Michael J. Gelb is the world's leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational development. He is a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership. Michael leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, Raytheon, and YPO. He brings more than thirty years of experience as a professional speaker, seminar leader, and organizational consultant to his diverse, international clientele.
Michael is the author of twelve books on accelerated learning, creativity, and innovation, including the international bestseller How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day (1998). How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci has been translated into twenty-five languages and has appeared on the Washington Post, Amazon.com, and New York Times bestsellers lists.
In 2007, Michael released Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America's Greatest Inventor, coauthored with Sarah Miller Caldicott, the great-grandniece of Thomas Edison. As Professor Vijay Govindarajan, author of Ten Rules for Strategic Innovators, noted, "This book is a must-have for anyone who wants to turn creative ideas into profitable reality."
In 1999, Michael won the Brain Trust Charity's "Brain of the Year" award; other honorees include Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Garry Kasparov, and Gene Roddenberry. In 2003, Michael was awarded a Batten Fellowship by the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business. Michael codirects the acclaimed Leading Innovation Seminar at Darden with Professor James Clawson. Michael also serves as the director of creativity and innovation leadership for the Conscious Capitalism Institute.
A former professional juggler who once performed with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, Michael introduced the idea of teaching juggling as a means of promoting accelerated learning and team building. He is the author of Five Keys to High Performance: Juggle Your Way to Success. A fourth-degree black belt in the Japanese martial art of aikido, Michael is coauthor, with International Grandmaster Raymond Keene, of Samurai Chess: Mastering Strategic Thinking through the Martial Art of the Mind. Michael is also a certified teacher of the Alexander technique (the method taught at the Juilliard School for cultivating a commanding stage presence) and the author of the classic work Body Learning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique. Michael's 1988 release Present Yourself! Captivate Your Audience with Great Presentation Skills guides readers to develop the communication strategies they need to generate support for their innovative ideas.
Michael has also created many bestselling audio programs, including Mind Mapping: How to Liberate Your Natural Genius, Work Like da Vinci: Gaining the Creative Advantage in Your Business and Career, and The Spirit of Leonardo.
Michael's passion for applying genius thinking to personal and organizational development is also expressed in his 2003 HarperCollins release Discover Your Genius: How to Think Like History's Ten Most Revolutionary Minds.
A devoted aficionado of fine wine, Michael is the author of Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices, a book that offers a unique, original, and very enjoyable approach to team building as well as useful practical advice on how to buy, store, serve, and enjoy the "elixir of genius."
Michael has been researching, teaching, and applying the principles of brain optimization throughout his career, but after thirty years, he muses, "Now, it's serious!"
His website is www.michaelgelb.com.
