Unlocking creativity with a mind map

Originally posted on my blog: Way to Work.

It's the start of a new year. For most companies, this a time to reflect on strategy, goals, or performance reviews. But it can be difficult to think about the big picture or to write feedback for a co-worker, especially if this is something you don't do regularly. The good news is that the information is already there — inside your head. You just need a way to get it out in a useful and organized way.

Welcome to mind mapping.

I recently learned about mind mapping from the book How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb. Since then, I've used this technique to write detailed performance reviews quickly, and to articulate my team's vision, goals, and purpose.

So what is mind mapping?

It's a way to get all of your ideas on a topic out of your head and onto a piece of paper. I recommend using a sheet of paper and a pen. The paper helps you stay focused, and the pen means you can't erase – all ideas are welcome!

At the center of the paper write the thing you want to explore. Let's use "dinners" as an example. Next, draw a line in any direction and write the next word that comes to mind. Let's say, "pasta." 

Now, if you want to keep going down that path (I do, because I love pasta), draw another line off the first one and write the related idea. Going with the "dinners" example, let's write two lines off "pasta" and write "pesto" and another line for "marinara." Try to stick to one word per line. Got it?

What do you do when you get stuck?

This is actually the most important time – the stuck time. The creative time. You want to have these moments, because that's when you unlock your creative potential. As soon as you get stuck and can't think of another word, doodle on the mind map. Re-draw lines to make them thicker, draw stars around the important things you want to highlight, grab a different color pen and start filling in the letters. Doodling triggers the creative side of your brain. It gives the logical side time to recharge. Eventually, another word will pop up, and you can find the right place for it, or draw a new line off you main idea if needed.

My mind map looks like a disaster?

Fantastic! That means your creative and logical juices were flowing well. From here, you have a number of options:

• Review the mind map and re-draw a new map that is better organized in a hierarchy that makes sense to you. This is helpful if you need to share the mind map with other people.
• Move on to your next medium. Looking at the "dinners" example again, maybe this is a shopping list or a menu for the week. In my case, I went from the mind map to writing a performance review.
• Let is sit, and sleep on it. Look at the mind map the next morning with fresh eyes and see if it sparks any new ideas.

The next time you need to think about a topic – any topic – try mind mapping it. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.