What to Do When Words Don't Work

Recently Nancy Duarte featured Dan Roam on her blog and had him speak about his new book Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don't Work. In it, he discusses the two different minds that we have - the verbal mind and the visual mind. The verbal mind is all about words and grammar and it does really well in school. Schools are built for the verbal mind to excel, but they are difficult for the visual mind to navigate. What Dan does is to build a bridge between the two minds.

The problem has been that the Verbals have been in charge, only allowing the Visuals to work in a small sector. Verbals are CEOs and they allow Visuals to be in marketing or advertising, but it's always on the Verbal's terms. Visuals are expected to either get in line or get out of the way.

Dan shows, in the video below, how grammar is both a visual and a verbal construct. It's not just about one or the other, but ways in which both types of people can communicate together to make something more meaningful.

Are you a Verbal or a Visual?



Dan Roam - Vivid Grammar from Duarte Design on Vimeo.

Note: the book link earns me a small commission on any purchases made. I haven't read the book yet, so I make no endorsement.