Picture This

HOT READS FOR THE PRACTIONER

Title: The Back Of The Napkin

Competencies: strategic problem analysis, driving change, vision/goal setting, oral presentation

Who benefits: entrepreneurs, planners, sales and marketing professionals at any level, internal and external organizational consultants, those who make oral presentations

Consultant Usage: highly recommended for organizational consultants, important skill for trainers at all levels, may be useful to coaching professionals

What’s it about? Awhile back in one of the lists I occasionally post, I mentioned this book and said I would put it on my reading list.  I did and I just finished reading it.  It’s terrific. 

I initially thought it might contribute to the competencies of strategic thinking and problem solving.  It did and a whole lot more.  Personally, I would like to see every employee in sales, marketing or customer service read the book.  They would be far better communicators if they utilized the information that is presented.

I would also commend this book to specialists who do group facilitation work and trainers who teach oral presentations.

I can’t emphasize enough my surprise, delight and the importance of this book to people teaching or giving oral presentations.  Even terrible speakers could look good if they could master the techniques and apply them to their presentations. 

The book itself is written in such a way that you can read it at two levels.  You really can skim the whole thing in 2-3 hours and come away with formats that are going to be useful on a regular basis.  Or you can spend hours reading and mastering the techniques (recommended for consultants).

The content is simple enough.  Roam says his book is about “Anytime, Anyone, Anywhere: Solving Problems with Pictures.”  The three main chapters are about (1) Discovering Ideas, (2) Developing Ideas, and (3) Selling Ideas. 

His goal is to get us to see problems in a new way and a new way of seeing solutions.  He starts with the process: look, see, imagine, show.  He discusses our built in tools of our eyes, our mind’s eye and our hand – eye coordination (which was of particular interest to me since I can’t even draw a straight line).  He incorporates in a new way of asking the old questions of who, what, when, where, how, and why.

And in the end it is a book that impacts in a powerful way.  If the topic is of interest, it is well worth your time.

I would also add a footnote for those of you readers who are external consultants.  I imagine that in these economic times it is more difficult than ever to bring in new business.  It seems to me that using the techniques the author describes would make your proposals/pitches more marketable.  You will need to adapt his ideas somewhat, but that’s where your skills meet his ideas.

Catch you later.
[tags]discovering ideas, discovering solutions, solving problems, selling ideas, strategic planning, planners, making presentations, oral presentations, creating visions, setting goals, consulting skills, bill bradley, william bradley,  bradley[/tags]

Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley (mostly) retired after 35 years in organizational consulting, training and management development. During those years he worked internally with seven organizations and trained and consulted externally with more than 90 large and small businesses, government agencies, hospitals and schools.