Author's Name: Tony Buzan

Mind maps are a powerful skill that, once learned, will revolutionize your business practices and the way you conduct business. Why are mind maps so powerful? Because creating a mind map requires a "whole-brain" approach to thinking, a process that reflects the lightning-fast nature of neurons within your brain, searching for new connections during the thought process. To put it more simply, mind maps allow your mind to function like a giant pinball game with millions of silver balls zipping from one bat to another. Your mind doesn't think laterally or sequentially like a computer; it thinks multifacetedly and "branchingly." When you create a mind map, its branches grow outward from a central image to form another level of sub-branches, encouraging you to generate more ideas from each thought you add to it—just as your mind does. Because all the ideas in mind maps connect, your mind can take a great leap of perception and imagination through the association of ideas. Mind maps are the ultimate thinking tool for unlocking the power of the mind. Because it reflects the mind's internal mind maps, if you can't see your organizational goals, or the bigger picture of your business is blurry, mind mapping will give you an overview of the situation that will help bring clarity and possibilities to the forefront. This computer-generated mind map (created using iMindMap) shows how to develop and leverage creativity. Businesses thrive on creativity, as it is a vital skill that creates new paths.