Draw to Win

1. Today's conversation is visual; you must draw to win.

Today’s conversation is visual.

The world is visual. We live in an era of unprecedented data creation, and an overwhelming majority of this data is visual. Despite this, most business professionals lack the skills to effectively use visuals. This creates a critical gap: we are generating more visual information than ever, yet many are ill-equipped to leverage it.

Visuals are ancient. Drawing is humanity's oldest technology for recording and sharing ideas, predating written language. The modern explosion of visual social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat isn't a fad; it's a return to our innate visual nature, amplified by technology. To stay relevant and connect with others, you must embrace visual communication.

Drawing is essential. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can't draw, therefore you're not visual. Being visual is about using your brain's powerful visual processing capabilities. Drawing is simply the recording mechanism for visual thinking, helping you understand the world and show others what you see.

2. Drawing is thinking, not art; anyone can do it.

Drawing is not art; drawing is thinking.

Drawing clarifies thought. If you want to think more clearly about an idea, draw it. Drawing helps you break down complexity, see relationships, and uncover insights that words alone might miss. It's a process of exploration and discovery.

Everyone can draw. The myth that drawing requires special talent is a roadblock. Just as you learned to talk and write, you can learn to draw for thinking. It takes only a few minutes to learn the basics and a little practice to become proficient enough for business purposes.

You already draw. You engage in visual thinking constantly: flipping ideas in your mind, seeing pieces of a problem, recognizing patterns, or gesturing while talking. The only difference now is adding a pen and paper to make that thinking visible and shareable.

3. Start drawing with simple shapes: circle, line, square.

First draw a circle, then give it a name.

Overcome the blank page. The hardest part is starting. The simplest way to begin drawing is to put your pen down and draw a circle. This breaks the inertia and starts the process.

Name your shapes. Once you have a circle, give it a name relevant to your idea (e.g., "Me," "Product," "Goal"). This connects the visual element to your thinking process. Continue adding and naming shapes (squares, triangles, etc.) and connecting them with lines or arrows.

Master the building blocks. Ninety percent of business pictures are made from just seven basic shapes:

• Dot
• Line
• Arrow
• Square
• Triangle
• Circle
• Blob
  By combining these simple shapes, you can create the six essential business pictures needed to explain almost anything.

4. Lead with the eye, and the mind will follow.

Lead with the eye and the mind will follow.

Vision dominates the brain. Your brain dedicates more resources to processing vision than any other function. It's constantly working to make sense of the visual world, seeking patterns, positions, and meaning.

Engage the visual system. If there's nothing visually interesting, the brain's visual engine disengages, taking attention with it. This is why presentations with only text fail. To keep people engaged, you must provide compelling visuals.

Simple visual cues work. Even simple actions like marking up words or drawing basic shapes as you talk can keep the eye engaged. When you lead with something for the eye to focus on, the rest of the mind naturally follows, increasing attention and comprehension.

5. Use the Six Essential Pictures to explain anything.

You Need Only Six Pictures to Explain Anything

Vision is predictable. Your visual system processes information in a predictable sequence, looking for specific types of visual input. By mirroring this process, you can create visuals that are inherently easy for the brain to understand and remember.

The Six Ws of Vision. Just as journalists use the Five Ws (+ How Much) to structure stories, your brain uses six visual pathways to make sense of the world:

• What (Objects/People)
• How Much (Quantities/Charts)
• Where (Positions/Maps)
• When (Sequence/Timelines)
• How (Cause-Effect/Flowcharts)
• Why (Meaning/Equations)

The Six Essential Pictures. These six pathways correspond directly to six types of simple pictures that can clarify and explain any idea:

• Portrait (Who/What)
• Chart (How Much)
• Map (Where)
• Timeline (When)
• Flowchart (How)
• Equation (Why)
  Mastering these six pictures gives you a powerful toolkit for visual communication.

6. Start with the Who: People are at the heart of everything.

If you want to engage your audience’s heart, show them themselves.

People love people. Human beings are inherently interested in other people. Whether discussing ideas, events, or business, the focus often returns to the individuals involved. Leveraging this natural interest is key to engaging your audience.

Show the people first. When presenting an idea, start by showing who is involved. This immediately captures attention because the brain is hardwired for facial recognition and social context. Show your audience where they fit into the picture to engage their hearts.

Anthropomorphize your visuals. Make abstract concepts relatable by giving them human elements.

• Use simple faces (emoticons, stick figures) to represent people or even abstract entities.
• Draw stick figures with the "rule of thirds" (head, body, legs each 1/3 height) for relatable proportions.
• Show data on a human scale rather than just cold bar charts.
  This makes your ideas more engaging and memorable.

7. To Lead, Draw Your Destination (Your Mission Patch).

As a leader, your number one job is to provide vision—and that requires a picture.

Vision needs visibility. A leader's primary role is to articulate a clear vision of the future. Verbal vision statements often fail because they lack a tangible, memorable destination. A picture provides that visible goal.

Find your quest. Great stories, and great leadership visions, often align with one of seven classic quests:

• Get home
• Win the prize
• Get revenge
• Slay the dragon
• Be reborn
• Climb the mountain
• Find true love
  Identifying your team's core quest helps clarify the destination.

Create your mission patch. Distill your vision into a simple, memorable visual symbol. This "mission patch" serves as a constant reminder of the destination, guiding your team and inspiring action. Think of iconic brand logos or project symbols that instantly convey purpose.

8. To Sell, Draw Together (Before & After).

If you want to sell, you have to take the visual journey together.

Sales is shared action. Selling is about getting someone to take a new action. It's a journey you take with your prospect, not just to them. Visuals create a shared understanding and a powerful "mind-meld."

Visual sales works. Using pictures in sales is unusual, unexpected, and engaging. It activates the prospect's visual mind, providing the clear picture their brain craves. This approach helped the author's team win pitches consistently, even against larger competitors.

Draw the change. The most effective sales visual is the "before and after."

• Draw the current state (the problem).
• Draw the desired future state (the solution).
  This simple comparison makes the value proposition clear and motivates action. Use the 75-25 rule: prepare 75% of the drawing in advance and draw the final 25% with the prospect, handing them the pen to make it their own.

9. To Innovate, Draw the World Upside Down.

If you want to create something new, first draw something old. Then turn it upside down.

Innovation is pattern change. Innovation isn't just about creating something entirely new (pattern breaking); it's also about refining and improving existing things (pattern optimization). Both require looking at established patterns.

Visual innovation prompts. To find new ideas, start by drawing the existing pattern, then apply visual prompts to see it differently:

• Flip it backward: Reverse the sequence or direction (e.g., Agile software development).
• Turn it upside down: Invert the structure or hierarchy (e.g., turning a pyramid scheme into a tree).
• Oppose it: Do the exact opposite of the norm (e.g., using LEGOs to pitch McKinsey).
• Put it in a box: Force disparate elements into a single framework (e.g., the Business Model Canvas).
• Reduce the number of pieces: Simplify drastically (e.g., the iPhone's single button).

Embrace constraints. Limitations are your friend in innovation. Setting visual constraints (like using only three colors or fitting everything on one page) forces creativity and reveals unexpected connections. Plan to succeed, but be prepared for the inevitable failures that come with trying new things.

10. To Train, Draw the Story in Six Pictures.

Teach anything by drawing it out in six sequential pictures.

Teaching is a core skill. Much of business involves teaching others: explaining plans, training staff, or clarifying strategy. Effective teaching is crucial for business continuity and long-term success, yet it's often overlooked.

Mirror the visual process. The most effective way to teach is to tell a visual story that mirrors how the brain naturally processes information. Use the six essential pictures in sequence to build a complete narrative.

The Six-Picture Story Sequence:

1. Portrait: Introduce the Who/What.
2. Chart: Quantify the How Much.
3. Map: Show the Where (positions).
4. Timeline: Show the When (sequence).
5. Flowchart: Illustrate the How (cause-effect).
6. Equation: Summarize the Why (takeaway).
   This structured approach provides context and clarity, making complex ideas understandable and memorable for your students.

11. When in Doubt, Draw It Out for clarity.

When in Doubt, Draw It Out.

Vision is your superpower. Your eyes and brain are constantly working to make sense of the visible world, providing awareness, detecting beauty, and seeking clarity. Drawing leverages this innate superpower to enhance your thinking and communication.

Drawing provides clarity. The goal of drawing ideas is not artistic perfection, but clarity. It helps you see underlying patterns, connections, and solutions that might be hidden in words or abstract thought. It makes complex things understandable.

Drawing enables communication. Pictures are the fastest way to convey ideas to others. A simple, clear drawing can instantly communicate a concept, making it shareable and memorable. When you're unsure how to proceed or explain something, pick up a pen and draw.

Last updated: May 9, 2025