deep reading & deep thinking... dual processors which inform such a search & lead us toward insight & illumination."

Dilip offers powerful thinking tools & methodologies to read fast & think skillfully, so as to help you to cut through all the data smog, info-glut & info-garbage.

In a nut shell, critical thinking is not necessary being "critical" & negative.

To me, I think the well-known 'Critical Thinking Community' puts it in perspective:

"Critical thinking is the art of taking charge of your own mind. Its value is simple: If you can take charge of your own mind, you can take charge of your life."

With this philosophy in mind, we reckon a student is more likely to approach reading as a thinking endeavour, rather than a regurgitating routine.

Thinking is definitely hard work - it's an intellectually disciplined process; that's why so few people want to engage in it.

Dilip & I share the ardent belief that most students will not learn how to think unless we accord explicit attention to helping them to do so.

We also believe that thinking - critical thinking, to be more precise - gives students the ability to not only understand what they have read, but also build upon that knowledge without incremental guidance.

Critical thinking teaches students that knowledge is fluid, & builds upon itself. It is not simply rote memorisation or the ability to absorb lessons unquestioningly.

In the end analysis, Dilip & I believe that critical thinking, which encompasses skills sets like conceptualising, predicting, hypothesising, fact finding, analysing, decision making, problem solving, comparing & contrasting, organising, inferring, synthesising & evaluation, encourages students to think for themselves.

More importantly, students will be encouraged to use good thinking as the guide by which they live their lives.

I like to leave the following inspirational quote as food for thought:

"A common belief is that knowledge is power. It's not. Knowledge is ubiquitous in the Internet Age and thus grants no special privileges, no unique power. Certainly we need to have knowledge and stay current. But the real power comes from what we do with knowledge. In other words, in the 21st century power comes from our ability to think... "

~ Michael Durr, author of 'My Brain, My Future';

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: ACING THE EXAMINATION GAME

2010-11-25T09:12:00.008+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

In school, exams are essentially a mind game, often played by examiners to test how fast you can recall & how well you can respond, under prescribed parameters within a limited time-frame.

The test is of "Speed" & "Precision", not necessary of real learning having taken place.

With "Speed" & "Precision" as the only defining factors in exams, the students have no option, but to know how to play & win the game.

Dilip has the tools & methodologies to help participants, especially students, become champion players with winning imperatives. He calls it 'Examining the Examiner' to help you get into the mind of the examiner, so that you can negotiate the transition from confusion to clarity.

More importantly, he will share with you how to master the 100+ test verbs often used in an exam. In the lingo of Singapore's favourite contractor, Phua Chu Kang, these are the "Die, Die, Must Know".

Oftentimes, students don't have the correct understanding of even the basic test verbs, e.g. "Compare", "Contrast", "Define", "Explain", "Describe".

Once they are sitting in the exam hall, raring to go, they don't have the luxury of time to figure out the test verbs. They just have to respond almost spontaneously to the exam questions within the limited time frame.

As Phua Chu Kang would say gleefully, "Don't Play, Play!".

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

LOVE IS THE ONLY OPERATING SYSTEM

2010-11-24T12:04:00.016+08:00

Can you see it?

The above picture, ostensibly displaying a large cluster of red roses, is actually a simple example of a computer-generated 3D illusion, more appropriately called a stereogram.

A beautiful 3D object, which signifies the meaning of the foregoing phrase, a favourite catchphrase of Dilip Mukerjea, is embedded by computer manipulation within the seemingly random display.

It takes both of your eye balls to tango in order to see it. That's to say, your two brain hemispheres got to work together in perfect harmony.

If you see it, the 3D object remains floating in space, right in front of your eyes!

Yes, I know. The feeling is exhilarating & exuberating... just like falling in love!

[Source of Picture: Magic Eye Inc., producers of the 3D illusion images that ignited the worldwide craze of the 90's. They hold a patent for their cutting edge stereogram algorithm.

Just in case you still can't see it, here are some viewing instructions, courtesy of Magic Eye Inc.]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: MASTERING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2010-11-24T09:11:00.008+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

It is an universally accepted fact that the English Language is the global language of aviation & communication, commerce & trade, economics & finance, science & technology, international business as well as diplomacy.

It's also the most useful language in the world. Interestingly, most books are published in English, & most of them are also translated into English.

Undoubtedly, a mastery of the English Language enhances self-confidence & commands respect.

Because of Dilip's own linguistic prowess & superior command of the language, as manifested in his panoramic array of more than a dozen books, he is the best person to coach you on how to improve your language facility.

As Dilip often exhorts, writing good English, let alone speaking good English, takes a lot of meticulous effort & diligent energy, not only for a student but also for a working professional.

He uses 'Sentence Mapping' to help participants build clarity of thought through strategic thinking, which leads to engaged learning & information power.

Additionally, Dilip will coach participants in 'Generative Vocabulary Building' techniques.

To share a secret: understanding word roots, prefixes & suffixes give you the power to read & comprehend faster, better & indepth.

With the foregoing methodology & techniques, participants can now adopt a more active role in learning, irrespective whether it is academic environment or corporate arena.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

WHY SHOULD BUSINESS PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CREATIVITY?

2010-11-23T09:36:00.005+08:00

Here's the link to a fascinating interview of Sir Ken Robinson by Andrew Warner, who, is still in his 20s, founded the internet upstart Mixergy, which offers the ambitious & the hungry to learn from a mix of experienced mentors & thinkers.

The interview may not be as entertaining & humourous as his presentation at the TED event, but it is certainly informative, when it comes to understanding his insights & anecdotes about business as well as personal creativity.

I like the parting shot from the interview: "Go & do something different".

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: BOOSTING CREATIVENESS & ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY

2010-11-23T08:03:00.002+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

The '2010 IBM CEO's Survey' has revealed that "Creativity is the most important leadership competency".

Likewise, the 13th Annual Global Survey 2010 by PriceWaterhouse has also revealed that "Innovation... is the cornerstone for future positioning."

Interestingly, the recent 2010 IBM Global Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) Study has highlighted three critical workforce imperatives:

1) cultivating creative leaders;
2) mobilising for speed & flexibility;
3) capitalising on collective intelligence;

Creativity & innovation have become more important than ever before for solving real-world challenges & staying competitive in the global economy.

I am sure many readers have seen the insightful TED show on the net where Sir Ken Robinson has made an entertaining & profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity.

He has challenged the way we are educating our children, & has championed a radical rethink of our school system, to cultivate & acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

[If you haven't yet seen it, here's the link.

I really like the way he has elucidated "creativity" ~ "coming out with something original, & of value, & it comes from many disciplinary ways of seeing things... if you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original..."]

I am proud to say that creativity & innovation are the distinctive hallmarks in all Dilip's programs, as well as writings, irrespective of whether they are intended for the corporate or academic world.

Dilip holds the steadfast view that creativity is one quality which everyone of us is blessed with. It's our birthright, in fact. If you don't recognise this quality in yourself, you can immediately learn techniques for unleashing & leveraging your creative potential.

Although we believe that our schools are essential in helping our children learn these techniques, we think, right now, they are falling short of our expectations.

As parents, since we are our children's first teachers, we must ensure that our children do not lose their sense of wonder & sense of discovery as they transit the school system during their growing years.

Not only that, parents must also create & nurture a conducive environment in which our children feel safe to take risks & get things wrong. Also, help them develop the habit of looking for more than one right answer to everyday problems, including their own study problems.

As creativity consultant & also, author of 'The Creative Edge', among other wonderful books, Dr William Miller puts it:

"Creativity & productivity are closely linked; by definition & in human motivation. When we are most creative & expressive selves, we are also more productive."

With boosted creativity, it goes without saying that our children can become more productive in their academic as well as other pursuits.

Dilip, drawing from his strategic forte as a creativity & innovation consultant, will use many interesting games & stimulating exercises to bring out your innate creativity.

With creativity & ingenuity, irrespective of whether you are a student or working pro, you will always start to look at the world from a solution-focused, opportunity-sensing approach.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: CULTIVATING VIVID TIME HORIZONS VIA PROPRIETARY 'LIFESCAPING' METHODOLOGY

2010-11-22T07:39:00.014+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

This is my favourite topic, also my strategic forte ~ vision-building.

My real-world experiential understanding of vision-building came from a memorable, though painful, personal encounter from my former "big boss" ~ the late Tan Sri [that's the Malaysian equivalent of "Sir"] Eric Chia, Chairman & CEO of the United Motor Works (UMW) Group during the early eighties, when I had joined them as a manager.

[Readers are welcome to pop into my 'Optimum Performance Technologies' weblog to read about that encounter.]

My working knowledge was subsequently expanded & fine-tuned when I came across the splendid work of futurist/film-maker/author Joel Arthur Barker during the early nineties, especially his acclaimed 'Power of Vision' video-based training program.

As a matter of fact, one of Barker's wise axioms often reverberates in my head, whenever I talk about vision building:

"Vision without action, is but a dream; action without vision just passes the time; vision with action can change the world."

Nonetheless, the latter then led me to the scholarly works of Canadian educational psychologist Dr Benjamin Singer, Dutch futurist & sociologist Dr Fred Polak, & Holocaust survivor & Austrian psychiatrist Dr Victor Frankl, who wrote his magnum opus, 'Man's Search for Meaning', as well as the research work of strategy consultants Jim Collins & Jerry Porras.

Collectively, they drove home the vital point about the power of vision-building:

Nations, organisations, individuals as well as students with vision are powerfully enabled. Those without vision are at risk.

Just as King Solomon had once said, as reported in the Bible of the Old Testament: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

In the case of students, Dr Benjamin Singer made these startling revelations, back in the sixties:

i) children with vision out-performed their assets;

ii) successful students had one thing in common: a profound belief in their future & their ability in their own efforts to shape it.

Likewise, based on the pioneering research work of Jim Collins & Jerry Porras, visionary organisations out-performed their assets, too.

As a nation, Singapore is a great example! Thanks to the compelling vision - & the strategic foresight - of MM Lee Kuan Yew & his colleagues as well as ministerial stalwarts, Goh Keng Swee, S Rajaratnam, Toh Chin Chye, Eddie Barker, etc., just to name a few of them.

By the way, what is "vision"?

A vision is just a simple idea or mental picture you have in your head about where you want to be in the future.

A clear vision helps one to pursue dreams & achieve goals.

A well-defined vision helps one to focus on the end-state of who you want to be, what you want to have &/or do, & where you want to go.

Generally, it can be applied in two different ways:

1) Inspiration ~ to inspire youself to follow your bliss & pursue your dreams;

2) Anticipation ~ to foresee the changes & improvements you want to have in the future;

When you can envision a future that is better, happier & more productive, you are more likely to make the necessary changes & improvements for yourself to attain that end-state in the future.

To Dr Karl Pribram of Stanford University, who works with sports champions, vision is akin to his "image of achievement".

By the way, what the difference between "vision building" & "goal setting"?

Operationally, they are complementary. A quick one... This is how I look at them:

- vision gives purpose & meaning; goals give direction & power;

- vision comes from the heart; goals come from the head;

At this juncture, I like to share an inspiring quote, to sum up "vision building" & "goal setting":

"If you have a vision and you find that someone doesn't share that vision, you either change the vision or change the people you share it with. We learn and grow one goal at a time. But to set meaningful goals, we need imaginative insight or vision."

~ Dr. Roberta Bondar, the world’s first astronaut-neurologist in space (with Discovery mission, 1992); also, globally recognized for her pioneering contribution to space medicine;

In essence, vision-building is a relatively easy endeavour, if you know how to go about it.

In fact, Dilip will share valuable lessons from the corporate world as well as educational arenas, besides coaching you on how to look at your own life strategically in long-range time-horizons, & also, how to do your own 'lifescape' using his proprietary 'lifescaping' methodology.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-11-22T07:06:00.002+08:00

"... the companies most likely to be successful in making change work to their advantage are the ones that no longer view change as a discrete event to be managed, but as a constant opportunity to evolve the business... In these organizations, change readiness is the new change management..."

~ Chris Musselwhite & Tammie Plouffe, bloggers at Harvard Business Review;

[extracted from their blogpost at HBR; in the post, they shared four ways how organisations could be change-ready;]

I like their definition of 'Change readiness': "the ability to continuously initiate & respond to change in ways that create advantage, minimize risk, & sustain performance".

A PREVIEW ON 'CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: MAKING KIDS FUTURE-READY!'

2010-11-21T07:57:00.006+08:00

The House of Creative Brains is organising a half-day preview of Dilip Mukerjea's creation, 'Championing Students: Making Kids Future-Ready!', tentatively at The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, on 11th December 2010 for parents & guardians.

For more information about attending the preview, please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: ACQUIRING SELF-EFFICACY SKILLS

2010-11-21T06:01:00.008+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Broadly speaking, self-efficacy refers to having the personal confidence in the mental functioning of your own mind.

More explicitly, it means that you are confident in your personal ability to learn new things, to think about them, to make use of them, to make informed decisions with them, to sculpt decisions into actions, & finally to put them to work in your own life.

In addition, self-efficacy also refers to understanding the consequences of your personal actions, & recognising what you must do to achieve your personal goals & objectives in life, even in the face of adversity.

In a nut shell, for a student who is imbued with strong self-efficacy, he or she will always trust himself or herself of having the personal ability to view his or her academic challenges &/or study problems as "tasks to be mastered".

He or she is likely to develop deeper interests in the tasks, & is also more prepared to try again, when he or she doesn't succeed in performing a task the first time.

His or her thinking is driven by : "I Can Do It! I Will Do it!"

As a result, he or she goes into purposeful action, because ultimately he or she knows that "I will Take Charge! I will Do it Myself!" offers him or her the best choice in life.

After all, life is essentially making choices. More importantly, life is a DIY (do-it-yourself) project

Self-efficacy is the Number 1 predictor & determinant of success in life, academically as well as professionally. This is based on the brilliant work of Canadian psychologist Dr Albert Bandura, who coined the term.

Dr Bandura strongly believes that, to which we fully concur, one's personal success in life is always tied to one's belief or conviction in the personal capabilities to initiate & successfully perform specified tasks.

The entire program from Dilip for both parents & their kids/teens is specifically designed to promote & inculcate academic self-efficacy skills.

I like to leave this inspiring quote from the great Indian statesman, Mahatma Gandhi, to sum up my post:

"If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning."

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com]

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: EMBRACING THE POWER OF FOCUS

2010-11-20T06:31:00.026+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Learn about the true power of Pareto's Law or better known to most people as the 80:20 Rule.

Even though Pareto's Law has its origins from economics [Thanks to Italian agricultural economist Vilfredo Pareto who came up with the concept in 1906], today it has myriad applications in practically every sphere of activity, including natural phenomena like bushfires & earthquakes, & notwithstanding the academic world.

With its understanding, one will know how to segregate quickly the "essentials from the non-essentials".

For a student, understanding & applying Pareto's Law gives him or her true learning power, for he or she is now in an enviable position to appreciate the critical difference between "core materials" & "elaborative materials" in the school - & exam - syllabus.

When it comes to studying & preparing for tests & exams, students often jumble up all their reading materials &/or written notes. As a result, their brains are clogged with so much inconsequential stuff when they go into the exam hall.

By the way, what are "core materials"?

"Core materials" are the core knowledge or key concepts, including principles, laws, definitions, formulae & its key variables, as well as the inter-relationship between the variables (as in the case of mathematics & science subjects), taxonomy, nomenclature, major events & dates as well as their causes & impact (especially in the case of history), etc.

What are "elaborative materials"?

"Elaborative materials" are generally examples, illustrations, anecdotes, plus all the supporting notes & minor details that only serve to embellish the core concepts.

Why the importance of knowing the difference?

This is because 80% of the exam questions which a student will encounter in his school experience will invariably come from the "core materials" i.e the 20%!

More importantly, the application of Pareto's Law makes your reading, studying & reviewing more purposeful!

According to research indications [Regrettably, I can't seem to recall the source!], in any given text, irrespective of whether it is academic or business, the most important material accounts for only 4 to 11% of the entire printed matter.

Remember, the brain follows the direction of your dominant thoughts, whether you like it or not. The latter comes from what you focus on & pay attention to.

Neurologically speaking, this has to do with our Reticular Activating System & our amygdala in the brain.

US Navy Seals & even our SAF commandos know this aspect very well, especially when they are assigned to behind-the-scene, covert operations. By the way, they are trained in this skill known as "neuro-focus", & likewise, we can also learn & develop the skill.

With Pareto's Law, your attention to the world, & particularly to your own academic studies, becomes directed, & not easily distracted.

To sum up, powerful people are focused people!

Maverick entrepreneur & billionaire Donald Trump, & our MM Lee Kuan Yew, who is incessantly focused on Singapore's long-term future, are some great examples.

As an active aikido enthusiast & practitioner, Dilip will show you, by drawing a parallel from martial arts, how to develop the power of focus & create a sustainable flow - "mindfulness" - in your school experience.

[to be ocntinued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.]

HOW'S YOUR BRAINPOWER?

2010-11-19T16:26:00.000+08:00

Here's a link to a fascinating audit of your brainpower from creativity guru Michael Hewitt-Gleeson's School of Thinking.

For the fun of it, just give it a go!

CHAMPIONING STUDENTS: FOCUSING ON FUTURE-READINESS

2010-11-19T12:36:00.020+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

Understanding "life skills" must always come first before one can really excel in "study skills".

Our rationale is that, once a student is exposed to "life skills" training, whereby he learns to exercise self-responsibility for his own personal life ["Do not lay blame"; 'Do not justify"; "Do not whine & wimp out!"], & also learn to take control of the future to make it happen for himself or herself, he or she is then more inclined to view "studying" as part & parcel of the journey of life.

The necessary "study skills" which he is expected to acquire will, thus fall in place very nicely, within the larger picture of his overall skills repertoire.

In his myriad programs, Dilip's "life skills" training incorporates developing future-readiness, building personal resiliency & understanding the imperatives of "Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail' philosophy.

A broad spectrum of '21st Century Learning Skills' as defined by leading educational experts & thinkers with the support of several large corporate sponsors (including Apple, Dell, Microsoft) permeates all Dilip's programs.

In a nut shell, it encompasses:

i) Learning & Innovation Skills;

[(a) Creativity & Innovation: thinking creatively; working creatively with others; implementing innovation; (b) Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: reasoning effectively; using systems thinking; making judgments & decisions; solving problems; (c) Comunication & Collaboration: comunicating clearly; collaborating with others;]

ii) Information/Media/Technology Skills;

[(a) Information Literacy: accessing & evaluating information; using & managing information; (b) Media Literacy: analysing media; creating media products; (c) Information, Comunication & Technology: applying technology effectively;]

iii) Life & Career Skills;

[(a) Flexibility & Adaptability: adapting to change; being flexible; (b) Initiative & Self-Direction: managing goals & priorities; working independently, being self-directed learners; (c) Social & Cross-Cultural Skills: interacting effectively with others; work effectively in diverse teams; (d) Productivity & Accountability: managing projects; producing results; (e) Leadership & Responsibility: guiding & leading others; being responsible to others;]

Learning the mechanics of the above will help you to understand better why you should always take an investment approach to your own education:

~ Your Future is in Your Hands;

I like to share with readers an axiom which I had picked up - I can't recall from whom - during the early years of my career in the corporate world. It goes something like this:

"There is no future in any job out there; the only future lies in you."

I think it sums up very well what I want to say here.

Nonetheless, I also like to throw in another axiom from American statesman Benjamin Franklin who once shared his wise thoughts about the value of investing in one's own education, as follows:

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

~ Your Habits Determine Your Future!

Frankly, I can't seem to find the source of the following adage, but it sums up very well what I want to say here too:

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words; choose your words, for they become actions; understand your actions, for they become habits; study your habits, for they become your character; develop your character, for it becomes your destiny."

In his wonderful book, 'Unleashing Genius', Dilip shares a fascinating technique - he calls it, 'Thought Streaming'. Go & read the book.

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.

Readers can also pop into the US-based 'Partnership for 21st Century Skills' for more detailed information about 21st century readiness for every student.

Additionally, I recommend readers to read '21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times', by Bernie Trilling & Charles Fadel.]

DILIP'S PROGRAMS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL DOMAIN: PROFFERING A POWERFUL CORE HUB FOR LEARNING 'MASTERY COMPETENCIES'

2010-11-18T10:26:00.029+08:00

[continuation from the Last Post ~ in connection with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.]

This is Dilip Mukerjea's original synthesis & consolidation of the 'World's Most Powerful Learning Systems'.

It will be the precursor to his highly anticipated, state-of-the-art 'Brainaissance University' curriculum, which is now still in the "planning stage". When completed, it will the driving force for all learning ecosystems.

The outline for the 'Mastery Competencies', captured succinctly in the form of "a wheel hub with twelve radiating spokes", can be found on the back page of his wonderful book, 'Unleashing Genius'.

By the way, this is the only book from his portfolio of writings that straddles both the educational as well as corporate domains.

Each spoke of the hub represents one "mastery competency".

Mastering the stunning array of skills sets gives one the competence & capability to survive, thrive & excel in today's fast-paced, rapidly changing, complex world.

To recap, the foregoing learning menu, as Dilip likes to put it, for readers' easy reference, as follows:

[I have deliberately inserted some of Dilip's constant exhortations in his teachings & writings, to expand & reinforce your understanding!]:

1) The Brain;

[A working knowledge about the brain & how it works is imperative for you to make headway in your quest towards personal mastery.

Your brain is your business. Be good to your brain & your brain will be wonderful to you!

Brainpower has replaced horsepower! Brains breed business!

Genius is unleashed when both the 'left' & the 'right' attributes of the brain are working in harmony with one another!]

2) Memory;

[Memory is power! There can be no learning without memory!

There are also no limits to learning!]

3) Visual Tools & Strategies;

[We are living in a dominant visual culture. As much as 90% of what we learned in a lifetime comes to us via visual cues!]

4) Global/Self-Leadership & Personal Mastery;

[Leadership is Learning is Leadership! More importantly, self-leadership must always come first!

In a nut shell, effective leadership is thinking strategically, organising relentlessly, communicate effectively, execute diligently, measuring objectively, learning continuously, mentoring intentionally, & leading passionately!]

5) Brain Fitness;

[There is much more power when the body & the mind move ahead, at the same time, in the same direction. Knowing this secret, apply it to whatever it is you wish to achieve!]

6) Braintertainment;

[As the adage goes: "All work & no play makes Jack a dull boy!"

More importantly, humour is serious business. Laughter is the food of the soul. Medicine may not be a good joke, but good jokes are certainly welcome... they get your brain entertained at no cost!

Also, all quiz parades, puzzles & teasers are always designed to agitate your neurons & flex your mental muscles... thus helping to build your brainpower!]

7) Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship;

[There is a New World to be won; NOW! The choice is: Creativity or Catastrophe! It's about YOUR ability to generate streams of ideas & translate these ideas into business items.

Innovation results when creativity is extended & amplified. Through this, the final product or process is improved.

Entrepreneurship comes to play when innovation is combined with marketing & management, whereby capabilities & resources are put together to attain a businesss objective.]

8) Emotional Intelligence;

[Developing EQ is the veritable pathway to becoming a better human being!

To paraphrase Dilip, "The greatest legacy you can leave for humankind is the quality of your own being."]

9) Recreation/Rejuvenation & Joyful Living;

[If you monitor the quality of your life, you will recognise patterns that exist, & where relevant, be able to take immediate action to make changes for the better...

The quality of your life depends upon the choices you make. Let them be such that you emerge as victor, & not victim.

LIVE passionately
LOVE ardently
LEARN feverishly
LAUGH jouously
& help others along the way!]

10) Self-Efficacy/Powerful Habits of Mind;

[Self-efficacy is the #1 predictor & determinant of success in life!

One's personal success in life is always tied to the inherent beliefs & convictions in one's personal capabilities to initiate & to successfully perform purposefully specified tasks.

Also, your habits of mind ultimately determine your future! Successful people always possess powerful habits.

Napolean Hill's classic, 'Law of Success'; Stephen Covey's '7 Habits for Highly Effective People'; Robert Ringer's 'Million Dollar Habits', & Verne Harnish's 'Mastering the Rockefeller Habits' readily attested to the foregoing observation.]

11) English Language/ Communication Clarity;

[Clarity is Power! Clarity leads to engaged learning & information power.

With Dilip's proprietary 'Sentence Mapping' & 'Generative Vocabulary Building' techniques, building & enhancing your language facility is a piece of cake.]

12) Self-Directed/Life-Long Learning;

[Learning is a continually never-ending process! Leaders are Learners!]

This unique collection of 'mastery competencies' is akin to billionaire investor Charles Munger's 'Latticework of Mental Models', which allows one to adopt "systems thinking" or "multi-disciplinary thinking" to problem solving & decision making.

Embedded within this core hub is the Ten-Steps 'SuperBrain Study Skills' for the academic domain.

In a nut shell, these are the 'Ten Steps', with my elaboration:

1) Goal Setting & Goal Getting;

[Goals set your directions; focus your attention; direct your energy; stretch your potential; more importantly, they activate your 'Reticular Activating System' in the brain.

In the corporate world, this goal setting exercise is called "strategic visioning".

According to consultant Jim Collins, companies with vision always out-performed their assets!

Likewise, according to educational psychologist Dr Benjamin Singer, successful students have a profound belief in their future & in their ability to shape it via their own efforts.

That's to say, students with a clear vision out-performed their assets.

Dr Karl Pribram of Stanford University, who works with sport champions, calls it the "image of achievement".]

2) Self-Management & Task Prioritisation;

[Before you can manage your tasks, you have to be able to manage yourself. One aspect of self-management is being able to organise & keep track of the important things that you have to do to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

According to productivity coach Stephen Covey, this is essentially attaining your "personal victory" first, before you can start to lead, & be a role model to others, i.e. attaining "public victory".]

3) Active Reading, with Power Browsing & Power Comprehension;

[The key to becoming a fast reader is to approach reading as an active, dynamic thinking process, & of yourself as an active, thoughtful reader.

You can slash your reading time by first identifying your purpose, & then, focusing your attention!]

4) Systematic Information Gathering;

[Actually, a lot of readers don't realise this: the first & foremost objective of reading is actually to gather information!

The best way to gather information quickly is to identify & isolate key words or key phrases in the text.

Next, pay attention to the author's text navigational aids, like bold or italic prints, headings & subheadings, bullet points, boxed selections, graphic illustrations, etc., as well as understand the author's text organisational patterns & transitional words which he or she uses to elaborate ideas.

In a way, they serve as some sort of "visual signposts" for the reader. Tactically, they offer vital clues to help the reader to navigate through the text with ease, & to make sense of the text with precision.]

5) Note-Crafting, with a smorgasbord of visual tools & strategies;

[Note-crafting is an art, for you are creating a personal library of facts & ideas from your class experience.

To practise this art effectively, you need to condese what you are reading &/or listening in class, respond to it, record it clearly enough, so that the notes continue to make sense to you when tests/exams come along.

Mind-mapping has proven to be very useful in note-crafting, but it is just one known visual tool.

Different subjects or disciplines may require different visual tools to help you navigate optimally through the text in order to fish out important ideas from the text.

Dilip will share with participants a smorgasbord of visual tools, which are his technological creations.]

6) Power Study, Review, Revision & Rehearsal;

[Research indicates that although your learning actually rises shortly after your brain processes information; without any planned revision &/or rehearsal, you can lose up to 80% of the content within 24 hours.

In a nut shell, the secret to academic excellence, besides goal setting & priority management, is actually very simple: it's studying your notes regularly, reviewing them periodically, revising & rehearsing them adequately for a self-test, & most important of all, starting your strategic lesson review/revision from Day 1!]

7) Memory Recall Enhancement, with 'The Most Important Graph in the World';

[The key to using your memory more effectively is to realise that your brain never loses anything. Once a thought or idea has been input to your memory, it stays there for the rest of your life.

What we call "forgetting" is either the inability to recall stored information or the failure to store important information in the first place.

Dilip will share with participants all the relevant tips & techniques in super-memory management.

One of his favourite techniques is 'Blast off to Super Recall', with the use of 5 major elements: Primacy, Repeated, Outstanding, Personal Associations & Recency!]

8) Rehearsing the Exams, with 'Examining the Examination' techniques;

[An exam is essentially a mind game, a game of 'SPEED' (how fast you can recall) & 'PRECISION' (how well you can respond).

To ace in any exam, you have to learn how to play the game well in order to win it!

The first thing Dilip will share with participants is the mastery of the 100+ 'Test Verbs'!]

9) Strategic Application with Writing Craft;

[In the academic environment, this is the acid test of putting what you have learned to work.

Knowledge is not measured by what you have stored in your head, but by your personal productivity ~ what you do & what you don't!

In a nut shell, you need to organise & express your thoughts clearly as well as cogently in response to the examiner on paper, within prescribed parameters & time-frame.

As a prolific writer - with more than a dozen finely crafted books to his credit - Dilip will be more than happy to share with participants authoring tricks of the trade.]

10) Stress Management & Energy Engineering;

[For a student as well as his or her parents, stress often builds gradually as the school term progresses.

Creativity consultant Doug Hall once remarked: "Stress kills brain cells; stress is definitely not a good idea!"

Explicitly, unresolved stress in the body often impacts the memory indexing capacity of the brain.

As a counterpoint: "What's power when there is no control!", asserts a tyre ad from a well-known manufacturer.

In reality, a resourceful mind state actually gives you the personal control.

As a dedicated Aikido practitioner, Dilip will show participants how to develop a resourceful mind state & to sustain a continuous flow experience, while under trying circumstances.]

Specifically for the student, Dilip will cover all the foregoing study skills sets in depth, with appropriate practices to help students internalise them.

The class coaching methodology, as he puts it, is:

"Fast-paced, pulse-quickeningly interactive, & with ample opportunity to develop these skills in real time. Emphasis is on practical applications, for immediate use, with spontaneous integration in daily life".

[to be continued in the Next Post.]

[For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.]

DILIP'S PROGRAMS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL DOMAIN: DOWNWARD MIGRATION FROM CORPORATE PROGRAMS

2010-11-17T10:53:00.010+08:00

[This is essentially a continuation of my earlier post, pertaining to my 'Idea Map' showing the distinctive features of Dilip's programs for the educational domain.

The 'Idea Map' has been crafted in conjunction with the recent launch of a series of new programs intended for parents as well as their school-going kids/teens, under the auspices of 'The House of Creative Brains'.

It serves as an intellectual backbone to the program synopsis for both parties.]

Just like Dilip's programs for the corporate world, under the auspices of the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) for more than decade, both programs for parents & their school-going kids/teens are custom-designed to help participants towards envisioning & preparing for the future.

Dilip & I believe very strongly that what works in the corporate world works in the educational arena as well.

The world out there has changed, & we must change with it. Dilip will show participants how to do it successfully.

Besides sharing corporate lessons in change mastery, Dilip will also coach participants on how to excel in pathfinding, & plotting their career path.

Fundamentally, the program for both parents & their school-going kids/teens shares (and for teachers, too, in large measures) the same distinctive themes, with the following "exceptions":

for parents & guardians (& teachers, too):

- elaboration of the technological underpinnings of Dilip's body of work, with appropriate instructional & coaching components so that, not only they can apply the tools & metholodologies in their own life, but also coaching their own kids/teens; this is based on the principle that parents are their children's first teachers!

for their kids/teens:

- straight into immediate, multiple applications with total relevance to their school life, & of course, their life after school, with some explanations as to why they are doing it your way;

Hands-on applications, under Dilip's systematic coaching, apply to both programs, interspered by short class lectures, meaningful stories, selective video presentations (where appropriate), self-assessments, discovery games, group interactive exercises, project work, etc.

[Dilip's corporate programs in SIM, renewed for 2011, will include: 'Braindancing', 'Building Business Brainpower', 'Corporate Taleblazers', & 'Strategic Visioning with Lifescaping'.

For more information about the series of new programs under 'The House of Creative Brains', please get in touch with Ms. Faye Yeoh via her email faye_yeoh@yahoo.com.]

THE TLC (TEACHING, LEARNING & CREATING) STORY, by Dilip Mukerjea

2010-11-16T12:07:00.004+08:00

Dilip Mukerjea has deliberately crafted this 2000 word or so document to test the reading speed of participants in a recent presentation event with parents:

[I have taken the liberty of breaking it into more smaller paragraphs for easier reading online!]

The world is made not from atoms and molecules, but from stories. The art of story is the dominant cultural force in the world; and the art of film is the dominant medium of this grand enterprise. Story serves as metaphor for life.

Teaching and learning, via the art of story, enables us to seek, discover, and propagate elements of truth, and anchor our lives in something larger than ourselves.

Traditionally, humankind has sought the answer to Aristotle’s quest for the meaning of life from the four wisdoms —philosophy, science, religion, art — extracting insights from each to bolt together a livable meaning.

Story isn’t a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality, our best effort to make sense out of the anarchy of existence.

Children have evolving brains that are tailor-made to respond to story: enchantment leads to enlightenment, and on to excellence! Education, in its truest sense, begets ecstasy!

No culture, especially that which concerns the upbringing of children, can evolve without honest, powerful storytelling. When society repeatedly experiences glossy, hollowed-out, pseudo-stories, it degenerates.

We need true satires and tragedies, dramas and comedies that shine a clean light into the dingy corners of the human psyche and society. If not, as Yeats warned, “…the centre can not hold.”

Literary and story talent are distinctively different but related. Stories do not need to be written to be told. Stories can be expressed any way human beings can communicate. Theatre, prose, film, opera, mime, poetry, dance, are all magnificent forms of the story ritual, each with its own delights.

At different times in history, however, one of these steps to the fore.

In the 16th c. it was the theatre; in the 19th c. the novel; in the 20th c. the cinema, the grand concert of all arts. The most powerful, eloquent moments on screen require no verbal description to create them, no dialogue to act them. They are image, pure and silent. The material of literary talent is words; the material of story talent is life itself.

Every teacher, especially those who interact with children in their primary years, must acquire skills in speech, drama, and storytelling.

The secrets of successful teaching lie embedded in the art and science of story. Story is about principles, not rules. A rule says, “You must do it this way.” A principle says, “This works…and has through all remembered time.”

Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers break rules. Artists master the form. Great teachers have these elements alive in their DNA.

Story is about eternal, universal forms, not formulas. An archetypal story creates settings and characters so rare that our eyes feast on every detail, while its telling illuminates conflicts so true to humankind that it journeys from culture to culture. Or from subject to subject when incorporated into school curriculums.

When talented people write badly it’s generally for one of two reasons: Either they’re blinded by an idea they feel compelled to prove or they’re driven by an emotion they must express.

When talented people write well, it is generally because they’re moved by a desire to touch the audience. These truths also apply to classroom presentations: Talented teachers elocute beautifully, in ways that inspire their students to bring forth their inborn eloquence.

Originality is the confluence of content and form — distinctive choices of subject plus a unique shaping of the telling.

Content (setting, character, ideas) and form (selection and arrangement of events) require, inspire, and mutually influence one another. With content in one hand and a mastery of form in the other, a writer sculpts story.

As you rework a story’s substance, the telling reshapes itself. As you play with a story’s shape, its intellectual and emotional spirit evolves.

We shape the telling to fit the substance, rework the substance to support the design. If you can’t play all the instruments in the orchestra of story, no matter what music may be in your imagination, you’re condemned to hum the same old tune.

Every teacher must acquire a repertoire of skills that blend, metaphorically and literally, the magic within music and dance, art and science, spirituality and humanity.

Storytelling is a work of art that reveals the art of work. Look upon yourself as an artist, and as a work in progress — a grand story able to dispense streams of tales, fables, anecdotes, and liturgies that light upon, and light up, all souls.

Your narratives and parables come to life when they exude meaning, beauty, enjoyment, and excitement…stemming from imagination, emotion, intelligence, and experience. You are then the creator of an atmosphere brimming with the kind of infectious enthusiasm and wonder found generally only in children.

Teaching, learning, and creating can never succeed in cut-and-dried forms; this is a barren approach. Life must be ennobling. When you are creative, you are the architect of something meaningful that would never have existed if you hadn’t been there.

You are the creative spirit behind the chord that haunts, the phrase that thrills, the movement that enchants, and the scene that lingers. Great stories help you radiate the richness of your spirit: they need not be elaborate, as long as they are emotionally, and aesthetically rich, and crafted to propagate joy.

In the business world, the fundamental stories within each organization begin with their vision and mission statements. Yet numerous people get mixed up between these two tenets of business behaviour.

A simple explanation: Christ had a vision and sent out a multitude of missionaries; he didn’t have a mission and send out a dispersion of visionaries! Visions and missions have different designs and directions, and their stories emanate differing aesthetics.

The four biblical modes of worship are present in healthy churches: liturgy, reading and exposition of the Bible, small group worship, and charismatic praise.

Story lies embedded in all these forms. The path of the future lies in incorporating fresh narratives that portray methods of viewing God in a way that can bridge the gap between Christian myth, and today's evolving consciousnesses.

In doing so, we shall be doing no more than did others in their time, drawing on the cultural milieu in which they lived, but with a language and spirit relevant to life today.

Stories must evoke passion and compassion, love and loyalty, courage and conviction, hope and spirit, adventure and achievement, using the ‘old’ to create something new, via leaps of imagination.

Children are far superior to adults at translating imagination into creativity: their hearts are not distorted by fears that reprimand them about their work not being good enough for display.

They aren’t afraid of their own imagination! Their minds are bristling with artistic tension, alive with swashbuckling intelligence in being able to connect and interconnect disparate pieces of information to bring forth an original work of art.

The word intelligence is born from the words in Latin for “between” and “reading.”

Thus, intelligence is the ability to read between the lines; and coupled with imagination, beyond the lines! Great teachers are not preachers; they are ‘reachers’ ~ they reach out and touch souls; their stories glisten with genius.

All brilliance incorporates a balance between gift and grit: it comes alive when we are able to see possibilities, anticipate feelings, recognize connections, and accumulate insights. These phenomena can be beautifully expressed via storytelling, song, and dance… the essence of play, where play power trumps power play!

Imagine teachers being the troubadours, balladeers, and minstrels of the intellect! Classrooms will be awash in animated artistry.

Great storytelling plants impulses in people, infusing them with a personal urgency to express something original, beautiful, meaningful. Great teachers distinguish between the mundane and the musical. They are able to express emotions that might otherwise stay unconscious.

Epiphanies ensue when we are deeply immersed and simmering in our creations. Teachers that instruct to inspire such ‘emergences’, succeed in transforming passive pupils into active actors; this is where teaching, learning, and creating come together with firecrackling finesse — a mutually reinforcing energy exchange.

Learning must move from static to fluid, separated to connected, discrete to continuous, passive to passionate. And it must exude beauty that is not just pleasant but arrestingly so. Beauty simultaneously quickens the pulse and quells the mind.

Real beauty, as in art such as the Venus de Milo, is both stimulating and restful. Great stories evoke the same sensation, an oxymoronic duality of calming stimulation that makes beauty so memorable.

It’s the duality that delivers the excitement, and makes the event unforgettable. And enjoyment emerges from finding what’s fresh in what’s familiar. Familiar freshness, another welcome oxymoron that is essential to creative content, and contentment.

For meaning to emerge, our communication must establish a bridge between the personal and the universal. This is why parables are peerless, priceless, and precious. Our stories should stimulate us to consider what gives our lives meaning.

To do so, we must think in both the present and the future tenses: “What have I created? What will I leave behind?

The actor-comedian Billy Crystal relates a lesson he learned early in his career. After a performance, he came off stage believing he’d done a great job. But a mentor cautioned him, “You didn’t leave behind something.”

Crystal realized that to be successful on stage (and that could extend to life, the ultimate stage) you must leave something of your self for the audience, something that goes beyond you the performer, and bequeaths what you are, who you are, what you represent, why you are peerless, priceless, and precious.

Great teaching calls upon individual stories to convey universal themes. Life has no meaning; we give it meaning. Similarly, stories feed the universal need… for meaning.

The best way to reach into people is to share something personally meaningful; we do this when we’re in the service of a purpose that is larger than ourselves.

Consider three different types of stonemasons: One says he’s cutting stone, another claims he’s erecting a wall. The third states he’s crafting a cathedral! He is the one who has seen the connection between the art of work and a work of art….and is doing something about it. He is transporting himself from creative and imaginative exertions to produce beautiful and meaningful outcomes… for the greater good of humankind.

Edward Morgan Forster, (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970), was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist.

Forster's humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel Howard’s End: "Only connect". Forster states: "The king died and then the queen died" is a story. "The king died, and then the queen died of grief" is a plot. Succinct, suspenseful, superb.

In his book of lectures, Aspects of the Novel, central to his chapter on ‘story’ he states: “We are all like Scheherazade’s husband, in that we want to know what happens next. That is universal and that is why the backbone of a novel has to be a story.”

Similarly, the backbone of good communication, teaching, and learning, has to be story.

Forster continues: “And now the story can be defined. It is a narrative of events arranged in their rime sequence — dinner coming after breakfast, Tuesday after Monday, decay after death, and so on. Qua story, it can only have one merit: that of making the audience wanting to know what happens next.

And conversely it can have only one fault: that of making the audience not wanting to know what happens next. These are the only two criticisms that can be made on the story that is a story. It is the lowest and simplest of literary organisms. Yet it is the highest factor common to all the very complicated organisms known as novels.”

And it is the highest factor common to the needs and demands of teaching, learning, and communicating.

All creative expression is created ad maiorem gloriam dei, toward God’s greater glory. Tell your tale, sing your song, pen your poem, whatever you do: tell your story!

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-11-15T10:52:00.000+08:00

"Leaders who rise to the top are ones who constantly sharpen their strategic thinking by questioning their own views, by listening to different viewpoints, surrounding themselves by people with different expertise areas and doing anything else they can to gain different perspectives..."

~ Shaun Rein, founder & managing director of the China Market Research Group, a strategic market intelligence firm;

AN IDEA MAP SHOWING THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF DILIP MUKERJEA'S PROGRAMS

2010-11-10T15:07:00.009+08:00

Using the latest version of Inspiration software, I have created an 'Idea Map', which integrates a panoramic scenario of the distinctive features of Dilip Mukerjea's programs for the educational domain on one single sheet of paper… this is the essence of idea mapping.

Readers may need to click on the image to see & navigate to the larger perspective of the map's contents.

In a nut shell, here are the distinctive features, at least from my personal perspective:

1) Downward migration from corporate programs;

2) Proffering a powerful core hub for "Learning Mastery Competencies";

3) Focusing on future-readiness;

4) Embracing the power of focus;

5) Acquiring self-efficacy skills;

6) Cultivating vivid time-horizons via "Lifescaping" methodology;

7) Boosting creativeness & enhancing productivity;

8) Mastering the English Language;

9) Acing the examination game;

10) Developing critical thinking & problem solving skills;

11) Proffering myriad visual mapping skills;

12) Putting studying/reading/reviewing as collaborative groupwork;

13) Instilling an incessant questioning attitude;

14) Braintertainment with quizzes, puzzles, humour & laughter;

15) Inviting parents' involvement & gaining their unwavering support;

16) No "rah-rah" & "touchy feely" stuff;

STANDING BEHIND THE SUCCESS ACHIEVEMENTS OF GREAT MINDS... THEIR PARENTS!

2010-11-10T11:33:00.009+08:00

Recently, I took the opportunity to share some interesting research findings as well as fascinating anecdotes with Dilip Mukerjea, pertaining to the vital connection of parents' involvment with the academic excellence of their kids/teens.

In a nut shell, & on a quick note, extensive research surveys (one of them is part of the 'Harvard Family Research Project') have revealed that the consistent support, encouragement, and involvement of parents constitutes a pivotal factor in the academic successes of their progeny.

In this particular post, I just want to take a larger picture here to help readers learn about how parents had played a pivotal role behind the success achievements of great minds.

Dr Albert Einstein's brilliance as a multi-disciplinary thinker is often attributed to his mother, Pauline, a talented pianist. The mother often shared her passion for music as well as literature with young Einstein, who took up violin at the age of six.

No wonder Einstein once uttered:

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. ... I get most joy in life out of music.”

As a matter of fact, it was also Einstein's father, who ran a small electrical technology firm, & his two uncles, namely Jacob Einstein (an electrical engineer) & Caeser Koch, who stimulated his fascination for mathematics & science.

Have readers heard of the eccentric physicist, also a Nobel laureate, by the name of Dr Richard Feynman, who reportedly had this penchant for visiting topless girlie bars to work out complex mathematic equations?

The young Feynman was heavily influenced by his father who encouraged him to ask questions to challenge orthodox thinking.

His mother instilled in him a powerful sense of humour which he kept all his life. As a child, he delighted in repairing radios & had a talent for engineering.

Another physicist & Nobel laureate, Isidor "Izzy" Isaac Rabi, often credited his mother for making him a scientist. She taught him the importance of asking questions.

Every time he came home from school, the mother would ask, "Did you ask a good question today?".

As a counterpoint to the foregoing:

Many years ago, probably during the late nineties or so, I had attended a public talk by Dr Lee Yang Tseh, Taiwan's first Nobel laureate, at the NUS/Kent Ridge under the LKY Distinguished Speakers Program, who related this interesting story.

In Asia, when a child gets home from school, the mother will normally ask this simple question: "How did you fare in your school test today?” The kid may mumble an answer, such as “85 marks.” The mother then shoots the next question: "What happened to the remaining 15 marks?” Again, the kid may mumble something (inadequate) in response. The final question from the mother: "Did you score higher than Ah Beng or Ah Seng (next door neighbour's kid)?”

This is an example of the deplorable mentality of typical Asian parents, as postulated by Dr Lee. Does it sound familiar in Singapore's context?

Japan's inventor extraordinaire Dr Yoshiro Nakamatsu, with more than 3,000 inventions to his credit, revealed in his interviews that it was the fond memories of his mother (as well as his grandfather) that inspired his "creative inventivesness".

According to him, the basic spirit of all his inventions is love - the love of his mother. While as a young boy watching her pouring soy sauce into bottles every night, he was inspired to create his first invention, a hand-operated pump.

Interestingly, in the research laboratory of his, he has a huge portrait of his mother overlooking his work.

In one of his many books, 'The Legend of Dr Nakamatsu' Inventions', he has dedicated some poems & pictures to his mother, along with his admission that he has not yet accepted his mother's death.

Closer to home, didn't readers read PM Lee Hsien Loong's fitting eulogy during the recent funeral wake of his late beloved mother?

According to MM Lee Kuan Yew, in a Straits Times report, Hsien Loong inherited "a certain way of thinking, certain logic, certain cut of mind" from him, while "a facility for words & a certain intuition" from the mother.

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-11-08T12:34:00.007+08:00

“You must know the big ideas in the big disciplines and use them routinely – all of them, not just a few. Most people are trained in one model – economics, for example – and try to solve all problems in one way. You know the old saying: ‘To the man with a hammer, the world looks like a nail.’ This is a dumb way of handling problems... What you need is a latticework of mental models in your head. And, with that system, things gradually get to fit together in a way that enhances cognition.”

~ billionaire investor Charles Munger; also, the one & only partner to famed billionaire investor Warren Buffet in Berkshire Harthaway; Charlie is ostensibly referring to his intra-disciplinary multi-mode thinking/evaluation tool known as the 'Latticework of Mental Models', which is worth exploring, as it engenders multiple viewpoints from different or seemingly disparate disciplines when looking at a given problem or challenge;

[According to Warren Buffett, Charlie has ‘the best 30-second mind in the world. He goes from A to Z in one move. He sees the essence of everything before you even finish the sentence’ (Forbes, January 22, 1996).

Essentially, he thinks by using the BIG IDEAS from disciplines as diverse as physics and psychology. He has a list of these ideas (mental models) in his mind and quickly picks the one(s) applicable to the given situation, much as a pilot automatically goes through a checklist prior to take-off.

Readers can pop into this wonderful website to "savour" a quick sampling of purportedly Charlie's mental models.]

THE MISUNDERSTOOD VIEW: DATA, INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE & WISDOM CONTINUUM

2010-11-02T13:05:00.010+08:00

A blog reader of mine, Dusko Galic, Information Systems Services Manager from the United States, recently shared with me about "exploring & putting one's thoughts on a post card", taking his inspiration from the Post Card Test of economics professor Tyler Cowen, who wrote the book, 'Discover Your Inner Economist'.

According to the professor, a good economics-based argument should be possible to be written down on a moderately-sized post card.

Curious & intrigued, I took the challenge of just putting my random thoughts about the most commonly misunderstood DATA->INFORMATION->KNOWLEDGE->WISDOM continuum among many consultants as manifested in their published writings, on to a 6x4 post card, as shown below.

Here is a brisk elaboration of my random thoughts as proffered to Dusko in an email:

I think there is a flaw or missing link.

As I see it, we must have "ideas" first in order to see "information" from the massive "data" around or available to us, even though it is the confabulation of preliminary insights which lead us to "ideas" from the "information" we have taken out of "data".

That's to say, NO IDEAS!, NO INFORMATION!

We then sculpt our "ideas" into "decisions" for implementation, after we have done with the usual anaylsis, evaluation & synthesis.

Next, we formulate a "plan of action" to put our chosen "decision" to work. When carried out, this is the "execution" or "application" part.

From the completion of each "application" or "execution", we will then know whether our "decision/plan of action" has worked or didn't work. This is called "experience".

That's to say, there are no failures if the execution didn't work; only learning experiences. As planet earth's friendly genius R Buckminister Fuller once said: "There are no failed experiments; only unexpected results."

Over time, we generate many "stored experiences".

"Cumulative (stored) experience" over time then leads us to "knowledge". That's why Einstein said, "Knowledge is experience; every thing else is just information."

So, with this flow projection of mine, "Knowledge is Power" now makes better sense, although I would be inclined to say that "Applied Knowledge is Power"!

As we build up our knowledge acquisition over time again, it becomes our "expertise".

It is the discerning use of our "expertise" that gives us "wisdom". That's to say, "knowledge" does not necessarily lead us to "wisdom".

It is pertinent for me to point out that the journey as I have described between "information" & "knowledge", will necessarily involve a gamut of recursive & iterative activities.

In other lingo, there will be a lot of feedback & feedforward loops.

Reflections & introspections would have to be exercised, too.

Deliberate practice (or better known as the 10,000 hours) may have a specific role here somewhere.

Readers, what do you think?

[Endnote: I plan to write a longer piece to elaborate - & maybe expand - on my own random thoughts as outlined above. I have been fascinated by the DIKW continuum for a very long time & this is the first time I am putting my thoughts on a post card.]

A QUICK & BRISK LESSON FROM MY SLIDEWORKS: RACK YOUR BRAINS ~ Part II

2010-11-01T07:08:00.002+08:00

[continued from the Last Post.]

A WISE QUOTE FOR MONDAY MORNING

2010-11-01T07:03:00.000+08:00

"Both success & failure are simply outcomes in the normal life cycle of business - a life cycle in which overall process matters far more than any single event or outcome. Great businesses are those that develop the resiliency to bounce through these cycles to succeed over the long term."

~ entrepreneur & business owner Barry Moltz, also author of 'Bounce! Failure, Resiliency & Confidence to Achieve Your Next Great Success';