Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently |  | Author: Gregory Berns
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press
Category: Book
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Media: Hardcover
Pages: 224
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Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 1422115011
Dewey Decimal Number: 612.8
EAN: 9781422115015
ASIN: 1422115011
Publication Date: September 29, 2008
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Product Description
No organization can survive without iconoclasts -- innovators who single-handedly upturn conventional wisdom and manage to achieve what so many others deem impossible.
Though indispensable, true iconoclasts are few and far between. In Iconoclast, neuroscientist Gregory Berns explains why. He explores the constraints the human brain places on innovative thinking, including fear of failure, the urge to conform, and the tendency to interpret sensory information in familiar ways.
Through vivid accounts of successful innovators ranging from glass artist Dale Chihuly to physicist Richard Feynman to country/rock trio the Dixie Chicks, Berns reveals the inner workings of the iconoclast's mind with remarkable clarity. Each engaging chapter goes on to describe practical actions we can each take to understand and unleash our own potential to think differently -- such as seeking out new environments, novel experiences, and first-time acquaintances.
Packed with engaging stories, science-based insights, potent practices, and examples from a startling array of disciplines, this engaging book will help you understand how iconoclasts think and equip you to begin thinking more like an iconoclast yourself.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 68
 A brilliant analysis of "the exceedingly rare individual" September 23, 2008
Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas)
245 out of 267 found this review helpful
If I recall correctly, it was in a world history class in an elementary school in Chicago when I first became aware of the word "iconoclast" while reading about an Athenian political and military leader, Alcibiades (5th century BC), whose enemies charged him with sacrilege after seamen under his command became drunk while ashore and roamed the streets, smashing statues of various deities and dignitaries. Curious, I recently checked the Online Etymological Dictionary and learned that an iconoclast is a "breaker or destroyer of images" from the Late Greek word eikonoklastes. Centuries later, an iconoclast was viewed as "one who attacks orthodox beliefs or institutions." This brief background helps to introduce Gregory Berns's book in which he examines a number of people who in recent years accomplished what others claimed could not be done. When doing so, these modern iconoclasts attacked orthodox beliefs and, in some cases, institutions. "The overarching theme of this book is that iconoclasts are able to do things that others say can't be done, because iconoclasts perceive things differently than other people." Berns goes on to explain that the difference in perception "plays out in the initial stages of an idea. It plays out in how their manage their fears, and it manifests in how they pitch their ideas to the masses of noniconoclasts. It is an exceedingly rare individual who possesses all three of these traits."
I was already somewhat familiar with several of the exemplars discussed in this book but not with others. They include Solomon Asch, Warren Buffett, Nolan Bushnell, Dale Chihuly, Ray Croc, Walt Disney, David Dreman, Richard Feynman, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King, Jr., Paul Lauterbur, Jim Lavoi, Stanley Milgram, Florence Nightingale, Branch Rickey, Burt Rutan, and Jonas Salk. According to Berns, these iconoclasts possess a brain that differs from other people's in three functions (i.e. perception, fear response, and social intelligence) and the circuits that implement them. Keep in mind, however, as noted earlier: "It is an exceedingly rare individual who possesses all three of these traits." Howard Armstrong, for example, was "the most iconoclastic and influential engineer of radio" whose inventions include FM. "But what is most interesting about Armstrong is the extent of his iconoclasm," so extreme that it "advanced radio technology but cost him his life." Berns's discussion of Armstrong (Pages 1-4, 9-10, 129, 131, and 151) explains why his story "is a cautionary tale" to those about to challenge conventional wisdom.
Berns makes an important distinction. "The iconoclast doesn't literally see things differently than other people. More precisely, he [begin italics] perceives [end italics] things differently. There are several different routes to forcing the brain out of its lazy mode of perception, but the theme linking these methods depends on the element of surprise. The brain must be provided with something that it has never processed before to force it out of predictable perceptions. When Chihuly lost an eye, his brain was forced to reinterpret visual stimuli in a new way." In this context, I am reminded that only after Sophocles' Oedipus gouged out his eyes and Shakespeare's Earl of Gloucester wandered sightless on the moors did these two tragic figures perceive the realities that, previously, their vision had denied or did not see.
No brief commentary such as this can possibly do full justice to the scope and depth of this brilliant book but I can at least suggest a few of the subjects that were of greatest interest to me:
1. How the brain receives, processes, and assimilates what is perceived
2. Given that, how and why people then manage their fears and people pitch their ideas to the masses differently
3. The relationship between imagination and the visual system
4. Why the brain can sometimes be "too efficient"
5. How the networks that govern perception and imagination can be reprogrammed
6. How fear can distort perception
7. Why an iconoclast's familiarity and reputation figure prominently in her or his success
8. The five attributes of innovation and their relevance to the iconoclast
9. How and why a few iconoclasts become icons
10. Why any/all of the three functions of the brain can "go awry" and how to correct the dysfunctionality
As I read the final chapter, "When Iconoclast Becomes Icon," I was reminded of Henry Chesbrough's insights concerning the open business model and his emphasis on the importance of developing an open mindset, one that is receptive to a variety of different points of view, and of Roger Martin's discussion of what he calls the "opposable" mind that is capable of considering contradictory ideas while making especially difficult decisions. I was also reminded of what Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis suggest in Judgment when asserting that effective CEOs "not only make better calls, but they are able to discern the really important ones and get a higher percentage of them right. They are better at a whole process that runs from seeing the need for a call, to framing issues, to figuring out what is critical, to mobilizing and energizing the troops." What Berns offers in this volume is a brilliant explanation of the neurological foundation for precisely what Chesbrough and Martin as well as Tichy and Bennis believe are common characteristics of a great leader. "For the iconoclast to become an icon," Kerns observes, "not only must he possess an especially plastic brain that can see things differently, but he must rewire the brains of a vast number of other people who are not iconoclasts."
This is not an "easy read." On the contrary, before beginning to compose my review, I re-read the book with special attention to the dozens of passages I had highlighted. To his great credit, and to the extent possible, Berns presents scientific material in layman's terms for those such as I who have little (if any) prior knowledge about neuroscience and especially about what the brain is, what it does, why people can perceive the same objects so differently, how and why people can respond so differently to fear, and why there are such significant differences between and among people in terms of their social skills. Because iconoclasts perceive the world differently, they have a different context in which to formulate their mindsets and world views, determine preferences, select objectives, and mobilize resources (including collaborators) when pursuing those objectives. Unlike Alcibiades'seamen who seem to be nothing more than drunken vandals, the contemporary iconoclasts of greatest interest to Berns are those who are visionaries, builders, and in some instances revolutionaries. His frequent use of the word "epiphany" is apt. Several of those whom he discusses experienced a "shock of recognition" that revealed both a profound insight and a compelling vision. Disney's epiphany occurred when images of a static cartoon projected on a movie screen changed his "categorization of drawing from one of static cartoons to that of moving ones - drawings that told stories in a narrative sense."
Presumably there will be many differences between and among those who read this book in terms of what they learn and how they then apply what they learn. Perhaps at least some of them are "regular" iconoclasts and a "precious few" among them are or will one day become icons such as Jonas Salk and Steve Jobs. As for the rest of us, none may ever "shatter conventional thinking" but, thanks to Gregory Burns, we will at least be much better prepared to understand, appreciate and support those who do.
Neuroscience Tips for Thinking Out of the Box October 30, 2008
Luis Figueroa (Palm Springs, CA USA)
44 out of 47 found this review helpful
Iconoclast, by Gregory Burns
Iconoclast (by Gregory Burns) was a fun book to read! The goal of the book is look at how Iconoclasts in society (those folks who do things others say cannot be done) think. The book describes famous iconoclasts and provides some insights into their thinking "out of the box" thinking abilities. Three factors limit the thinking of most of us: Flawed perception; Fear of failure; and the inability to persuade others (for example social intelligence). The more influential iconoclasts balance all 3 attributes to become hugely successful (think Noel Bushnell-Pong, Steve Jobs-Apple, Walt Disney-cartoon moving animations, Branch Rickey-Integration in baseball, Howard Armstrong-Super heterodyne Receiver etc). In the iconoclast the power of vision is especially enhanced and the brain neural circuits are more active. Perception is more than just seeing things. A key aspect is the ability to perceive things one sees in ways most people cannot. Thus the iconoclast is able to perceive what others believe cannot be done. Perception is intimately tied to imagination which is the key ingredient in imagination. The brain's need for energy efficiency works against imagination, since imagination involves stronger neural connections (and more focused attention) to create deeply imprinted and detailed visualizations. One of the important attributes for better perception is having many unique experiences (think about being a world traveler).
One of the big inhibitors of action is fear and the varied response folks have to stress. The author discusses the stress response in some detail, including neurotransmitters, and hormones involved, especially the correlation of dopamine with risk taking. He also discusses human tendencies to both fear the unknown and the tendency to project the present state into the future. The true iconoclast is able to get around these obstacles. In the financial markets, contrarians like Warren Buffet tend to bet that fear make most people make the wrong decisions about the future viability of current investments. The science of neuroeconomics is beginning to attempt to answer questions as to why many folks "act irrationally" when it comes to predicting the future, as a result of our built-in aversion to loss. The author examines one of the brain key elements (the Amygdala) in our "fear response." He also briefly discusses how we might be able to better control the Amygdala and thus our response to fear. Of course fear, will tend to distort perception (and make us more risk adverse), which in turn impacts our ability to fully utilize our imagination. There are some thought provoking research areas that are just being uncovered in this fascinating area of brain science.
The truly great global iconoclasts are also able to put together the right social network on a global scale. Iconoclast like Picasso, and Steve Jobs have the right social networking skills to "sell' their "out of the box" ideas. In this last area, is where many iconoclasts come up short (think of Howard Armstrong and Vincent Gogh who committed suicide and were not considered successful during their lifetimes).
The last chapter addresses drugs (pharmacology) which might have an impact on the 3 major attributes of an iconoclast. You would find the usual suspects, but there are also some surprises which are not widely known.
Overall, I found the book to be fast moving and informative. I highly recommend it.
Not easy but worth digging in April 7, 2009
Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Iconoclast operates on two parallel levels. On the one hand, Berns explains that the brain's efficiency works against innovation. Our brains look for familiar patterns. We respond more positively to familiar stimuli. Iconoclasts jump-start their perceptions because they have new experiences that force them to see the world a new way. For instance, Jackie Robinson was hired because the team manager gained a new view of African-Americans from the war.
On another level, Berns explores the social elements of iconoclasm. He describes the classic obedience experiments of Asch and Milgram and describes the social isolation that stops many people from accepting an iconoclast role. Ultimately iconoclasts have to find connectors to spread their ideas or they have to become widely accessible. Steve Jobs has managed to be a socially accepted iconoclast. Now he is more icon than iconoclast.
Berns writes well and I found the book easy to follow. Then again, I've had graduate training in social psychology. It's well laid out and easy to read, though perhaps not as accessible as some more popular psych books, such as Nudge. The difference is less about the author's skill than about the topic. Berns writes about brain physiology and neurobiology, not just emotions or cognitive processes.
Being somewhat more social science oriented myself, I couldn't help noting that Berns presents just one strong female example: Florence Nightingale. I'd have liked to see more contemporary examples. If Jackie Robinson was an iconoclast, so was Sandra Day O'Connor.
I'd also like some greater clarification on the difference between innovation and iconoclasm. Berns says iconoclasts are innovators. Can one be an innovator but not an iconoclast? The definition on the cover ("a person who does something that others say can't be done") doesn't seem to fit all the examples.
Amazing insight October 30, 2008
Dave Millman (San Jose, CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Other reviewers have described the book well. I want to describe an amazing insight provided in chapter four, How Fear Distorts Perception.
Professor Berns repeated Solomon Asch's famous experiment testing subject's reaction to peer pressure. Multiple subjects are simultaneously shown a visual problem, and asked for the answer (which of three lines is the same length as another line, or whether a 3D object can be rotated into another object). The trick is, all but one subject are in cahoots with the tester: They give wrong answers on purpose. The real subject goes last, and has to give an answer in the face of his peer's unanimously choosing the wrong answer.
In the 1950's, Asch showed that most subjects cave in and give the wrong answer. More interestingly, those that caved were either unaware that they had done so, or dramatically underestimated how often they did so.
Berns repeated the experiment, this time with an MRI machine measuring brain activity the whole time. Amazingly, he discovered that when faced with the peers unanimously choosing the wrong answer, the brain's perception of the answer changed: the subject actually "saw" the wrong answer, at least as a possibility.
I've been thinking about that ever since I read it, and still can't get my head around it. If you want to read the original research paper, search google for gregory berns parietal cortex and it should be the first result (it's a pdf file at emory.edu).
This has huge implications for jury trials, and ripples throughout many Western institutions based on free will. Maybe this is how people look at George W. Bush and see a capable leader!
Highly recommended book.
Now I understand the science that underpins my teaching January 6, 2010
J. G. Du Plessis (Menlo Park, Pretoria South Africa)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have finally found a book that explains the science underpinning what I have been involved in for a lifetime: the world of creativity, originality and innovation.
I teach an MBA course at South Africa's Gordon Institute of Business Science: "Imagination for the business mind- thinking differently." From personal experience I have devised a course where I use the arts (mainly the visual arts) to expose the students to material that is foreign to them, even weird and outrageous. Taking them to a world where they might never have been before, or might have visited only occasionally, I reasoned, scrambles the mind, breaks down presuppositions and prejudices and creates an environment where fresh thinking may evolve.
Perceiving differently will lead to thinking differently was my assumption.
The assumption and the process are both vindicated by Berns' book. The thesis, in a nutshell, is that perception is a construct of the mind.
There are two reasons for them mind involuntarily choosing the conventional option:
1. The mind needs to be energy efficient. It will therefore balk at options that require it to spend more energy. The result: the mind puts perceptions into already acquired boxes (categories). Therefore the known will almost always win against the novel. We are therefore programmed to fear the novel. This fear acts as a powerful switch to let the mind use the lower energy option that goes with the conventional.
2. We are also programmed to fear the opprobrium of others. We don't want to stand alone. Berns cites laboratory experiments of others and his own to establish this point sufficiently. He also describes in detail, and in an engaging way how the brain processes visual stimuli and transforms it into perception and understanding.
So, what's to be done? Expose yourself to novel visual environments. Make it almost impossible for the brain to process the wealth of new stimuli within its conventional categories. Train yourself to overcome your fear of novelty. And finally, to be a fresh thinker that accomplishes something in the real world, you have to balance your ability to take a stand against the group or team with the patience and the ability to persuade others to your view.
Berns has persuaded me to prune some of the linguistic material in favour of more material from the visual arts. I also now have a proper scientific foundation for what I do to offer the students. Finally it is a vindication for including courses such as the one I am offering within an MBA curriculum, because you offer students a "safe" environment to overcome their fear of the novel and test the waters of iconoclasm tentatively, if not bravely!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 68
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