Simple Drawings, Powerful Results

I partner with facilitators and event planners all the time, so when I learn a new process, especially one that gets attendees up and drawing, I like to share it.

Recently I worked with an internal event team who came up with a creative exercise to kick off their annual retreat. Their approach transformed what could have been a standard departmental presentation into an engaging, memorable experience.

Each department head was tasked with giving a 2-minute presentation on how their department plans to contribute to the bottom line this year. Each team was given just 5 minutes before their presentation to create a simple drawing that illustrated their goals. No artistic skill required – just stick figures and basic icons to convey their message.

What happened next was magical. As each team presented, I collected their drawings and incorporated them into the mural I was drawing. Their simple sketches, created under time pressure, captured the essence of each department's vision. And the finished mural now serves as a daily source of inspiration and reminder of their collective goals for the year.

This exercise shows that even the simplest drawings are incredibly powerful tools for communication.

So the next time you're planning a team meeting or retreat, consider putting away the slides and picking up some markers instead. You might be surprised at how a few simple drawings can unlock your team's creativity, clarity, and commitment.

After all, sometimes the most powerful business tools are the ones we learned in kindergarten - we just need permission to use them.