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The Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management

The Da Vinci Principles

Genius is made, not born. And human beings are gifted with an almost unlimited potential for learning and creativity. Michael J Gelb, who has helped thousands of people expand their minds to accomplish more than they ever thought possible, shows you how.

Drawing on Da Vinci's notebooks, inventions, and legendary works of art, Gelb introduces Seven Da Vincian Principles--the essential elements of genius--from curiosit!, the insatiably curious approach to life to connessione, the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. With Da Vinci as your inspiration, you will discover an exhilarating new way of thinking. And step-by-step, through exercises and provocative lessons, you will harness the power--and awesome wonder--of your own genius, mastering such life-changing abilities as: Problem solving; Creative thinking; Self-expression; Enjoying the world around you; Goal setting and life balance; Harmonizing body and mind Created to structure and motivate the reader's development of the seven da Vincian principles introduced in How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, The How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci Workbook represents the natural extension of Gelb's da Vinci line. As any modern da Vinci student knows, Leonardo's notebook both served as the incubator and repository of his unique genius and provides the foundation of any modern-day student's attempt to emulate that genius on his own.

BACCALAUREUS COMMERCII (BCOM)BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

LEARNING JOURNEY| THE DA VINCI INSTITUTE | BACCALAUREUS COMMERCII (BCOM) | 3

http://dmcodyssey.org/curriculum-modules/nqf-level-5/fundamental-modules/problem-solving-creative-thinking-and-decision-making/










Introduction

For more than five centuries Western civilization has viewed with admiration and awe the life and works of a great genius of the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci. The phrase "Renaissance man", which is used to describe anyone with a multitude of talents and skills, might have been coined to describe Leonardo Da Vinci. He was a painter whose masterpieces still influence artists today and delight all who see them. He was an astronomer, a musician, a scientist, an inventor, and a profound philosopher, who kept meticulous notes and sketches of all he thought and observed.

How did he achieve all this? Da Vinci himself has recorded his methods and has described how to think, how to develop and use our inherent capabilities, how to integrate everything we learn into one harmonious whole.

Five centuries later, as people search for new ways to improve the performance of their organizations, Da Vinci's ideas have re-emerged as the buzzwords of management theory. When we speak of

๏ "continuous learning",

๏ "whole-brain thinking",

๏ "mind-body connection"

๏ "brainstorming",

๏ "systems thinking",

๏ "thriving on chaos",

we are simply using new language to describe concepts set down long ago by Leonardo Da Vinci.

In today's global marketplace, all organizations are searching for ways to revitalize themselves. Corporations, government entities and non-profits all need to find new methods of working, new ways to organize themselves, new products and services in a rapidly changing world. People in organizations are being called upon to develop competencies that will enlarge their own scope and will yield innovation and productivity for their organizations. For these people, Leonardo Da Vinci has a message: If you are willing to apply yourself, you can learn how to think like a genius!

Introduction to Leonardo Da Vinci:

Maximizing Our Potential - You don't have to be a genius to think like one:


4 | BACCALAUREUS COMMERCII (BCOM) | THE DA VINCI INSTITUTE | LEARNING JOURNEY

Learning from Leonardo:

Seven Principles

¨ CURIOSITA:

Approaching life with insatiable curiosity and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning

¨ DIMOSTRAZIONE:

Committing to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes

¨ SENSAZIONE:

Continually refining the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience

¨ SFUMATO

Embracing ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty

¨ ARTE/SCIENZA

Balancing science and art, logic and imagination - ‘whole-brain thinking’

¨ CORPORALITA

Cultivating grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise

¨ CONNESSIONE

Recognizing and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things – ‘systems thinking’



CuriositaCuriosità is an "insatiably curious approach to life and unrelenting quest for continuous learning". Great minds have one characteristic in common: they continuously ask questions throughout their lives. Leonardo's endless quest for truth and beauty clearly demonstrates this. What makes great minds different is the quality of their questions. You can increase your ability to solve problems by increasing your ability to ask good questions. Like da Vinci, you should cultivate an open mind that allows you to broaden your universe and increase your ability to explore it.

Assessing Your CuriositaThis is you desire to learn and develop your natural abilities. This is the fountain from which all Da Vincian practices flows. Begin by answering the questions below. Your answers will indicate how well you are already using your curiosita, and where there is room for improvement.

TRUE FALSE Statements

My friends would describe me as open-minded & curious.

I am always learning something new

I seek out new perspectives when facing an important decision.

I take adequate time for reflection.

I am a voracious reader.

When I hear a new word, I always look it up.

I solicit feedback from friends, relations & colleagues.

I love learning.

I am skilled at identifying and solving problems.

I keep a journal to record insights and questions.

How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci



http://www.wikihow.com/Ask-a-Question-Intelligently

http://www.wikihow.com/Ask-a-Question-Intelligently

http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-an-Open-Mind

http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-an-Open-Mind

Notes

Need to up your Curiosita Skill?"What, When, Who, How, Where, Why… and What if"?

Think of a real problem or question that you are concerned with in your work or within your organization. Write your question or problem statement below, and then fill in answers to "what, when, who, how, where, and why". Some cues have been provided to stimulate your thinking.

Once the problem has been explored, set the problem aside for a while, and then, when you return to it, propose as many "what if" scenarios as you can think of. Enlist the help of colleagues and associates. Record all scenarios, no matter how outrageous they seem at first. Then select one or more scenarios, and subject them to the six-question treatment.

Question/Problem Statement?:

What . . .

is the problem?

are the underlying issues?



preconceptions, prejudices, or paradigms may be influencing my perception ?

will happen if I ignore it?

problems may be caused by solving this problem?

metaphors from nature can I use to illuminate it?

When. . .

did it start?

does it happen?



will the consequences of it be felt?

must it be resolved?

Who. . .

cares about it?

is affected by it?

created it?

perpetuates it?



can help solve it?

How. . .

does it happen?

can I get more objective information?

can I look at it from unfamiliar perspectives?

can it be changed?

will I know that it has been solved?

Where. . .



does it happen?

did it begin?

haven't I looked?

else has this happened?

Why. . .

is it important?

did it start?



does it continue?

Ask Why, Why, Why, Why, Why . . . to get to the bottom of an issue.

What have you learned about your question or problem from asking these questions?

Summarize your insights below.

(Try this exercise with others in a group problem-solving session.)



DimostrazioneDimostrazione is a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistake. The finest teachers know that experience is the source of wisdom. And the principle of Dimostrazione is the key to making the most of your experience.

Learning through experience is desirable and experience is an excellent source of wisdom. A commitment to test knowledge through experience and independent thinking are critical for learning. We should treat mistakes as opportunities for learning and learn from others’ mistakes too. We should not let our experience-based judgment be overruled by people in authority or by so-called experts.

Open-mindedness

Persistence

Willing to make mistakes

Assessing Your Dimostrazione

Rate yourself with these questions, answering "mostly yes" or "mostly no". For each question, jot down an instance in your experience when the answer was "yes" and an instance when the answer was "no"



No Statements Yes No

1 Do I view mistakes as learning experiences?

Yes, example :

No, example :

2 Am I willing to acknowledge my mistakes?

Yes, example :

No, example :

3 Do I question ‘conventional wisdom’ and authority?

Yes, example :

No, example :

4 Do I persevere in the face of obstacles?

Yes, example :

No, example :

Now, select a problem at work and ask, "How would I handle it differently if I weren’t afraid of making mistakes"?



SensazioneSensazione is the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience. Da Vinci believed that the secrets of Dimostrazione are revealed through the senses, especially sight. Saper vedere (knowing how to see) was one of Leonardo’s mottoes, and the cornerstone of his artistic and scientific work.

We experience the world through our sensory organs – sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. While experiencing the world through these senses, you should be active. Be sensitive to color harmonies, be an active listener and enjoy silence, understand that smell affects your emotions, discern the flavor contributions of various food ingredients, and develop sensitivity to touch and get a feel of every surface you touch.

SfumatoSfumato is a willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty. Leonardo’s phenomenal ability to hold the tension of opposites, to embrace uncertainty, ambiguity, and paradox, was a critical characteristic of his genius.

Ability to maintain an open mind in the face of uncertainty is considered the most powerful secret of unleashing your creativity. The key is openness and willingness to embrace ambiguity, and uncertainty. After all, change is integral part of life and your success depends on how you can manage the change.

To understand this in somewhat more depth (detail), Please read an short write up on this technique Leonardo Da Vinci mastered and used in painting the Mono Lisa (PAINTING: Mona Lisa, also called La Giaconda)



Assessing Your Curiosita

In this activity you will be assessing the degree to which you embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty. In the following list, quickly rate yourself on a scale of 1-5, where 1 represents a need for certainty at all times, and 5 represents a well-developed capacity for ambiguity and comfort with uncertainty and paradox. Then, go back and write down an example from recent experience which illustrates your self-rating. Finally, add up your "score". A total less than 30 indicates a strong need to develop your ability to "go up in smoke" if you want to think like Leonardo Da Vinci.

No Statement 1 2 3 4 5

1 I am comfortable with ambiguity.

2 I am in touch with my intuition

3 I thrive on change.

4 I see the humor in life every day.

5 I know when I feel anxious.

6 I spend sufficient time with myself

7 I trust my gut.

8 I can hold contradictory ideas in my mind

9 I delight in paradox and irony.

10 I believe that conflict often inspires creativity.



Need to up your Sfumato Skill?Here are two activities aimed at strengthening your Sfumato skills.

Activity 1:

Cultivate Confusion Endurance: The Sfumato principle asks us to sharpen our senses in the face of paradox and embrace creative tension. It is useful to explore the paradoxes in our everyday lives. For example:

Strengths and weaknesses. List at least three of your personal weaknesses. Then list three or more of your personal strengths.

Strengths Development areas

How are these qualities related?

Goals and process. Write down an important goal you accomplished at work.

Describe the process you followed. How do goal and process relate?



Have you ever achieved success without experiencing fulfillment?

In your personal experience does the end justify the means? Why, or why not?

You can continue this exercise indefinitely by examining other paradox pairs in your life:

Joy and sorrow, good and evil, change and constancy, humility and pride, etc.

Activity 2:

Making space for incubation: When do you get your best ideas? Think of a moment of creative breakthrough. Trace the process. Were you alone? What kind of input preceded the breakthrough? Did you have to take a break? How long a break? Do you have a strong faith in your creative process? Give examples of success.



Arte/ScienzaArte/scienza is "the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination". This is thinking with the “whole brain”. Mind mapping is a powerful method that can help you combine logic and imagination in your work and life. The end result of mapping should be a web-like structure of words and ideas that are somehow related in the writer's mind.

Assessing Your Curiosita (left / right brain)This self-assessment is designed to help you get a rough idea as to whether you tend to be "left-brained" or "right-brained". Circle a value from 1 to 5 for each statement, where 5 is "very much so" and 1 is "not at all".


1 I like details.

I am almost always on time.

I am skilled at math.

I rely on logic.

I write clearly.

Friends describe me as articulate.

Analysis is one of my strengths.

I am organized and disciplined.

I like lists.

I start a book at page 1 and read in order.

The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:The preceding list describes a classic "left-brained" person. See how you do on this next list:

I am highly imaginative.

I am good at brainstorming.

I often say or do the unexpected.

I love to doodle.

In school, I was better at geometry than algebra.

I read a book by skipping around.

I look at the big picture, leave the details to others.

I often lose track of time.



http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Your-Whole-Brain-While-Studying

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Your-Whole-Brain-While-Studying

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mind-Map

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mind-Map


I rely on intuition.

Most people have a proclivity toward one hemisphere or the other of the brain. Was that your result? Of course, all people have a "left-brain" and a "right-brain". Looking at your own answers, you can see that you have some characteristics of each. But having a proclivity toward one hemisphere points at the opportunity to bring the brain in balance - balancing Arte and Scienza - by developing the less prominent capabilities of the brain.

Mind MappingThe Rules1. Begin your mind map with a symbol or a picture (representing your topic) at the center of your page.

Starting at the center opens your mind to a full 360 degrees of association. Pictures and symbols are much easier to remember than words. Drawing a picture or symbol stimulates your right hemisphere and strengthens your ability to think creatively about your subject.

2. Use key words.

Key words are the information-rich "nuggets" of recall and creative association. Choosing key words exercises your analytical "left brain" and helps you find the essence of your subject.

3. Connect the key words with lines radiating from your central image.

By linking words with lines ("branches"), you'll show clearly how one key word relates to another.

4. Print your key words.

Printing is easier to read and remember than writing.

5. Print one key word per line.

By doing this, you free yourself to discover the maximum number of creative associations for each key word. The discipline of one word per line also trains you to focus on the most appropriate key word, enhancing the precision of your thought and minimizing clutter.

6. Print your key words on the lines and make the length of the word the same as the line it is on.

This maximizes clarity of association and encourages economy of space.

7. Use colors, pictures, dimension, and codes for greater association and emphasis.

Highlight important points and illustrate relationships between different branches of your mind map. You might, for instance, prioritize your main points through color-coding, highlighting in yellow the most important points, using blue for secondary points, and so forth. Pictures and images, preferably in vivid color, should be used wherever possible; they stimulate your creative association and greatly enhance your memory.



ACTIVITY 7

Need to up your Arte/Scienza Skill?

Mind mapping activates both Arte and Scienza – your whole brain. Mind maps let you organize your material logically and even sequentially, while encouraging imagination and spontaneity. Mind maps record in detail where you've been, while suggesting a multitude of potential next steps.

Practice this important skill. Begin by creating a mind map in the space below of what you have learned so far in this seminar:

Write down a problem at work you would like to solve:

Plan to mind map this problem and brainstorm solutions later. Share the mind mapping technique with colleagues and associates and enlist their help in using a mind map to define and solve this problem. You will find a valuable

mind-mapping post-presentation activity on PAGE



CorporalitaCorporalita is the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise. Leonardo’s extraordinary physical gifts complemented his intellectual and artistic genius.

Fitness and grace:

ConnessioneConnessione is a recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. It’s systems thinking. One secret of Leonardo’s unparalleled creativity is his lifelong practice of combining and connecting disparate elements to form new patterns.

Assessing Your ConnessioneThe ability to see the interconnectedness of things, to appreciate how separate things and phenomena relate to the whole is often called "systems thinking". Do you think of yourself as a ‘systems thinker’? Answer these questions on a scale of 1-5, where 1 is "never" or "not at all" and 5 is "always" or "completely".


1 I enjoy analogies and metaphors.

I frequently make connections other people miss.

I can articulate systems dynamics –patterns, connections, and networks –in the workplace.

I seek a ‘holistic’ approach to health.

My life goals and work are integrated with my values.

I study the details to grasp the ‘whole’.




I study the details to grasp the ‘whole’.

At times I feel connected with all creation.

Why would you want to improve your Connessione?

Systems Thinking

ACTIVITY 9

Need to up your Connessione Skill?

Metaphors and analogies are useful ways to make connections that are not otherwise apparent. You can practice making connections by using the body metaphor to explore the dynamics of your organization, department or work unit:



Wrap-upIn today's session we focussed on your unlimited potential to liberate your creativity and ignite innovation in your organization. We learned that some of the most modern ideas about creativity and high performance were actually formulated centuries ago by a great genius, Leonardo Da Vinci.

To summarise· CURIOSITA:

Approaching life with insatiable curiosity and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning

· DIMOSTRAZIONE:Committing to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes

· SENSAZIONE:Continually refining the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience

· SFUMATOEmbracing ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty

· ARTE/SCIENZABalancing science and art, logic and imagination - ‘whole-brain thinking’

· CORPORALITACultivating grace, ambidexterity, fitness and poise

· CONNESSIONERecognizing and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things – ‘systems thinking’



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