A Recent Good Read

The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion

John Hagel III (Author), John Seely Brown (Author), Lang Davison (Author

“The Power of Pull,” suggests that we are at the start of a “Big Shift,” precipitated by the meshing of globalization and the Information Digital Revolution. At this stage, we experience this Big Shift as expanding pressure, weakening performance and increasing stress because the systems and practices we function with are progressively more dysfunctional.

At the same time, the Big Shift also permits a exponential global flow of ideas, innovations, new collaborative potential and new market prospects. This surge is rich and fast. Today, this book argues, ‘tapping the global flow becomes the key to productivity, growth and prosperity. But to tap this flow effectively, every country, company and individual needs to be constantly growing their talents.’

“We are living in a world where flow will prevail and topple any obstacles in its way,” says Hagel. “As flow gains momentum, it undermines the precious knowledge stocks that in the past gave us security and wealth. It calls on us to learn faster by working together and to pull out of ourselves more of our true potential, both individually and collectively. It excites us with the possibilities that can only be realized by participating in a broader range of flows. That is the essence of the Big Shift.”

So once again we read and consider the need to constantly upgrade education and as educators, we are left to ponder how effectively we are preparing our students for 'cutting it' or thriving in this new world of opportunity. How do we help them learn faster and work with others to achieve their true potential? How do we enhance the student’s learning experience for a world where ‘skills and dispositions’ will be more important than “knowledge stocks”?