New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World--and How to Make It Work for You by Jeremy Heimans, Henry Timms
Rating: 10/10
Overview
This book analyzes the power change that came with the digital revolution, it observes how dynamics between different generations evolved. It deals with the differences in power perception today regards to in the past and how this change allowed the rise of movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.
Takeaways
Old power and new power differ greatly. Old Power operates like a currency, it is held by few and can only be spent if you have stored enough of it. It is closed, inaccessible and leader-driven.
New power, on the other hand, is made by many. It operates like electricity. It is open and participatory and open, often peer-driven.
New power allows for new systems that were impossible (or unrealistic before) such as sharing ideas in a way that is today much more dynamic than in the past. Sharing ideas also help to shape and developing new communities, after all, TED Talks were born with this intent.
What is interesting is observing how New Power pushes for cooperation more than competition which has helped develop the sharing economy and the consolidation of more ‘open source environments’ not only in the ICT world but in different fields as well.
The way ideas spread today is very different from before, now the spread occurs much more sideways than before. According to research, it emerges that people change behaviour when an idea gets validated by their community. This has interesting implications also in the world of influencers. As much as we look at what influencers suggest, we are more inclined to share something when it gets validated by our friends, rather than if it is not. Therefore, it is, in essence, just the digital evolution of the traditional “word of mouth”.
As we have seen on many occasions in recent history then, the future belongs to those who are more talented in sharing their ideas better, faster and durably.
The rise of the solution seeker
A solution seeker looks for solutions that solve the problem they have at hand, but the research of this conclusion is not limited to their field of expertise. It may come from areas that are dramatically different from the one they belong to. Problem solvers, on the other hand, focus mainly on their area of expertise to solve any given issue they are facing.
Solution seekers then value success and gain a different meaning from the past. While it used to be that if you found the answer you gained success, it has rotated to be open to experiment and be willing to look for answers in unexpected places or improbable people.
Differences in the workplace
We have inherited the idea that the workplace is supposed to be a family. But the workplace is not a fixed constant in our lives, today people will most likely change several careers. Therefore, rather than a family, the workplace should be an alliance that will last until the period of employment of a given employee.