It’s tempting to regard mind mapping as yet another right-brained thinking technique that enables us to tap into the creative side of our marvelous brains.

But that would be selling it short, according to Tony Buzan and Chris Griffiths, in their new book, Mind Maps for Business: Revolutionise Your Business Thinking and Practice.

The real reason that mind mapping is so powerful is because it is a whole-brained thinking technique that makes optimal use of both sides of your brain, according to the authors:

“When used together, each side of your brain simultaneously reinforces the other in a manner that provides limitless creative potential and strengthens your ability for greater associations. This in turn leads to greater intellectual firepower. The process of creating a mind map employs the entire range of cortical skills.”

So what does this mean to your business?

“Mind maps can revolutionize the way you run your business on a day-to-day basis, allowing you to really think about a situation from every angle in a way that is concise and, important, does not waste precious time… In general, mind maps facilitate the core business skills – such as making choices; organizing your own and other people’s ideas; individual and group creativity; analysis; defining and solving problems; setting time and amount targets; and especially memory and communication – all the elements that are essential for successful business management.”

The bottom line is that mind mapping is an essential skill for tackling the complex, multi-faceted business challenges we face today.

Am I “preaching to the choir” by sharing these thoughts with you? Perhaps. But I know that this blog is read by many people who are just starting to become familiar with this visual thinking technique and the software that empowers it. They’re asking, “How can I use mind mapping to make a difference in my business?” Dr. Buzan and Chris Griffiths have painted a concise, compelling picture of its business benefits.

Besides, even if you are a seasoned mind mapper, it’s good to be reminded from time to time of the fundamental principles that underlie the ways in which you think.

Since I first told you about Mind Maps for Business, I have have had an opportunity to read quite a bit of it. I can now strongly recommend it to anyone who is seeking a way to bring greater efficiency, organization and creativity to their work.

As you might expect, Buzan Online’s mind mapping program, iMindMap, is featured in the book’s many illustrations and examples, but thankfully the book is NOT a blatant sales pitch for its software. The principles and applications of hand-drawn mind maps and computer-based mind mapping are its focus, and iMindMap is simply a supporting character.

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