In The Doodle Revolution, Sunni Brown explains how to “unlock the power to think differently.”
Of special interest to me is what she has to say about how to become a much more effective listener. She offers 14 specific tips (Pages 115-119) and I tried all of them, with (predictably) mixed results. With #1, for example, I listened to her TED Talk and was amazed by the extent to which my mind was stimulated by various associations and connections (including memories) between what I heard her say and my own background and experiences. I also used several of the tips when listening to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. There were different but equally amazing results. Effective listening requires focus and concentration…also patience.
Here are the 14 “tips”:
1. When you commit to excelling at listening, first practice with your eyes closed and with content you enjoy.
2. Recognize that listening requires PRACTICE, and don’t expect your skills to transcend discernibly overnight.
3. Stop what you’re thinking and listen.
4. Prioritize what you’re capturing. Listen for the “bones” (i.e. key points, evidence).
5. Pay attention to the [both verbal and non-verbal] build.
6. Use (i.e. formulate in your mind) telegraphic sentences and phrases.
Note: When recording notes, I call these “triggers.” You get the idea.
7. “Cache” (i.e. temporarily store) key content.
8. Listen for metaphors, similes, and descriptions about structure.
9. If content start s to seriously outpace you, resort [when doodling] to lines, connectors, frames, containers, and color.
10. If you feel like you missed a significant point, move on.
11. Don’t fixate on imperfections in your visual OR verbal language.
12. Be aware of the word/image balance.
Note: Also be alert for appropriate variances.
13. Keep your images simple.
14. Develop a visual vocabulary.
Comment: You’ll have one by the time you finish reading this book and completing the exercises provided.
FYI: Brown defines doodling as “making spontaneous marks to help yourself think with your mind and body.” For example:
One final point: It would be a fool’s errand for me to attempt to explain the relevance of doodling to the 14 “tips” just provided in this post. I urge you to read the book for a thorough explanation of how you can “unlock the power to think differently.”
* * *
Sunni Brown was named one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business” and one of the “10 Most Creative People on Twitter” by Fast Company. She is founder of a creative consultancy, an international speaker, the co-author of Gamestorming, and the leader of a global campaign for visual literacy called The Doodle Revolution. Her TED Talk on doodling has drawn more than a million views on TED.com. Her work on visual literacy and gaming has been featured in over 35 nationally-syndicated news programs and reported on in The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, the BBC, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, etc. She lives in Keep Austin Weird, Texas.