SHELDR #20-2018: Mind Mapping As a Skill Set? RU Using Both Sides of Your Brain? Strategic Health Leadership (SHELDR) Thought Leadership Series

 “The soul never thinks without a mental image.” -Aristotle

Introduction

Lots of talk on information overload and the proverbial excuse of “no time to think … I’ll get to it later …I’ve survived thus far, why change now.” Too bad no one talks about intellectual capitalism, knowledge-based learning organizations, and whole brain leadership to accelerate health system transformation anymore. Or, did I miss something? It is as if were supposed to let the “blip-zip” nature of our environment pass by and operate in linear mode until we retire. Hello! The world is infinitely complex, dynamic, and messy and you’re leading the transformation! 

Sadly, 85% of today’s leaders only use the left side of their brain for problem solving, visioning, and looking for creative solutions. It could be hindering their effectiveness. You decide. The ways and means to leverage “knowledge capital” in a “blip-zip” world is through our imagination or capitalizing on both sides of the right side of our brain—including your’ s—to generate creative ideas—imagery—and solutions. Think about it. Using both sides of the brain can have a profound impact on the way the health systems are transformed or how leaders inspire others. In many ways, use of both sides of the brain contributes to emotional awareness. RU Using Both Sides of You Brain?   

Mind Mapping as an Accelerated Learning and Problem Solving Skill

Speaking of maximizing human potential, let’s get back to reality. You have a problem to solve, presentation to do, class to attend, or you have an idea your team will like. What do you do? You must master the “blip-zip” information age rather than be a victim of it. You can do it by mastering some accelerated learning and creative solution skills. These activities are building blocks to leveraging knowledge for mission success, maximizing human potential, and accelerating organizational learning. Do I have your attention now? One skill worth adopting is MIND MAPPING. Its easy. It may sound weird, but it works. I’ve personally used MIND MAPPING throughout my career and taught it as a lunch-n-learn session at conferences for many years. Have you heard of mind mapping? Do you use it?

What is Mind Mapping?

Mind maps are visual representations of information. In contrast to the traditional linear note taking, you make a visual text document. Mind maps let you capture thoughts, ideas and keywords on a blank canvas—connect the dots or find an “A-ha” moment. Then, you can organize them into a report, action plan or set of talking points. The goal/title/main idea is always located in the center of the map and clearly visible. The mind is like a magnet. Once you or a team focus on the goal/title/main idea both sides of the brain kick in. Related ideas branch off from the center in all directions, creating a visual illustration. The effect is dramatic idea generation evoking enthusiasm and momentum. Just what a SHELDR wants, right?  The visual below summarizes the gist of mind mapping.  

Mind Mapping Can Work for You and Your Team

Remember how you were taught to outline or take notes?  Keep in mind, note taking enhances recall. However it is linear in nature. Did you use any pictures, symbols, or colors to enhance your memory or sorting through a complex problem? With mind mapping, you avoid the old-fashioned outline form to maximize the use of both sides of your brain for creative effect. For example, I began my mind mapping journey in the 1990s. Remember the managed care era of the 1990s? The illustration (along with many others) shows mind map of how to implement capitation-based resource allocation.  

The mind map actually helped me sort through complexity and development priorities (and my anxiety) and build a project management plan for this and other major transformational initiatives. In short, mind mapping stimulates the LEFT side of your BRAIN or the linear objective side and to the creative or image producing RIGHT side of your BRAIN. Together, they from a fun and powerful approach to learning, team problem solving, or in this case generating ideas on 3 beers and an empty stomach at the local bar. What do you think the possibilities are?

Think About the Possibilities

Yes, I’ve been referred to jokingly as weird and in need of a whack in the side of my head. However, I know in my heart these are compliments in disguise! In my activities as a facilitator, leader, and strategist, I and others have used mind mapping for positive effects.

Mind maps foster creativity. First, mind mapping stimulates brain activity to foster creative flows of ideas—how will be become a high reliability organization? Second, Mind maps allow you to transcribe those ideas with incredible speed, making for a virtually frictionless thought leadership and learning organization—what will be the ground rules on this major merger?.

Mind maps enhance productivity. Mind mapping enables you to learn faster, communicate efficiently and brainstorm effectively—how can my team and I improve population health with the new electronic medical record information? Whether you’re planning a continuous quality improvement project, planning a course on strategic health leadership, or writing a chapter in your book—mind mapping saves time or helps you optimize the limited time you have.

Mind maps capture vast amounts of information. Mind maps show relationships between individual ideas and enable everyone to see the “big picture” together—how can we use predictive analytics for identify the next potential harm event? These features make mind maps an ideal tool to present information such as an out brief, create knowledge pools and facilitate solving complex problems. The illustration shows a professional mind map developed as part of a 2010 federal health futures group futuring session on strategic health leader development in the federal health sector. It served as powerful symbol on how to capitalize on both sides of the brain for positive effect.

Summary

I believe mind mapping and other accelerated learning and problem solving skills work. It’s a means to counter the “blip-zip” nature of our information intense world. You have the same potential as everyone else. Success as a SHELDR may very well mean how you leverage and apply knowledge under pressure. For me, I’m convinced I became a better leader over the years--better memory and recall, accelerated organizational momentum of a major challenge or issue, produced more ideas and solutions by connecting the dots for others on complex issues. You can too! The difference is in how you use your mind and motivate others to do the same. Mind mapping can make the difference as SHELDR skill set!

 Resources:

Theory Behind Mind Maps: As you read about the nature and workings of your memory and about your brain's other major functions, you will realize the extraordinary extent of its capacity and potential. The mind map is a tool used to entice, delight, stimulate and challenge you. You will discover some astonishing facts about your brain and its function, and you will take the first major steps on the path to freedom of the mind.

Visual Insight: Visual communication is proving essential for today’s leadership.  Visuals ease the complexity of innovation systems, quick-forming team relationships, and flexible planning design. We support our clients to glide through challenges.

Mind Map Mastery: The Complete Guide to Learning and Using the Most Powerful Thinking Tool in the Universe, 2018, Tony Buzan

About the Author: Douglas “DrQD” Anderson, DHA, MSS, MBA, FACHE is a healthcare consultant, adjunct professor, strategist, executive coach and group facilitator with over 30 years’ healthcare experience in leadership, command, and corporate staff positions: military, international, academic, and commercial health sectors. He retired in the grade of Colonel in 2012. His last assignment in the military was as Director, Organizational Improvement and Strategic Communication in the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General’s Headquarters. He served on multiple deployments including Afghanistan as Medical Advisor to Afghanistan National Police Surgeon General. He is currently the Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps Association. He specializes in health futuring, strategic leader development, strategy management, systems thinking, continuous quality improvement, and strategic communication. He is coauthor of Health Systems Thinking: A Primer and Systems Thinking for Health Organizations, Leadership, and Policy: Think Globally, Act Locally. Follow him on Twitter: @Doug_Anderson57. Contact him at [email protected] for information, comments, and opportunities.

Disclosure and Disclaimer:  Douglas E. Anderson have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose. The author’s opinions are his own and do not represent an official position of any organization including those he consulted. Any publications, commercial products or services mentioned in his publications are for recommendations only and do not indicate an endorsement. All non-disclosure agreements (NDA) apply.

References: All references or citations will be provided upon request. Not responsible for broken or outdated links, however, report broken links to [email protected]

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