TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 15

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 14

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 13

[continued from the Last Post]

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!

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 12

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 11

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 10

[continued from the Last Post]

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!

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 9

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 8

[continued from the Last Post]

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.

[to be continued in the Next Post]

TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR DILIP MUKERJEA: QUESTION 7

[continued from the Last Post]

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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

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

“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

"... 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

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]