I first saw Cindy Tonkin at a performance of the Redfern Shanty Club, of which she is a core member. Cindy delivers shanty songs such as “(I used to work in) London Town” with verve and gusto. It’s one of the funniest shanties you will hear (filled with innuendo; go ahead and Google it).
I found Cindy’s website when I was looking for some dates for the shanty performances. I was astonished by her range of interests and accomplishments.
For instance, she is a seasoned visual artist, an improviser and improvisation teacher. She has produced and directed and played in solo and group performances. She creates paintings and artists’ books… the list goes on.
On top of that, she runs a successful management consulting company, with programs on diverse business topics including productivity, change management, leadership and executive coaching. And she has written 19 business books, and numerous business articles.
She has degrees from Sydney University, a master’s degree from the University of Paris, and further postgraduate education in linguistics, neuro-linguistic programming, improvisation, and business.
Renaissance (wo)man is kind of an old-fashioned term. However, it is what I first thought of when I looked at Cindy’s accomplishments. Google says a Renaissance man (sic), also known as a polymath, is a well-rounded individual gifted and skilled in many different areas. Fits perfectly.
So I was curious about how she fit so many things into her life. Didn’t she sleep? The answer was simple: “I’m well organised and don’t like to waste time. I’m a perpetual learner and am insatiably curious about people and what makes them do the things they do”.
