This document discusses using diagrams to inspire staff and shorten training time. It provides various diagram examples to visualize strategies, explain concepts, clarify responsibilities, and anticipate challenges. Examples include using diagrams to explain strategy, tell an engaging story, plot morale over time, understand negotiation variables, and change conflict language. The document advocates for active learning and applying diagrams immediately to reinforce learning. It concludes by providing a puzzle and noting diagrams can differ internationally.

2. VISUAL LEARNING:
USING DIAGRAMS
TO INSPIRE STAFF
AND SHORTEN TRAINING TIME

3. 1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)
2. INSPIRING STAFF FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)

4. POSSIBLE AUDIENCES
1.You
2. Your boss
3. Your staff

5. 1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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…”

10. 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

11. 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?

12. How To Confuse Everybody
• Hubs within hubs
• Double-headed arrows
• Dotted lines
• Snake’s honeymoon
• Does anyone understand it?
• Simpler is better

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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?”

17. 2. INSPIRING STAFF FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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...”

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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’?”

25. 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

26. THE INTERACTIVE KIT BOX
• THE BOOK
• STARTER
TEMPLATES
• BLANKS
• SHARPIE PEN
• BE INSPIRED
& DESIGN
YOUR OWN
• PUZZLE

27. 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.

29. INTERNATIONAL DIAGRAMS
• KOREA
• GERMANY
• JAPAN
• CHINA
• TAIWAN
• THAILAND
• RUSSIA
• BRAZIL
• SPAIN
• USA

30. thediagramsbook.com
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