Ned Herrmann was equally at ease in the classroom, the office, the artist's studio, the research laboratory, and the boardroom.  In each of these situations, he aspired to be a "living example" of the whole brain concepts he developed.  For the last two decades, he dedicated his life to applying brain dominance theory to teaching, learning, increasing self-understanding and enhancing creative thinking capabilities on both an individual and corporate level.  Ned's contribution to the universal application of brain dominance brought him worldwide recognition.  In 1992, he received the Distinguished Contribution to Human Resource Development Award from ASTD - an honor symbolic of the significance of Ned's work.  He keynoted world conferences on Creativity, Gifted and Talented Children, Instructional Systems Design, Training & Development, Creative Management and Cerebral Dominance just in the last few years.  In 1993, he was elected President of The American Creativity Association.  Ned was inducted into the HRD Hall of Fame in February 1995 at the Training '95 Conference in Atlanta.  He received an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in May 1995.

            Though known today as a master of human resource development, in college Ned studied the sciences and performing arts.  He majored in both physics and music.  This dual interest in both the arts and sciences seemed to pull him in two different directions but continued to intrigue him throughout his long career with General Electric. With this background, Ned was well prepared for what would eventually become his life's work:  to integrate the scientific study of the brain with the study of creative human development, in his search for the nature and sources of creativity.

            Ned became Manager of Management Education for GE in 1970.  With his primary responsibility of overseeing training program design, the issue of how to maintain or increase an individual’s productivity, motivation, and creativity were serious concerns.  A prolific painter and sculptor himself, personal experience was a valuable resource.  In fact, Ned's participation in an art association panel on creativity first opened his eyes to the burgeoning research on brain function, particularly with regard to the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex.  He integrated his own concepts with Left Brain/Right Brain and Triune Brain theories into a new "brain dominance technology" which produced immediate and dramatic advances in an individual's self-understanding, productivity, motivation, and creativity.

            In 1978, Ned created the Herrmann Participant Survey Form to profile workshop participant's thinking styles and learning preferences in accordance with brain dominance theory. Sponsored by GE, he developed and validated the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI®), the scored and analyzed Participant Survey, and designed the Applied Creative Thinking Workshop (ACT), which has been internationally recognized as a leading workshop on creative thinking.  Continuing research and application of the HBDI® led to the development of a comprehensive four part Whole Brain® Model, which Herrmann International continues to use today.

            Ned was featured in Business Week, New Age Journal, Discover, USA Today, Training and Reader's Digest.  These are just a few of the many national, as well as international publications that have acknowledged his work.  He was named Brain Trainer of the Year in 1989 by ASTD was included in the Executive Excellence Magazine's listing of 100 personalities with unique perspectives on Management and Leadership. 

            Ned's successful book, The Creative Brain, now available in paperback, allows laymen and professionals to benefit from his knowledge of thinking and learning styles, brain function, creativity and training.  Ned's second book, The Whole Brain Business Book, was published by McGraw-Hill in 1995.

            Herrmann International carries on Ned’s work and continues with the development of Whole Brain® technology, its application and tool sets. 

To purchase Ned’s books you can use the image links below or go to the Herrmann International website.

rain Dominance Instrument®, and of Whole Brain® Technology.

Herrmann International is the creator and originator of the HBDI® - Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument®, and of Whole Brain® Technology.