| First published in NASAT News, no. 31, Winter 1996. |
It is a well-known and curious fact that many who train in our work do not teach but rather go on to other careers, as did Richard Gummere and Douglas Price Williams in the first generation. Michael J. Gelb is a younger man in this tradition, distinguishing himself as an author of books and of change. His Body Learning is now available in its revised edition in ten languages, and Lessons from the Art of Juggling explores psycho-physical coordination as a metaphor for self-actualization and leadership. I once heard Gelb describe himself as “just short of famous.” His new book, Thinking for a Change, may make him famous indeed. It is and even more helpful book than The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey which was at the top of my list until I read Gelb’s book. Now it’s second.
This is how its author is described on the book’s jacket, “Michael J. Gelb is the originator of the concept of synvergent thinking and is a pioneer in the development and teaching of mind mapping. Internationally acclaimed as a innovator in creativity, communication, and leadership training, Gelb has developed a unique, highly effective approach to his work as an organizational consultant and ‘life coach’ for Senior Executives. His clients include: AT & T, Du Pont, Amoco, Merek, Xerox, NPR and Liechtenstein Global Trading Co.”
Gelb concludes his preface to the book with these words, “Thinking for a Change is an expression of my passion to guide you beyond a theoretical understanding of new models of the world and to discover the means, verifiable in practice, for realizing your highest aspirations for yourself, your family, and your organization.” The words “discover the means” are familiar to us who share Michael’s grounding in the Technique. Alexander discovered the means to recover his voice and his natural coordination, and Gelb is discovering and communication the means to fulfillment and/or organizational and global change.
The means is synvergent thinking, which coordinates the brain’s capabilities, and its implement, mind mapping. Michael invented the word synvergent. Consult your knowledge of Latin roots and your experience through the Technique of the integration of the cognitive, the sensory, and the motor, and you will intuit its meaning. Gelb writes, “The key to poise and high performance in many activities is the synvergent state of relaxed concentration. The most effective way to learn relaxed concentration is the technique developed in 1896 by Australian actor F. M. Alexander. . .” One reason to read Gelb’s book is to learn how high the fountain may rise that is fed by this spring we lead people to in their lessons. Another is to gain new vocabulary and tools for teaching. I now use mind maps for my introductory lectures on the Technique and for all the workshops I do. Students love it and it dramatically increases their assimilation of the content. By the way, there is a section of Thinking for a Change that is about presentations, about making them optimally effective.
A final reason for reading Michael’s book, besides the fact that he is one of our own, is to enhance happiness and genuine hope for the future.
© Barbara Conable. Reproduced with permission.
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This edition © Mouritz 2005. All rights reserved. |
