It hits me like lighting from a clear sky, on my way home from my summer holiday in Italy, with a night at a motel in Germany: when talking about running a business, there are two main elements that are important. That is oxygenation and weight.

Italy is a place that is full of great dining experiences. It strikes me how amazing it is that new combinations can create that mindblowing feeling! It fills me up with energy. The sky is the limit.

Germany gives me a wibe of a traditional way of life. At the buffet the main ingredients are “sauerkraut, schweinefleisch, sauce und gemüse”, natürlich! You know what you can expect. The good old favorites for you.

Italien oxygenation – so what does that mean translated to running a business?

• To let go of the desire to be in control
• To let something unexpected seduce you
• To combine stuff in new ways
• To look at the world as a fluid form
• To be inspired by people

German weight, translated to...

Way back human beings were really good at telling stories through pictures. It was natural to us to communicate by using icons and simple structures. It was part of creating our common identity.

Our brain loves drawings. We understand and remember stuff much better when we draw it.

So why did we build up a society based mainly on numbers and words?

What happend to the straight forward way of communicating?

From which platform do I speak? Why do I care?

I work as an external eye. I´m hired to visually document what I see and hear a company talk about. The topics are often related to strategy, development plans, values, vision/ mission etc.

Questions often asked on a workshop:

Who are we?

What do we want?

What can we do?

Why are we good?

What is our next step?

Every assignment is unique. However, certain things are similar…that is humor and recognition.

When a person recognizes herself and sees her reflection is the drawings, she relaxes. The mind...

Summertime is here and it´s time to relax and reflect a little bit: what has been working out nicly this year, so far and what can become even better?

 I´ll give you some input on how you can use drawings, because I´m loving it so much myself. I really want as many people as possible to realize the amazing results you can gain when using drawings/ graphical facilitation in your work.

And it´s not only about results, it´s also about increasing the engagement in the companies around the country.

Our brain is born to understand connections in things through structures and doodles, which obviously gives us a great chance to use actively when communicating.

And: when people are exposed to drawings and words combined in new and surprising ways, their brain creates new connections.

In 1949 Donald Hebb described this phenomena as “the Association Act” and it is central when we need to explain what happens to the brain during learning: "Neurons...

You know the feeling: You´re facilitating an important meeting for leaders and employees in your company. Many hours spend on a day like that, and you have really put hours of work in the preparation.

However…

A number of persons have their nose stuck in their phone while others are staring out the window.

This scenario can actually be avoided!

By using graphical facilitation you ensure the engagement and make sure that focus is on the topic. This is done by a clear and visual way of communication that anchors the main points and topics.

 We remember stuff much better when seeing stuff supported by drawings, and that´s a fact.

And there´s so many possibilities.

 
You can choose to prepare some templates before the meeting, that supports your statements, or you can choose to draw the points of the day during the meeting. Alternatively, you can hire an external consultant to do the drawing for you in a visual recording.

A visual...

Once you have held the pen in your hand and tried out the methods – and experience, that you are actually able to draw persons, arrows, signs and a template that sets the frame for a dialogue regarding an evaluation – the world opens up its arms!

You are now equipped to go out and express your messages clearly in front of coworkers, partners, clients and employees etc. Which thoughts come to your mind when you see this drawing? (Made by one of my learners). Which value would a similar template add to your work? The door into a great world of communication is wide open and you may inter and use the skills just the way it suits you.

So, go ahead, it´s about communication, not art!

I´m standing in front of my course participants with a cup of coffee in my hand – the air exudes expectation and I take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. “It´s quite a journey to get to this point” I say to one of the participants next to me.

Will I get sufficient participants?

The people who say they´ll join the course, do they actually mean it? When should I book the room? Etc. Finally we´re here, a group is gathered, they are here now! THIS.IS.IT….YES!!!

Everything I´m fighting for as a consultant is coming true, all my competences come to action and I´m in my right element. When are you in your right element?

Do you ever sit down and think about what you would really love to do in this world, what your core competences are? I encourage you to do so, maybe even block your calendar for a few hours to reflect. If you do so it´ll much easier to find a job or function that is just right for you.

A while ago I had a meeting with a business-woman and I just cannot get her out of my head! Why? Because she was on a very strong mission. So what is her mission, you are probably wondering. Well, she has decided always to set up obstructions for herself! To never rest on the laurels, so every time things go smoothly she something must be changed and new challenges developed.

I really admire a person that like her. Maybe she is little extreme but the thought about constantly challenging one self is quite interesting, I must say.

What do you do in order keep yourself mentally moving forward? How do you exercise your brain?

Our brain is plastic and we change it via our thoughts and behavior. A strong way to support the development of our brain is to use drawings whenever we want to communicate something. Then the right side of our brain is activated, and starts working together with the left and more logical side of our brain, which is so clever since learning is a whole-brain sport.

A person in my professionel network said: “It´s funny that you teach people to do what you do…and cut off the branch on which you are sitting!”

What do you think, is he right? My answer is no. On the contrary. For what is it really about? It´s about sharing what I know about the advantages of using drawings in meeting-situations. The more people I can convince about these tools the more people will use them and the more assignments I´ll get – I know that there is a limit to the number of tasks you´ll be able to take care of yourself.

What about you? Are you aware of the fact that it makes sense and adds value to share your knowledge instead of keeping your cards close to your body, in fear of being copied?

For every person there is a worldview, a story, a way of looking at the world.

My world is build up around images: I see the world as structures, shapes, formations, color-combinations – which is very effective in communication because our brain loves exactly that.

You may see the world in numbers…

In words…

In graphs….

Regardless of how you see the world you can easily learn some simple visual tools that will have a great impact on your work-life, for example in meeting situations. This template can be used to evaluate a meeting, a process or a project.

When you need to make sure that your meetings are effective it works when using drawings: with no pictures our brain remembers approximately 5% of what is said. Add pictures and the number raises to 50%!!

So go ahead! Through yourself into it. Copy this template and present it on a meeting: Your coworkers will respect you for it!  

What do you see here? In my eyes what you see is pure dedication! The photo is from my open course in graphical facilitation.

“I really feel like using drawings in my work again! It has been an amazing course!” These words come from a participant at the end of the day-course. What a feedback. I must say a huge plie of drawings were produced on all spare spot in the room: tables, the floor, walls and window sills!

I have got some great news for you: everybody can learn to draw! YES, you as well!

And you can use the visual tools to create a higher level of engagement on your meetings, workshops, etc.

How?

Because drawings support the process of learning.

Because drawings make the points stand out clearly.

Because drawings create meaning and relates to the topics.