The term “conceptual age” has been coined by Pink to assist the reader to place current trends into a historical perspective. His discussion of how we arrived at today starts with the Agricultural Age of the 18th century, proceeds to the Industrial Age of the 19th century, advances to the Information Age of the 20th century and comes to rest at the Conceptual Age, which he suggests will dominate the 21st century. Early on he sets the final stage by pointing out that only those who can create and empathize will succeed in 21st century American business.
Author Pink sets the stage for this experience by defining today’s lifestyle and business environment through terms “abundance, Asia and automation.” He points out that for most of today’s developed work there is an abundance of resources and that this abundance of resources has resulted in standards being set for almost every conceivable service, program and product.
Design and function are no longer sufficient to satisfy the appetites of today’s consumers. Everything must be unique, wildly functional and must create an experience to pass the test of this marketplace. Nowhere is this demand being more focused than in the real estate industry where the value proposition of the traditional brokerages is being increasingly rejected by consumers who are demanding a unique experience designed for their specific needs and enriched with information that addresses their lifestyles and needs.
Pink next introduces Asia into the equation and uses that continent to predict the future of the information worker. His prediction here is quite simple. As the cost of communications continues to drop and the mass of individuals being trained to assume information jobs in countries like India, the Philippines and China increases there will be a natural coupling. The real estate industry with its very high cost of labor (75 percent) will make a very attractive target for this migration.
Finally, Pink dives into the subject of automation. The book smoothly glides through the next three iterations of technology and who it will impact even the most basic human function. Pink’s grasp of this subject is most impressive and his ability to explain technological expansion in very basic terms is most helpful. As if addressing the objections of those who suggest that real estate may be a personal service not easily given over the automation, the book zeros in on health care services, “the” most intimate of personal services. The book carefully reviews the current impact of technology on the practice of medicine. Few readers will be left with the impression that intimacy and technology are not in the same camp.
Pink’s conclusions from the discussion of abundance, Asia and automation are simple. The developed world will have the resources to demand the value proposition and experience they are demanding. If existing information age jobs can be outsourced off shore they will be and if a function can be automated it will be. Each of these conclusions speaks directly to the real estate industry and more specifically to the transitioning roles of both brokerage firms and sales associates.
Having laid the foundation the book at page sixty-five begins a really exciting description of what its readers will want to do if they seek to take advantage of the upsides of abundance, Asia and automation. The term exciting is especially appropriate because the readers cannot help but associate the following “senses” with many of the great REALTORS® that we have known and worked with over the years. As opposed to the challenges of technology that have proven to be so painfully overwhelming, the challenges of the conceptual age seem to be much closer to the souls and skill sets of the classic real estate professional.
Pink suggests that success moving forward will require developing the following six senses:
• Design. Here the idea of plain function, so long a valued trait, will give way to the need to create an experience that is “Beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging.” Think about the greatest sales association you have ever watched, they were all of these and more.
• Story. The traditional sales technique of addressing objectives will fail in the face of overwhelming information and data sufficient to question the most stable of realities. Success will turn on the ability to fashion a “compelling narrative.” Oh, wow, are our great sales associates going to love this.
• Symphony. The “antidote” to a world where too much information and automated systems seem to take control away from the consumer will be met by a higher value being placed on the ability to assist the customer to maintain the “big picture.”
• Empathy. While the industry world worshiped the precision of engineering and the information world raised the value of the perfect information to a whole new level, the age of conceptualization will reward those who can “understand what makes their fellow men and women click.” It is time to get our kids out of law school and into behavior psychology.
• Play. Go figure. The industry age made us work harder than ever before, the information age simple drove the work ethic from external work rules to internal work ethics. Neither recognized or praised the role of fun and play. In the age of conceptualization creating both will create fame and fortune. It will be an age in which life’s balance will be more than a discussion but a real objective.
• Meaning. Could it be that the age of conceptualization will mean the final demise of “macho” behaviors? Pink suggests that relative abundance will make survival and confrontational based activities less attractive in favor of more significant desires like “purpose, transcendence and spiritual fulfillment.” Imagine this in terms of gender balance and quality of life.
Take a few moments to read “A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink. Put the book on that special shelf behind your desk or on the table in your office.
Read each section and ask how these trends may impact our industry and your business. It is really exciting stuff and speaks to why being in this industry over the next several years is going to be an amazing experience.
