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The Human Edge: How Curiosity and Creativity Are Your Superpowers in the Digital Economy
The world is spinning so fast it's difficult to keep up. Two hundred and fifty years ago the Industrial Revolution replaced our arms and legs at work. The fourth Industrial Revolution is now replacing our brains. This technological shift is engulfing organisations and people. It's challenging the very essence of what it means to be human. Daily news headlines pose existential questions that used to belong in the pages of science fiction: Will a machine take my job? Are we becoming cyborgs? What happens when supercomputers become self-aware? If we can't compete with artificial intelligence, what's left? Innovation guru Greg Orme provides a helpful, funny and supportive shove in the right direction. He explores the skills you need to survive and thrive in a world of arti�cial intelligence. He urges you to stop competing, and instead do things machines can't. To become a more human, human. This is a practical toolkit to master three intrinsically human 'super powers' 1. To ignite your innate CURIOSITY in a world of accelerating change... 2. To rediscover your CREATIVITY to produce an avalanche of game-changing ideas... 3. To develop CONNECTIVITY to kindle the passion, persistence and insights to successfully engage fellow humans to turn human creativity into business innovation. These career-enhancing capabilities have been identi�ed in Orme's work with business managers and organisations across the globe. They draw upon the latest psychological and neuroscience research, the unique philosophies of successful entrepreneurs, the practises of the world's most innovative companies, as well as the habits of great artists, designers and scientists. Learn how to surf, rather than sink, in the waves of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Become an authentic future-�t human, in a world of arti�cial intelligence.
- GenresSelf Help
296 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2019
27 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 23, 2022
Humans have superpowers that AI doesn't have yet. For those who are looking to future-proof their careers, this book mentions some great points.
May 6, 2024
Absolutely life changing book. A bible for my personal and professional life. Changed the way I view everything around me and the way I think, live, work. Highly recommend for anyone in any jobs.
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July 21, 2022AI is developing faster than ever and making short work of the routine tasks and jobs that humans have done for years. Rather than competing with machines in these areas, we can retain valuable roles in the digital economy by focusing on learning widely, developing our ability to find interesting questions and solutions, and collaborating with each other.
Actionable advice:
Look for meaning in your work.
When our work gives us a sense of value and purpose, our motivation levels shoot up and so does the curiosity, creativity, and determination that we bring to our jobs. Look for ways in which your work makes a positive difference in other people’s lives, or think about the aspects of your job that you’re most passionate about. Finding and focusing on these will give you a newfound enthusiasm.
---
Even though AI has gotten faster and smarter, it can’t replicate our uniquely human traits.
If you’ve ever watched a talent search, you’re familiar with this scenario: a singer takes the stage and it’s immediately clear that they know their stuff – each note is pitch-perfect.
However, the judges, and you at home, aren’t quite convinced. Something’s missing. Perhaps energy, passion, or what people call the “X factor.” The contestant is skilled but doesn’t have what it takes to become a superstar.
AI is similar to this skilled-yet-uninspiring singer.
The key message here is: Even though AI has gotten faster and smarter, it can’t replicate our uniquely human traits.
AI’s capabilities are undoubtedly astounding. And why shouldn’t they be? The speed and power of computer hardware have developed exponentially since the microchip was invented over 50 years ago. To put that into perspective, consider this; if the smartphone had been built back then, it would have been the size of a 100-story building and needed 30 times as much electricity as the entire world produces!
Take all that computing power that we now have in our palms, and add the fact that computers are teaching themselves. Where humans used to write instructions for computers to follow, computers can now write some of their own algorithms. This learning is fueled by the data we create every second. AI machines scan that data, finding patterns and manipulating it in order to achieve whatever goals we set for them.
And that, right there, is the catch. AI machines can only work on goals that we set for them.
Artificial Intelligence systems are good at completing specific, routine tasks. Some are built to recognize faces, others to translate languages, and there are even machines that compose music. They may do all of this much faster than we can, but their knowledge and skills are limited to those particular tasks.
Humans, on the other hand, can learn about a wide variety of things, and we have the ability to find connections between what we learn. Evolution has gifted us with skills that many take for granted. The author sums these gifts up as the 4Cs – Creativity, Curiosity, Consciousness, and Collaboration.
AI is nowhere near developing these capabilities, which is why focusing on these skills is precisely what you need to set yourself apart.
---
Getting into the habit of asking the right questions is how we develop our own bright ideas.
Ever sat back to consider how far questions have brought us? If someone hadn’t wondered why we can’t fly, we probably wouldn’t have the luxury of air travel. This, and a host of other inventions we have today, started as questions in the minds of curious individuals.
Asking questions is beyond the capabilities of AI machines. They can process the questions that we program them to, but they can’t come up with new ones of their own and, consequently, can’t form novel ideas.
This is where being inquisitive – another aspect of curiosity – comes in handy for your career.
The key message here is: Getting into the habit of asking the right questions is how we develop our own bright ideas.
The truth is, any one of us can ask a question. However, finding the right question or problem takes a lot more effort, and this is what sets the most creative people apart.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi learned this in a study on innovative thinking. He challenged 31 art students to select a few objects, arrange them together, and then sketch the arrangement. Some of the students chose their objects quickly, and spent the bulk of their time drawing – their focus was getting to the perfect solution. The other students spent more time selecting objects. Asking the right questions and finding the right problem was more important to them. With limited time remaining, they rushed through their drawings.
Six years after the study, only a third of the study participants had become successful artists – and they were all from the group that had taken time to find the right questions.
If you’re wondering just how to ask the right questions, consider these pointers from some of the most innovative organizations out there.
First, remember that good questions don’t seek to confirm or clarify what you already know. They are open-ended and invite people to explore possibilities. Global design firm IDEO uses what it calls “How Might We?” questions. Here, the word “might” implies that there are many possible solutions, and this encourages a variety of responses.
Over at auto manufacturer Toyota, they use a simple method established by the company’s founder in the 1930s. When investigating an issue, they ask “why” over and over again. That’s right, every answer is met with the question “why?” This happens a total of five times and it helps to uncover the root of the problem.
But here’s the thing, even when you do ask the right questions, you don’t always find the best answers. And this is why it’s important to continue asking questions long after you have a solution. By doing so, you’ll find opportunities to improve your solutions, or even change them altogether.
Actionable advice:
Look for meaning in your work.
When our work gives us a sense of value and purpose, our motivation levels shoot up and so does the curiosity, creativity, and determination that we bring to our jobs. Look for ways in which your work makes a positive difference in other people’s lives, or think about the aspects of your job that you’re most passionate about. Finding and focusing on these will give you a newfound enthusiasm.
---
Even though AI has gotten faster and smarter, it can’t replicate our uniquely human traits.
If you’ve ever watched a talent search, you’re familiar with this scenario: a singer takes the stage and it’s immediately clear that they know their stuff – each note is pitch-perfect.
However, the judges, and you at home, aren’t quite convinced. Something’s missing. Perhaps energy, passion, or what people call the “X factor.” The contestant is skilled but doesn’t have what it takes to become a superstar.
AI is similar to this skilled-yet-uninspiring singer.
The key message here is: Even though AI has gotten faster and smarter, it can’t replicate our uniquely human traits.
AI’s capabilities are undoubtedly astounding. And why shouldn’t they be? The speed and power of computer hardware have developed exponentially since the microchip was invented over 50 years ago. To put that into perspective, consider this; if the smartphone had been built back then, it would have been the size of a 100-story building and needed 30 times as much electricity as the entire world produces!
Take all that computing power that we now have in our palms, and add the fact that computers are teaching themselves. Where humans used to write instructions for computers to follow, computers can now write some of their own algorithms. This learning is fueled by the data we create every second. AI machines scan that data, finding patterns and manipulating it in order to achieve whatever goals we set for them.
And that, right there, is the catch. AI machines can only work on goals that we set for them.
Artificial Intelligence systems are good at completing specific, routine tasks. Some are built to recognize faces, others to translate languages, and there are even machines that compose music. They may do all of this much faster than we can, but their knowledge and skills are limited to those particular tasks.
Humans, on the other hand, can learn about a wide variety of things, and we have the ability to find connections between what we learn. Evolution has gifted us with skills that many take for granted. The author sums these gifts up as the 4Cs – Creativity, Curiosity, Consciousness, and Collaboration.
AI is nowhere near developing these capabilities, which is why focusing on these skills is precisely what you need to set yourself apart.
---
Getting into the habit of asking the right questions is how we develop our own bright ideas.
Ever sat back to consider how far questions have brought us? If someone hadn’t wondered why we can’t fly, we probably wouldn’t have the luxury of air travel. This, and a host of other inventions we have today, started as questions in the minds of curious individuals.
Asking questions is beyond the capabilities of AI machines. They can process the questions that we program them to, but they can’t come up with new ones of their own and, consequently, can’t form novel ideas.
This is where being inquisitive – another aspect of curiosity – comes in handy for your career.
The key message here is: Getting into the habit of asking the right questions is how we develop our own bright ideas.
The truth is, any one of us can ask a question. However, finding the right question or problem takes a lot more effort, and this is what sets the most creative people apart.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi learned this in a study on innovative thinking. He challenged 31 art students to select a few objects, arrange them together, and then sketch the arrangement. Some of the students chose their objects quickly, and spent the bulk of their time drawing – their focus was getting to the perfect solution. The other students spent more time selecting objects. Asking the right questions and finding the right problem was more important to them. With limited time remaining, they rushed through their drawings.
Six years after the study, only a third of the study participants had become successful artists – and they were all from the group that had taken time to find the right questions.
If you’re wondering just how to ask the right questions, consider these pointers from some of the most innovative organizations out there.
First, remember that good questions don’t seek to confirm or clarify what you already know. They are open-ended and invite people to explore possibilities. Global design firm IDEO uses what it calls “How Might We?” questions. Here, the word “might” implies that there are many possible solutions, and this encourages a variety of responses.
Over at auto manufacturer Toyota, they use a simple method established by the company’s founder in the 1930s. When investigating an issue, they ask “why” over and over again. That’s right, every answer is met with the question “why?” This happens a total of five times and it helps to uncover the root of the problem.
But here’s the thing, even when you do ask the right questions, you don’t always find the best answers. And this is why it’s important to continue asking questions long after you have a solution. By doing so, you’ll find opportunities to improve your solutions, or even change them altogether.
August 4, 2020
One of the reference books I chose for the program “Teen Life Audit”, with important messages about how one should prepare ourselves for the coming AI-dominated world.
The 4Cs mentioned here is simple yet indispensable for future survival:
1) Curiosity - it’s become a MUST to train oneself into the habit of self-learning so as to excel well to cope with the ever changing world. Curiosity means cultivating the passion in continuous learning, from which we will be able to find the many opportunities. “Curiosity helps us gain enough knowledge to stay relevant and develop interesting ideas.”
[Am most intrigued by one of the suggestions in this book to help cultivate curiosity - ask Smart Questions!!! Isn’t it what I’ve been teaching my students? ^_^]
2) Creativity - ‘“Chance favours the prepared mind.” 「機會是留給有準備的人」The prepared mind here refers to those who do take getting inspirations seriously. To welcome creative ideas, one needs “a change in habits and perspective in order to kick-start your creative ideas, and keep them flowing.”
A change of habits can be i) to reserve time for space out (a sanctuary, get into the flow); ii) to train oneself not to run our lives by auto-pilot (and miss out the a-ha moment); iii) sleep well & let our brain to do the job!
3) Consciousness - in short, practice mindfulness. Eliminate ourselves from being distracted by mobile phones (to be in control of our mind & time); “Learning new things, finding interesting problems, and coming up with creative solutions all require uninterrupted attention.” Therefore, we must guard our attentions from intrusion.
4) Collaboration - Sometimes we can’t just work on our own. A very good advice here is to find our own ‘Weak Ties’, those who are not close to us but share a similar traits/dream/passions, who really will exchange ideas & supports. This is what AI can’t do!
The 4Cs mentioned here is simple yet indispensable for future survival:
1) Curiosity - it’s become a MUST to train oneself into the habit of self-learning so as to excel well to cope with the ever changing world. Curiosity means cultivating the passion in continuous learning, from which we will be able to find the many opportunities. “Curiosity helps us gain enough knowledge to stay relevant and develop interesting ideas.”
[Am most intrigued by one of the suggestions in this book to help cultivate curiosity - ask Smart Questions!!! Isn’t it what I’ve been teaching my students? ^_^]
2) Creativity - ‘“Chance favours the prepared mind.” 「機會是留給有準備的人」The prepared mind here refers to those who do take getting inspirations seriously. To welcome creative ideas, one needs “a change in habits and perspective in order to kick-start your creative ideas, and keep them flowing.”
A change of habits can be i) to reserve time for space out (a sanctuary, get into the flow); ii) to train oneself not to run our lives by auto-pilot (and miss out the a-ha moment); iii) sleep well & let our brain to do the job!
3) Consciousness - in short, practice mindfulness. Eliminate ourselves from being distracted by mobile phones (to be in control of our mind & time); “Learning new things, finding interesting problems, and coming up with creative solutions all require uninterrupted attention.” Therefore, we must guard our attentions from intrusion.
4) Collaboration - Sometimes we can’t just work on our own. A very good advice here is to find our own ‘Weak Ties’, those who are not close to us but share a similar traits/dream/passions, who really will exchange ideas & supports. This is what AI can’t do!
April 14, 2020
TLDR: No, AI won't kill you. It probably won't take your job in the next few years either. But nevertheless, it's here, and we as humans have these 4Cs superpower (consciousness, curiosity, creativity, collaborations) and therefore should know how to use these 4Cs to work alongside AI, to differentiate ourselves from it, and not competing against it.
I'll share a quote from the epilogue of this book.
"Machine are tools, and tools need to be used. By people. To imagine otherwise is to fall into the realm of science-fiction extrapolation."
This book is underrated. It's a good one. Might help you work more productively too.
And this book helps you apply the 4Cs strategically as the author expands and elaborated on ach of the keywords.
Some of the things in here you might already been doing, some of them you might not. Read the blurb.
I'll share a quote from the epilogue of this book.
"Machine are tools, and tools need to be used. By people. To imagine otherwise is to fall into the realm of science-fiction extrapolation."
This book is underrated. It's a good one. Might help you work more productively too.
And this book helps you apply the 4Cs strategically as the author expands and elaborated on ach of the keywords.
Some of the things in here you might already been doing, some of them you might not. Read the blurb.
March 25, 2021
Einstein said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler”. This is a testament to how difficult it can be for an expert to make the complex simple.
Greg Orme does. great job of this. He brings us on a journey up the mountain of the challenges we face in a world of rapid change.
Then he brings us down the other side with a range of actionable insights to give us the "Human Edge".
It is a great book, that I highly recommend.
Storytelling and analogies play a central role, with the melting ice cubes being one of my favourites, but it was hard to choose.
Bravo sir.
Greg Orme does. great job of this. He brings us on a journey up the mountain of the challenges we face in a world of rapid change.
Then he brings us down the other side with a range of actionable insights to give us the "Human Edge".
It is a great book, that I highly recommend.
Storytelling and analogies play a central role, with the melting ice cubes being one of my favourites, but it was hard to choose.
Bravo sir.
August 16, 2024
I’ve read this book in Vietnamese. It is a nice book emphasizing how fast AI is developing and slowly replacing functions that have been predominantly occupied by human. However, there are many aspects that AI won’t be able to replace: like compassion, teamwork, sense of humor, curiosity. And those are the things one should focus on to avoid being the victims of AI revolution
December 14, 2020
Very surprised that so few people read and reviewed this book. I found it very insightful and informative. Would definitely recommend it.
May 3, 2022
AI と競争しない。より高度な仕事の募集があっても、短期間でリスキルできないし。
December 15, 2022
I have really enjoyed this books and plenty of practical advise and exercises!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews