reThink: How you think, work and thrive – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Episode 1: Welcome to reThink: Unpacking Ideas, Innovation, and Insights
In this first episode of reThink, I introduce you to the heart of the podcast—exploring creative ways to reimagine ideas, improve processes, and gain fresh insights. You’ll learn what the three pillars of reThink—Ideas, Innovation, and Insights—really mean and how they can help you navigate your work, learning, and team dynamics.

I’ll also share a bit about my background as a teacher and coach, how I discovered the power of visual thinking, and the story behind MapChat™, my method for helping others capture ideas visually during meetings and projects. And yes, I know it’s ironic to talk about visual thinking on a podcast, but I’ll walk you through every concept in a way that’s clear and engaging—and I’ll share bonus visual resources later!

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by too many tasks or unsure how to organize your thoughts, you’re not alone. In this episode, you’ll get a preview of what’s to come, including practical tools for brainstorming, team collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Join me as I explain how visual thinking can transform the way you approach challenges, and stay tuned for the next episode, where I’ll introduce the Crazy 8s method—an easy, no-pressure exercise to help you turn mental chaos into clarity (with a pen in hand!).

Whether you're a student, educator, or team leader, this podcast is here to empower you with simple yet impactful strategies that you can start using right away.
We all need a reThink once in a while—so why not start today? 

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

🎙️ Episode 3: Drawing – The Superpower for Thinking

Think you can’t draw? Think again! 🎨

Most of us stop drawing around age 7 to 9, the last time we truly enjoyed it. But what if drawing isn’t about art—it’s about thinking? In this episode of rethink, I explore how sketching can boost memory, enhance problem-solving, and clarify ideas.

📌 Science-backed insights:
✅ The Drawing Effect – How sketching helps you remember twice as much
✅ Dual Coding Theory – Why combining visuals + words makes ideas stick
✅ Doodling for Focus – How simple scribbles keep your brain engaged

Plus, I’ll share practical ways to use drawing in daily life—even if you think you "can’t draw"! And keep an eye out for my upcoming video on how to draw simple, easy images Nicki-style.

🖍 Listen now & start thinking visually!

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Crazy 8 is designed to help you rethink brainstorming and spark connections and it is fast, fun, and full of ideas. Whether you’re working alone or in a team, this quick and creative technique gets ideas flowing and uncovers patterns you might not see otherwise.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Bad design is CRAP. 

No, really—there’s an actual design principle called CRAP: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. 

If you’re not using these, your spatial organisation might be working against you.

In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how spatial organisation transforms the way we think, communicate, and design—whether in presentations, learning materials, or even how we arrange our workspaces.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why the CRAP principles (from The Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams) are a secret weapon for clarity.
✅ How Gestalt Theory explains why our brains love well-organised spaces.
✅ Simple tweaks that make layouts, slides, and study notes instantly more effective.
✅ Why white space is powerful and how you can use it to avoid information overload.

Because when design is bad, it’s CRAP—but when it’s good, it’s transformational

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Ever struggled to structure your thoughts or explain an idea clearly? What if you could break it down visually—step by step—just like a storyboard?

In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how storyboarding can transform the way you think, communicate, and bring ideas to life.

📌 What you’ll discover:
🔹 Why storyboarding works for different types of thinkers—from creatives to leaders.
🔹 How breaking an idea into 3 or 5 panels makes it clearer and more actionable.
🔹 The science behind storytelling & visuals—and why our brains love them.
🔹 How I used storyboarding to create The Confessions of an Introvert comic.
🔹 A hands-on guide to sketching your own storyboard—no artistic skills required!

Whether you’re mapping out a project, explaining a concept, or shaping a vision, storyboarding helps you clarify your message and make it stick.

🎧 Tune in now and rethink how you communicate—one frame at a time!

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Ever struggled to explain a complex idea? What if you could capture it in a single, powerful image?

In this episode of rethink: the Podcast, we explore how visual metaphors can transform the way we think, communicate, and problem-solve.

📌 What you’ll discover:
🔹 How metaphors help make abstract ideas concrete.
🔹 The power of turning concepts into visual journeys.
🔹 Real-world examples, including my work with Paul Vincent on the 25 Questions for 2025 project.
🔹 How graphic facilitators like Brendon O’Brien and Ralph Mann bring ideas to life.
🔹 A step-by-step guide to mapping your own big-picture thinking.

Whether you’re a leader, educator, or creative, this episode will show you how to use metaphors as maps to navigate ideas and find clarity.

🎧 Tune in now and start seeing the big picture with visual metaphors!

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 5: Concept Mapping for Better Thinking

Feeling overwhelmed by scattered ideas and messy notes? Ever struggled to pull everything together and make sense of your thoughts? You’re not alone!

In this episode of rethink: the podcast, I explore how concept mapping can transform your thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills by mirroring the way your brain naturally organises information.

🔹 Why mapping works – backed by neuroscience & Gestalt theory
🔹 Different types of concept maps – it’s not just mind maps!
🔹 How to use mapping effectively – from learning and planning to creative thinking
🔹 Who benefits most – students, professionals, teams, and neurodivergent thinkers

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to structure your thoughts, this episode will help you rethink how you organise and connect ideas.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Ever been in a meeting where only the loudest voices dominate? Thought Threads is a spatial, silent brainstorming technique designed to ensure every idea gets seen and valued—especially for introverts, reflective thinkers, and neurodiverse team members. 

In this episode, we explore how visual, anonymous ideation can turn scattered thoughts into structured collaboration. Learn how to cluster, connect, and amplify ideas using this inclusive visual thinking approach.

Tune in and discover how to weave your team’s ideas into a powerful collective web of insights!

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 28: The Bridge – Turning Insight into Action

You’ve done the deep thinking. You’ve uncovered what’s really going on. But now what?

In this episode, I introduce the Bridge Framework: a visual strategy to help you move from insight to action. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or standing at the edge of something new, this simple tool will help you break things down, find your footing and take your next small step.

I’ll walk you through:
 – Identifying where you are now
 – Defining your desired state
 – Mapping out realistic steps forward
 – And choosing the supports that will help you stay steady

You’ll also hear a story of how I used this with a friend navigating a big life change and how a simple sketch turned into a guiding tool he still uses today.

Plus: there’s a free visual you can download and use for your own conversations.

Because sometimes insight is just the beginning.

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?

Episode 27: Peeling Back the Layers. Visual Frameworks for Deeper Thinking

In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, we’re digging beneath the surface. Nicki Hambleton explores the power of the onion metaphor to unpack complexity and reveal what’s really going on.

Using visual thinking strategies, we peel back the outer layers of what’s being said, how it’s being said and dive into the beliefs, emotions and assumptions hidden underneath. You'll learn how to work through each layer to reach deeper clarity, greater empathy and more meaningful solutions.

🔍 Whether you're coaching, leading, learning, or facilitating, this episode will help you visualise conversations differently with tools to guide others through solving problems or complex thinking.

You’ll hear:

• Why metaphors like the onion work so well in thinking and communication
• A step-by-step visual framework to guide deeper insight
• How to apply this in strategy sessions, team coaching, learning and reflection

Plus, there’s a free template to help guide your own layer-peeling journey to check it out on LinkedIn or on the website: https://nihconsultancy.com/resources

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?