Dr Don E. Beck

Don Beck was teaching at the University of North Texas at the time when Clare Graves brought his work to public attention. Inspired by what he saw, Don contacted him and worked with him to develop and apply the theory.

Don worked closely with Prof. Graves for the rest of his life, and also introduced his graduate student, Chris Cowan. This collaboration eventually brought forth the book "Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change". This remains the master text on SD theory. Don had a lifelong interest in the causes of conflict, beginning with the US Civil War. This led to a lifelong project in South Africa, which he visited 63 times between 1986 and 1997, working with major industries and writing newspaper articles. The SD colour codes were introduced, with Graves' approval, in order to create an alternative classification to that of racial skin colour to support the understanding of mindsets in different segments of the SA population. The book "The Crucible: Forging South Africa's Future in search of a Template for the World" co-authored with Graham Linscott, documents the underlying analysis documents the thinking and activity and its strapline indicates the extent of Don's vision for that work.

Together with Elza Maalouf, Don later began a similar initiative in Palestine, which was unfortunately short-lived for funding reasons, but indicated his unflagging interest in the implications of the theory for large-scale change. He wrote regular columns on US politics and was involved with groups and initiatives in other countries, particularly the Netherlands where a Centre for Human Emergence convened around anti-Islamic tensions. He encouraged other countries to develop their own such centres.

Notwithstanding that primary focus, Don also consulted widely on organisational change, with significant involvement in shaping the development of South-West Airlines and Whole-Foods Market. In that organisational context he worked closely with Dr Itchak Adizes, and taught regularly at the Adizes Insitute for many years.

Although Don was less interested personally in individual development, coaching or "consciousness", he collaborated closely over the years with others in that field such as Ken Wilber, Dr Jean Houston, Dr Bruce Lipton, Barbara Marx Hubbard and the Conscious Evolution group of Evolutionary Leaders. He wrote a paper "The Colour of Constellations" relating to the work of Bert Hellinger. Many of today's practitioners continue aspects of that work, using Spiral Dynamics within leadership development and coaching practice.