Visual thinking is a versatile skill that can transform the way we learn, solve problems, and communicate. When I think about the applications of visual thinking skills, three specific types …
How Hand Gestures Help You Think
In Annie Murphy Paul’s fascinating book The Extended Mind, one of my favorite chapters explores how we can use our hands as both a thinking and communication tool. Today, I …
If You Can Write, You Can Draw
Are you held back from visual thinking because you’re afraid of drawing? You’re not alone. Visual thinking – the practice of using drawings and diagrams to understand information, tackle complex …
The 5 Kits: Tools for Visual Thinking
In order to engage in the work of visual thinking – of making marks to make meaning – all you really need are two things: something to write and draw …
How to Remember What You Read
What if you could see the world through the eyes of one of your favorite authors? How helpful would that be as you encounter challenges big and small throughout your …
The Value of Sketching Out Your Day
Sometimes I find it helpful to sketch out my day as a way to take a look at how I’m spending my time, where I’m placing my attention, what I’m …
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (and how to address them)
In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team author Patrick Lencioni tells the fictional story of a fast-growing startup with a bunch of potential that quickly starts declining in …
Make Models: 9 Formats for Visual Thinking
If you’re working to learn something new or solve a complex problem or share some interesting ideas with others, and you’d like to make full use of your brain’s processing …
The Enactment Effect & Visual Thinking
One of the stories that Annie Murphy Paul tells in her book The Extended Mind is a technique that actors use to help them memorize their lines. What they do …
3-Point Communication: How to Have Better Conversations
Most of your conversations probably look like this: You’re chatting with someone else (maybe in person, maybe over the phone, maybe online) and there’s a back and forth between the …