The Learn-It-All Podcast

81: Why Visual Thinking Inspires Clear and Powerful Leadership | Todd Cherches

Oct 24, 2024

Todd Cherches, CEO and co-founder of Big Blue Gumball and an award-winning professor, delves into the transformative power of visual thinking in leadership. He shares how leaders can simplify complex ideas through metaphors and models to inspire their teams. Todd emphasizes ego-free and servant leadership, highlighting the importance of trust and honesty in team dynamics. He also introduces the Passion-Skills Matrix, encouraging leaders to find their optimal engagement while embracing failure as a pathway to growth. Tune in for innovative strategies that drive clear communication!

01:00:55

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Episode guests

Todd Cherches

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Visual thinking is crucial for leaders to communicate their visions clearly, utilizing imagery and metaphors to engage teams effectively.

Leadership is not limited to titles, as everyone can embody leadership qualities and foster accountability and ownership in their roles.

Flexibility in leadership style is essential, requiring leaders to adapt their approach based on situational needs and team dynamics.

Deep dives

The Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership

Leaders must prioritize visual thinking to effectively communicate their vision and align their teams. Visual thinking involves presenting ideas through imagery, metaphors, and frameworks to ensure that everyone can grasp and engage with the message. In teaching leadership, many participants associate leadership closely with vision as a picture of a better future state. By combining visual techniques such as storytelling, leaders can energize and inspire their teams, making it easier to translate their vision into reality.

Intro

5min

Navigating Leadership Through Visual Thinking

17min

Metaphors in Leadership Communication

8min

Embracing Failure: A Path to Growth

6min

The Impact of Trust and Honesty in Leadership

2min

The Power of Visual Storytelling

19min

Harnessing Visual Thinking for Leadership

3min

Ever struggle to get your team to truly see the future you're aiming for?

Todd Cherches, an expert in leadership and visual thinking, has a groundbreaking approach that could change the way you lead.

In this episode of The Learn-It-All Leader Podcast, Todd Cherches, CEO and co-founder of Big Blue Gumball, shares his innovative insights on visual leadership—a method that leverages visual thinking to enhance communication, leadership, and teamwork. From using metaphors and imagery to simplifying complex concepts, Todd’s techniques are designed to help leaders clearly articulate their vision, inspire teams, and drive meaningful action.

This Episode Covers:

Why visual thinking is the future of leadership
The four key techniques to make your leadership message stick
How leaders can use props and metaphors to enhance communication
The importance of ego-free leadership and servant leadership
How to lead without dominating and collaborate effectively
The Passion-Skills Matrix: finding your leadership sweet spot

Episode Highlights:

(00:00) Introduction to Todd Cherches – Damon and Darren introduce Todd Cherches, leadership expert and author, and dive into his innovative approach to leadership through visual thinking.

(02:00) The Power of Visual Thinking – Todd explains why leaders need to think visually and how it helps communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively.

(05:30) Using Metaphors and Models – Todd shares how he uses visual metaphors and models to help leaders simplify their messages and get their teams on the same page.

(09:00) Leadership as a Visual Skill – Todd discusses how leaders can leverage visual thinking in their day-to-day roles to engage, inspire, and align their teams around a shared vision.

(12:33) Storytelling in Leadership – Todd emphasizes the importance of storytelling in leadership, using examples from his book Visual Leadership and his TEDx talk.

(17:00) Tools for Leaders – Todd walks through practical tools and techniques leaders can use to enhance their visual communication skills, including the use of props, diagrams, and visual storytelling.

(21:30) Lessons in Ego-Free Leadership – Todd shares stories of how ego can get in the way of effective leadership and how leaders can practice “ego-free leadership” to build trust and collaboration.

(33:18) Final Thoughts on Visual Leadership – Todd wraps up with actionable tips on how leaders can immediately start using visual thinking to improve their communication and leadership effectiveness.

About Todd:

Todd Cherches, CEO and co-founder of Big Blue Gumball, is an executive coach, consultant, and award-winning professor specializing in leadership development through visual thinking. With over 25 years of experience, including roles at Disney and CBS, Todd’s innovative methods help business professionals become more effective thinkers, communicators, and leaders. A TEDx speaker and author of Visual Leadership, Todd’s unique, engaging approach to leadership has earned him recognition as a pioneer in the field and a finalist for the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Award in Leadership.

Resources Referenced:

Todd Cherches’ TEDx Talk

Big Blue Gumball

Book: Visual Leadership—Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life

Book: Drive—The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

Book: Made to Stick—Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan

The Passion-Skills Matrix: Todd’s framework for aligning passion and skill to maximize team effectiveness

Todd’s LinkedIn

Todd’s website