the diagrams book: 50 ways to solve any problem visually
TRANSCRIPT
VISUAL LEARNING: USING DIAGRAMS
TO INSPIRE STAFF
AND SHORTEN TRAINING TIME
1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)
2. INSPIRING STAFF FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)
POSSIBLE AUDIENCES
1.You
2. Your boss
3. Your staff
1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)
Why Anyone Bothers To Work
• All three = ideal
• 2 out of 3 = okay
• 1 out of 3 = vulnerable
• 0 = disastrous
• They score themselves
• You or colleague scores
them independently
• Compare and discuss
differences
Explain Your Strategy Visually
• One diagram can be clearer than 10 pages
• Take 2 most important variables
• Variable X = Morale? Margin?
• Variable Y = Skills? Churn?
• Compare with competitors
• Show direction of travel if adopting your L&D strategy
• Plot progress over time
Explain Why It Is What It Is
• Tell an engaging story
• Start broad (10 options)
• Then reduce (3 options)
• Consider, then reject with authority after investigation
• One clear recommendation
• Explain what is feasible
• Tell story of your battles
Anchor The Theme
• Explain the central thought clearly – the shorter the better
• Sub ideas demonstrate fertility
• Map out how all the elements are interrelated
• Confirm relevance of each component
• “This bit works because it fits in with this bit…”
Pinpoint The Bravery Level
• How adventurous is the company culture?
• What standards are expected?
• How brave have we been in the past?
• How brave should we be now?
• Set appropriate expectations
Knock Down Barriers To Acceptance
• Budget holder or staff
• What are the likely objections to the plan?
• How many are there?
• How do we knock them down?
• One at a time?
• All at once?
• In what sequence?
How To Confuse Everybody
• Hubs within hubs
• Double-headed arrows
• Dotted lines
• Snake’s honeymoon
• Does anyone understand it?
• Simpler is better
How To Clarify Responsibility
• Simple and clear
• Nothing dotted, two-way or
sideways
• Everyone knows where
they stand
• Subordinates know
precisely who is in charge
of their development
Understand The Rhythm Of The Year
• Full year plans are usually unrealistic
• Decision windows: all the right decision makers present?
• Crisis bombs: same time every year?
• Can almost always predict when things will happen
• Realistic forecasting, fewer surprises
The Motivational Dip
• Honeymoon period always fun
• But it never lasts
• Learning & Understanding phase becomes vital
• Ends in success or tears
• Start by analyzing relationships retrospectively
• Use learning to predict
• Moment of dip can almost always be anticipated
Anticipating The Dips
• Plot morale for the year
• Map out intended initiatives
for the year
• Spread out evenly to keep
spirits as high as possible
• Anticipate by announcing
next thing before the next
low morale point
• Use to offset “What have the
Romans ever done for us?”
2. INSPIRING STAFF FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)
The Priority Matrix
• Urgent + Important = do now
• Urgent + Not Important = delegate/do quickly
• Important + Not Urgent = Think, plan properly, and stick to it
• Neither = Ignore or cancel
The Growing Pane
• Old/good: confirm relevance
• New/good: inspire more
• Old/bad: ditch now
• New/bad: work out why, and
be aware of emotional and
financial commitment
Ditching The Essay Crisis Mentality
• Human nature to delay, but don’t
• It’s a student hangover
• Convene decision makers in first 24 hours
• Set direction, brief experts, course correct if necessary
• Allows for refinements
• Increases quality all round
The IF Triangle
• Essence of any negotiation
• They can have any two
• Too much pressure on all three = collapse
• Start all sentences with “If…”
• “If you require x, we require y in return...”
Plan Your Negotiations Properly
• Always plan a negotiation
• Must limit
• Intend level
• Wish list
• What matters to each side is usually different
• Understand trading variables and trade what you don’t need for what they want
How To Be A Sensitive Boss
• They’ve done it before: direct
• They haven’t: coach
• They have once or twice:
support
• They’re sick of doing it:
reinvigorate
• May need a different
approach for every person,
every task, every day
• Ask the subordinate first
Changing The Language Of Conflict
• When it has all become too
personal…
• Let’s deal with ‘it’
• Not ‘I’, ‘me’, or ‘you’
• “This problem is quite
tricky isn’t it? How can ‘we’
solve ‘it’?”
The Cone of Experience?
• Read > Hear > See > See &
Hear > Say > Say & Do
• Actively doing things is best
• Do a diagram on the spot
and apply it immediately
• Remote learning homework
more likely when it’s fun
• If you remember 50% of this
I’ll have done well
THE INTERACTIVE KIT BOX
• THE BOOK
• STARTER
TEMPLATES
• BLANKS
• SHARPIE PEN
• BE INSPIRED
& DESIGN
YOUR OWN
• PUZZLE
AND FINALLY, A PUZZLE FOR YOU...
Draw nine dots on a
blank page like this.
Now try to join all the
dots using no more
than four lines, and
without taking the pen
off the paper.
INTERNATIONAL DIAGRAMS
• KOREA
• GERMANY
• JAPAN
• CHINA
• TAIWAN
• THAILAND
• RUSSIA
• BRAZIL
• SPAIN
• USA
thediagramsbook.com
@kevinduncan
expertadviceonline.com
kevinduncanexpertadvice
@gmail.com
07979 808770