Visual Aid Ideas

Do you find yourself looking for the perfect picture to represent an idea? I don’t remember where I found this list, but here are a few metaphors to consider:

army helmet or flak jacket – protect, fight, dig in for a struggle, ‘call to arms’, a rallying call for a special effort

baseball bat or big stick – x theory management, autocratic management, bullying, harassment

beachball – rest, relax, take a break, take your holidays, and ensure your staff do too

clock/watch – time, and time management, scheduling, planning

egg-timer – get on with things, the sands of time…

rock – search (leave no stone un-turned)

spectacles – vision, inspection, scrutiny, apply your intelligence

textbook – research, facts, evidence, know your facts, product knowledge, understand the detail

binoculars or telescope – field research, competitor intelligence and information, forward planning, looking ahead, probing for answers, vision

brick – strength, robustness, durability, reliability

bucket of rocks, pebbles and sand – time-management ideas and the ‘big rocks in first’ story

builder’s hard hat – building (compiling information, assembling facts, evidence, etc), also obviously safety, being properly prepared and equipped for the job.

camera – respect people’s privacy, avoid work encroaching/impinging on personal lives

cardigan, pipe and slippers – ageism, respect the knowledge/experience/feelings of older workers, avoid stereo-typing people and making assumptions about age and character

carrot – incentive, motivate, reward, motivational styles and methods

chef’s hat – preparation (of anything), mixing, blending (teams, etc), selecting ingredients (identifying and choosing quality components, people, suppliers, methods, etc)

conductors baton – orchestrate, co-ordinate, manage, timing, time-management, turn up the volume or tempo, and anything else related to managing resources and timescales

juggling balls – creativity, juggling tasks and priorities (keeping all the balls in the air), using different parts of the brain, relaxation and stress-prevention, fun, practice makes perfect, dexterity

loaf of bread and pack of butter or margarine – stick to the basics, ensure you do the ‘bread and butter’ business/activity

If you are having a tough time thinking of the right image contact me for a complete list.