As a sketcher of ideas, you’ve likely realized that relying solely on your thoughts can sometimes lead you astray.
Our minds are incredible tools, but they can also create fuzzy, ambiguous pictures that make us feel like we understand something when we really don’t.
That’s where visual thinking comes in, as I explore in the video above.
By sketching out our ideas, whether it’s a personal challenge we’re facing or a complex project at work, we create a concrete picture that we can engage with. That visual representation helps us see the whole picture, not just the parts we want to see, and it forces us to confront the reality of the situation.
This topic came up in my recent conversation with Kathy Oneto on her podcast, Sustainable Ambition, where we discussed how overcommitting ourselves can lead to burnout. One tool that can help us avoid this trap is the “network self” concept from Kathleen Wallace, which I read about in Tara McMullin’s book What Works (you can watch my visual summary of that book here). By mapping out our various identities and the actions we’re taking to live up to them, we can gain a more objective view of our commitments and make better decisions about where to focus our energy.
The same principle applies in team environments. When we rely on verbal communication alone, it’s easy to fall into the trap of false confidence and a false sense of alignment. But by creating a shared visual artifact, like a diagram of your organization’s strategy, you can surface disagreements, identify gaps in understanding, and ultimately collaborate more effectively.
So, my challenge to you is this: the next time you find yourself grappling with a complex problem or trying to communicate a complicated idea, try sketching it out.
And know that it doesn’t have to be pretty – the goal is clarity, not aesthetics.
I think you’ll be surprised by how much more insight and understanding you gain from the process.
If you’re interested in developing your visual thinking skills further, I encourage you to check out our library of courses as well as the new team training program Sketch Strategy, designed to help teams improve their performance by establishing a culture of low-stakes sketching.
If you think your team could benefit from this approach, I’d love to chat. Feel free to send me an email (doug@verbaltovisual.com) or book a call.
Thanks for watching and reading.
Happy sketching,
-Doug