Thursday July 3, 2014 #641
“One’s mind stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
One of the common practices of extremist religious leaders is to forbid learning or exposure to materials not prescribed by their narrow world view. This is because they know the biggest threat to their domination over their followers is exposure to alternative thinking. This extreme example is also true in everyday life. Politicians and marketers try to bombard their followers with evidence that their beliefs and benefits are correct and better than their competitors’. Even parents, with every good intent, often seek to control their children’s access to only those people and inputs they deem acceptable. However, the incredible nature of the human mind is its capacity to learn, grow and evolve through exposure to new ideas and disruptive concepts. Education – and ongoing exploration and learning – is the driver of our ability to progress as individuals and as a people.
If you are in a position of leadership – as a parent, a manager, or a community leader, your obligation is to ensure your and your team’s thinking is challenged regularly to keep yourself and your team competitive, enlightened, and able to successfully evolve through the changing landscape. Expose them and yourself to new ideas, radical thinking, and unrelated thought leaders. Stretch your mind – it will never be the same. And that is a very good thing!