“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin
A colleague of mine, a talented, creative, smart CMO — jokes that we ought to “draw him a picture,” when we’re on opposite sides of an idea…
Our kids, when they’re little, often say, “Draw me a picture,” when they don’t understand something.
We ought to.
When we draw pictures, we involve the other party. Herb Kelliher famously drew out the business plan and routing for Southwest Airlines on a bar napkin for his skeptical business partners.
They’ve done pretty well, right?
Corey Sommers and David Jenkins authored a book a couple years ago called “Whiteboard Selling.” It’s powerful stuff and it really does work.
Lose the Power Point. No, better yet, lose the computer.
Grab a marker and draw out the concept, idea or solution. Heck, just draw a picture of the problem — and it will seem much more solvable.
People love to learn, and they love to do business with people that teach them valuable lessons. Draw them a danged picture.
It’s not “too informal,” it’s “real informative,” and it sticks in the mind.
Draw a picture. It will make a difference.
Mick Kirisits says
Is a picture and a “dangled” picture the same thing or is one more detailed than the other?
I wish you had shared these daily messages when I was still I. The business world! Still useful in retired life but would have been very helpful in that previous life of mine.