As the coordinator for the Online Think Tank, well I am often asked what type of information that one should study to become a Think Tank member? My comment to this question is that I believe you should vary your reading and be sure to add lots of non-fiction, sure I know those are not as fun, but very much needed for those who aspire to turn their minds into think tank material.
So, do I practice what I preach? Indeed, I do, as in the last two days; I have read and discussed the following books and magazine and periodical articles. Be sure to vary not only the type of subject but the type of reading too. Some from the Internet, Books, Articles, Research Papers and the like, okay let's begin this discussion.
"The Age of Turbulence" by Alan Greenspan is a must read and he certainly ought to know, as during his tenure at the Federal Reserve we saw quite a bit of wing-tip vortex flows. After he left we have also seen some turbulent corrections in the stock market, housing, trade deficits and consumer confidence wild swings. So what comes next?
Well, it appears we have a cooling off of sorts and the beginning of the end of this long-running business cycle, often propped up and modified to keep the game running, with both great results and a careful eye on the state of the economy. Indeed, our government needs to stop spending, and well it needs a diet, like most Americans.
Speaking of diets and nutritional advice, it seems rather abundant, so much so that it is truly confusing people sometimes. Folks are trying to look better and eat right for themselves, they want to lose weight and eat healthy - who can you trust? An article in Scientific American September 2007 "Eating Made Simple" page 60 by Marion Nestle says it all.
She discusses flawed food pyramids supported by the USDA and some of the politics, lobbyists and industries behind them. Can we really trust the Bakery Industry lobbyists and their work to stay in the food pyramid or are we worried? We know we cannot trust Chinese food additives, but how deep does the real problem really go and does the FDA really know? Or do they leave it up to a committee filled with those with special interests?
This brings me to another work I took in this week speaking to group genius VS. individual visionary genius. "Group Genius - The Creative Power of Collaboration" by Keith Sawyer [same author as "Explaining Creativity]. 2007. He starts out by explaining the collaborative team, collaborative mind and the collaborative organization; discussing the power for improving on the innovation flow and turning group into a genius group. How diversity, attitude, listening, control and other innate human characteristic behavioral needs must be moderated.
Does this mean that some day the group will replace the individual, here comes the Borg? Well no, as a matter of fact we will always need the creative genius entrepreneur, but how do they do it? May I be so bold as to recommend another book for you?
"The Art of the Start: Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened for Anyone Starting Anything" by Guy Kawasaki. 2004. From Business Plans to Raising Capital and from Branding to Graceful and lucrative exiting, it's all there from the garage to the boardroom, Guy Kawasaki brings it all.
What will be the new high-tech industries of the future, what will they make and what will they deliver to all of us. Well, 3D video games are hear with user wearing specialized head gear, Dynamic Digital Depth makes it all too real and yet the big break thru will occur when these 3D video games are sync'ed with Spectral Imagery and Holographic Projection.
http://www.worldthinktank.net/pdfs/holographictechnologies.pdf
In fact a recent newspaper article was rather blunt in outlining the success and potential market of such technologies and with plenty of user fact demographics to back the article up. Indeed, the number of industry sub-sectors seems to be rather impressive too with simulators, Virtual Reality and even xBox entertainment living rooms of the future. Of course, as great as the future looks in first world nations, it is not always so pretty in other nations or continents. Take Africa for instance.
In the "BBC - Focus on Africa" Magazine; July - September 2007 issue, it became apparent that the problems and humanitarian crisis are getting worse in many places, even while there are moderate successes in some places. Yes, our Online Think Tank agrees and produced this work for the world which was sent to the Nairobi Leadership, Davos Convention attendees and those who went to Kenya to discuss these issues on the home turf.
http://www.worldthinktank.net/pdfs/Nairobi.pdf
Perhaps with micro-loans, small businesses and commerce, jobs and a better way of life is in the future for Africans. Many people in all places in the World wish to start their own businesses, not much different than in the US, only on a different scale. An interesting series of How To Books are now on the shelves of America's largest bookstores, I picked up this one to read thru to see if the advice was legitimate having been in the car wash industry myself.
Entrepreneur Magazine's - Startup Series - Start Your Own Car Wash and More" by Rich Mintzer. 2007.
Not to bad, it had decent advice and hit all the most important topics and was written by someone who is obviously in the industry and knows what they are talking about. I enjoyed it, although it was much of a review and a lot of head nodding while reading thru it at the book store.
Please follow my lead, as I lead by example, do not turn off your mind, constantly study and observe and practice what you preach by doing. Consider all this to increase your mind's abilities to its upper levels. I am not telling you what to do, but rather explaining what works for me, if you are interested in taking yourself to the next step.
"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.
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